Maintenance #3

Since my last post, life has been especially enjoyable with a holiday cruising the River Douro in Portugal.

The Dom Luis bridge which links Villa Nova de Gaia to Porto (Click to enlarge)

Having flown from Gatwick to Porto we transferred to our boat, the Douro Queen, which was moored at Villa Nova de Gaia.  The town is the famed location of many Port wine houses (one of which we later visited !).  Across the river is the city of Porto and looking up the river is the iron bridge of Dom Luis opened in 1886.  This is often confused with another similar bridge, further up the river which was designed by Gustav Eiffel and opened in 1876.  The Dom Luis bridge features two decks, one high, one low.  Teanagers are often seen jumping from the lower deck, a practice seemingly accepted by the authorities!

Later we were joined by other passengers who had flown in on another airline.  That evening we were treated to a delicious buffet dinner washed down with local Douro wines.  The tour was "all inclusive" so the waiters did their best to keep our glasses well filled.  Soon after dawn the next morning we departed Villa Nova de Gaia for our trip up the river, eventually through 5 locks and for about 125 miles until we reached the Spanish border.  Day after day we watched the magnificent scenery slip past, often featuring vineyards many of which hugging the steep slopes with multiple terraces.  These are the source of both Port dessert wine and Douro table wine.

The serene scene at dawn looking down the Douro from the Spanish border (Click to enlarge)

Eventually our boat reached the Spanish border where we moored for the night.  The image, taken from our balcony, shows the truly serene scene at dawn.  The only ripples were caused by the fish as they rose to feed.

That day we had a full day trip to the spanish City of Salamanca.  The coach journey lasting 2 hours was rewarded by arrival at a 5 star hotel, a walking tour of the city, and a superb lunch including Flamenco dancing - what a treat!

Somehow the voyage back down the Douro was different.  Certainly the view from our cabin was of the other bank !  Having arrived back at Villa Nova de Gaia we felt it only proper to visit the Port wine house of Calem where we were indulged with a tasting of both white and tawny ports.

It was only polite to try these two very different wines.  The Calem Fine White Port is best served chilled and as an aperitif.  The Special Reserve Port has been aged for seven years and compared favourably to a vintage port we had tried on the boat.  Needless to say, I saw fit to purchase such delicious wines.

Our last day included a tour of the city of Porto visiting the Cathedral and viewing the many Azulejos (painted tiles).

After just one week, the time came to return to England.  We landed back at 11am.  The other group who flew back later that day were almost certainly affected when Gatwick operations were suspended for two hours.  We had been very fortunate.

As previously arranged, we now had to drive from Gatwick direct to Bristol in order that I could have a blood test in preparation to receive medications for Maintenance cycle 3.  

The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost,

to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

Eleanor Roosevelt

Keep well

Stephen