Pinhao, Duoro Valley

The scenic train trip took 2.5 hours and was a bargain at €5.55. It looks as if seniors travel at half price, so I’m really into a good thing here. We left Sao Bento at 9.20 and arrived at around 11.50 am. Leaving Porto, we passed veggie gardens and fields of corn on the cob, before we entered the famed Duoro vineyards on both sides. The scenery was very similar to the Ribiera Sacra in Spain.

So many people got off the train at Pinhao, the station platform was completely jammed as people milled around, not knowing which way to go. I could see my hotel, the Vintage House, but not how to get to it! Finally I arrived, but couldn’t check in till after 3.00 pm. After a coffee and a little sit in the beautiful hotel gardens, I went to book a one-hour boat trip upstream in the afternoon. I thought an hour would be enough; to travel up here from Porto by boat, as many people do, would be a bit boring and same-same.

Vintage House from the river

Sitting in the garden

Our boat heads upstream

Flying the flag

Part of the Croft Estate

Landing stage near the hotel

Hotel entry

Finally got into my room and took a hot bath!

.................

Time for a siesta and a bit of BBC World on TV, but nothing on except Trump&Ukraine and Boris&Brexit. I took a short walk along the river where a large tour boat had pulled in containing a German group, going by their loud-speakers.

Dining in, as now too tired to explore further:

Duck Magret (somewhat tough for aging teeth) with roasted veg and orange sauce

Almond mousse and almond ice cream

In addition, the chef sent out complimentary “surprises” of prawn tempura and mushroom soup. I tasted the local red:

Quinta da Soalheira Vinhas Velhas, Cima Corgo Duoro

Porto to Pinhao

The Passenger Hostel provided a very comfortable bed for the night, on a mezzanine floor of my private room. There was a bit of noise outside, so I had to resort to digging out my earplugs. This morning the rubbish truck stopped outside with his engine running, whilst the driver went into the cafe opposite for a coffee! This was at 6.45 am but I was already having an early cup of tea in bed. This is a very old building with high ceilings which has been renovated recently, especially the bathrooms; but no en-suites.

Yesterday evening I enjoyed a delicious meal at a vegan restaurant, DaTerra, only 5 minutes walk down the road.

.... followed by a delicious:



The best part about the hostel is watching the world go by from my window. Uni students were off to lectures, wearing the traditional long black cloaks, the girls with black skirts and black stockings and the boys in black suits.

Breakfast was served on the top floor of the hostel, DIY style. Lots of young Asian students were piling their plates high. A few Camino walkers were already departing as I arrived at 8.00 a.m.

This end room under the roof appears to be the beginnings of an art gallery.

London to Porto

Taking off from Heathrow in an absolute downpour was slightly alarming. Visibility was zero, so the young pilot was completely in the hands of Air Traffic Control. Also, the BA plane was full and they didn’t load everybody’s baggage. I was lucky, though, and I soon spotted my backpack in its distinctive IKEA protective covering as it came round the turntable. 

As we left England behind, the weather cleared beautifully and the sun-baked patchwork of Spanish fields were a welcome sight below us.

I must have walked miles, both at Heathrow and Madrid - I almost feel fit enough to do another Camino, but I won’t. These are big, busy airports and you need plenty of time to find your way between terminals. In Madrid, I have 4 hours - time for a beer and a sandwich.

I finished and enjoyed my Margaret Atwood, which made the trip bearable. The man in the seat next to me watched all 5 episodes of Chernobyl. I want to see it - maybe on the way home?

...........

Now in Porto, staying at the Passenger Hostel right next to Sao Bento Station.

Ladies shower room overlooks the station.

From the station, looking up at the Passenger Hostel.

The tiled scenes on the walls of the station entrance.

Entry of Joao I into Porto for his marriage to Filipa of Lancaster: XIV Cent.

Sao Bento Station is famous for these blue and white tile paintings of rural scenes and key moments from Portugal’s history. Tourists flock to photograph them. It’s also very much a working station, so staying next door was a great idea.

Perth to London

After years of flying Emirates, with a transit in frenetic Dubai, it was time for a change. I was keen to try the Dreamliner to LHR.

“Perhaps the Boeing 787, with its lower pressure altitude and higher humidity, is a time machine. That is the only explanation as to why the Qantas 17-hour non-stop flight passes so quickly.” So wrote the West Australian’s flight critic on Saturday. I wouldn’t go as far as that. It’s still a long night. A big advantage is the 6.45 pm departure from Perth which means that you can eat dinner at a reasonable time. (It’s after midnight with Emirates). Also, the schedule gets me into Madrid mid-morning, instead of mid-afternoon.

Check-in and bag drop-off is now entirely automated, but fortunately there are plenty of staff around to assist those passengers who are technologically challenged. Gone are check-in counters, just scanning/printing machines. Too hard!

................

Arrived in dark, rainy London and LHR is just as frenetic as Dubai. I managed a few hours sleep, as they kept us in the dark for hours - no rush to serve breakfast which finally appeared after 9.00 am Perth time. Dinner had been at 8.30 pm, so it was a long fast!

Shop in Airport.

Garden Party

Two of our bushwalking friends invited us to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary and Jim’s 80th birthday. Didn’t they do well?  The party was held in their garden in Dalkeith. A large number of guests (mainly relatives) kept arriving, each bearing platters of food and children in tow. Oldies and youngies mingled together.

I have always admired Jim’s veggie garden. It must be the most productive in the area. He has created a protected microclimate, surrounded by trees and fences, in which tropical plants flourish - even bananas and papayas. He supplies us with cumquats every year for marmalade.

They have lived in this house near the university all their married life. As a young man, he went to the bank for a mortgage but was first refused because he was single!! Finally he was successful and filled every room with lodgers in order to pay the mortgage. It has proved to be a brilliant investment as well as being a little paradise. The lawns are dichondra, not grass; they remain very green, but chairs sink into them and threaten to tip you off.

Cockatiels chirped at us throughout. We didn’t manage to pin down the host and hostess for a photo as they were busy organising everything!

Portugal Itinerary

My plans so far:

Much of it based on this

Sept 23 Mon.  dep Perth QF 9 at 6.45 pm Terminal 4

Est. journey time 17.20 hrs non-stop

Sept 24 Tues. dep London Heathrow  BA458 7.20 am Terminal 5

arr Madrid Barajas 10.50 am. Terminal 4 S

dep Madrid Barajas Air Europa 1143 at 2.50 pm.

Porto: Passenger Hostel

Sept 25 Wed.  Train to Pinhao

Vintage House Duoro Hotel

Sept 26 & 27 Thurs & Fri

Pinhao: Quinta de la Rosa Hotel

Sept 28 & 29 Sat & Sun

Porto House of Sandeman Hotel

Sept 30 Mon. Train to Coimbra

Sept 30, 1 & 2 October Coimbra Olive Street House

Oct 3, 4 & 5 Thurs, Fri, Sat: Lisbon Corpo Santo Hotel

Oct 6  Sun: Lisbon Five Sins Hostel

Oct 7 & 8 Sun & Mon Evora: Noble House 

Oct 9 & 10 Lagos ??? tba.

Oct 11, 12 & 13 Fri, Sat, Sun: Tavira Pousada Hotel

Oct 14 Mon: bus to Seville; hotel tba.

Oct 15 Tues: train to Madrid: ?? Barcelo Imagine Hotel

Oct 16 Wed dep Madrid Barajas QF8142 (EK0142) 3.20 pm.

arr Dubai 12.45 am. Dep Dubai QF8420 (EK0420) 2.45 am

Oct 17 Thurs arr Perth 5.35 Terminal 1.

Holiday reading:  (ebooks for those long flights)

Published 3 Oct

Celebration at Sandalfords

A beautiful Spring day of 25 degrees. Time for a gourmet lunch at Sandalfords Winery in the Swan Valley. C was celebrating her birthday belatedly, thus avoiding last Sunday (Fathers Day) when all the venues would be packed.

We had a little stroll around the gardens first and admired the old vines which are just beginning to shoot.  Soon I’ll be seeing the vintage in Portugal.

Some people actually arrived by helicopter!

Starters: sourdough with balsamic, dukkha and hummus

E's gnocchi with mushroom sauce

My venison stew with aligot,
last tasted in France

Luscious dessert: chocolate creme brûlée

JL's dessert of Turkish rice pudding
 with sesame seed ice cream.
He wouldn't eat the edible flower!