Auckland to Porto

 Easter Sunday to 2 May

Meeting Aidan outside Paddington station at the Wild Table of Love.

We spent two good days in London with Aidan, did a lot of walking through Little Venice canals to Regents Park and a big loop back to Paddington on Easter Monday. Notting Hill for dinner. Tuesday Aidan took the day off and we walked from his place in Whitechapel along Grand Union Canal to Broadway Market for lunch then underground to Trafalgar square and National gallery. Dinner with Aidan at our hotel Montcalm in Paddington.

Wednesday train up to Leamington Spa for Patrick's birthday dinner.

Drove up to Garstang on Friday, party on Saturday night which was lovely. Nice to catch up with some of Emma's wider family and meet many more. Great band with great lead singer with plenty of energy and engagement with party goers, lovely Lancashire supper and late night just when we were getting past the jet lag.

Sunday Mass with Peter and Shelagh and a relaxing day with lunch at a pub by the canal basin. Garstang is a very pretty area.

Monday morning early my sister Chris phoned to say my eldest brother Peter had died during Sunday night. We had booked Monday and Tuesday nights in Glasgow so we drove on through the Lakes District to Glasgow as planned. Visited Glasgow Catholic Cathedral about 5 pm and lit several candles for Peter, June and family. Mass started at 5.15 so we stayed on which was lovely. It's a beautiful cathedral, not very large. June's parents were married there and the family emigrated to NZ when June was 12.

Visited the Gallery of Modern Art before leaving Glasgow. Very warm day there on Tuesday. We have been very fortunate with the weather so far. Long May it continue.

Drove back to Leamington on Wednesday, long drive and trouble with hire car made it longer. Spent evening with Patrick's family then on to Gatwick for our flight. 

Relaxing before dinner in Patrick and Emma's backyard.

Arrived at the Poveria Hotel in Campanhã, Porto around 9 pm. Dinner a few doors down at a cafe restaurant that is famous for its Bifana, a very meaty, spicy filled bun, which we had along with a bowl of Caldo Verde, a potato based hot soup with chopped kale and chorizo, a Superbock cervesa for Steve and a vino Blanco for me. 12.60 euro.

A good breakfast at the hotel this morning and a little shopping across the road. Bus to Viseu at 1 pm this afternoon. Quick stop at a café for dos café com leite, dos pasteis del nata, and a ham and cheese panini for Steve.

Comfortable bus trip from Porto to Viseu:

Arriving in Viseu

Many eucalyptus plantations in this area. Evidence of recent wildfires on blackened trunks and regenerating growth springing up. The young saplings have broad grey green leaves and quickly mature to look like the gum trees we are familiar with.

Leaving Porto. Photos have come in in wrong order.

2 hour bus trip Porto to Viseu. Comfortable bus. Cost 4.85 euro each. 

Arriving at Charme e Algeria hotel

Viseu fashion.