clairedavieswriter

After the commotion in Coimbra, Team Bernard slept soundly in our pretty Auberge.

The morning air was chilly, and mist still hung in the valleys.

But Bernard was raring to go – he loves a trip to the seaside. Unfortunately, it wasn’t really bucket and spade weather.

Nonetheless, we were pretty excited…

To have pedalled to the Atlantic once again

Clearly, a celebration was called for, which conveniently helped us dodge a rain shower – never let it be said that I’m not a multi-tasker

Besides these sensational hot chocolates, our highlights today included our first glimpse of the sea, with high quality musical accompaniment. In Nossa Senhora do Monte, just behind me when I took this picture, the talented young organist was getting in a spot of practice ahead of Sunday mass.

We also enjoyed this unusual commercial arrangement: a greengrocer co-located (literally in the same building) with a swimming pool firm. Come for the fresh fruit, stay for the filtration system

A stormy Furadouro beachfront had to be one of the best backdrops for my sandes do día, which, in a shocking development, was made of atum com ovo, not queijo

And we were wowed by the EuroVelo 1, which we last saw on the way out of Faro, when it was barely a scruffy hard shoulder. We re-joined it at Furadouro, and for the last 20k into Oporto it gave us red carpet treatment

But our top highlight of the day was pedalling from the mouth of the river Douro (which we last saw as the Duero, in Tordesillas, a month ago)

Into the heart of the beautiful old city of Porto

Where we’re going to take two whole days off, before our final three-day push for the border.

In the meantime, a glass or two of the local produce might be necessary, for medicinal purposes. Saúde!