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).
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