Today we spent the day in Porto. In the morning, we had a free tour, then for the afternoon there was an optional excursion to a medieval town, going back to Porto for more sightseeing or shopping, or stay on the boat while it sails to the next town. Not enough people signed up for the optional tour, so it was cancelled, ten people took the bus to town, and everybody else stayed on the boat -- probably went swimming.
A small contingent rented bicycles and met us downtown for the trip back. I had hoped to do sightseeing rather than shopping, but even john was totally unable to decipher where things were on the map, so we basically stayed within sight of the place we were supposed to meet.
They have these really unusual churches here. 
On the outside, they are your standard baroque, but then they have these huge tile pictures on the whole exterior. Some other cool things include an olive grove planted on top of a shopping center with very mature trees that seemed to survive the transplanting. 
Art Deco is popular as well. 
The place is just adorable.
Our final stop this afternoon was at this wonderful famous Art Nouveau coffee house on one do the main streets. And the coffee ws only 3€!! 
I'm writing this in the bus as we return to the ship which has sailed somewhere else. Unlike other cruises we've been on, the ship isn't allowed to sail at night. Some other bureaucratic rules include bus passengers have to wear seat belts -- okay by me -- no food or drinks brought onto the bus, only water. This seems to actually be a law, not just a rule of the bus company. In fact, even if you have an unopened bottle on the bus, you had better have a receipt for it or you are assumed to be on your way to sell it somewhere. And you can get a whopping fine for that.
Our final event tonight was a trip to the convent auberge which is an old monastery turned into a hotel and tourist bus feeding facility, you know, the kind of place a million people can sit down for sinner and drink from a never empty glass of cheap wine and thus think they had a good dinner, when it was at best edible. Followed by 15 minutes of entertainment which was mercifully short. I loved the fado singer at Combra. This one not so much. But all the guitar players were kick ass.
Tomorrow we are going to thi place: http://www.discoverdourovalley.com/content/santuário-de-nossa-senhora-dos-remédios/douEA3EE3491DC5CDE20
600 steps up to the church, preferably done penitentially on your knees. I'll probably pass on both.
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