July 16, 2024

                                                              Quinta da Roeda Port Tasting

We’ve had a busy two days so there wasn’t time to update the blog.  Here’s what we were doing.

July 15th we went to Pinhao where we docked.  We traveled to Quinta da Roeda where Croft has been making  Port since 1588.  It has been passed down for generations.  We took a walking tour through the vineyard and our guide explained all about how they care for the vines, then took us into the room where they stomp the grapes for hours and hours while drinking wine.  It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.  We then went to the large gift shop and had two glasses of Port.  A Ruby and a Tawny.  The Ruby would be good over ice with tonic water.  The Tawny was fine, but not as good as the two we tried in Sintra at the Port shop.  

We were so tired from jet lag, eating and drinking and the time change that we napped for about 3 hours.  So we missed a talk on Cooper Winery, but the nap made us feel better.  

The next day July 16th we went to Fox do Sabor to visit the Palacio dos Condes da Acadia.  It was built in the 18th Century and the family still owns it and stays there occasionally.  It is very ornate and fussy.  But then again, in a couple of hundred years styles change.  The family decided to open it up for tours.  It was interesting to see just how much things change.  The entrance and staircase was huge and the rooms were small.  The art, the painted ceilings, the Knick knacks were very interesting.  

This is the entry way stairs.  Check out the tile work on the walls.  There are scenes all over the Palace. 

Would you want this guy watching you from your tile walls?

Next we took a bus ride to Viseu.  We had a walking tour with a lovely woman who did a great job explaining where we were and why, all the while keeping us from being run over by fast cars on skinny, bumpy and tiny roads between the buildings.  We walked for about an hour all around ending up at Pousada de Viseu.  A Pousada is close to what we would call a bed and breakfast.  This building was a hospital before it was turned into a Pousada.  We had another huge lunch buffet of Portuguese food.  Burp!  Afterwards we walked the city some more until we got tired and found a little shop that had tables and chairs in the shade.  We enjoyed a “lemon ade”.  It was very refreshing and so nice to just sit and watch the people go by.  

We had a 2+ hour drive back to meet the boat.  This provided the perfect opportunity to take a short nap.  We got back to the boat and realized that the “Sip and Sail” time had already begun.  (In our vernacular sip and sail is called “Happy Hour”).  The gin and tonic was a perfect way to relax.  Bob had scotch.  Dinner then ensued and we ate way too much.  We went back to our room and sat on our minuscule balcony and drank a glass of the port we bought in Lisbon.  Graham’s 20 year Tawny Port.  We slept good last night.  I didn’t wake up until 6am which is so much nicer than my  usual of 2:30 am.  

We are having fun, seeing great sights and enjoying ourselves.  Hope you are all well.  

Love, BC and GC.