Last yr was our first trip to Oporto in North Portugal, via a week's cruise down the Douro River, brilliantly organised by PortGolf. On the finish of that week, Peter Evens, who runs PortGolf, suggested we should return for your festival of S. Joao and possibly play some golf. This appeared an excellent concept so on our return towards the United kingdom we organised a dinner for two other couples, among whom (Gerry and Catriona) had played golf close to Oporto and Jim and Margery. We talked about the concept and it was agreed that eight could be an excellent amount. Shortly right after we had supper with yet another couple, John and Marion who volunteered to join us. None of us had ever holidayed together before so it might be a check of friendship. Due to other commitments Gerry and Catriona and John and Marion would remain to get a week while we and Jim and Margery would remain for twelve days.
There follows a Journal of that Trip:-
We decided to catch the first Porto flight out of Gatwick at 6.30am whilst the other individuals have been catching the 1.30pm flight. We have been met at Oporto Airport at 9am by Peter Evens who whisked us off for the 4 star Hotel Fenix, conveniently placed near to the Boa Vista location. The climate was bright using a light shower close to midday. Possessing unpacked in our spacious area around the 9th Floor with splendid views of the genuinely magnificent cemetery and the city we set off on our first adventure to stroll towards the city centre and investigate the location. We had a pasta and wine lunch at the Simbiose Restaurant (30) overlooking the river and watched the Port wine boats ferrying individuals to and fro. Walked back uphill towards the hotel calling in on the nearby supermarket for gin and whisky for nightcaps. The rest of the gang arrived at six.15pm relatively late as a result of delays. Getting checked in all of us received into the lift to travel for the 9th floor. Now this lift includes a notice that says it is for ten persons - sadly, they indicate ten Portuguese individuals who take place to become somewhat more compact in stature than eight Brits for your lift decided to descend to -5 floors just before coming to a halt having a resounding bang. Not precisely the start we were searching for, but we managed to extract ourselves and stroll back for the ground floor we proceeded to travel inside the 2nd elevate and the service lift - time to get a drink! Peter discovered us in the bar at 8pm when we had been taken in two autos to the Maria Moita, a neighborhood Porto restaurant for dinner. Peter stayed on to interpret as not much English is spoken and consider photographs in the evening. Entertaining food by having an interesting menu and carafes of wine. Bed by 11.30 somewhat exhausted.
Friday 22nd June:-
Up at eight.15am, dry, but grey using a smattering of blue. Breakfast, then a rapid look round the nearby shops. Peter and Paolo collected us at 12.30 for our initial game of golf at Estela. The program lies about an hour in the centre of Oporto about the Atlantic coast. The drive was pleasant and informative and also the entrance guarded by two automated gates. A drink as well as a toasted sandwich started out the event which was a four ball much better ball with husbands partnering wives. Typically to get a links program, the wind blew like hell and was a contributing element towards the round taking 41/2 hours. Gerry and Catriona were the winners and copious quantities of gin and tonic and beer was consumed. Showered and change just before whisked off to Casa do Frango in a nearby town - difficulty was our driver dropped us in the incorrect place which held up proceedings, but did not stop the wine flowing before the chicken and chips arrived - turned out to become a fun evening and examined some people's capability of alcohol consumption. On our return to the hotel John and Marion joined us in our room to get a nightcap and left at 1.30am.
Saturday 23rd June:-
Up at eight.30 am as well as a glorious summer time day. Everybody into city centre to sightsee, but for us it was to store for prizes meeting up using the gang at Majestic caf - the 'in place' to become seen - coffee and brandy was the order in the day. Off to lunch to Foz at Praia da Luz, a super restaurant around the seaside which we had sampled final year - fantastic meals and wine having a number of nearby dishes, ridiculously cheap at 30 per couple. Back to the hotel at 4pm to rest before the night's activities. At Midnight Oporto celebrates the S. Joao festival. Peter and cab collected us at 9.10pm and we're taken to Taylor's Port Wine Lodge where the atmosphere is electrical - a couple of hundred individuals are seated at round tables to get a set menu of Kale and Potato Soup; breads; sardines; Roast Kid and Vegetables followed by Almond tart and ice cream. The best wines are served and we tried a few bottles of twenty year outdated vintage Port. The lodge is situated at Gaia around the southside in the Douro River and at twelve.05am we adjourn towards the terrace to observe a firework show over Porto which was out of this planet - we are all stunned from the magnificence from the scene. John and Marion need to leave by cab due to John's bruised Achilles heel although the remainder of us have to walk as no vehicles are allowed in the area other than for health-related reasons. The crush is worse than a cup final at Wembley, but everybody is in this kind of great humour and it would seem the entire of Oporto's inhabitants are bashing you over the head using a plastic hammer or a long garlic plant (the two outdated traditions) - we at some point stagger across the bridge, which had been closed at 1 point due to too many folks on it causing it to sway. Street events, dancing and singing all the way back towards the hotel and so to bed at 3am having survived a most satisfying adventure.
Sunday 24th June:-
Up for breakfast, tons of orange and black coffee appeared for the order in the day. Later collected to go to Amarante Golf Program yet another hour drive away. Seems we had the program to ourselves. Said to become hilly, correct, difficult to locate your way round sometimes; some breathtaking holes accompanied by bangs all afternoon as S. Joao ongoing to become celebrated. Men versus Women this time, the guys had no likelihood. Showered and altered off to a restaurant in Amarante - difficulty was our driver appeared to get forgotten until he was informed by Peter through cell phone then he proceeded to drive at 120 kph to acquire back on track. No English spoken in any way in the restaurant which produced lifestyle a tad difficult. Food rather great, but we appeared to be in a quieter mood - at our age very late nights can perform havoc with some people's constitution.
Monday 25th June:-
Nowadays we are moving towards the Oporto Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club, so its bag packing time as 6 of us are off on an adventure - a day trip on a boat up the Douro. Gerry and Catriona have completed this trip just before so they go back to Estela for golf. Excellent climate and the trip is just fine with breakfast and lunch provided and the river is so peaceful. We make pals with Lourdes who's the tour guidebook. Later she is surprised to find us drinking champagne - she asks what we are celebrating, we inform her a birthday, she asks whose birthday it is and we tell her we never know, but we're fairly sure it really is someone's birthday someplace. We arrive at Regu at four.15pm and therefore are taken by coach for about 200 yards towards the railway station in which we're to continue our adventure by train back to Oporto a journey of about 2 hours. Peter meets us on the station and will take us to our new quarters on the O.C. and L.T.C. just a little oasis within the middle of Oporto. Very colonial style and each and every one is so friendly. Shower and change and meet for drinks inside the lounge just before walking several hundred yards up the road to Capa Ngra two a local restaurant where we are served by Olivetti who speaks good English and advises around the neighborhood dishes. A lot of wine as well as a entertaining evening all for the princely sum of 30 per couple. John and Marion insist on possessing a nightcap in our room - an additional late night.
Tuesday 26th June:-
Breakfast at 9am then walked around the grounds of the club and inspected the tennis courts, cricket pitch (thought we would bat initial) and also the swimming pool. We got ready for golf and soon we had been on our way to Ponte de Lima on a wonderful sunny day. Once more about an hour drive towards the golf program, but very scenic and considerably mountainous - buggies a necessity. Drinks along with a sandwich 1st, but you by no means must be within a hurry in these places which was an excellent job because the round took over five hrs, some thing we're just not employed to, but we're on vacation so what the heck. A quick shower and drink just before setting off to Restaurant Acude. A minimal menu and quite expensive for your area, but we loved it. Drove back towards the club and residence by 12.30am - a lengthy day.
Wednesday 27th June:-
Up at 8.15am great shower and a leisurely breakfast. These days is a soothing day exactly where most of us do our very own factor. A day through the pool for some, searching for some of the ladies and bridge for others. We all meet inside the bar at 8pm for tonight we're eating in the club's excellent dining space and prize providing. It worked out that everybody received a prize of sorts and Margery and Jim won Peter Evens "PortGolf" prize for the best score about the Stroke Index 1 holes on each of the courses we played. Meals, wines, services and atmosphere could not be bettered an incredible finish for anyone departing the next day. Considerably late to bed!
Thursday 28th June:-
Missed our farewells to Catriona and Gerry, but managed them for Marion and John who were catching a later flight. These days Peter is taking Margery and Jim and us for any road trip up the Douro Valley Tour. We set off at 9.45pm once more with glorious sunshine. Our 1st stop is in the winery of Quinta de Aveleda. A guided tour which includes tastings with cheese. We wandered round the grounds that have beautiful gardens which includes resident peacocks. In the store, a loud mouthed American, who was purchasing a six pack of wine, was boasting to the young lady in the counter that back house he had a thousand bottles of wine - to which she replied, "And now you have a thousand and six, sir." - priceless! Our subsequent quit was at Amarante to view the well-known bridge along with a rapid walk round the town, extremely pretty. On by way of rolling hills filled with vines to Regua and stopped for lunch on the Pousada. Sat outside within the glorious sun and admired the views across the valley. We moved on to Quinta do Panascal - Fonseca winery/ port lodge, had a guided tour through the grape terraces with the help of an audio tape and earphones giving a history as well as the workings in the company. Back towards the lodge for a lot more tastings then a return journey via Vila Real through mile right after mile of hills laden with vines from leading to bottom. Back towards the club for a shower and change just before Peter dropped us off in the Oporto Restaurant. We have been all intrigued to see Jim's starter as he had ordered 'fish soup in pastry'. (the pastry was on the top!)
Friday 29th June:-
Breakfast at 9am - today we're back to Estela golf program, but what a difference, loads of sunshine and no wind. Girls versus the Boys (yes, obviously the Girls won, but only at the 18th) - back for the club for any rest and shower.A special evening as we meet Peter's wife, Anabela, for your initial time and we visit Praia de Luz for dinner. A great meal with lively conversation along with a stunning sunset, of which we've several photographs if any person desires a copy. Home to bed another extended day.
Saturday 30th June:-
In spite of last night's sunset, we wake to a grey sky and significantly cooler temperatures. The girls, (I utilize the term loosely), go off purchasing to Vila Nova de Gaia, "Corte Ingles". Us chaps do our personal issue reading through and watching the members who are barbequing for lunch - Jim tries the sardines. Lorna and Margery arrive back at two.15pm and after listening to of their adventures we've got tea and scones - how civilized. Peter collects us at 6.45pm as we're to have drinks at his house at Senhora da Hora. We meet up with Anabela again and also later with Jacquay among his twin daughters who entertains us about the piano. Then we're off to a fish restaurant, O Manel in Matosinhos - no English spoken and we struggle using the menu, not the most effective spot to eat in our viewpoint, also rather pricey. An early night for all.
Sunday 1st July:-
A free of charge day - climate a bit grey and never very hopeful. Margery and Jim choose to tour the city by open-top bus whilst we decide to stroll towards the Palacio de Cristal a spacious park which homes a circular building for concerts; you'll find also some nice views of the river and across the city. We continue our stroll through to S. Bento Metro Station where we attempt to purchase from a machine two day tickets - we fail miserably regardless of the help of a couple of locals, but were rescued by a station protection guard who aided us to get the proper tickets. The Metro is extremely contemporary and is a cross in between a tram, a trolley bus and an underground train - extremely clean and quiet. Out 1st journey will take us across the really leading from the Ponte do Luis and up to the terminus outdoors "Corte Ingles". We return back down, but alight at Jardim do Morro in which we've been suggested there are a few excellent photo opportunities across the river. We then choose to walk more than the top from the bridge instead of ride. In hindsight this was not a good concept as we reckon the bridge is similar in construction and height to the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia - we wouldn't stroll across that even though they do chain you to the railing so what in the world are we carrying out here So becoming English, we put our heads down and just maintain strolling until finally, relatively relieved, we get to the other side - phew! I have to add that the Metro trains are passing by you simply inches away which tends to add for the excitement. We did get some good pictures from the trains crossing the bridge and entering the tunnel beneath us. With shaking legs we descended hundreds of steps and through winding alleys to acquire to the riverside exactly where we had a bottle of wine and lunch and watched the world go by. We returned for the station and went as far because the Estadio do Drago, a recently finished stadium just before returning back down to our nearest station to residence, the "Casa da Musica". The climate had a lot enhanced by this time so we walked back for the club in sunshine. We met with Margery and Jim from the pool and exchanged stories and adventures, then snoozed to get a whilst just before preparing to embark for our final evening to the "Cafeina" Restaurant. A really wise establishment and nice foods, but again wouldn't be in our top five. Peter collected us and returned us safely back to the club.
Monday 2nd July:-
1 wonderful attribute in the club is that clients usually are not required to vacate their rooms until finally midday. We took benefit of this by getting time to pack in a leisurely manner and getting stored our bags we were collected by Peter to take us for lunch at "Ar de Rio", a modern riverside restaurant in Cais da Gaia. We sat within by an open wall searching out across the Douro River in glorious sunshine. Peter collected us and took us to Crofts Port Wine Lodge for any tour and tasting - a beautiful method to finish a holiday in Oporto. We collected our baggage from the club, said our goodbyes to the employees and Peter dropped us off at the Airport in great time for your flight which was delayed for fifty minutes.
All in all a most enjoyable holiday, nicely organized by PortGolf within the shape of Peter Evens whose care and attention of his clientele is 2nd to none. Without a doubt we shall return once more to this most fascinating of cities.
Mike and Lorna Gizzy
June
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