Porto

After the comedy of the rigging now being too short - the mast was raised then lowered and will have to be raised again once the rigging is replaced - we checked the weather and realised that even if the new rig appeared the next day the wind strength was too much for the crane to operate for much of the next week.

After t’internet half hour we found Ryanair cheap flights from Marseille to Porto and a cheap city centre hotel for the same price as a weeks car hire in France. So Porto it is.

What a good decision, Porto is officially our new favourite European city, and fantastic value compared to France. Great old centre along the Douro river banks, port wine houses everywhere.  We were lucky and had hot weather with blue skies.

The difference in price compared to France was huge. We ate in a good local restaurant, full of locals, Carole had sea bass for €8, the same fish in an average French restaurant was €17.  We had 2 coffees for €1.40, compared to €4 in Port St Louis.

Carole -  I will leave you with a select of photos of Porto......

Classic Porto picture

Lovely traditional shops

Great old market - sadly falling to pieces

this is the railway station!

Another of the railway station - amazing

Porto is just so photogenic

Past the high bridge

Taken from the 'port caves' side

Pretty everywhere you look

Evening

Just which photos do I include?

The roofs of the port wine houses

Gutting fish takes concentration

This in the centre of Porto ??