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Montreal - bonus

Montreal - bonus

Montreal trip drop deux - hiking Mount Royal, bota

Montreal trip drop deux - hiking Mount Royal, botanical garden and a special dinner at Toque

Montreal trip drop #1 Had a great mini-break with

Montreal trip drop #1
Had a great mini-break with Mish and her fam. Cozy Euro vibes, great art, food and fun.

Art is therapeutic

Art is therapeutic

Happy Caturday!

Happy Caturday!

Kinna taken with this furball.

Kinna taken with this furball.

It’s official! We had Ruthie’s one week review

It’s official! We had Ruthie’s one week review and she scored quite well. We offered her a six month contract and she signed after negotiating for a higher kibble per diem. Welcome to Volson Tech Enterprises, Ruthie!

Started the New Year with a lovely urban hike - Pa

Started the New Year with a lovely urban hike - Parts 3 and 4 of the Crosstown Trail. Gorgeous day with good peeps!

Last day in Portugal! What a trip it’s been. Cas

Last day in Portugal! What a trip it’s been. Cascais was a perfect place to wind things up - good food, beach vibes; met up with co-workers last and present. It’s been a special trip that won’t soon be forgotten. Next stop: home!

Sintra, part II and the last one is the view from

Sintra, part II and the last one is the view from our hotel in Cascais 🙌

Clearly, the Quinta Fauna were sad to see us go. F

Clearly, the Quinta Fauna were sad to see us go. Feel like we’ve just scratched the surface of the Douro Valley, but was time to shove off. Down to Cascais for the last couple days, but first a stop at the marvel that is the Pena palace in Sintra. AMAZING. The Moorish influence is clear and a sight to behold. Perhaps even more impressive are the sumptuous gardens, built by Ferdinand II.

Nothing but nature today - we took several hikes a

Nothing but nature today - we took several hikes around the vineyards: short and steep! As you can see, amazing views abound. Our room is a converted storage tank that was used in the wine making process (dubbed a balloon). The vineyard has a veggie garden, olive trees, a forrest - quite the self-sustaining operation. We’ve enjoyed the change of pace. And the animals :)

Time to slow down a spell. The Douro Valley is gor

Time to slow down a spell. The Douro Valley is gorgeous! Ancient vines sit on steep hills (mountains, compared to Napa/Sonoma). Our Quinta is about two hours from Porto; a good 45 minutes of that is navigating the windy roads to the estate. Vineyards are very isolated - can’t really hop from one to another, so we are content to while away the weekend in one place. Got a nice jeep tour of the property, followed by a wine tasting that segued into a lovely dinner. The sunset really makes the fall colors pop!

Last day in Porto was a great one - we did a long

Last day in Porto was a great one - we did a long cross-town walk all the way to Estádio do Dragão, home of FC Porto. Beautiful stadium and insane museum - like really over the top. We took the Metro back and grabbed lunch. Then I took a boat tour of the six bridges that span the Douro. And I can think of no more fitting a last stop as Igreja de São Francisco (Church of San Francisco). Has the most impressive set of ornate wood carvings in the Baroque style - I was astounded. Last three pics aren’t mine as pictures aren’t allowed, but wanted to share the artistry. Off to Douro later today!

Porto, Day 3. With rain in the forecast, we headed

Porto, Day 3. With rain in the forecast, we headed indoors for most of the day. Quick coffee perched on the hill and then to a church of a different sort: the Palácio da Bolsa is the center of commerce, with sumptuous rooms to showcase the country’s riches. Then we headed over the river for a wonderful lunch at Vivek at Graham’s Port Lodge. Wonderful meal that segued to a fantastic private (other folks didn’t show, heh) tour of their caves - featuring a barrel of Port from 1882! Followed with a tasting of the best port I’ve ever had. Chilled at the flat for a bit and then walked up the hill for dinner and some nighttime city views. Porto does not disappoint!

Porto Day 1, part 2.

Porto Day 1, part 2.

First full day in Porto was amazing. We are stayin

First full day in Porto was amazing. We are staying in Ribeira with stunning views of the Douro River and Vila Nova de Gaia. We visited Livaria Lello, as magical a bookstore as there could be. Then climbed the stairs to the top of Torre dos Clérigos for some city views. Walked some of the many pedestrian arcades before a quick lunch of leftovers and then walked through Ribeiria and over Ponte de Don Luis I to Gaia’s waterfront esplanade. Visited Ramos-Pinto for a port tasting (thanks, @timskyscraper!) and poured ourselves into a Gondola to assist in the trek up the hill, back over the bridge to the flat for a spell before heading to Foz for dinner. Loving Porto!

Next destination is Porto, but we made two stops e

Next destination is Porto, but we made two stops en route. First up was Buçaco, to visit the palace turned hotel and hike through the gorgeous national park. Largest eucalyptus tree I’ve ever seen! Then, we went to the coastal town of Aveiro for lunch and a walk about the canals. Was a short hop to Porto, where we’ll be for the next four nights. We are loving it already and are looking forward to the many glasses of port that lie ahead. 😋

Coimbra - Part 2.

Coimbra - Part 2.

Focussed and random musings from xis. And probably some pictures…

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