Wed. July 2 Pinhao, Quinta Do Seixo - Sandeman, Vega de Terron

That's our ship the Queen Isabel as seen from the mountain road. 

In the morning we left the dock at Pinhao and boarded our bus for the short ride up the mountain. 

It was an incredible drive to the wine centre called Quinta Do Seixo, the home of Sandeman, the port with the iconic label that I love.

You can look back and see Pinhao

 The mountain roads and views were spectacular.  Guides wearing the student capes of Coimbra and the Spanish Fedora met us.  

Yes...we enjoyed a tasting after the tour although it wasn't noon yet! John and I bought Sandeman hats and marvelled at the vistas  surrounding this winery, of which I could not get enough.  http://www.sandeman.com/visitus/douro/en

When we arrived back at Pinhao we walked about the town admiring the hand painted tiles of the train station depicting the harvest, as well as peeking into quaint shops, and visiting the beautiful Vintage House Hotel.  As in Porto we saw Rabelo boats which were used to transport Port wine and barrels down the Duoro before the river was made accessible for larger boats like ours.  Now they are used for tourists...you can take tours on them.  We didn't but it is something I would like to do!

Tile walls, tile roads and sidewalks...a common theme all over Portugal

Rabelo Boat  

Waterfront walk to the Hotel

Stop and smell the roses!

By 1 p.m. we were all aboard enjoying lunch on the deck room of the dining area. It was windy and rainy at times but lovely.   Scenery watching was most enjoyable and relaxing as the afternoon went by.  Vega de Terron, our dock for the evening was quite remote but we could see the buses waiting to take us on an adventure to Salamanca Spain in the morning.  

Baton down the hatches! 

Kersten, enlightening John and Roger