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Published: August 6th 2014
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Sorry I haven't blogged for a while. We have been very busy and only managed to grab a little internet time over a beer/coffee. Not enough time to write more than a few emails..
We did a short-ish hop from Isla Cies to Porto via Viana De Costelo - Upon arrival we managed our first Mediterranean style mooring (Bow or stern in, attached by ropes to a wall). (38miles / 8hrs). We left Isla Cies in a blanket of sea mist, though thankfully it did eventually burn off.
Fri 18th July 2014 - Viana De Costelo to Porto WE ended up having to motor most of the way as there was no wind and very calm seas. Unfortunately motoring does eat out of our daily budget, but we have found if we stick to 1800rpm or under 6knts we don't burn too much diesel. I was really excited about arriving in Porto as lots of the Portuguese people we had met really spoken highly about it. Also we had a few days in a very central marina! (Douro Marina - very nice!). Part of the town now has Unesco World Heritage Site
Luckily the marina had room,
Passing Cape Finisterre
Mike excited at the prospect of both calmer & warmer seas. but unfortunately we found out why straight away - there was a massive music festival going on very close by - our first night was to be punctuated by Skrillex & James, Saturday by Portishead & Joss Stone. Gutted we missed the Prodigy on the Thursday night though! As the festival finished at 5am, the logical thing to do was stay out until it had finished! So we got some recommendations on good places to go, put on our glad rags and headed out into town. We started off in a very old cafe bar called Majestics, it was really beautiful (See pics). Spain & Portugal are both big gin drinkers, so it had to be a gin and tonic. A large one! Rach isn't a gin drinker - so she tried a Portonic (white port with tonic), which was also very nice, but smaller. The waiters wore little white jackets and where suitably flirty..
Next we stumbled across a bar with walls lined with books and fluorescent lights. We were drawn in by the display of Somersby cider (Also very popular in Portugal it would seem). The barmaids were stunning Portuguese girls. I asked what the strange looking
Majestic Cafe
Ole world charm & service glass vats were on the bar - I was informed it was white sangria - "fruit, juice and lots of very strong alcohol" - We were in! After that it was off to try and find a night club. Mike was determined to find somewhere good to go - We found a club offering 3 floors of music - House, RnB and DnB. Unfortunately the only room really going was the RnB room when we arrived. The crowd was very young - when the DnB room finally got going, its vibe was so underground and the bearded DJ clearly liked it that way, so we finally staggered out about 4am, smelling very smoky - The smoking ban clearly wasn't working in Porto!
Distance = 38.9nm / 7hrs
Sat 19th July - Monday 21st July - Porto On Saturday with quite bad hangovers we headed off to the Port Cellars for a tour and tasting. We decided to visit the Calem Cellars as the tour was supposed to be very good. For 5EUR we got a guided our, finishing up with tasting some Tawny & White port. Check out the photos! Luck was on our side as there
Uber G&T
They certainly know how to serve a good G&T just happened to be a Port festival on - for 7EUR we go entry to festival & 5 port tasters!!! So after a quick ride on the cable car & walk over the amazing steel double decker car/foot bridge we headed off to the festival, right on the river bank. I hadn't actually tried port before, it's quite nice, but very potent. Definitely better enjoyed with tapas or mixed with a good quality tonic. Porto is absolutely stunning at night - all the buildings light up and the view from the river is amazing! We were home quite early to be serenaded to sleep by more techno! (Fortunately I am a heavy sleeper - Though Mike & Rach weren't so lucky)
On Sunday Mike and I headed off early as a lot of the museums are fee on Sunday before 2pm. We went to the Serralves Foundation Modern Art Museum, but too much culture is gonna wear you out, next stop 'Ibiza-style beach bar', on Praia De Luz. The afternoon was spent drinking cocktails and people watching on large sunbeds. Lush!!!
By missing out a few stops, we managed to eek out a an extra night in Porto.
We weren't ready to leave after two nights... Beautiful city, reasonable prices. We both said we could live here - maybe we will one day!
Tuesday 22nd July - Weds 23rd July - Peniche (Surfing spot) We pulled an overnighter to get to Peniche. It's a good spot about mid-way between Porto & Lisbon. Unfortunately there was no surf while we were there, but we did mange a lovely coastal walk (The foot held well, just a little pain)! Do check out the photos, I could have posted thousands.... If you love rocks, you would have loved this place!! We found a great coffee shop on the front called java. - humongous toasted sandwiches for 2EUR, large Sagres/Super Bock for 2.5EUR!!!
Distance sailed = 119nm / 21hrs
Thursday 24th July - Sun 27th July - Lisbon Lovely Lisbon - another fab Portuguese city!!! We had a fab sail to get here - nice winds and calm seas, meaning we made excellent time and changed or plan from anchoring outside Lisbon, to going into a harbour. (Distance sailed = 57nm/ 10hrs) We moored up right on the docks, not the prettiest marina, with quite a lot
of noise from the road bridge, but only 27 EUR per night for 4 people. Also very handy for the overground train, subway & tram. (Lisbon has awesome public transport - Bristol/London should be ashamed!). Fortunately we had some tour guides lined up - Eloise & Nuno! We spent the first day doing touristy stuff - Mike & I tried out the historic trams (Going up steep roads that makes San Francisco look like a pussy!), we also tried the Funniculars (Like the trams, but even steeper roads)! Stopped off in a ex-brothel, now bar called 'Pensão Amor' (http://www.pensaoamor.pt/PT/). GRANDAD - You will be glad to hear this is where we tried the brandy you recommended - Macieira Brandy - certainly warmed the cockles!
On Friday evening we all met up with Eloise & Nuno for drinks and dinner - We were taken to the best & cheapest steak of our lives - 10EUR for a large steak you cooked on your own hot stone - SERIOUSLY AMAZING! (I have no idea what the place was called - you definitely need a local to find it!!)
On Saturday Eloise, her Sister Emily & Nuno joined us onboard Disco
Volante for a day sail to the beach. Those guys can drink!!!! Nuno cooked us the most amazing Portuguese sausage in a little clay dish - YUMMY!!! (I think it was called Farinheira). We all got some good tanning in that day!
On Sunday Mike & I sadly said goodbye to Lisbon, but also Rachel & Rich, who flew home from Lisbon (After a short stay in a five star hotel, sniff sniff...) So the Walkers were going it alone!!!!!
..will post the rest of our Portugal trip ASAP. Got to go and clean the boat now ready for the arrival of Alison Mulrooney!
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