2007-Dec-11 - Sipping Port in Porto

Well not really Port as such, not my thing, but it is wet, alcholic and starts with B which is close enough :). Ross and I teamed up again in Barcelona after having both completed our "pilgramages", and are now in Porto, Portugal. Have decided to settle at the one hostel here for the rest of the week before our respective next stages. In fact Ive spent the whole day online planning the last leg of my trip - the Trans Canada bit. Ive 12 days there and have found the cheapest way to get across Canada is with a 7 day Greyhound bus pass, but it will mean 5 of those nights sleeping on board the bus!! Mind you Ive had plenty of practice of that in the last few months lol, and it will be the last dash to the finish line with a nice holiday at the end. Looking forward to catching up with Aruns mum and her Indian cooking when I get to Vancouver!!

Spain was a treat, although only stayed in two places, Barcelona and Santiago de Composite. They were a nice contrast to each other but not how I had imagined "Spanish Life" to be. Barcelona was a vibrant and bustling city, not too pricey, with lots to see and do and extremely clean. Santiago on the otherhand is a religious meca where pilgrams turn up to see St James's tomb and walk the walk. Another one of those old places with cobblestones and narrow winding streets together with a decidely ornate cathedral. However most of the restaurants charge for "local seafood" meals like a wounded bull (prawns @ $200 a kilo!!), but we did find a couple of excellent Turkish kabab shops and a roast beef meal at reasonable rates :). They msut be rather well heeled pilgrams here!! The surprise of the day were the "electric" candels that you could light at the cathedral by putting a coin in the slot to set one going for however long. Even a choice of sizes with differing prices  depending on the saint you were leaving your prayer with lol,. Ross was even enticed by the monk collecting "donations" to "hug" the icon of St James, which is the last act of the pilgramage - although I must have looked like I didnt need saving as it was never mentioned to me lol. Apparently the further south you go the more Spanish it gets - so it looks like another place that deserves a return visit.

I got a bit of a serve from the bus driver on the way from Barcelona to Santiago :) It was another overnighter and I decided to have a kip down the back on the full backseat. Apparently we had a stop over for a meal break (I was asleep) and he didnt spot me, so when he came to count the number of passengers who had gotten back on the bus we were one short - me!! He wasnt too happy about the mucking around and delay when someone finally pointed me out and went on about my feet being on the seat lol ... or I think thats what he meant by shouting "footah" at me several times and pointing to his foot :)

Portugal, or rather Porto, is just so cheap compared to the rest of Europe. Food is good, great coffee and cakes, friendly hostel and the sun is shining. What more could you want to finish off the Big Journey in Europe!!

Thoughts have definetly been turning homeward in the last few days, which is a shame in a way as there is still lots to see and experience here. But it will be good to get home again and stay in the same bed for an extended time rather than only a night or two. Lets hope the great summer weather holds out for a bit longer :)