It pleases your correspondent to report that the Ports of Douro continue to fare quite well, and to provide the most pleasant evenings musing on the Origins of Nearly Anything.

The Antipodean chapter, having abandoned the old A and looking to settle for a change in the more cosmopolitan atmosphere and offerings of the Old World, found it convenient to take a leisurely ride along the Douro River to sample said atmosphere and offerings, as exemplified by the fabled quintas of old. The mysterious Lady M, with her keen eye for the travelogical details, delivers once again, and off we flit, lightly packed trunks and crates accompanying us on a merest hop from the land of neutral gnomes to the riverside.

Picturesque port region village

A view off the balcony, Casa Canilhas

Castelo de Guimaraes

Pay no heed to the various Travelogues and Promotioneers: they may be quite correct in that the Valley is best enjoyed from the private carriage on the riverside train, but this leaves one with the problem of access to the more remote Quintas once the rail journey is done. Hiking from quinta to quinta is undoubtedly picturesque and rewarding, but one tends to accumulate the occasional bottle of vintage or late-bottled faster than the Jeeveses follow to pick them up. No, a horseless carriage of your own is the ideal solution; just make sure to hire a chauffeur with nerves of steel, reactions of quicksilver, and the directional sense of a messenger pigeon, and nothing can hinder the joy of discovery. As an added delight, descending the frequent serpentine way under heavy load has any old circus ride quivering in shame.

Must refrain from breaking

Must refrain from stealing all

Quality control

One must comment that New World profiteers have, during the years, shamelessly and baselessly driven the value of decent Vintage port into the aetheric layers. They have, however, made an oversight - by so concentrating on Vintage, the perfectly good LBV has been left in piece, to be picked up by the sharp (and budget conscious) tacks.

Too much monotony is always unhealthy, and accordingly we punctuated the quinta spree with suitable sojourns to nearby castles, ruins, and other notable locales. We observed with appreciation the nation's continuing interest in wind power, and remain satisfied with the reasonable fees of accommodation. The daily fare is hale and hearty; one might pine for variety after a while, but staying healthy and on budget is simple enough with assorted deep sea monster bits and part.

Pleasant interlude at Father Geronimo's balcony

Tentacles

Trunks, "portway" indeed

On return, the trunks, heavy as they are, remain woefully inadequate in their supply.