São Paio Jolda and Ponte de Lima

There is a pool at the place we are staying for next four nights!!!!! After we arrived we choose one of the luxurious bedrooms, unpacked, and took a very, very cold dip in the pool. The place is a working farm with flowers, onions, garlic, beans, chickens, and grapes for wine. Our host gave us two of his homemade wines - one red and one white to try. Oh boy!

We started our day heading north in our rental car bidding farewell to Porto. While Porto is beautiful and has much to offer, it was outshone by both Coimbra and Lisbon. On the drive up, we stopped for lunch in Ponte de Lima which boasts being the oldest town in Portugal. It sits on Rio Lima, a beautifully clear and shallow river that defines this area. We walked across the bridge that was built in the 1200’s. The heat nearly melted us - it was a high of 28C or 82F. The Swedes aren’t used to hot.

We are going to be taking some walks in the mornings and wine tasting in the afternoons. At least that is the plan. I’m hoping to get another day or two in the pool or even swimming in the rivers around here if they aren’t any more freezing than the pool.Leer más