Vila Real

Capital of the Trás os Montes region of northern Portugal. This gorge runs right through the middle of town.

Spent time with two Brazilian families, hopefully worthwhile. But feeling ill and exhausted, plus it was too cold.

So, it was lovely to arrive here at the house owned by dear Portuguese friends, in Beira Alta region, and have a good nap in a very comfy bed. They've been round with their 18-month old, Xavier, with wine and pizza, and begged us to stay another night.

Gratefuls:
- various tricky issues being sorted satisfactorily; glad to have that (almost) off my mind
- stopping for a wander by the Douro in Peso da Régua
- Rita and Miguel's kindness and generosity

Oh, and another generous gift from Paul's boss, who is gifting us their high-end shutters for our bathroom in Sutton, felt quite moved by that.