Back home

"Like all great travellers, I saw more than I could remember, and I remember more than I could have seen." (Benjamin Disraeli)

Home at 10.30pm last night on comfortable, but unspectacular Etihad flights (would not rate Etihad ahead of Singapore Airlines).

Badly missing our Lisbon wake up temperatures and views of the ferries on the Rio Tego!!

Portugal is a great place to visit, but you need time to immerse yourself.  It has cathedrals, castles, history, landscapes, sights etc which pretty much measure up against anywhere else in Europe. In J

uly and August, at least, the weather is brilliant and it is not hard to put in a week in each of Lisbon and Porto. You can travel easily to much of the country by train. If you want to drive, the extensive motorways are brilliant (and very lightly used). The Duoro river wine growing area is stunning, whether you travel it by boat, train or car - you just do not tire of it.

Don't leave it too late to get to Portugal however as it is progressively being discovered as a tourist destination, prices are creeping up in line with such increasing popularity, a Chinese airline has just commenced direct flights and it's best to have age and fitness on your side because it is all cobblestones and lots of hills.

Insight tours - outstanding, but we were extremely lucky with just 28 on tour (on a 54 seater bus, fitted with just 40 seats) - and to have a Tour Director with so much enthusiasm and knowledge of her adopted country (as well as a brilliant driver).

Croisi cruise - outstanding, but again, so lucky to have a brand new boat and just 95 passengers (capacity 132).  French cuisine spectacular (only the breakfasts, understandably, a little Euro biased).  One of us also noted that the bathroom supplies were not premium branded.

Porto de Rio - outstanding accommodation in a perfect spot right in the heart of town and on the riverfront.  Near new conversion inside what had in earlier years been a bond store.

Emporium Suites Lisbon - almost as good. On the riverfront and an equally new conversion.  Will be even better when new park works are completed and surrounding building renovations are finished. Buildings are not demolished over here, they are preserved and renovated (but it sometimes is a very lengthy proceess).

Eurovision 2018 is in Lisbon and this will give Portugal a massive exposure - and accommodation prices are already "going mad" according to our Lisbon hostess.

Smoking remains a major issue.  While many restrictions are being phased in, cigarette prices remain very low. Not much graffiti in city areas (none in country towns), similar re rubbish. Public transport readily available, easy to use, and clean and frequent services.

Last day, and it's modern Lisbon

Our last day in Lisbon and Portugal, so it's time to see something modern.  Lisbon was the site of Expo 1998 and the urban regeneration of Parques das Nacoes helped propel the city into the 21st century with cutting edge architecture, urban art and riverside gardens.

The area is close to the airport and so there is a modern line of the Metro running on its edge, indeed the Oriente Metro station is itself an attraction.  It's vaulted structure fans out into a concertina roof, it links directly to the very modern Vasco de Gama shopping centre, and is surrounded by modern office blocks and hotels.

It has a graceful walkway to the river with the flags of all the nations that were part of Expo 98.  Australia was not one of them. At the top end of the riverside promenade is the mighty Pont Vasco de Gama, at 17.2km long, it is the longest bridge in Europe.  Here the river is so wide it could be an ocean.  At this end there is also the Torre Vasco da Gama, a 145m high concrete and steel skyscraper shaped like the sail of a mighty caravel. Sidling up to the tower is a new 5 star hotel.

At the other end is a modern aquarium, a "scienceworks" and a water garden.  The two ends are joined by a tree lined promenade of gardens, water features, art works and restaurants, and up above, there is a 20m cable car running along the water's edge. (Cable Car just €2 for Seniors - indeed the Seniors Card has proved its value at around 10 attractions during this trip.) The area also has the big entertainment centre and exhibition halls from Expo 98.

Lunch of grilled chorizo (on a flaming burner on the table) and sangria (not as good as yesterday's). Some time in the Vasco de Gama shopping centre before the Metro back to town, and last wander to our apartment.

Feet up and clean up for the last supper!!  Went to D'alfandanga restaurant again as we have enjoyed it twice, but my menu selection tonight did not turn out as expected - enjoyable, but not the roasted on the bone pork shank with crackling that I was expecting.

Cooler tonight for the first time, and sunset is now just a little after 9.10pm, almost 30 minutes earlier than we first arrived in Lisbon nearly four weeks back.

A day on the Estoril Coast

Low to mid thirties in the city - the weather is just so outstanding, and it's our day to go to the Estoril Coast just west of Lisbon.

Mindful of the queues for tickets on that line yesterday, it's an early start and we are at Cais de Sodre station before 9am, very quickly on the train and into Cascais before 10am.  The Estoril Coast stretches for 30km to Cascais, at its furtherest point.  Cascais is quite a grand town with impressive buildings, some very attractive hotels, and former fishermen's houses wrapped around a bay dotted by sandy beaches.  Beautiful mosaic paved and partly pedestrianised streets leading down to the beach - plenty of shops, bars and cafes and quite an English feel.  Very impressive numbers on the beach by 10.30am.

A pedestrianised promenade sits atop many small beaches, so we meander on the promenade and wade along the sandy shores.  Air temperature 26C, water temperature just 17C as this is the Atlantic coast.  Notwithstanding the last month of consistent 30C+ days, this is about as warm as the water ever gets, but it seems to suit the locals and holiday makers fine.

Coffee on the promenade before we continued our meanderings all the way to Estoril which had been the haunt of exiled royalty in years past.  Once again, very nice, wide sandy beaches - with teams of uniformed young people patrolling all along the promenade and beaches picking up rubbish, including cigarette butts.

Beautiful palm lined park in Estoril, so it was lunch of pizza and a jug of outstanding sangria.  Should note here the variation in bodies and bathing attire - and a particular photo shoot in the park.

Caught the train back a few stops to Carcavelos, the most extensive beach on the Estoril coast - big, long, sandy and packed.  Had our swim here in the very brisk but very clean and clear Atlantic waters. Tide was coming in, so the masses on the beach were becoming more compressed -and more and more continued to arrive.

Train back to Lisbon for feet up and clean up before dinner.  Off tonight to Prima Pasta, Italian Restaurant, once again just 150m from our apartment.  Very, very good - veal for Pat and calamari risotto for me, all washed down with a bottle of Mateus Rose.

Last Cathedral, Castle and archaeological site

The Committee decided my itinerary is a little too ambitious after yesterday, so a more relaxed day today.  A not so early wander along the riverfront to the Time Out Market to see trade underway, but suprisingly quiet for a Saturday morning.  Coffee, and then a one stop train trip to the city proper (queues for train tickets to beachside areas are long - note for tomorrow!).

Some wandering, including to Miradouro de Santa Catarina, some snacking, then some shopping time for Pat before getting together for a drink.  Pat headed back to our apartment, while I headed up hill to the Se (Cathedral). Even into the latter part of the afternoon, the famous Tram 28 is packed and not worth the crush - so it's a substantial climb. The Se was built in 1150 on the site of a mosque soon after the city was recaptured from the Moors - and was restored in the 1930's.

Climbing continued to the Castelo de Sao Jorge which sits gazing grandly over the city.  First settlers in the area in the 7th century BC, but the castle dates to the mid 11th century when the Moors ruled Lisbon.  Occupied then by Christian crusaders in 1147, royals from the 14th to 16th centuries, and convicts in every century, the castle has seen it all - battles, coronations and an earthquake.  Never quite made it to the highest rampart, but did a good job until the left ankle again packed up, resulting in the second unfurling of the walking stick - particularly necessary on the steep descent on the slippery marble cobblestones.

Stopped off at Miradouro da Graca for great views of the hillside, the river and the Ponte 25th de Abril. Notwithstanding the time that had passed, every Tram 28 was still packed to the rafters - so it was all the way down hill to home.

Feet up for a while before a clean up and dinner.  Turned left outside our apartment tonight before walking past about 8 restaurants in 150m and settling on Empregado de Mesa, a family run local restaurant operating since 1953.  Mother & father, son and grandson (on school holidays) all working tonight.  Good wholesome food, but without the glitz of the last two nights.

What a day in Sintra

Urban train trip this morning.  About 50 minutes and needed an urban stored value card rather than the Metro one we have.  Apparently there is a way to interchange them, but I am yet to discover it.  Disappointinhly, the Sintra line is one that features extensive graffiti along its route - but the train itself was very clean and graffiti free.

Sintra is UNESCO listed for its parks, palaces and castle. A carefully planned and researched day, however, was pretty much turned on its head by the numbers who had the same plan.  Bus up to Pena Palace and into ticket queue (why is it that so many in queue have done no research and take up so much time?). Very pleasant young man in ticket box tells me that the queue for Palace at the top of the hill was 2 hours long and recommends gardens only, so we take shuttle to the top and confirm the queue length. Pena sits hilltop as an ornate medley of domes and towers of many colours.  It was built in the 1840's by German Baron von Eschwege on the site of a former monastery. We wander around outside the Palace and through the gardens back down to the gates.

What we find is logjam, with public buses, tour buses, taxis, rental cars, private cars and tuk tuks unable to move and simply "vacated" on the one way road. No one moves as we walk down the road to Castelo dos Mouros (Castle of the Moors) - 600m, and still as far as we can see the logjam continues.

The Castle was built in the 9th century and was taken from the Moors in 1147 (with some recent excavations evidencing human presence from the 5th century). Wander through the Castle grounds and climb a couple of sections of its wall (not the highest points).  At this stage my emergency walking stick is required (its first appearance ever despite being with me in 11 countries).

What to do?? Go back to the logjammed one way road and hope that we can eventually catch a bus down, or tackle the very steep and winding cobbled steps and path all the way down to Sintra - about 3km, with only the last km being anything like flat.  The decision is made, walk the track and stairs - and it proves to be very tough. Eventually we reach a viewpoint with a Bar, so it's a refreshing sangria and building of the will to get all the way to the station.

Back on a different train route, but a bit of investigation identifies a one transfer trip all the way to Terreiro do Paco Metro station just 200m from our apartment.  Feet up time, then a clean up for dinner.  In our condition, it has to be very close, and so we head to D'alfandanga, the restaurant of our Insight Welcome Dinner.  On that occasion tapas (and plenty of it), tonight a medium sized braised octopus - beautiful!!

The revised and advised plan for Sintra, for anyone who might need it in the future - get to Pena Palace when the gates open!!!!

Off the boat and onto the train

Last breakfast on board and everyone is very sorry to be getting off the boat. I have not heard one negative comment about our boat, our cruise or Croisi - everything has been first class, accommodation, facilities  food, excursions, crew, included drinks (anything but top shelf and all day long) etc, etc, etc.

Last good byes at breakfast before we taxi to Porto Camphana station for train to Lisbon - about 2.5 hours, First Class for €25.50.  Good train, but not among the best in Europe.  Almost fully booked and I would not have wanted to battle the Economy crowds given the numbers and luggage I saw on the platform.  Portugal does not have the most modern long distance rail infrastructure, but on time, and we hit 241km/hr in one spot.

Checked into Emporium Lisbon Suites (small new build in old shell, boutique apartment block) on the river just inside the old Alfama area.  We are on the 4th floor overlooking the water and a small square which is heing redeveloped. Stocked up for breakfast supplies and then some feet up time.  Cruise ships pass by to dock just down river from us and the river seems to be about 1km wide in front of us.

Out for a wander around the very hilly Alfama precinct. Alfama was not severely impacted by Lisbon's 1755 earthquake and is a maze of old alleyways heading off in all directions.  Many are lucky to be 2m wide, laundry is strung above the alleys and there are cafes every few properties.

We probably have 40 restaurants within a 100m radius of our residence, so it was off to one of the more upmarket ones this evening - grilled sardines, great!

A morning in Lamego

A relaxed start for our morning excursion to Lamego, the small city that also claims right to the title of birthplace of country and crown. Lamego hosted Portugal's first parliament when a group of clergy and noblemen assembled to recognise Afonso Henriques as the nation's first King. Lamego had previously been one of the first towns retaken from the Moors in the 12th century.

It is home to the "Nossa Senhora dos Remeios" baroque sanctuary at the top of the hill - the climb is 686 steps up. The devout pilgrims climb up the steps on their knees.  Our less than devout pilgrims went down around 150 steps on their feet!!! The view down to the city is quite spectacular, as it is looking up from below. Naturally there is also a cathedral, very large and grand.  This seems to be a small city on the go, with some very good developments in keeping with the old.

€2.25 for two coffees and a cake.  Then time for shops and shoe purchase.  Another drive down and along the Duoro Valley.  You can never tire of its scenery and you can travel it by road, train or boat.  Back on the boat for our last afternoon as we head back to Porto.  Big surprise when we pull into a local quay so that the 2nd Chef's girlfriend can come on board - and he proposes on bended knee. Great joy among his crewmates and the passengers when she accepts. One of the features of this cruise is that all of the crew, other than the French Head Chef, are Portuguese - and they seen a tight knit group.

Final dinner tonight, and again it is the equal of every other day. Folk dancing night tonight with a group of around 30 singers, dancers and musicians from Gondomar - very entertaining, with some audience participation.

A day of R & R

It's a little boring to again mention the weather, but it is simply stunning. Almost everyone off the boat this afternoon, so a very relaxing time on the Sun Deck - an opportunity for the knees and ankles to recover from yesterday.  Just a brief wander around Pinhao while we pick up our excursioners.

Time on the boat is really relaxing, the food and service is first class and having the benefit of a brand new boat is an absolute plus. One of the interesting features of this boat is that the dining room is only about 50cm above river level and it makes for very pleasant dining to always have eye contact with the water.

On the Sun Deck this afternoon as we sailed along some very narrow river sections and begin to travel down the locks. In some respects, going down is even more spectacular because the next section of river seems so far below. In all we will have climbed more than 120m through 5 locks, and will descend the same on the return trip to Porto.  Before the locks were built the Duoro was not navigatable along most of its Portuguese course.  The locks are a technological marvel, particularly having their incorporated power generation function.

Gala Night tonight, so everyone was in their finery (some of the crew hard to recognise). Great food again (and wine) and plenty of photos with crew and table colleagues.

We have a very good table with a most hospitable hostess (Dulce). Six of us, including two Canadian sisters and their husbands (all of Italian heritage). Carmen & Josie and Antoinette & Anthony have been great company although around 15 years younger than us.  Sadly, this has been our first trip in which we have found ourselves in the "older" group!!!  Finished the night with some dancing (and there were some stars among the europeans).

Not 39C

Forecast has been revised down to 29C and we head to Casa de Mateus.  The Casa is the summer home of the current Count and his wife.  The family went home yesterday, so we missed him.  The Casa is a very large Gothic house with tended gardens based on those of Versailles (but on a much smaller scale).

Much of the house is open to the paying public and in typical Gothic style most of the rooms are entirely regular in placement of doors and windows.  No passageways, you walk from, and through, rooms to get to another, or to get across the house.  Quite a bit of lot of grand furnishings, art works and collected memorabillia.  The famous Mateus Rose is no longer made here (now made further south) and the Casa image has been sold to the current producer.

Then to Vila Real, a city of 50,000 for a wander, coffee and local delicacy before rejoining our boat at Pinhao after another drive across, and down, the magnificent Duoro Valley.  My understanding is that the large wine producers are limited to 800 hectacres and are obliged to then buy from the hundreds of small vineyards, which themselves are limited to 20 hectacres.

An afternoon of cruising, including through two more locks.  Valeira's lock required the Sun Deck to be cleared and everything lowered, including the swimming pool (it is lowered hydraulically through the Sun Deck).

As we head further up the valley, the vineyards thin out, but we are rarely out of site of one, even as we move into more rocky granite country, often rising as steeply as 60 degrees from the river.

Crew show this evening, very entertaining (and a little bit politically incorrect).

A day in Spain

Some overnight confusion regarding time when my watch stopped.  At Barca d'Alva, virtually on the Spanish border but we are still in Portugal - while mobiles have registered to a Spanish service provider, and there is a one hour time difference between the two countries.

Early morning departure for a 115km bus trip to Salamanca in Spain. The first 30km up the valley is quite a climb and the country quite rugged. Once on the plain, extensive farming (although very dry) with cattle, hay cropping and some sheep and pigs (and sun flowers closer to Salamanca). The whole area is covered with stone terracing and fencing (some of it abandoned long ago). The farming properties seem generally quite ramshackle as do the small towns. Despite this, poke your head in a door and you will find an amazingly stocked and presented smallgoods shop.

Salamanca is a world heritage site, settled 2000 years back. It is built of sandstone and very clean. Its central square (Plaza Mayor) is very large and the site of concerts, protests and much student celebration (35,000 university students in a city of 160,000). It has two adjacent, and massive cathedrals, the old gothic (800 years) and the new romanesque (160 years). While massive, they are relatively understated internally, but have such incredible architecture and history.  We also visited part of the 800 year old medieval, and still operational, university and see a lecture theatre of the day, where student seating was arranged by societal ranking and where students could only ask questions of the lecturer as they individually filed by on exiting the lecture theatre.

Our guide, Antonio, was outstanding, and talking to him, I found out that his 12 year old son attends a training school for bullfighters - three, 4 hour sessions per week. He had a video on his mobile which I got him to show our group.  Our "english speaking" group comprises just twelve people, so our excursions are quite personal.

Very big lunch, with wine,  in what was once part of a palace and then some free time before heading back to our boat. Our Spanish night featured tapas and paella (served initially from table pans and then by the Chef from giant pans).  The evening was topped off by a group of Spanish musicians and dancers - and a late night visit to the Sun Deck.

Another easy day

Have the boat to ourselves again this morning as most other passengers are off and catching up with places we have been.  We are on the move up river and will collect them along the way.

The Miguel Torga is 80m long, 11.4m wide and carries 132 passengers.  We only have a passenger complement of 95, so plenty of room and very relaxed.  As I write this para, we are the only two people on the Sun Deck. We will get to our first lock in about 1 hour - and now I am off for a scotch.

Over the journey we will pass through 5 locks (twice each).  We went through the first this morning and the second this afternoon - Carrapatelo's Lock, 36m high, the highest in Europe.  Quite spectacular, and all table's, chairs etc had to be lowered. We could sit on the sun lounges and had about 80cm clearance.  Shortly after we passed under a very low bridge with just under 50cm clearance.

Most passengers were on the Sun Deck, but sadly, many of those in bikinis would not have passed even the most basic "qualification to wear" criteria.

The river has ranged from about 50m to 500m wide with small villages every couple of km.  Railway line runs just above the river bank on one side.  Lots of boating, pools, kayaks, jet skis etc all along the river and lots of kids jumping in off platforms, rocks etc. Beautiful day with drinks being regularly served.  Very, very steep rises from the river to the top of the valley and so much of it under cultivation. Beginning to get into wine country and docked at Peso da Regua just after 7pm.

Another excellent dinner, following which we took a brief walk around town as darkness approached. A spot of dancing for the dancing queen before hitting the cot.  39C forecast for tomorrow as we take a tour of Vila Real and Casa de Mateus (seen on the label of every bottle of Mateus Rose).

An easy day for us

With only about 10 passengers on board, it was a particularly easy morning for us.  All the other 120 or so were off on Porto optionals that we have been fortunate to complete at our leisure before joining our cruise.  So it was a late breakfast, time on the foredeck with a coffee,  then a quick "swim" on the Sun Deck, before a wander along the river to an upstream river beach.

Back for lunch, and again it was magnificent, as was the wine (breakfast was average). Took the transfer Rabelo boat back to old town Porto in the afternoon (our quay is about 600m upstream). Just took a stroll along the river, watching the local kids jump in off the walls and steps and visited one more church - quite wonderful, but doesn't even make it into the guide books.

Then we visited a musuem on an old Roman site which, during its subsequent history, had been a 14th century Customs House as well as the property where Henry the Navigator was reputedly born.  Naturally, much is given over to Henry who was a driving force, and significant funder of the Portuguese journeys of discovery.  Had another seniors "win" with free entry (and sadly without having to produce evidence!!). One great piece of history was a near fully formed anchor dated to the Romans (around 6BC) and only found in the Duoro river in 1995.

It appears that there are only about 12 "english only" passengers, and we may be the only Australians. Less formal and regimemented than other river cruises we have been on.

Beautiful french cuisine again for dinner and with wonderful Portuguese wines.  Finished the night with a fado music show - quite haunting music.

Embarkation day - a little bit of everything

Last day at Porto de Rio, what a wonderful apartment. Early morning visit before the crowds to Igreja de Sao Francisco, just around the corner. Looks quite austere from the outside, but inside sits one of Portugal's most dazzling displays of baroque architecture.  Almost 100kg of gold leaf and goes back to the Chapel of St John the Baptist, the 13th century granite statue of St Francis of Assisi and catacombs - because,  prior to 1845, all Portuguese were buried in churches.

On then to the adjacent Palacio da Bolsa (68 years to build) which honors Porto's past and present money merchants. This is where heads of state are hosted and where port is declared "vintage".  Stunningly spectacular.

Free shopping time for Pat while I explore various viewpoints, the Se, the old city wall, the fish market and make some new Portuguese mates at a very small bar which supports the Porto FC.  Most enjoyable as we exchange toasts, work to understand one another and have a most enjoyable time together over a few beers. 

Meet up with Pat for a bite to eat and the Porto market before heading back to pick up bags and taxi to boat. The Miguel Torga is a Croisi boat (French family company and reputedly the biggest river cruise company in the world).  The Miguel Torga is in its first season and is ultra modern. Only 132 passengers and we are teamed up for dinner with two Canadian couples (sisters with their husbands from Montreal). Very good company, so all looks promising.  Probably only about 30% english speakers on board.  Roast leg of duck for  dinner - magnifique!!!

A hot but relaxing day

A 700m uphill stretch to Sao Bento railway station to again do battle with the Porto travel pass.  In fact, there are two stored value travel cards, the Andante (metro) and the Sida (urban) - and just to confuse things, their zones overlap. Yesterday we were able to tap on, on the outward journey, but not the return.  Today all good going out, but on return, one card worked, the other did not!!!  Every train has ticket inspectors, so the possibilty of conflict always exists - the solution is to take the receipt option on the ticket machine and keep it, eventually it brings a lot of head shaking to an end.  Notwithstanding my difficulties with the ticketing system, I did graduate to "adviser level" in assisting a Canadian couple this morning. 

Off on the train to Esphino, a beachside town on the Atlantic about 25km south of Porto.  Beautiful clear day but a brisk breeze off the water.  The beach is 17km long, much of it joined by a boardwalk, and around 80m of sand to the water.  Lots of people, including many school holiday program kids from as young as about three.  Water was quite cold but plenty in, and many surfers.  Beach is covered with canvas beach shelters of multiple colours (operated by different concessions). Time to relax and wander.

Back in town (31C versus 22C at Esphino) to a stunning laundromat just 100m from our apartment (need to be spic and span for our cruise boat tomorrow).  Easy laundromat to use and pleasant company - very different to my experience in the great laundromat war of 2015 (detailed in my blog of that trip).

Dinner back at WeePorto Wine & Tapas Bar which we enjoyed so much a couple of night's back.  Complimentary white port to finish off tonight.  The owner has invested very heavily in this business and the food is outstanding, but it is just on the wrong side of the tourist trap venues - a hidden gem for those who dig a little deeper.

Stunning day in Aveiro

Every now and then a woman comes into your life offering great value.  And so it is that our housekeeper at Porto de Rio is one of them.  We regard ourselves as pretty tidy travellers, but when she has finished, everything is precision - one stereotype of the Portuguese is fastidiousness.

Train down to Aveiro, about 70km, south on a stunning, high 20'sC day. Train full and everyone has got onto a train that emptied from standing room only - but not a scrap of paper or scratched glass in sight.

Aveiro is on the edge of an expanse of coastal lagoons and was a vibrant port until the river mouth silted up in the 1500's.  At the beginning of the 19th century it was given new life when canals were dug to open up the town, drain the marshes, and create saltpans.

It has a compact centre, handsome buildings and open squares with paths looping over it's canals.  A spectacular 5 dish tapas (octopus, chorizo, sardines, cheese & oysters with breads and sangria - €11.80 for two) for lunch.  Then a wander around town, including through the fish market (designed by a student of Gustav Eiffel) before purchasing a package canal cruise & tuk tuk ride around town (combined time almost 2 hours).  Both very enjoyable, and the young tuk tuk driver took us through town highlights, to the salt pans and to the town's original ovos moles shop (egg yolk and sugar custard in a very thin pastry shell). Tasted and bought.

Two other things I learned, are that the closer you are to the sea in Portugal, the more you will see externally ceramic tiled houses - because the ceramic offers good protection from salt damage. The second is that all the houses are tiled with different patterned tiles - because to have the same tiles as someone else would be like wearing the same dress to a wedding as other women!!

Comfortable train home and a light in house bite to eat, with Super Bock beer and ruby port. 

A little bit of everything

Breakfast in our kitchenette and then up the hills to Clerigos Tower and surrounds.  Missed a turn which delayed us getting to Livraria Lello, the Harry Potter bookshop.  Queue about 50m long but moved reasonably and we were soon inside.  Very impressive, but in some senses it mirrors the development of tourism in Portugal - it used to be free entry, then €2, now €4.

Up and down streets and hills, past cathedrals and a range of other magnificent buildings that don't even make the maps.  On to Rua Santa Caterina,  the Champs Elysees of Porto.  Big queue at the Majestic Cafe, so gave it a miss and chose a lesser establishment.

Down to Sao Bento station to see the azulejo tiling and have another crack at Porto's Andente Card (I now think they took the MYKI option as I found it impossible to reload our cards).  Some machines are coin or card only, those that take notes don't have change, and the card only covers some forms of transport - oh for Lisbon's much more user friendly, much more integrated system!

One street 250m long with 8 women's shoe shops was both a distraction and a delay but we headed up to Foz de Duoro at the mouth of the river on Tram Number 1 (one of Porto's three vintage tram routes - and its closest rail is less than 2m from our front door).  Beautiful sunny and warm day with plenty in the water. On then to a ferry across the river to the small seaside fishing village of Afurada. Almost every house is ceramic tiled on the outside, locals sitting in front of their houses, fishermen repairing their nets and the local ladies stone washing in the communal laundromat.

Wanted to eat over there but food not available until 7.30pm - same time as last ferry.  Back to Porto proper by ferry and bus (my Andante card worked, Pat's did not - and a traffic jam) to eat at the beatiful (food, service & decor) WeePorto tapas & wine bar -will be back (so much for fasting!!!).

A few days on our own in Porto

Farewells last night and this morning as our fellow travellers move on or return home. Most of the Canadians and South Africans have just been away for the 11 days and are heading home.  All of the Australians are away for between 4 and 11 weeks.

Perfect weather day as we rocated to Porto de Rio our very small (6 room) apartment hotel right on the Duoro River in the old town.  Hotel has been built into a 4 storey,19th century bond store and is quite spectacular and quite new.  Very customer focussed and helpful manager.  Pat has been suffering supermarket withdrawal, so the mention of a supermarket a 20 minute walk away along the riverside settled our first venture - breakfast supplies.

Then along the river, up the funicular and a walk across the top level of the Ponte de Luis 1 bridge (sharing the level with the non-seperated train line) to Jardin de Morro and Vila Nova de Gaia.  Spectacular views across the river to Porto and a very, very steep and staircased walk to the river below. 

Visited Porto Cruz cellars and then up to its very trendy rooftop lounge for a drink.  Time along the busy waterfront area before purchasing tickets for the gondola to the top.  Tickets included free port tasting and making our way to the particular cellars saw us in the middle of a very significant religous celebration procession - bands, drums, marchers, and around 20 very big flower and religous symbolled palanquins, each carried shoulder high by six people seemingly representing individual villages.

Eventually up on the gondola to the rail station.  Not so easy to buy a ticket at this ststion - its either coins or credit card for a €1.30 ticket.  No doubt the credit card fees will cost more than the ticket.

Dinner on the walk home - but a very light food day.

Last day with Insight

Trip to Braga this morning, about 50 minutes away. First to Europe's largest (and most magnificent sculputered granite staircase) at the pilgrim church of Bom Jesus do Monte. We avoided the stairs by using the 1882 (and still going strong) water driven funicular. Our Tour Director, Sarah (Canadian with a Portuguese husband) was married at this magnificent church. We got a good, but quick view of the externals just before a thick, drizzly mist came in.

The mist cleared as we came down to town - once again a most wonderful place. Braga is Portugal's most important religous centre with a bucket load of churches (93 of them). The Cathedral, founded in 1070, is on the site of a Moorish mosque and was built following the Christian Reconquest.

Back to Porto and one of us required some rest as the sun shone through and the temperature climbed. The other headed out to explore and get a feel of the old town, including to locate the riverside accommodation which we will move to tomorrow.  Lots of people and the waterfront and cobbled streets are busy, busy, busy.  Cafes and restaurants in abundance.  It is a national past time of the Portuguese to eat out. Per capita, it has more eating out venues than any other country, and this sector of the economy was the only one not to suffer decline in the GFC. It is claimed that the Portuguese spend an average 10% of income on eating out!!!

Very modern Metro system, which I found easy to use - new stations and new trains.  Feet up for a while before we head out to Matosinhos on the Atlantic coast for our farewell dinner.  And what a feast it was - tasting plate after tasting plate (somehow most of our table's prawn shells finished up in front of me!!!).  Then the mains, the dessert and the coffee - and all the while, the wine.

The next few days on our own will have to be fasting days!!

On to Porto

Failure to set an alarm made it a bit of a rush for "bags out" and breakfast.  We have Sydney twins who will only get their cases today (came via Athens & Rome - high risk!!).  We lost another couple for two days after they left passports in a hotel safe earlier in the trip (now back with us, with passports).

Sorry to have spent so little time in Pinhao and the Duoro valley, but we will be back next week on our cruise.  The valley is breathtaking, as was our accommodation at the Vintage House Hotel.

Off to Guimares, known as the cradle of Portugal because it was here that the country's first monarch, Dom Afonso Henriques was born in 1110, and the city became the first capital of the kingdom of "Portucale". Naturally it has UNESCO World Heritage status like pretty much everywhere we have been. Given its significance as the cradle of Portugal, it is compulsory for school children to visit this city at least once during their education - so even though it is school holidays, lots of school groups.

Some wonderful gardens, like everywhere over here, and everywhere is very clean. Some graffiti, but streets are very clean and the local atmosphere of small, owner operated and beatifully presented shops, results in a great community atmosphere.

Into Porto in the afternoon and down to the historic port wine cellars for a tour and tasting  at Ferreira. Huge cellars, and there are more than a dozen different producers riverside.  Headed off then for a river cruise on one of the old wine transport boats (barcos rabelos) taking in all of Porto's six bridges.

Then off to another huge dinner - five shared entrees, main (grilled octopus for me) and a buffet of sweets.

Another great day

Another big food and wine night last night.  Fortunately only every second night as we would never recover - and what it means for lunch the following day is just a coffee, a "Belem" tart and a glass of red - all for €4.

Lots of eucalypt plantations.  They cover 6% of Portugal's land area.  Also across granite countryside with lots of wind farms on the ridges.

Mid 20'sC day as we head first to Conimbriga, Portugal's best preserved Roman archaeological site.  What is visible is just a fraction of the Roman town below.  The town flourished from around the last year BC until around 500AD. One of the key sites is the very impressive House of the Fountains - although the fountains were not working (waiting for the plumber), and many amazingly preserved mosaics.

On then to the university town of Coimbra. Many students choose to wear their uniform (even on their summer break) and each school has a distinctive colour. The most impressive site is the baroque library with its marbled wood, gold leaf, frescoed ceilings and elaborate decorations.   No photos, and groups only permitted in for 10 minutes, then closed for 10 for atmospheric recovery.  This is the library featured in Walt Disney's last production - Beauty and the Beast.

Down to, across and along the Duoro River valley,  just spectacular and an amazingly challenging drive for Rubin, our coach driver. Vineyards on such slopes it is almost impossible to comprehend how they are tended.  Quite late into our spectacular Vintage House Hotel nestled on the vine laden banks of the Duoro.  Time for a quick swim before dinner at a riverside restaurant.

And so it continues

A little cooler as we set off, and even a little light drizzle as we head to the fortified town of Obidos - cobbled alleys and white washed properties.  Completely enclosed by medieval walls although much of the town was rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake.  500 years back the sea reached the foot of the ridge on which the town stands, leaving a fertile green plain when it receded.  Sampled the local Ginjinha d'Obidos, cherry liqueur, which is served in a small edible choclate "glass"

Travel has been through cork oak, cropping, olive tree plantations and another large irrigated rice growing area.  Beginning also to see the first of the Portuguese eucalypt forests (quite a few further north are experiencing big bush fires).

On then to Fatima,  Portugal's most renowned place of pilgrimage (and second only to Lourdes). The Chapel of Apparitions commemorates the appearance of the Virgin Mary to three young shepherds in 1917 (the first of six such apparitions).  The basilica's massive forecourt is capable of holding a million worshippers, and many visitors (as well as pilgrims) shuffle pentinently down the esplanade on their knees.

Mid twenties and light drizzle gone by afternoon for our visit to Tomar on the banks of the Rio Nabao.  Standing sentry above town is the mighty Convento do Christo founded in 1160 as the headquarters of the Knights Templar - scourge of the Moors and defenders of the faith. Absolutely incredible in scale and preservation. Finished the day with a visit to the 15th century Synogogue, now preserved, but which served as a prison, and private house following the expulsion of the Portuguese jews in 1496.

It has been a massive day with many,  many cobbled streets and stairs to tackle. Quite a few of the staircases were too much for me - and sadly, I trailed the field by day's end. Magnificent Temlarios Hotel, with great pool and dinner.

This trip is proving much, much better even than the high expectations I had!!

The days just get better

It is hard to comprehend, but each day is even better than the last.  Today we headed to Monsaraz, a most striking white village, close to the Spanish border, and on an imposing fortified hilltop surrounded by cork oaks and vineyards.  Spectacular views and the climbing to and within the very substantial castle ruins was reasonable, but I did baulk at a couple of spots. The stunning village, with its white houses and shops, overlooks a striking artificial resevoir, and across to the Spanish plains.

Construction of the Alqueva Dam was highly controversial as it involved the destruction of over 1 million cork oak trees and 200 prehistoric sites. It is 250 square km in size (69 of which are in Spain). The floodgates opened in 2002 and it is Europe's largest reservoir - with a perimeter double the length of the Portuguese coast line.  We sailed on it for an hour on a 104 year old Dutch sailing boat with wine and nibbles - even landing on one of its islands.

Then on to a two hour Portuguese lunch in an old olive oil mill.  Absolutely laden with food - 5 plates of tapas, then two main courses each (baked cod and roast suckling pig), then a taste plate of four sweets.  All the time plied with unlimited wine.  Needless to say there was much sleeping as we returned to Evora.  Another 33C day, so time at the pool before a late stroll down the street for a nibble.   We went genuine local, down a side street - no english spoken or understood, but we were able to secure a very nice fresh salad roll for Pat and a beer and a filled to the brim red wine for me for €4 -and got a photo into the bargain.

A great day, but an early start tomorrow.

On to the Alentejo

Relaxed start as we head into Portugal's hottest and driest area. Farming and agriculture similar to yesterday but many more vineyards as we head north.

First stop was Beja, off the tourist track and extremely quiet.  Founded by Julius Ceasar in 48BC and named Pax Julia. Castle from the 13th century is still preserved.  Town lost a lot of its population and deteriorated in earlier years but is being reborn so lots of restoration work.  Like everywhere in Portugal, lots of cafes and restaurants, but here they are all little 6-8 seaters, so we had to spread ourselves around for coffees - €4 for four cups and a slice of cake.

Back on the road and we see and hear plenty about cork trees. Trees are protected and cannot be harvested in first 25 years - then every 9 years (live for over 100 years). Across the country there are 500 cork factories, employing 250,000 people.  Portugal produces more than 50% of the world's cork, and cork represents 60% of Portugal's foreign trade €'s. The best quality cork is reserved for making wine corks.

Into Evora for lunch. Evora is very unspoilt and one of Portugal's most historical cities.  Around 55,000 population but most live outside its old wall. It's Roman temple survives along with its Moorish alleys, medieval wall and aquaduct (Aqueduto do Agua Prata) into which houses have been incorporated in places.  The walls and all within them have UNESCO World Heritage listing.

Light lunch of sangria and shredded octopus pancakes before walking tour.  Covered all key sites including the Roman Temple, squares, Cathedral and the Franciscan Igreja - including is "chapel of bones".  The shops have a very strong bent towards cork products, everything from postcards, to hats, to baskets is available in cork.  You can even buy a cork bikini.  Then to our hotel, the Mar de Ar Aqueduto (modern 5 star built into an old convent), and adjacent to the aquaduct.

35C by mid afternoon so time for the pool before heading out to dinner.  Evora, the same restaurant as for lunch - most enjoyable.