Tag: tourism

Porto – Friday September 27

Once again we slept in. I had told the Finnoff’s our transportation would be ready at 10:30 then I hurried Karen downstairs for a 10:00 departure. I guess it’s better to be early instead of late.

Again, we had a great driver – full of energy and information. Just like our Great Granddaughter, he talked all the time. He told us to get his job as a guide he had to take a test regarding the history of the city. Our first stop was an ancient monastery on top of a hill overlooking the river and the city. Most impressive – the river, its many beautiful bridges, and the colorful buildings of the city.

Off we went for a tour and tasting W. & J. Grahams. This was a classic and perhaps the World’s best Port Wine distillery. Everything was first class about this entire experience. Our guide spoke good English, the buildings and the wine celler were immaculate, and the story was rich in details. Port has two main names – Ruby (younger) and Tawney.  Under Tawney there are several different grades. The lighter it becomes the older and better it is. An exception is the white port which is very high in alcohol content and very easy to drink. I really enjoyed the tasting and finished both mine and Karen’s. Then on to the shop with a reminder they ship to the US – we purchased six bottles.

Off to lunch in another beautiful hotel. Dona Maria was a huge restaurant with only a few tables occupied. It was all delicious and the service was great. I enjoyed a special martini with a clever name that I cannot remember.

Next stop was a yacht cruise up the river to see the city and several beautiful bridges. And yes, the river flows into the ocean several miles north of Porto. The ramp down to the yachts was very steep because of low tide. We managed to get Karen in the wheelchair down only to discover there was no safe way to get her on the yacht. She decided to sit in the sunshine and read while the three of us took a cruise shortened from two hours to one.

Two young brothers, in their 20’s, were our hosts. Charters were the business of one of the brothers and the other was helping for the day. They could not have been nicer. We loved every minute and I took more pictures than I have any other time on this trip. The beautiful bridges, colorful buildings, buildings that were worn out, a class teaching young students to sail, and other yachts. It was great fun. Then they brought us food and wine that would have served a dozen – all delicious. My favorite was a soft cheese with pineapple and nuts. They found the wrapper for me so I can try to purchase more.

Back to the hotel for a DuncanTini then a short walk to a restaurant the hotel recommended – Tasco. Although they could not find our reservation they made it work. This place was the complete opposite of the previous night. From formal and very structured to very loose and very fun. We were right next to the bar. They were fascinated with my printed DuncanTini cards. We became fast friends with the entire staff. The food was great, the drinks were fun. Take a moment and read their menu. We gathered three of the staff to our table where Karen presented her first “Honey” ($100 bill) to the staff. We would certainly recommend Tasco to any and all!