Porto in a Nutshell

This is our last day in Portugal and our fearless leader decided to cover everything anout the city of Porto in one long morning walk! We walked up the hill to the university to meet with two graduate architecture students for a stimulating "coffee and discussion",   passing the nation's oldest bookstore, called the "library", where J. K. Rowling was inspired to write the Harry Potter books. The students actually wear black suits and capes here and some of these castles look like Hogwarts School.
We wandered the narrow streets of many old neighborhoods which are constantly undergoing reconstruction. The huge 18th century monastery, turned city hall, complex was quite impressive but as the day got hotter we were almost too weary to deal with "abc" and took taxis to our last included gourmet lunch. Free time for packing before our farewell dinner tonight.
We have had a very enriching European experience, but in the end, "there's no place like home". We're ready.

Minho Tour

90 minutes away from Porto in the Minho region is the lovely town of Guimaraes, known as the "cradle of Portugal", which was founded in the 9th century. We visited the (reconstructed) castle, its chapel and fortress, later becoming the royal residence of the first monarchs, the House of Brigance.
On to the city of Braga where the most noted Portuguese entry to the Camino de Santiago begins. Here we had the best meal yet - a feast of various seafood pesteiscos, Portuguese tapas.
This afternoon we visited Braga's oldest cathedral and strolled the Old Town before taking a funicular up to the hilltop pilgrimage  site, Bom Jesus do Monte, avoiding climbing the 381 foot switchback steps to the sanctuary!
Hot today and we're pooped.

Porto, Portugal by the Sea

We have reached our final destination on the journey across the Iberian Peninsula. Porto, Portugal's second largest city, at 350,000, takes the Duoro River all the way to the Atlantic. Our last three days will allow us, like the Portuguese explorers before us, to discover our own new territory.
Today's pix: 19th century fort by the sea; Prince Henry, the navigator; pedestrian shopping street; sunset from the rooftop terrace of our hotel.

Day in the Duoro Valley

A day in Regua, Portugal, starting with a half day visit to the family owned Quinta de Pacheco Winery. Learned all about the complex issues with this region's wine growing ("9 months of winter and 3 months of Hell!").This is the premium Port  wine region of the world. Got here in time for a "Lucy and Ethel" moment. We're here just in time for harvest. Next was our cooking class (cod and octopus, each for salad and entree for our lunch), and wine tasting, of course, with lunch.
This afternoon a boat ride down the Duoro River, flanked by hundreds of mountainside vineyards.

Adios Espania, Ola Portugal

Our journey on this foggy morning takes us across the Portuguese border to Chaves, an ancient Roman town with its mineral springs. But first it was necessary to stop at another spa town for our last chocolate and churros. The fog lifted as we stopped for a sample of the "healing waters" (nasty tasting stuff).
The highlight of the day was our 3 hour home hosted lunch with an extended family, our group being divided into three separate homes, then all joining together at one of the homes for a wonderful demonstration of Fada singing by one of the senior ladies, followed by a shared sing-along by both the Portuguese extended family and us American guests. A very happy, heart-warming event, nothing like any of my previous home visits!
Into the beautiful Duoro Valley to our upscale hotel tonight.

The Real Final Leg of the Camino

Part 3 of today's blog:
On a more serious note, we were dropped off at the chapel and the impressive monument on the Mount of Joy for our last stamp and several mile walk into Santiago, the original culmination of the Camino. Note the shoes and other artifacts left at the base of the monument representing "cleansing" for the last walk.

Foodie Pix

Part 2 blog:
We toured a palace and an estate run winery before enjoying a lunch of cheeses and Iberian ham with bread, (fresh) tuna topped salad, huge fresh mussels, wine, a birthday chocolate cake for one of our group, and sparkling wine. And that was considered a light lunch!

Side trip to the Sea - Cambados

Part 1 of today's blog:
Off to seafood and wine country of Galicia to meet a "marisquera", one of the members of 220 women in charge of cleaning and "controlled" clamming, to keep the bio-system balanced. Some houses even have shell roofing or siding. A great market along the beach, run by local gypsies, offers knock-off clothing and there is also a fresh produce and fish market. We tasted amazing bread with cheese and jelled marmalade. Yum!

Santiago and Our Hotel

After all the crowds of worshipers have attended the three Friday Masses today and the pilgrims have enjoyed their celebratory beers and socializing it was nice to stroll a calmer city at sunset. Our hotel is a former convent, quite modern and upscale now. This country knows how to recycle their institutions. Breakfast in the "chapel".

Santiago de Campostela

This is the journey's end for the 500 mile pilgrimage. We were lucky to walk pieces of it, get our "passports" stamped along the way and entered through the gates, walking the old town that last mile. A joyous sight to see the energy of this city. Pictures below of the former monastery, the cathedral, the botofumiery that holds the incense.

Discovering Las Medulas

A somewhat hidden side trip lead us to this UNESCO World Heritage site inhabited by the Romans in the 1st through the 3rd century. Hydraulic mining for gold forced the collapse of an elaborate tunnel system, stripping away the soft rock mountains and leaving canyon-like landscape. A hike to explore this took us through huge hickory treed farm land. Outstanding pork rib and fava bean soup lunch rewarded our rigorous climb.

Leon

Sunny weather for our last day of summer. A full day and evening in this ancient city, once inhabited by the Romans. Our daily "learning and discovery" came via a full morning guided walking tour with a local guide through the produce market, on to St. Mary's Cathedral, which wins the prize for stained glass windows, and a peek at one of Antonio Gaudi's earlier archiological works. Left on our own for lunch, several of us found a paella and sangria repast, while relaxing well into the afternoon. We're learning to adopt "Spanish time".
Tonight we are fortunate to attend the first night of an organ festival dedicated to the change of seasons.