Many thanks to our great friend (and high-minded painter) Andy Baird, who both conceived and jump started this attempt to contemporaneously record at least some of the eventings of one move abroad. Regarding content, the narrower column on the left is the supposedly more timeless and reference stuff; ongoing entries are in the larger-width column on the right of the script below - following the (red)

"NEW READERS START HERE"

by-line below. The plan is for these at least to be augmented over time.

It should also follow, therefore, that the most recently added post will always be at the top of this right-hand column; so if you want to get a flavour from earlier times, scroll and start NEARER TO or EVEN AT THE BOTTOM (only, please, please if you chose this option, allow yourself a series of snack-breaks; it can be repetitive, and boredom is guaranteed to increase with intensity of effort!)- but ANY comments are not only also welcomed ->but positively encouraged

Remember this folks ......

Remember this folks ......

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Douro River Cruise



June 2012

Sunday, we had our first experience of the much-vaunted, often previously-considered but never-quite-achieved Douro River Cruise.

Absolutely superb.

Despite having failed to have the run `up` by rail (train strike!), the river journey back to Porto was fascinating - on so many levels.

Seven-and-a-half hours on board (pretty well all on deck, other than for the various drinks and meal breaks) just flowed (sorry!), and any small prior concern that a 4 a .m. -coach- start, returning by 2100 might just have presented an over-long day was completely forgotten. The two lock drops were an education – enhanced by my utilising an unusal ex-RN `blag` to get us both into the bridge during the first; a drop of over 100 feet .

Our only regret was that the drive straight to Regua delayed one of the Jose`s in our group from the traditional opening and sharing his 5-litre flagon of home product with we other mostly total strangers, until the journey back. Nonetheless, it too was delicious!


To quote a large riverside banner proudly displaying as we entered Porto,
"To be in Portugal is a privilege".

 

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