Had a hard time sleeping last night as we were moored beside the popular area for partying. The disco was hopping and the thumping music til 3;00 in the morning became tiresome after a while. After breakfast we boarded a bus for Guimares which is the centre of the historical part of Portugal. Visited the oldest chapel and castle in Portugal ....very rustic and you could imagine the wars that must have taken place.

Didn't really see too much the rest of the trip as I needed to have a rest. The road leading up to what we thought was Porto is very narrow and curving. The bus didn't scrape any buildings but it was close. Boarded the ship,unpacked and then went for a walk along the pier. Lots of markets and sidewalk vendors. Settled into our room after a delicious dinner...very comfortable.

We left Gaia mid afternoon and it was so nice to be moving. Beautiful beaches along the river in places and lots of families enjoying the warm weather. We move along at a good speed and before long we pass the steel bridge built by Eiffel...same person from that famous Paris tower. It's not used any more just for show.

Beautiful valleys and drive into N. Portugal. Much more rugged landscapes with quaint villages. There are places here in the north that don't see many tourists. When our two tour buses pull in we become the attraction. Everyone is so very friendly and happy. We actually get on the ship in Gaia which is across the Douro river from Porto. The name of Gaia dates from the Roman times.

Typical walkway pattern in the parks and squares. It's made out of small squares of limestone and basalt. Very artistic designs.