Drinking Port in Porto

This weekend we adventured to Porto, Portugal. We arrived Saturday afternoon and went straight across the St Lois I bridge to the port houses. First up we did a tour of Sandemans, learning a lot about how to make port, why it's so high in alcohol (they add extra wine alcohol to it!) and tasting a white port and a Tawny. Both were a wee bit on the sweet side, but thoroughly enjoyable.

St Louis I Bridge

Sampling the Sandemans Port

Sunday was a real mix of weather (reminds us of home...). One minute beautiful and sunny, then rainy, then sunny followed by hail. Still, we managed to do a good tour of Porto. We saw several chruches, including Se Cathedral where Henry the navigator was baptized, Sao Francisco Cathedral which supposedly has 400 kg of gold inside and a few others with blue walls. We also ventured out to Casa de Musica, an oddly shaped building and wandered along the riverfront.

Casa de Musica

Sunday afternoon was back to the port houses. This time to Crofts where we had another tour, sampled another white port wine, a Ruby, a pink port and an LBV (late bottle vintage). A great way to spend a wet Sunday afternoon. This morning we wandered round the Monastery before heading to the airport for our flight back to London. All up a great long weekend!


Sampling the Crofts Port

St Louis I Bridge

Us looking out over Porto

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Bathing in Bath

Last week we rented a car and drove across to bath via Stonehenge and Avebury. Stonehenge was amazing, perched in the middle of a wild, windswept field. Avebury is less well known, but some just as impressive stones and earthworks.

Stonehenge

After we had finished stonewatching, we completed our drive up to Bath. The weather by now was constant heavy rain so we stayed in for the night, watching the end of the All Blacks before heading out to spend some time in the local, trying some native ales, while watching Scotland beat Australia (did that really happen, or did we have too many brews?).

The next day was just as bad weather wise, but we bravely headed out. First stop was the Roman Bath house, amazingly complete ruins. We then stopped at Sally Lunns for an original Sally Lunn bun, not like expected but yummy anyway. Next we wandered the town and markets, dodging the rain. Saw the pulteney bridge over the river Avon, the Cresent and finally the Bath Abbey.

Sally Lunns at Sally Lunns House

Bath Abbey

Roman Baths

On our way home we made a spontaneous stop in Oxford for an explore. Wasn't too much to see, as it was dark by now, but found the Oxford castle and a cool pedestrian town centre filled with students.

Next up Porto!!

New house & jobs

Just a quick post to say we have a new house! It's only short term, until mid-December. It's in Leytonstone, on the central line. Both of us are working now too, Brad as a cycle sandwich delivery guy and Mel is back temping at St Barts hospital. Busy planning our next adventure now......


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