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Location Date Oceania 1478476800 Europe 
1467500400 North America 1467241200 Asia 1465081200 -
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Location Date Lisbon 1467500400 Luso 1467241200 Porto
1467154800 Viseu 1467068400 Vila Real 1467068400 Vilamoura 1466895600 Cape St. Vincent 1466809200 Castro Verde 1466722800 Quarteira 1466722800 Lisboa 1466463600
Wonderful city tour with a wonderful guide, Fatima this morning.
First a drive through the city.
Then we were first at The Stock Exchange.
This is a fairly ordinary building from the outside but absolutely spectacular inside.
It is hard for the photos to do it justice.
Fatima was a lady about my age with a very dry sense of humour.
We walked into one room with magnificent brass and gold chandeliers.
Each one weighs many, many kilos.
As we are standing under these gazing up, learning the history, she is explaining that Porto has never had an earthquake but, you never know ...
'So move along, move along ...'
In another absolutely amazing reception room she was telling us that she did a tour with a German group once ...
Apparently, the words, in German, for 'reception' and 'conception' are very similar.
So she was telling this German group that the last people to have a private reception in this room were Margaret Thatcher and the King of the Congo.
She said there was just stunned silence.
Wonderful walking tour by the river and then into a small shop to see a demonstration of the making of the filigree jewellery.
Then onto the tour of the Ferreira Cellars.
A very famous Portuguese Cellar, and tasting of lovely white and red ports.
We had a group photo taken in front of enormous wooden barrels.
This was fun and a beautiful place.
Back onto the bus and back into the centre of Porto for several hours free time.
Tiago directed us to the Bookshop, Livraria Lello.
One of just a few listed as 'special' bookshops in the world.
Rated by Lonely Planet and The Guardian.
The bookstore was frequented by JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series, when she taught English in Porto and is reported to be an inspiration for her writing.
When you see the staircases, you can understand why.
I really loved this.
So disappointed that I couldn't find a very small book to put in the case.
( My case appears to be getting a bit full. ...Probably all those shirts!)
Off for a river cruise and dinner now.
OK.
10pm now.
Back from the wonderful river cruise and absolutely wonderful dinner!!!
First the bus drive to the river.
5.45pm.
Beautiful sunshine.
Onto the boat and a 50 minute cruise up and down the river so we could see the five wonderful bridges and all the sights of old Porto from the water.
I was sitting right up the front ...
( Bow, to you seafaring folks.)
So I had a great view of everything.
Just in case you were wondering ..
I do tend to be close to the front on the tours ...
Don't want to miss anything.
( and possibly, the Energiser Bunny is making an appearance now and then.)
Great views.
Spectacular weather.
And a glass of port to set the mood.
( Still prefer Schnapps.)
Then a very short walk through the diners on the shore to a tiny little restaurant for dinner.
What a great night!
So much fun.
Absolutely no room to move and great food!
A perfect night!
Surprisingly to some perhaps, re food, I have been trying everything ...
The last few meals have been a surprise.
And tonight I had ordered 'Hare' as per the recommendation.
Delicious!
( To experience the culture, we have been advised to stop 'eating with our mind.'
... Works for me.)
You're proud, aren't you Emily?
Haha.
Anyway, fabulous night.
In the bar typing.
Adding photos now.
Then bed.
Finding religion tomorrow.
Fatima!!!
Xxx
- comments
M Hi mum! What a day and night you had! Packed full of experiences. Did you have port at 10am? That would have cleared the sinuses!That bookshop looked incredible.. What a visit. It looks like a scene from Harry Potter!Love that you got to do a river cruise, I love them. A completely different perspective of a city/town. Then you ate rabbit?! Go you!! I am proud indeed!Go mum!
Andrew Browning Carolyn Potter?
Andrew Browning Good Morning Carolyn, Your day sounds interesting, I haven’t been to the Stock Exchange and had no idea JK Rowling had even been to Portugal, let alone taught English in Porto! Fatima sounds like a fun lady (much like yourself) I enjoyed the tale about Margaret Thatcher & the King of the Congo..…oops. Great group photo of you all, it’s often hard to get everyone together at the same time, I guess a Cellar is a good place to “gather” you all. Yeah, you went on the river cruise and dinner, what a different perspective from on the water. I assumed the dinner was on the boat…….reading your blog, it would have been a quick bite if the cruise was only 50 minutes haha. I must say hare is “adventurous” but if you say delicious, then it was! Yippee, drinks in the bar typing, great way to end the day. Home alone tonight as George is in prison (soon to be “Bat cave”) – so I’m out to dinner with friends. Friday tomorrow then the WEEKEND!!.......have to vote on Saturday, will do that early and then fill the day in visiting family. Also drinks with the neighbours Saturday night relaying our trip, I’m going to “extend” the stories and include the updates from you, so if your ears are burning……………..it’s me! Hey tell me, have you found ANY of the post it notes I left for you? AndrewXx
Daryl Front and centre...as you should be!
Daryl What a Day is right! Sounds like you had a tremendous day and night and the place looks amazing through your camera. And that book shop! The guys who built that had far too much time on their hands - wondrous and wonderful.
.Amanda Phillips A definite Wow!Amazing architecture.
.Amanda Phillips Beautiful Porto :)
.Amanda Phillips ...and Tiago!
.Amanda Phillips Wow, great photo
.Amanda Phillips Hi Carolyn,What an amazing day in Porto.Loved your photos of The Stock Exchange, how incredible was the inside, absolutely beautiful.Wonderful dinner,I can't believe you ate hare, great advice to not eat with our minds!Port at 10:00am, now that's keen! Luckily there was no segwaying on the boat ramp afterwards!Keep having fun :)Cheers Amanda
Mum Morning Sweetie,Lovely lot of photos again.Some of the interiors are spectacular.Especially like the news of some of your dinner places.Can see you all enjoying each other.Great couple of shots of tiles.That floor of green ones catches the eye.I forgot to mention things, like I like the table cloth, like the look of that.Can see it on the table too.Liked the shot of the town square, space again.Port would be hard to take at 10am.Better before bed.Spoken by one who knows!Glad you are having plenty of warm weather.Pools aplenty.That's great.Those white shorts are doing the job.Do you only have the one pair?Love you lots xxx