Choco and Churros

Today was a day to relax. After seeing Joe a.m. And gail of this morning we came back to the room with back to bed and slept for a little longer, it felt so good.

After we got up we went for a late morning wonder in search of a kronuts and chocolate.

We found the recommended chocolate shop just in time to make our purchases before they closed for siesta. If you noticed in the pictures the chocolate they drink here is your chocolate that is heated notice the spoon. The thing you see being dipped in the chocolate is a churro, it's basically a fried donut which sugar on it. We got addicted to them in Mexico.

Tomorrow is our last full day so we plan on just doing some last minute wondering and packing

Barcelona Day 3

Today we started out at the Cathedral designed by Antonio Gaudie. Because the drill is still under construction and they are shooting for a 2026 completion date which will mark the 100th anniversary of his death. The inside is just as spectacular as the outside and I will try and add some pictures later.

After the cathedral tour we continued on around town to see other historical locations in in the afternoon time was spent at the Gaudi Park seeing some more of his sculptures.

We also passed by the Olympic Stadium.

Early in the evening we joined a walking tour of tapas restaurants sampling the tapas and wine.

Tomorrow morning our friends Joann and and Gail leave to return to Denver at 8 o'clock , since the last few days have been really busy we will probably go back to bed and sleep in for a little bit before starting our day.

Our time is also growing short and in two more days we will be making the trip back

Monserrat

Today was in all day trip outside of Barcelona about 1 hour to the  monastery at Monserrat. The setting was beautiful even know the road up there  had a lot of switchbacks and curves. We took a funicular to the highest point on the monastery and from there you could see almost 360 degrees as far as 60 miles. Off in the distance where the Pyrenees Mountains with the snow caps still on the top.

At 10 o'clock we entered the chapel and heard a brief performance by the Monserrat Boys Choir.

Following the trip to the monastery we proceeded down the mountain in about 45 minutes away to the Cordoniu winery to see how is sparkling wine known as Cava is made. The winery was first opened in the 1500's and has been in continuous operation since. We were shown the old storage sellers that are 30 meters underground and nearly a kilometer long, able to store between 60 and 70 million bottles of wine. Naturally after the tour we were shown in to the tasting room to taste both the white and red.

We have arrived

We have in Barcelona and are settling in stay tuned for pictures starting tomorrow

Final Day

Today was our final day of cruising, and as it turned out it rained part of the day, so no tour time was lost.

We are now back in Porto and will be leaving early tomorrow for Barcelona.

STAY TUNED FOR A NEW COUNTRY

Apr 25, Fri

After a morning of cruising, we ported at Pinhao.

As we disembarked, a disabled gentleman had set up his little stand and was sellung hand bent and twisted bicycles and motorcycles.

The days excursuon stated at 2:00 pm when we bussed up out of the valley to an altitude of approx.  650 meters to a nearby wine coop and were shown the differences between Muscatel and Port wines, along with samples of course.

From the winery we walked a couple of blocks to a traditional bakery, one of five in this particular city  recognized by UNESCO as heritage businesses.  Arriving we were shown the hand process that still exists for makung the bread then firing it in woid fired ovens. After the explanation loaves were pulled from the oven butter, jam and cheese were set out, along with Muscatel and the eating began.

Following the winery and bakery we boarded the bus for a short 15 minute ride to one of the wine estates for dinner. Upon arival the owner showed us his family storage which hel barrels from his father, grandfather and great gransfather, aged 40, 70 and 120 years respectively.

After dinner there was aa little entertainment and then the ride back to th ship.

Thur Apr 24

Todey was spent in Salamonca Spain. After an early start for breakfast the busses were loaded and off on the two hour drive to Salamonca. As we climbed up iut of the valley to the plateau the landscape became flatter and flatter. Western Spain is primarly cattle, bulls and sheep.

Arriving in Salamonca we had about an hour and a half of free time to wander and shop. Then it was lunch, typical spanish, as lunch ended three ladies put on a performance  of flamenco and pasa doble dance.

A short city tour followed lunch although some of us chose just to wander and shop again.

During the day we kept seeing student groups , Salmonca has a University with 30,000, wandering the city dressed as various cartoon characters and other customs. Upon questioning we found that this is normal the week before finals to let off pressure.

( Pictures later )

Mom says greeting to our ex-pat followers in the U.K.

A Relaxing Day

Today was spent relaxing and cruising on the ship. We decided that insread of going on todays tours to another cathederal and winery we would remain on the ship and relax.

After the tour left the six of us that opted out spent the day on the sun deck watching the scenery going by.

We passed through another obligatory lock, this one a bit shallower at only 99 feet.

Coming out of the lock it was at bit of close clearence between the ship and the top of the lock

Up the River

Now that we are going east on the river toward Spain we have begun to experience the dams that control the river. So far, we have passed through two of the five dams, the largest of which raised the ship 116' to the next level of the river.

The smaller lock , shown above, is typical of the lock styles used and vary in height.

Yesterdam evening we were off the ship for dinner in an 11 century convent that is now a small hotel and event cener. Dinner was portugese served with regional varations.
Along with dinner we were serenated with live guitar and singing.

Mon Apr 21

Yesterday evening about 9 o'clock the captain unlocked and took us for a short trip in the Porto Harbor to see the city lit up at night. We are unable to cruise at night because the Douro River has so many curves that the government restricts night travel on the river so we will have to be docked every evening before dark..

Finally we are in a normal ship schedule breakfast was from 7 to 930 early risers could have coffee at 6 at 830 we board the buses and took a three hour tour around Porto. Visiting the city , memorials and the Cathedral.

We have now left Porto and are on our way up river towards Spain

Sun Apr 20 Late Again

Today was an early morning on the bus at 8:30 for the 400 kilometer trip to Porto.

Along the way we stopped at Coimbra to vist the university and its old (1400) library.

Sorry to say we were not allowed to take pictures in the library due to damage caused by flashes.

From the University we once again boarded the bus is in went down the road proximately 5 minutes to a restaurant where we had a wonderful light lunch and enjoyed some Fado which is one of the traditional singing types here in Portugal it would be similar to what we call Blues in the United States very sorrowful.

After lunch it was back on the buses for the last 180 kilometers to join our ship, the Viking Hemming.

Sat Apr 19 late due to no wifi today was spent touring around at Lisbon and seeing the sights and memorials

Today was spent touring around Lisbon in seeing the sights and memorials. The girls also managed to get a little shopping in, of course.

After lunch we had an excursion to a Portuguese Tile Museum where it was explained to us how the Portuguese ceramic tile has been made over the centuries  as part of the tour we painted our own tiles and those will be returned to us after firing at the end of the week.

Don't criticize the artwork just complimented the effort.

After dinner we called it an early evening because we had to have our luggage out at 7 o'clock Sunday morning to catch the 830 bus to go to transfer from Lisbon to Porto.

Lisbon or bust

Fri  Apr 18 late post due to no wifi

We have made it to Lisbon and checked into our hotel "Tivoli" right near city central.
We will be doing a city tour then shopping

Almost Time

5 more days and the adventure begins.The suitcases ready and waiting to be zipped.  The trip to the  Airport  will be courtesy of my friends since they are not traveling this time.

If you would like to follow only this trip, use this site  Our Viking Adventures

One more week

One more week, then it will be time for our warm weather adventure to Portugal and then traveling on to Barcelona for 5 days.

We will be traveling with friends that we met a few years back on our cruise of Holland.

Find your own Adventure