ShakeyJay

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!!!

Walked all over and came across a massive flea market, looked like a K Mart liquidation sale. Did about five kms. and then decided it was Siesta time

Got to love this culture lol.

Woke up went out and bought some chocolates and had another sangria before settling on pizza at the same restaurant as last night.  The night life is unbelievable, everyone and their dogs are out walking makes me thing of the song: grab the old ladies and babies and everyone goes…..

Even in cool rainy weather it never stops. The last day in Leon we had to kill four hours till our train, left the hotel around noon, then killed time walking around, finally walked down this out of the way alley and found a little store that actually had a hat I liked and cheap too.  Met two pilgrims in there that commented on John’s Blue Jay hat. It turns out they were from Duncan – about 10 km from our home in Mill Bay BC. Go figure eh!!!  Finally it was time to go to the train station, got on the train and travelled for three hours. The train stopped and suddenly were the only ones on the train. The conductor comes in yelling at us in Spanish apparently everyone was ordered off the train but since it was in Spanish no comprende… anyway we managed to figure out the train was over and everyone was being hustled onto buses.  No idea where we were going but there were a few other English speaking people in the same boat…erm train… so we followed them.  Took an hour bus ride in the dark in a winding twisting road thru the mountains to another town where we disembarked and were ushered to another train which then proceeded to Santiago and arrived on time!