From E to W. Spaniards go to Portugal.

[Peavy]

We nearly went to Castelo Rodrigo, looks good.

It was a big surprise. Brand new place.
Great stop.

 

[royandsharont]

I wondered if it may have been that crossing nearest to you Peavy. It looked a terrible road on the map. Well done Loads of biker stickers on the viewing telescope

 

[Jane And Rog]

Oh blimey you're mere youngsters . Sort of expected that as you're still working.

Looking forward to tomorrow's report

One of the few good things about this kind of social media (the good kind) is that you get to make virtual friends with people based on what they write and how they react, not how they look (old, young, you can fill in the rest). I think it’s a real benefit to be weighed against the problems it can also bring.

 

[Wanders from Glos]

One of the few good things about this kind of social media (the good kind) is that you get to make virtual friends with people based on what they write and how they react, not how they look (old, young, you can fill in the rest). I think it’s a real benefit to be weighed against the problems it can also bring.

Couldn’t agree more, although for the record can I add I am very young and look good.

 

[Peavy]

Day 4.
As I said, a plan was scheduled for today.
We drove to Quinta do monte Travesso, a Cellar and vineyard in the the protected geographical origin of the Douro Wine*

But, first things first.
On arriving there we had some pasta (industrial made) with home made (van made?) tomato sauce.

The place was stunning.
We had booked a classic wine tasting (25€ for two people).
We spent the night in their designated area for motorhomes (free of charge with EHU and toilet facilities, including shower, but we use always the van, so we didn't bother with none of that).
The wine tasting was great and included a tour in their facilities, where they explained the whole process in creating all the kinds of wine they produce.

We tasted white, rose, red and, as an extra, we had also the premium RESERVA red wine.
We also had bread with oil from their production, very nice oil.
Wine helped to make more fluid our English with the Canadian couple joining us in the taste.
Again, we had a quiet night, the place was just for the two of us and the experience was perfect

We walked within the vineyards in the evening, enjoying a nice fresh temperature.
Absolutely recommended experience if you ever get around there.
You just need to book a tasting in their website.
A day to remember.

* I don't know an English translation for "Denominación de origen", maybe Martin jumar or Judith jumartoo or Barriesimpson would help with that?

Tomorrow Porto awaits.
Rainy Porto, it seems.

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[Barriesimpson]

* I don't know an English translation for "Denominación de origen", maybe Martin jumar or Judith jumartoo or Barriesimpson would help with that?

Tomorrow Porto awaits.
Rainy Porto, it seems.

I would say 'Guarantee of Origin', however I don't believe such a thing exists in the wine business in England. I could well be wrong.

 

[royandsharont]

How good is that. Fantastic place to visit, I will one day. I think the English version would be almost a revers, such as Protected Designated Origin meaning something that is protected by its location like I believe a Cornish Pasty may be or cheeses such as Wensleydale

 

[Jane And Rog]

Thanks for that, it’s on the list for next time!

 

[Peavy]

Thanks for that, it’s on the list for next time!

You'll enjoy it

 

[jumartoo]

That vineyard looks beautiful, such lovely autumnal colours.

I'm getting itchy feet to get back out on a trip, but we're trapped waiting for companies to deliver.

Enjoy Porto and I hope it doesn't rain too much.

(I haven't answered the question as I think it's already been answered correctly.)

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[jumar]

Same here....

 

[Peavy]

Days 5 and 6.
Oporto is a city we have visited before, but it needed to be included in our 1st incursion to Portugal with the van (south of the country, will be left for a future quest).
Our achievement to tis trip has been reached: from coast to coast (from our Mediterranean sea, to the Atlantic).

So we reached the beach, and it was both rany and sunny, like the whole Porto staying.
For the first time, we saw the rainbow in the beach (maybe in UK is more frequent?)

After a careful search, we decided to stay at Salgueiros Camping. It's very old facilities are crying out for an upgrade, but personnel were helpful and it did quite ok the job.
We used Uber to move to the city and back, wich was really easy to use (unfortunately for us, Uber is not as common in Spain as in Portugal).

If you don't know Porto, it is a beautiful town wich deserves a visit for it's beauty, it's story, it's gastronomy, or it's culture.
Not going to explain or post here the typical pictures of what the city offers.
Just a few snippets of our staying, like a picture of a yummy Pastéis de Nata (PdN as per Jane And Rog ) or a random church with a mystical sunlight effect.

The highlights, are worth to discover.
Porto is a stunning vibrant city.

One of the goals was also to attend a Fado event. I discovered Fado a few years ago and I loved it.
I'm a musician and I love playing guitar.
I love flamenco guitar, but I'm not really interested in the flamenco folk style as a whole (I don't know...), but Fado is different (as I chatted about with pyro in the morning thread once).
I just cannot explain how a Fado live performance it's just goosebumps for us, (luckily Mrs Peavy has the same feelings too). So we had two nights of traditional Fado in two different venues, both very intimate and so close to the artists.
It was just perfect.

We truly have to recover after these high intense feelings...

Next day is going to be the typical laundry / shopping boring day, so we'll skip day 7 and let's hope day 8 will be more interesting.

 

[Jane And Rog]

“Just a few snippets of our staying, like a picture of a yummy Pastéis de Nata (PdN as per Jane And Rog ) or a random church with a mystical sunlight effect.”

Now we need the full Rog-style rating! Pastry? Custard? Nice caramelisation on top?

 

[Jane And Rog]

Also, with the fado, can you understand the words? I get the feeling it must make all the difference. I find the sound haunting but I have no idea what the singer is saying.

 

[Peavy]

“Just a few snippets of our staying, like a picture of a yummy Pastéis de Nata (PdN as per Jane And Rog ) or a random church with a mystical sunlight effect.”

Now we need the full Rog-style rating! Pastry? Custard? Nice caramelisation on top?

It would be in the top of the Rog-scale for sure

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[Peavy]

Also, with the fado, can you understand the words? I get the feeling it must make all the difference. I find the sound haunting but I have no idea what the singer is saying.

That's a very good point and I agree with you. Luckily for us, we can understand enough to know what are the lyrics about which enhances the experience.
The tempo and melodies in the song, along with the gestures, expression and tone of the fadista (woman or man), also help to understand whether it is a sad or uplifting song.
Seeing it live is beyond words could describe.
Without disparaging the other version, I do prefer the sad Fado sung by a woman.

 

[jumar]

That's a very good point and I agree with you. Luckily for us, we can understand enough to know what are the lyrics about which enhances the experience.
The tempo and melodies in the song, along with the gestures, expression and tone of the fadista (woman or man), also help to understand whether it is a sad or uplifting song.
Seeing it live is beyond words could describe.
Without disparaging the other version, I do prefer the sad Fado sung by a woman.

We were in Tomar over 20 years ago to compete in a Running event...we we're invited to attend a FADO concert....but declined, because we needed to be fresh for the next days race....Did we miss something, perhaps we did...
Now talking about Pastel be Nata...a one time favourite of ours....In Lisbon, with a famous Portuguese friend we visited the local outlet of these...the best in the whole of Iberia...we ate them there with glasses of fine Port...quite an experience.....

 

[Peavy]

Days 7 and 8.
The 7th day was meant for laundry and some groceries. It eats the whole day!
Anyway, the highlight for us was visiting Mercadona
But, it was kind of cool because it was the first store opened in Portugal, and it's been a success, with all those different products from the same brand we are used to, but only in Portugal (I wish we had some of these local Portuguese stuff in our area too).
They have already 20 stores or so opened now in Portugal! Should be studied this kind of success, from a small store in Valencia, to this huge iberian empire, so weird.

One of the things we needed to buy was the connection from garden hose to 1" as we found is more commonly used here and we didn't have one. Leroy Merlin saved the day (as has happened to us before).

From Porto we moved toward Guimarães, a nice small historic town which is the cradle of the country, as the nation was founded there.
We slept in the official place for Motorhomes, very convenient and close to the old town.
The city deserves a quick visit in one or half a day, enough to see the old town and the castle.

In the van food department, we had a nice tikka masala chicken with basmati rice, which was far better than it looked in the picture.

 

[jumar]

Chicken Tikka Masala...how very Spanish...
Good to hear you are having a good time, didn't know that Mercadona had supermarkets in Portugal, a good outlet for quality produce...

 

[Wanders from Glos]

Days 7 and 8.
The 7th day was meant for laundry and some groceries. It eats the whole day!
Anyway, the highlight for us was visiting Mercadona
But, it was kind of cool because it was the first store opened in Portugal, and it's been a success, with all those different products from the same brand we are used to, but only in Portugal (I wish we had some of these local Portuguese stuff in our area too).
They have already 20 stores or so opened now in Portugal! Should be studied this kind of success, from a small store in Valencia, to this huge iberian empire, so weird.
View attachment 967770
One of the things we needed to buy was the connection from garden hose to 1" as we found is more commonly used here and we didn't have one. Leroy Merlin saved the day (as has happened to us before).
View attachment 967858
From Porto we moved toward Guimarães, a nice small historic town which is the cradle of the country, as the nation was founded there.
We slept in the official place for Motorhomes, very convenient and close to the old town.
The city deserves a quick visit in one or half a day, enough to see the old town and the castle.
View attachment 967772
In the van food department, we had a nice tikka masala chicken with basmati rice, which was far better than it looked in the picture.
View attachment 967784

Shame we missed Guimaraes it looks interesting.

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[Peavy]

Shame we missed Guimaraes it looks interesting.

It was, not as Porto, but not crowded at all and nice. Maybe we should post more pictures

 

[jumartoo]

We took two Spanish couples for a curry because they were desperate to try one. They chose their meals, after we told them which would be the mildest, and three of them ended up sharing one dish because the others were "far too spicy" for them

 

[Peavy]

We took two Spanish couples for a curry because they were desperate to try one. They chose their meals, after we told them which would be the mildest, and three of them ended up sharing one dish because the others were "far too spicy" for them

That's interesting and it's so true.
I don't know why, but in Spain we are afraid of spicy food. Not we two, because we are not so Spanish in many things as I have explained before
Our friends aren't interested in Mexican, Indian or any different kinds of food.
We like to go to those kind of restaurants and we have problems to drag them to these restaurants we love

 

[jumartoo]

That's interesting and it's so true.
I don't know why, but in Spain we are afraid of spicy food. Not we two, because we are not so Spanish in many things as I have explained before
Our friends aren't interested in Mexican, Indian or any different kinds of food.
We like to go to those kind of restaurants and we have problems to drag them to these restaurants we love

Paco, the fourth of the group, although he cooks traditional food at home, was up for trying something spicier and he helped us finish the other dishes as well . He also likes English mustard and horseradish sauce.

Angéla likes spicy food, and can eat it hotter than us.

 

[jumartoo]

That's interesting and it's so true.
I don't know why, but in Spain we are afraid of spicy food. Not we two, because we are not so Spanish in many things as I have explained before
Our friends aren't interested in Mexican, Indian or any different kinds of food.
We like to go to those kind of restaurants and we have problems to drag them to these restaurants we love

So who buys the guindillas and the salsa brava?

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[Peavy]

So who buys the guindillas and the salsa brava?

Someone may, but not out friends

 

[Peavy]

horseradish sauce

Is that similar to wasabi? If so, I think we had that in Berlin once (or a German version).

 

[jumartoo]

Is that similar to wasabi? If so, I think we had that in Berlin once (or a German version).

It's not as hot as wasabi. That really is fiery, for us anyway.

 

[royandsharont]

It was, not as Porto, but not crowded at all and nice. Maybe we should post more pictures

Yes please

 

[Ven]

Thanks for sharing your trip - enjoying the pictures and am adding some new spots to my recommended list.

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