Porto, Portugal and Duoro Valley Wine Tour, October 25 and 26, 2024

 With a new phone and a new plan, I landed in Porto with much better cell phone service. 

There was a marijuana store next door to our hotel.

There were also great pastry shops nearby.

Saturday, two other volunteers and I went on a day long wine tour of the Duoro River Valley.  We stopped in Amarante where we saw the St. Goncolo bridge where the Portuguese army stopped Napolean and the combined French and Spanish armies.  We also found a nice bakery for coffee and pastries.

Then it was off to the Favios vineyard and winery.

We had a nice lunch, then more vineyards and wineries, stops along the river, an hour long cruise on the river, then back into Porto.

Sunday morning, we met up with the rest of the volunteers and got our schedule for the week.

Fall 2024

 I have been remiss in posting on my blog.  Here is an effort to catch up with the past half year since getting covid for the second time - it was during my August 2024 trip to Spain for a week with Estacion Inglesa. 

In September and October, I spent time in Portland taking care of Mr. Stowe while Ben and Martha were gone.

I saw many interesting signs, political and otherwise, as well as art work, pretty flowers and unique trees.

I started seeing Halloween decorations amidst the fall foliage.

On one of my walks, I came across this uniquely decorated car.

Another cute sign.