The Man from Mosel River

Yes, I am sitting in an internet cafe, how it is euphemistically called, in Porto, Portugal. Finally, after about two weeks absentia from blogging, I am back in the virtual world. Hurra!

The first couple of days that I could not access my beloved internet I suffered tremendously. Not checking my blogg every day caused me severe pain. I felt isolated, deprived of the only important good which mattered. The virtual world was spinning and turning, and I was not part of it. How could that be? Impossible.

Well, it could. I drowned my `pain´ first with beautiful Spanish later with Portuguese wines, visited museums, vineyards, restaurants, many churches, a beach and many more places of interest. I had time for the family, and only for the family which is good since I travel so much professionally.

I will have to sort out my material, my notes, the many photos I took and hopefully I can present you with some more stories about wine, vineyards and food.

I spent four days in Madrid, mainly on an educational visit.

After that I moved on to Porto, the “capital city” of Port wine production, to learn about northern Portugal and its wine regions. So much city exitment (more than one week fwe moved rom “monument” to “monument”) made me retreat to the country side near Penafiel, about 38 km east of Porto, where I enjoyed live on a Portuguese farm, a quinta to be precise. The week on the farm was much too short but our holidays are coming to an end soon.

What I can already say is this: you must visit Madrid and Porto (or Spain and Portugal for that matter). Both the Spanish and the Portuguese are fantastic people. I never experienced so much friendliness, so much help and courtesy and hospitality in my whole live.

And, both countries have exceptional good wines of course, and excellent food.