In Porto – I ‘resolve’, only to ‘relent’
Rocking and rolling after being whacked by a big wave as we make our way towards the dock through fog in Porto, I see a blaze of lights through the doors of my suite – one of those huge cruise vessels that carry thousands of passengers. Enough already!
No group shore excursion for me today! I go back to the bed and pull the blinds. I’ll simply relax and join Frank and Markus on the last day of the cruise (for them) at breakfast and perhaps go for a wander ashore at leisure. Famous Last Words!
After breakfasting alone, I relent, and decide to hop on the coach and stay on as long as I can take it.
And, am I glad that I did. Not only is the coach new and comfortable, the local guide gives a very good description of where we’re traveling on the 20 minutes into Porto. Sitting comfortably while a very skilled driver motors up-and-down and round and about very narrow streets passing wonderful sights I’d never see on my own. I suppress my click finger and decide that it’s well-nigh useless to try and catch good photographs. Sit back and enjoy the drive.
We eventually alight from the coach down in the historical ‘old town’. Like a swarm of bees, tourists following guides with little flags or coloured umbrellas raised in the air come from every direction.
We make it across the ‘acolyte of Gustave Eiffel’ iconic iron bridge to Cellars on the other side of the river for our port wine tasting, and I disappear.
I jump an Uber and make my way up the steep hill to join Edmundo Perez-de Cobos and Reginato de Oliveira with Sonia his mother for a relaxed lunch of local cod and mashed potato at Restaurante Barão Fladgate in the old Taylor’s Port Wine warehouses.
Edmundo and I are the last two passengers to board the ship before sailing for Lisbon. But a memorable day.
Straight up to the pool deck to find Frank and Markus, and to finally sit quietly and enjoy a glass of port wine.