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.
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