BLOG # 5:   FROM SPAIN TO PORTUGAL

On Sunday we docked at Vilagarcia.  We took a small rubber-tire train into the town center.  The town looked quite nice but everything was closed on Sunday, so he had a coffee and returned to the ship.

When going to the Grand Dining Room for dinner we are first asked if we would like a romantic table or a sharing table.  Being old fashioned I think romance is best kept in private after dinner.  Twice we shared a table with a quite elderly couple from Bavaria.  He is in a wheelchair and she walks with two arm crutches.  He told us that he had spent the previous four days getting needles from the ship’s doctor for bronchitis.  Despite all of these problems they ordered four-course meals and then drank us under the table both nights.

On Monday (October 10) we docked in Oporto, Portugal. 

 

We had spent 9 nights in Oporto in April, but all of that time was spent in covid quarantine.  Oporto is the 2^nd city of Portugal, after Lisbon, but the two cities are quite different.  Lisbon was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755 and thus all of the architecture is basically from the 1800’s.  Oporto has buildings dating back to the 1200’s.  Despite it being the first rainy day in Oporto in 8 months we enjoyed a tour of the city.  Where else would you find an operatic soprano busker?

VEGAN ALERT:  Perhaps skip this next section.

One of the featured menu items in Polo Grill is the prime rib roast beef.  It is only served medium rare and comes in a boneless King cut (32 oz) or Queen cut (16 oz).  Either is too much beef for octogenarians, but we learned on an earlier cruise that one can ask for a Princess cut (1/4 the king cut).  The picture is Ron beginning to eat his Princess cut. 

 

The wine is a fine Bordeaux that the Sommelier insisted on substituting for my last bottle of pre-ordered discount wine.  Clearly, he knows more about wine that I do.

Tuesday the ship docked in Lisbon.  This was the end of our 14-day cruise and the beginning of our 7-day cruise.  Because we are doing “back-to-back” we were invited to a special lunch.  In the afternoon I walked and shopped on interesting streets.  Unfortunately, the cobblestones are much too rough for Betty’s cane-supported knees and she lounged on our deck.

One should never leave Portugal without eating sardines at least once.  Unfortunately, none of the ship’s menus include sardines.  My last chance, therefore, came on Wednesday when we anchored off Portimao, our last stop in Portugal.   Getting ashore was a bit of challenge as a medical emergency (the fourth this cruise) tied up the tender boat for a period of time.  By the time I ended my long, hot walk into the town’s center it was lunchtime.  I sat at the first checkered tablecloth that I happened upon.  To my surprise sardines were not listed on the menu.  As I was about to leave I asked the waiter: “Do you have sardines?”.  He looked at me like I must be an idiot for asking such a stupid question.  Finally, his reply was “What would you like with your sardines?"

Here is the before and after: