Vinha Verde 5 October

IMG 3243  Dawn on the 5th of October IMG 3244  We head south today to Porto, taking in the sights along the way IMG 3246  Back in Portugal at Ponte Lima, the first task was to gather up about horse chestnuts! IMG 3247  They are so round and shiny!
IMG 3248  And they are just lying around on the ground... IMG 3249  FOR FREE!! IMG 3250  Like the treatment of the corner, plus of course the clean Virgin IMG 3252  Detail
IMG 3253  The place made me think of a chess set IMG 3254  We were looking for info about the white wine of this region, vinho verde. IMG 3256  This interpretative center had received WAY too much EU money! IMG 3258  They created interpretative tools that resembled cell phones
IMG 3259  I used the Word Lens program to decipher the displays IMG 3260  After the Center we wandered through the town IMG 3261  Do all churches have these arched entry ways? IMG 3262  Am I just realizing this for the first time?
IMG 3263  A very nice town center IMG 3265  Not sure quite what the bull is doing here IMG 3267  The Ponte LIma IMG 3268  Crenellations
IMG 3269  Now here are marrons, chestnuts that one can eat! IMG 3270  Tilework IMG 3271  Local bronze people IMG 3272  and the market!
IMG 3273  Yup, gotta see the market! IMG 3274  but it ended quickly! IMG 3275  A very old olive tree and another antique telephone IMG 3276  Suddenly we have been transported to Andalusia! The public restrooms!
IMG 3277  With a minimum of information we headed up valley to (try to) find some wineries. IMG 3278  This is the mossiest fountain I have ever seen! IMG 3280  It is in an estate with this remarkable trompe d'oeil painting IMG 3281  Looking back down the deserted driveway
IMG 3283  WE looked and looked but found no one around. IMG 3284  We explored places with arguably public access IMG 3285  Did we once have a poster like this in California? IMG 3286  The gate through which drove - it was wide open
IMG 3288  Christine awaits IMG 3289  Note the stone posts! IMG 3290  Beautiful bunches IMG 3291  Nobody to home...
IMG 3293  Hewn granite posts, no trouble with dry root here! IMG 3295  Next stop... IMG 3296  Probably once a big church property... IMG 3297  but now the ag school
IMG 3298  with a church appended of course IMG 3299  Greens and yellows IMG 3302  Follow the line IMG 3303  Church
IMG 3305  Yes, it was a church property.. IMG 3306  Another day, another church IMG 3308  Then we moved on to a main city in the area, Braga. IMG 3309  These stunning gardens hide a veritable underground street system, which was not in our GPS!
IMG 3310  We kept popping up in distant place, and it would need to "recalculate" IMG 3311  We parked (it was a holiday) and wandered around the city center IMG 3313  Antoher colorful garden IMG 3315  Eye candy
IMG 3316  continued IMG 3317  in close IMG 3318  Pedestrian areas IMG 3320  Then onward across the rolling and very populated countryside to the canyon of the Tuoro River and the communal caca zone
IMG 3322  Hills above the river IMG 3323  and the river below IMG 3324  Hills, fire scars and wind turbines across the river IMG 3326  Madame stretches her legs
IMG 3328  Terraces across the river IMG 3329  One can cruise on the Tuoro IMG 3331  This place burns a lot IMG 3332  more evidence of fire
IMG 3333  The tower on the wall in Bragança IMG 3335  Erin and I enjoying a glass of wine