Travels with Valerie

Well, I think we’re in trouble. Ron has started telling our Road Scholar tour mates about his “large item” purchases over the years – the wooden Mayan calendar, the Greek pottery, and the Terra Cotta soldier that stands as tall as me. Then he tells them about the one that got away…an 8 foot tall […]

We’ve had our final day in Portugal and it was a fine example of how much more we can accomplish when I am not in charge of the GPS. We started with a drive south to Coimbra, to see the university. In existence since 1290, it’s been in Coimbra since 1537. Ron fell so in […]

We’re in Aveiro now, hoping that the rain that’s finally hit us will clear up soon. I’ll use this quiet time for a quick sum up of my final (hopefully) thoughts on wine and wineries. We’ve now seen 5 wineries, from the small Quinta that produces 10,000 bottles a year, to two Quintas that each […]

We’re in Amarante now, population 11,000. Here is the view from our hotel room: Before we got here though, we had to cement the foundation of my wine training. After yesterday’s visit with Isa and Alberto, who make a Port wine, but aren’t really into marketing it because, according to Alberto, it’s too much trouble […]