LAMEGO Leaving Porto behind, we took the train to Lamego, which follows the route of the river Duoro. Our new "digs" would be our home for the last week of this Portuguese adventure. Although the train wasn't the old steam train used for special tours along this scenic journey, it was older than any we'd used here before. With wider carriages, high bench seats and large picture windows that opened all the way down, it made for a very pleasant and c...

PORTO - Part 2 Our last couple of days in Porto were centred around water. The first one was the river Duoro. Originating in Spain, it flows for almost 900 km before emptying out into the Atlantic when reaching Porto. Along the way there are 5 locks and 15 dams, 5 of which are in Portugal. Prior to 1968 - and the construction of these locks and dams - wooden boats, named Rabelos, were used to transport both cargo and people. Having a shallow draft, these fl...

Lots of hikes - and goodbye to Lagos I've written about some of our day trips and time spent in Lagos, but there's just a few more "stories" to tell - so before I end this part of our trip, here they are:- Our first day trip with Lynn and Richard was to Sagres and Cabo de Sao Vicente - a windswept area, which we'd wanted to visit, but had always postponed due to the long bus trip needed to get there - and the problems of making sure there was enough t...

PORTO - Part 1 We arrived in Porto about 7 hours after leaving Lagos. It was an early morning train and we only had to change once. Despite it being a long day, it's the most economical and efficient way to get there (apart from driving). Actually a bus is cheaper, but having discovered that the discount given to seniors on trains in Portugal (50%) is still available in 1st class, it was a no-brainer to pay CAD$100 for the two of us! After 5 weeks in the laid...

DAY TRIP TO FARO Faro is a place that's often skipped, overlooked and thought of as merely a place for arrival and departure…but to this traveller, that's something of a mistake. There's certainly plenty to see and do across all parts of the Algarve and Faro is no exception. Just on the edge of town is the "Forum" - a modern shopping centre with a central, open-air square where tired shoppers can rest and refresh at the many cafés. In ...