I have been enjoying Porto, Portugal for a couple days and am currently on the train for a little day trip up the Duoro river valley. Yesterday I enjoyed wandering around Porto and the neighboring Villa Nova de Gaia (where I am actually staying). The whole area is endearingly cute with narrow multistorey houses in different colors with red tiled roofs running up the hillsides. The Duoro river runs between the two areas with a famous bridge connecting them. The old style Portuguese boats moored and bobbing along the river are the last piece to set the stage and make it one of the most charming places I have seen lately.
My two favorite parts of yesterday were the tours of the port makers and the Fado show. I toured Calem and the iconic Sandeman cellars, and I now know a few new things about Port wine. First, it comes in white. I thought Port only came in red but it does come in white. The white Port is still sweet but is lighter in body that the richer tasting Ruby and Tawny. I also learned the difference between Ruby and Tawny Port. I like both 😁. For those who are interested, Ruby is aged only in very large oak vats and Tawny is aged first in a vat, then moved into smaller oak barrels. This gives Ruby a lighter fruitier taste due to limited contact with the wood and air. It gives Tawny a richer taste due to increased contact with wood and air.
I usually hate oaked wines…but Tawny Port is the exception. The oak actually makes it even yummier and I think I like it better than Ruby Port. Otherwise, I still think oaky wines like Chardonnay are gross. I really hate Chardonnay…would rather drink toilet water.
The Fado show was great, albeit awkward. Great because the musicians and singer were talented folks. Great because it was held in a very atmospheric stone cellar with arched ceiling, candlelit barrel tables and, of course, a complimentary glass of Port (as if I needed more after my tours!) That made my…7th glass of Port for the day 🤫
But the show was a little awkward because the audience was…8 women. Yep, just 8 people and all ladies (most of them solo like me). The singer lady was irritated by the small crowd, even though I don’t speak Portuguese and I don’t know exactly what she was saying…I can tell she was bitching to the musicians about the audience. Maybe she wanted men to sing to?
The musicians chatted with me after the show and remarked on the strange audience that night. Evidently, there are usually more people and a few penises present😉. It turns out the two guitar players (one traditional acoustic and one traditional Portuguese) are both civil engineers by day, musicians by night. Either way, seriously talented. The singer lady, while a bit bitchy, had an awesome voice. I enjoyed it.