What if we still ride on, we two With life for ever old yet new” ( Robert Browning, the last ride together)

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Porto, Saturday, 14 June 2015

At 9:00AM we arrived just in time for our Douro River cruise with over 50 French citizens on a tour. The Duoro Valley is where all the Port wine is grown and made. The vineyards are terraced on the very steep hillsides.

 Our companion passengers were all older than us and maybe Karol was the youngest passenger.

The 7 hour cruise up river into the heart of the wine making region included breakfast, lunch with wine and coffee. All meals were ample and good.

Some observations about the Portuguese: they are very comfortable in their own skin and often will unconsciously touch you in friendship and there is no sign of arrogance in their behaviour (i.e., men & women). Therefore they are good in the hospitality industry. Also, the Portuguese are very punctual and we were lucky we were on time.

The weather was cool with wind and showers but the large wooden cabin where we all ate and relaxed was enclosed and warm. Eventually the skies cleared and we all sat out on the decks.

Someone mentioned that not only the aged and infirm go on river cruises but also the young. Mary added, “Yes but the young will party, dance, drink and enjoy themselves silly”. And I pointed out so do our river crew companions – as the photos will attest.

The highlight of the cruise were the lock transfers to higher sections of the river. We entered huge, deep locks with another larger cruise liner and were swiftly transferred to the higher water flows (140 feet up) with amazing engineering. The locks were built alongside big dams which have tamed the Douro River and are used to create hydroelectric power.

 One sad aspect of the trip was to witness the number of empty, abandoned buildings probably due the global financial crash of 2008. It will take a while for Portugal to recover.

At the end of the cruise we raced back on a 2 hour spectacular train journey over many bridges and tunnels through the mountainous countryside – just in time to be caught in a heavy downpour as we made our way to a restaurant booking at L.S.D (Largo dos San Domingos) - traditional Portuguese with a twist - for dinner. The restaurant is very popular and Andre, the guide from the previous day’s food tour recommended it and made a booking for us. The food was perfect and when we finished the rain had stopped and we went home for a cuppa and a shortbread.

Many of the old buildings in Porto are covered with beautifully colored ceramic tiles, and many murals are created. The Sao Bento Train Station in Porto has its entrance hall covered with beautiful murals showing Portuguese history.