Porto

We didn't think we'd actually catch up with the other two yachts in our merry little flotilla but the wind tried its hardest for us the whole way!  We managed to have the kite up for about an hour before the wind got too strong and then we poled the genoa out as we surfed downwind at around 7 knots average speed.  After lunch I took the helm from George and the smoother ride from the human touch improved our speed so that on most waves we reached 8 knots.  A couple of hours later, still in fantastic conditions, Chris managed the top speed of 10.3 but soon after we realised the wind was a bit too much for our amount of canvas and we started to reef the jib.  But it jammed.  A few heart stopping minutes later, Chris successfully got the pole in and untangled the genoa reefing line from the fairlead in which it had caught.  The swell by this time was quite substantial and we decided to get the main down too and motor into Leixoes.  Even behind the breakwater we were still ‘tick-tocking’, rolling from side to side, in the wind and waves.  Luckily there was a harbour master and several people on the pontoon to help with mooring up because the crosswind meant it was a difficult job.  Only five and a half hours after leaving Viana we were safely tied up in the marina a bus ride away from Porto.  Despite leaving nearly two hours before us, our fellow travellers had only been in port for about an hour so we had done well.  Who says we’re not racing?

The whole point of calling in at Leixoes was to visit Porto.  A braver yacht than us might actually sail up the Douro but there are no facilities and the quaysides are busy with ferries and tourist trips.  So a bus ride the next morning took us into the famous city.  Having obtained the obligatory street map we planned our exploration of the back streets, which are classified as a World Heritage Area.  There were so many "sights" to see that we had to be a little discerning and opted to stroll past as many as possible until lunch, whilst sticking to the more peaceful alleyways away from the bustling tourists.  We were rather taken by the narrow streets with the colourful washing overhanging the abundant flowerpots.  This was in such contrast to the broad commercial streets higher up in the hilly town, edged with impressive buildings and monuments.

By about 1p.m. we had reached the riverside and we chose a small restaurant which served traditional dishes for our lunch.  The service was excellent and the food unusual (I had a rice/bean/seafood concoction!) but enjoyable and so cheap!  We continued our walk towards the bridge spanning the Douro and there we spotted Ian and Jo, from Zephyrus, who had just had their lunch in a restaurant 100 yards from us!  We crossed the bridge to the other ‘life’ of Porto; the Port wine lodges and cellars!  All the household names are advertised and they entice you in by offering free guided tours and tastings expecting you to part with some money by purchasing their precious wares.  The first lodge we visited was Calem, the tour was brief but informative and we saw the contrast of modern packaging techniques with the huge traditional oak barrels.  At the end of the tour we were all sat around a small table and offered glasses of white and tawny port.  At this point it is worth mentioning that the last time Chris had any of this fine wine was Christmas Eve 1999.  His memory of Christmas Day 1999 is somewhat vague.  Need I say more?  His first sip of the port brought back some rather "unpleasant" memories and Ian gallantly stepped in to finish it off!  We weren’t put off though and together the four of us trudged up the hill to the more familiar name of Taylor's.  It was worth the walk.  The tour was given by a very well spoken young Englishman with a wry sense of humour and plenty of time for questions.  We were amazed to learn that 2% of each barrel of port is lost through evaporation via the oak casks per annum!  No wonder a forty-year-old vintage port is so expensive.  Another amusing anecdote was that of the cask cleaning process:  The fumes are so potent, apparently, that a cleaner can only survive inside for fifteen minutes!  This time we had a chance to taste their Chip Dry White and a Late Bottled Vintage (the ready to drink when bought type), which was my favourite!  We were sad to discover that living on a boat would not be conducive to having a Vintage Port tucked away for a special occasion because it has to be stored carefully on its side for 10 - 50 years while it matures and all the rocking about would not be good.  So, we didn't invest in one!

We were pretty tired by this point so we caught the "Noddy" train back across the river to the Cathedral.  The view here, down over the valley, was fantastic and it was obvious why this beautiful city has been chosen to be the European Capital of Culture 2001.  Much work is being done to get ready and advertising leaflets have already been published.  We could have spent another day or two there easily and we will have to go return some time.

We took the following day "off" to recover and plan for the longish trip to Figueira da Foz.  We needed to leave at dawn in order to arrive in daylight.  Would we manage such an early start?