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It took almost an hour to get to his house, but he had beer and wine and a delicious baked ham and cheese plate to feed us.  After many drinks and much laughter we crawled into bed at 1:30 am!!!!

The next day Jerry had made arrangements for us to take the black taxi tour, a very in depth and unbiased approach to what was “the troubles”.  We knew about the bombings and fighting but never in our wildest dreams did we understand the extent of it.  It was extremely emotional and an eye opening to what really took place.  Also it’s still just simmering under the surface, they have walls and gates surrounding the Protestant and Catholic areas where they still close the gates at night!! We then went to check on John’s backpack but it wasn’t there.  We went to Ikea for lunch which was delicious! That night Jerry cooked us a great roast chicken dinner in his air fryer.

The next day we saw where the Titanic was built and according to Jerry “it was alright when it left here”. We then toured the HMS Caroline a light cruiser from WW1 and the battle of Jutland., then we toured Hillsborough castle where Jerry works part-time and the Royals home when they are in Belfast.

Very beautiful, I really enjoyed the gallery of their intimate family pictures.  We had lunch at the cafe on the gardens which was great cause Jerry gets a 50% discount.  It was Halloween and everything was decorated including John’s hamburger bun which was black and delicious!!!  Jerry cooked us hot dogs with peppered sausage, I must look for those at home.

The last day the fog cleared slightly and we went to the Mourne mountains, New Castle etc.  just little villages every where and the lush green valleys were so beautiful.  I was transfixed by the rock walls everywhere, dividing the properties with sheep and cattle lazily grazing.  We went to a seaside village on the Irish Sea and had true Irish/British fish and chips, I might never order fish and chips in Canada again. The bar is set very high.

That night Jerry’s daughter Natasha and her fiancé Cormac came over for appies and wine.  They were a delightful couple and Natasha is definitely a Chip off the old  block.

The next day brought us to an end of our trip and we were very sad to go.  Jerry was an amazing host and we just had the best craic!!! eh Bai

I do hope Jerry comes to visit, I would love to reciprocate his hospitality and if not we will definitely visit him again.

We arrived in Amsterdam at 9 that night and had a glass of wine at the hotel then bed, totally exhausted but thrilled with our experience.

Today was our last day in Amsterdam and the end of our adventure, give weeks of travelling thru France, Spain, Portugal and Belfast.

We spent the day in Amsterdam, where for the first time we saw sun.  Took the train into town and checked out the downtown, bought a few more souvenirs sampled tons of cheese, John got his frite and mayonnaise and then on to some good Dutch beer in the sun!!

Took the train back to the airport then  took the shuttle back to the Ibis Hotel.  Have a drink at the bar and try to repack everything to fit.

Sad to go but anxious to sleep in our beds again and have a HOT TUB!!!

Came back down and shopped for the last few souvenirs then hopped on the water taxi for a ride back to the Porto water front.

Started our long assent up to our hotel, stopped halfway up and had another glass of wine and a cheese plate of local cheeses.  Very good.  Then continued our trek to our hotel, arrived after three which was the Siesta time.  So dutifully we had our Siesta!

Went out for dinner around 7ish to a great local diner for the local special of Francona which according to legend a local boy went to work in France as a chef for many years and when he returned he brought a specialty of bread, meat and gravy but of course he made it his own and he called it Franconia, which means spicy french girl.  The locals call it heart attack on a plate!!!!!

John had it, I had their local soup which was delicious.

Crawled home and to bed early since we had to be up for our taxi to the airport.

Porto was great.

Sunday we were picked up by the limo driver and along with another couple from New Jersey drove out to the Douro valley, wine country.  Such magnificent scenery, it is terraced all the way down and vines grow on each row.  The terraces were all hand hewn hundreds of years ago! The leaves were changing and the colors were vibrant. We drove along the Douro river to the dock and then boarded a river boat that cruised up the river.  We were treated with a special white port and tonic water cocktail (lemon & mint)

and some local appies. We then drove around the countryside stopped at a little town called Sabrosa, Portugal, the birthplace of Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorer, who was the fist mariner to circumnavigate the globe back in 1522. Also we saw a bridge built by Eiffel who also lived in the Douro valley.  He also built two bridges in Porto.

We arrived at the first winery where we had a tour and the most amazing lunch. We were greeted at the gate with a special glass of port, we then went on a tour of the kitchen and winery.  Lunch was in a big tent on the lawn which was beautifully set with white linen etc.  We were served local delicacies of cheese olives, smoked meats, clams, black eyed peas, local tomatoes and of course bread and olive oil and a delicious white wine.

The next course was a local potato cooked in cast iron pots over and open fire with local sausage and the most delicious grilled meats of spare ribs, pork and medium rare veal!!!!! Again with a delightful red wine.  Dessert was a drunken cake with another port.

We then said a sad farewell and went to a another winery where we sampled several wines and the most delicious port ever. Some of the people were invited to crawl into a empty barrel of port. That was truly hilarious.

Desperately wanted to take some port home but no leeway for weight in our luggage. The girl giving the tasting was part of the five generations that owned the winery.  She was so funny, made it even more special.

Sadly again we said goodbye and drove the last hour or so

and arrived home around seven.

Left the hotel and started walking, Porto is not on seven hills like Lisbon but there’s still several and we walked up most of them.  Porto is lovely outdoor patios everywhere and cheap beer and wine.  We had wine and calamari in one of the patios and after a well deserved Siesta we checked out some of our neighborhood and had some nachos at the hard Rock café which is right out our front door.

On our second morning we met John’s Spanish Camino friend Margaret and her son Killian for breakfast at our hotel as it was on the way to the start of their Portuguese Camino. It is a small world.

We took a hop on bus for 48 hours, great deal includes a night tour and a river cruise and we got to use it on the third day till noon.  Great way to see the city. We rode the bus on both routes to check it all out had lunch at a bakery/diner waiting for the blue bus, great hamburgers! and super Bock beer.  Took the blue bus then went back for a Siesta.  Went to a local Bistro for soup and spaghetti and meatballs absolutely amazing meatballs. I had a delightful asparagus soup.  Did the river cruise and spent the day shopping around the river, had great appies and beer and sangria with v-shaped chips.

Went back for another Siesta and a bottle of wine and then took the night light tour.  Saturday was pouring rain so stayed around our hotel went out for an Indian lunch right out our door then another nap!!! No dinner as we  were too full from lunch!!! The next day, Sunday, we were picked up by Louis our chauffeur for a day trip of wine tasting, lunch and a river cruise on the Douro river and valley.  Probably one of the highlights of our trip.

Our Portuguese guide with a Scottish accent was so fun and the lunch was amazing!! More on that on tomorrow’s diary post.

It was a lovely large room, very antique looking.  It even had a kettle for tea and coffee. This made us very happy and comfortable as with the weird bus train ride we were a little apprehensive.  Had a nice cup of tea and off to bed.

No breakfast with this flat but walked around went past the cathedral with line ups blocks long.  Walked down to the park and took pictures with the two old ladies, long story about these two sisters.  Had lunch at a little cafe, craving soup they had the most delicious Galician cabbage soup.  Went to mass that night hoping to see the incense burner sway but they didn’t do it, but John has a picture from last year.  Went out to a little café that John and Gerry went to last year for spaghetti Bolognese, seems to be very popular here.

The next morning was pouring rain but by the time we got up and went for cappuccino at the little Bistro below the rain had stopped and the sun was coming out.  Did a hop on bus that took us on a tour around old town.  Very interesting. Did a bunch of souvenir shopping and then had a lovely dinner of calamari and pizza.

The next day we had to kill five hours after we checked out so took our time having cappuccinos and tapas, then walked down towards the bus station, stopped and had lunch, breakfast at a little Bistro.  Great wine and spaghetti Bolognese (have a bit of a theme going on here).

Then walked to the bus depot and wasted another two hours.

Bus was supposed to leave at 4:45 but didn’t take off till 5:30. Absolutely great scenery, mountainous, forested and green.  Beautiful little villages nestled amongst the forest.  Great highways with tons of tolls booths.  Finally made it to Porto, around 8:30 and found the Grand Hotel of Paris. The hotel was really fun, old time grandeur with bell hop etc.  The rooms are large and you need a key to unlock your room.  Kinda brothel looking.  Dropped off our luggage and went out for a glass of wine!!!