Northern Portugal

We drove into Northern Portugal from Spain. Portugal is noticeably poorer than the rest of Europe we have seen so far, and therefore also cheaper for tourists. The people are very friendly and laid back and the quality of English spoken everywhere even beats Germany,France and Spain. They love to BBQ and on real coals, so grilled meats are really a speciality. Porto is a great little city, and although the old city is a bit dilapidated, it is very pretty. You can sit and enjoy grilled fish and wine and look over the river to all the Port houses on the other side. All the cellars have large advertising signs on the roofs. The old shops are quaint, still as they were about 50 years ago. The beaches nearby are very pretty too and not very crowded, with wonderful boardwalks for jogging or cycling.