June 31 – July 8, 2022
Porto
No tipping
Euro = $1.06 but by the time we left $1 = €1. First time there was parity since something like 2008.
10:56 Inauspicious start: door sensing relay wasn’t working and lights went off. Had to have Techy come and reset relay – so far 1 hour lost.
We’ll see if we can make up the time.
United has cute flight instructions via videos.
11:00 pulled away from gate
11:11 liftoff!
6:25 hrs to Porto
ETA 10:28 am
Came in on time – after the 1 hour delay.
Gas prices €2.029/liter = ~$8/gallon
We just got back from a wonderful river cruise on the Douro River in Northern Portugal.
We had arrived a day early and we stayed at the International Hotel.
I went out to walk around the area and ride the Metro.
There was a major construction project around the hotel: an extension the Metro line was delayed as when they began digging they discovered a Roman Era wall.
The Metro is mostly more like the Subway Surface system in Philly than a subway 
except that it has long, articulated trains. Where it is on the surface it has its own ROW.
1st day of tour
Shirley stayed in
Boat docked above lock. We bused in to Porto for tour
Cat hanging around on street. Friendly. Even followed out guide for a while after she started leading us.
Met a very friendly dog who seemed to be having a great time as he walked in the park with his owner and another dog: his tail was wagging all the time as he was walking along. He came up to us and presented himself for petting. His owner didn’t seem the slightest surprised.
Lots of homes overlooking river and some small farms.
84% of Portuguese are non practicing Roman Catholic
€2.10.9/liter
Sunday
Great dinner at winery
They ironed the tablecloths to get rid of any wrinkles.
Ed and Ellen took our pic and sent it to us.
The oxtail was fantastic!
The roads to and from dinner are more than exciting: lots of switchbacks with hairpin turns.
Monday
4th of July! We had a barbecue with burgers, fries – and gazpacho
More locks as we head for the Spanish border
Another great dinner.
As we were in Spain, we had a Flamingo dancer for evening entertainment
Tuesday
Visit to old castle town of Castle Rodrigo
Finally found a shirt – first since Porto.
Met a cat. When I saw him I tried the universal cat language (piss, piss!)
He stopped and turned to me, then turned around and came toward me. He liked being scratched and tickled. Fell to the ground and put his belly up and purred.
Later I discovered he is the town cat and everyone cares for him and feeds him.
Back to the boat, lunch and we shoved off down river.
Wednesday
Trip into Pinhao
Saw another cat but he wasn’t too friendly – just stared at me.
Sleepy little town but did get two polo shirts @ €10 each
Got Tylenol 20 tablets for €1.25
Gas is €1.20.9/liter = ~ $8/gallon
Thursday: bike ride!
One of the excursions offered was a bike ride along a Rail-to-Trail – about 16 miles. The option states, “for experienced bikers in good physical condition!”
I thought, “This is no big shakes, as I do that on a ‘bad day,’ and usually do 20 miles or more with no trouble.”
To make sure I was in shape, I did several rides in the weeks before the trip and when we arrived at check-in for the cruise, I asked the guide about the ride and he described it as not terrible and that we’d have plenty of water and rest/photo stops along the way.
On the day of the ride, however, something I’d not expected had occurred: I developed a chest cold. Don’t say “COVID-19!” as we were both tested before the trip and I knew what was happening to me but I decided to take a chance – after all, it was ONLY 16 miles.
The set up was even easier than I’d expected as the provider had bikes waiting for the 10 of us that had opted for the ride: each bike had an easy step-through frame, “sanitized” helmet and water bottle. Each had been pre-adjusted based on our height. The starting area even had an awning over the bikes.
The trail was much better than what I expected, based on my extensive use of R2Ts in and around Philly: what had been a double-track was a single, wide, paved path, PAINTED(!) a light brown and edged in STONE!
This had evidently been a passenger rail line as just below where we started was a beautifully restored station – including restrooms.
We started and it was wonderful: mostly downhill with beautiful views on either side of the trail. I remarked to the trail guide that this was the easiest trail I’d ever ridden. In Yiddish, there is a saying, “Kinahora” – you should NEVER say things are good because, by saying that, you bring on bad luck.
That seemed to have been exactly what happened, for, as as soon as we hit the first – really a MILD hill – my legs began to turn to rubber and my breathing became labored. Earlier in the ride I had been to the front of the group, now I rapidly slipped to last, with our tour guide, hearing my labored breathing, suggested I take a break, which I did. I even took another “hit” on my inhaler, all to no avail.
I had to give up. He called the van that had carried us to the bikes from the boat to rendezvous at a trail crossing. There, I had the ignominious shame of having my bike loaded onto the trailer and we rode onward to the town where we waited for the rest of the group.
I had no problem walking and touring the town as this didn’t stress me as much a peddling did.
We found a restaurant with a great view of the small river, Rio Tameca, a tributary of the Douro, and had an “interesting” lunch. The 5 of us, perusing the menu decided to order separately and I selected a salad as breakfasts on the cruise along with all the other meals were more than substantial. Another couple selected an interesting fish dish with potatoes and selected a ½ portion to share. Another woman selected this, too. When their lunch arrived it was enormous as this portion – supposedly for 3 – could easily have fed 5 or even 6. They said it was wonderful but they were saddened that so much of it had to go to waste.
Friday
Disembarkation Day!
Typical for a Tauck trip, everything was beautifully organized: our luggage tags marked, time for bags out, pick-up times all detailed in instructions sheets tailor made for each passenger.
Flight Back
Easy, as the trip to the airport and clearing immigration were simple.
Flight took off on time – we traveled Business Class which gave us seats in shells that collapsed into beds.
Meals were good and we arrived on time.
Our King driver was waiting for us and it was a smooth ride home.
We lucked on on the weather as soon after we left the temps rose to the high 90’s and even 103!
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