Rocky Mountaineer: Rainforest to Gold Rush- Day 9 & 10

Friday, October 2nd, 2026

Today we left on our motorcoach for a tour of downtown Banff. The resort town was in the Banff National Park with a population of 8,000. Banff National Park was Canada’s first national park. It also was part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Bow River’s name originated from the reeds growing along its banks, the First Nations used the reeds to make bows.

We stopped at the Surprise Corner Viewpoint. It was named because as you turned the corner you saw “surprising views”. It was located in Banff National Park. We had views of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and the surrounding Canadian Rockies.

Sir William Cornelius Van Horne was the general manager of Canadian Pacific Railway during the 19th century and is best known for overseeing the major construction of the first Canadian transcontinental Railway. A statue of him was located in the roundabout in front of the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.

Near Banff was the Bow Falls. It had a 30 feet drop and was 100 feet wide. It was a block-style waterfall which meant it was wider than it was tall and it spilled over the edge as a single sheet.

We did a group photo before we moved on.

We had tickets to ride the Banff Gondola. It took about 8 minutes to reach the summit of Sulphur Mountain.

View from our gondola as we head up the mountainside.

From the summit of Sulphur Mountain we could see six mountain ranges in the Canadian Rockies, Bow Valley, and the town of Banff. Click through the slideshow below to see a sampling of the views!

We saw more waterfalls as we traveled in Banff National Park.

Lake Minneanka was a huge glacial lake in Banff National Park. It was 13 miles long and 466 feet deep. This lake was known to the Stoney Nakoda First Nations people as Minn-waki which meant “Lake of the Spirits”. Artifacts from 14,000 years ago had been found around this lake.

We then continued on to Calgary and no longer had the Canadian Rockies to view. Calgary was the largest city in Alberta. It was located at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow rivers. Calgary was known for its world-famous Calgary Stampede. This rodeo festival was founded in 1912 and held annually since 1923.

When we reached our hotel in Calgary we said goodbye to Richard, our driver and guide!

Saturday, October 3rd, 2026

After breakfast a motorcoach picked us up to drive us to the Calgary airport.

Our flight from Calgary to Denver was close to being on time. We arrived in Columbus late in the evening. Our driver was ready to pick us up and take us home.

We had a fantastic trip but it was always good to get home!

Rocky Mountaineer: Rainforest to Gold Rush- Day 6

Tuesday, September 29th, 2026

Jasper was located in western Alberta and was completely within Jasper National Park. A major wildfire occurred on July 22nd, 2024. It was started by lightning strikes and it spread rapidly. More than 4,700 residents were forced to evacuate. By August 1st the fire had consumed over 80,300 acres. Jasper lost 1/3 of its buildings. We could see rebuilding as we walked around the town this morning.

One location of temporary housing from fire

We had a tour booked for the morning to visit locations in the Jasper National Park but they emailed late and canceled our tour. After breakfast we took a walk to the tour office but no tours were available! It was chilly this morning so we stopped in a restaurant, The Maligne Range, and ordered hot chocolate or coffee so we could figure out what we were going to do today! The staff was great and offered suggestions.

We got tickets to take the Skytram up Whistlers Mountain. It was cloudy this morning but by the time we boarded we saw the sun and blue sky.

Riding the Skytram up Whistlers Mountain

The views from the Upper Station were amazing.

We could see the remnants of the 2024 wildfire that went through Jasper.

We got down from the Skytram and the wind had picked up as the flag below demonstrated. We were the last car down before they suspended the Skytram due to the wind. Who knows how long we would have stayed up there!

Canadian flag at the base of the Skytram

On our way from the base of Whistlers Mountain heading into Jasper we saw elk along the side of the road, both male and female.

We spent some time walking around Jasper. It originally was a railway town. It still had trains passing through. In fact, our hotel room left ear plugs to use if the trains woke us!

Jasper National Park was a designated UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Heritage Site. The park consisted of 4,335 square miles and it was also Canada’s largest park in the Rocky Mountains.

We really enjoyed our free day in Jasper. For dinner we went back to the restaurant that we stopped at in the morning. Our meals were delicious!

Tomorrow morning we make our way to Banff.

Heart & Soul of Ireland- Day 5

Friday, May 15th, 2026

As we left Belfast, Martin (our driver) took us on a tour of Belfast of areas we didn’t see yesterday. We drove through the Ulster University, Belfast campus that was located in the Cathedral Quarter of the city. It was the largest university in Northern Ireland.

We made a quick stop to visit the Belfast Castle that sits at the foot of Cave Hill. From the castle and its landscaped gardens one can look over at Belfast and Belfast Lough (long wide expanse of water). Unfortunately when we stopped in the morning it was foggy and the views weren’t very good.

We followed the Causeway Coastal Route and as we passed “The White Lady” made from sea stack. A sea stack is created from many years of coastal wave and wind erosion.

The Carnlough Harbour is a focal point of the small picturesque Carlough Village. If you are a Game of Thrones fan it is a must see stop because of filming there for season 6.

In Cushendall we saw the bronze statue created by artist Deborah Brown of a goat named Johann standing on a rock. It is located near the harbour and is in memory of the last victim of Foot and Mouth disease (2001). In recent years the locals have been dressing Johann in a knitted sweater.

The scenery was spectacular as we traveled the Coastal Route along the northern coast of Ireland.

We made a stop at Portaneevey Viewpoint located in Ballycastle, Northern Ireland. From here it looks out over several islands. The first island was Rathlin Island. It was inhabited with about 140 people. The island is six miles long and one mile wide.

Sheep Island was uninhabited and located near the coastal village of Ballintoy. Its name comes from old local practice of grazing sheep that were placed there in the summer so thieves wouldn’t steal them. It is now a wildlife sanctuary.

Carrick-a-Rede is the third island we could see from this viewpoint. It has a rope bridge that spans the Atlantic Ocean. The rope bridge was built in 1755 to assist fishermen to access the island and their salmon fishing nets. The rope bridge spans a little over 65 feet and is 100 feet above sea level.

Carrick-a-Rede Island and its rope bridge

We continued our drive along the Causeway Coastal road and stopped at the Giant’s Causeway. It is a geological wonder and in 1986 became a UNESCO World Heritage site.

It was formed by volcanic activity over 60 million years ago. The Giant’s Causeway is made up of over 40,000 perfectly shaped basalt columns. There also is a legend that Finn McCool, an Irish giant, built the stones as part of his pathway to face his Scottish rival in battle.

It’s an .8 of a mile walk from the Visitor Center to the Giant’s Causeway. The site offered a bus ride down and back. To save time we opted for the bus ride down and back. When we were finished exploring the site we were in line for the bus to go back up the road. As we were waiting for the next bus, an emergency Coast Guard vehicle and officer arrived. We quickly learned that someone had fallen and was hurt badly. Because more emergency vehicles would be coming down the road, the bus was suspended for an unknown amount of time. Our group then walked the .8 of a mile up the road.

Views of the coastline as we walked back up the road.

Once we were all back to the Visitor Center we met our driver and headed to get a late lunch in the town of Bushmills. Martin recommended a cafe and we went in and had a wonderful meal.

A few of our travelers are golfers and close by was the Royal Portrush Golf Club. We made a quick stop so the golfers could visit the pro shop. Portrush courses overlook the ruins of the Dunluce Castle and golf has been played here since 1888. It has hosted the country’s first amateur and professional tournaments.

Our next stop was Dunluce Castle. The castle is located on the jagged cliffs perched 100 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.

View of the cliffs from the castle to the East.

The first castle was built in the 13th century and the current structure was built between the 16th and 17th centuries. The castle has a turbulent history of clan warfare. It was inhabited by both the feuding McQuillan and MacDonnell clans.

Dunluce Castle appeared in the Game of Thrones if you are a fan. It served as the primary filming and reference for Pyke the stronghold of House Greyjoy on the Iron Islands.

We arrived in Derry and checked into our hotel. We walked around town and then found a pub for dinner. Bishop’s Gate is an arch we walked by. It is located within Derry’s 17th-century city walls and is one of four original entrances. It was rebuilt in 1789 as a memorial to King William III and it marks the spot where the deposed King James II was denied entry in 1689.

Some of Derry as we explored on our way back to our hotel.

Italy- Vino, Views & Vacation Vibes: Day 10

Friday, September 5th, 2025

This morning we checked out of our hotel in Milan and our next stop was Verona. There was a train strike today and we couldn’t get a ticket so we took a bus(Flixbus) from Milan to Verona. It took longer but at least we were able to find transportation!

When we arrived at the bus stop in Verona we walked with our luggage to Verona’s train station which wasn’t far away. Here we took a taxi to our hotel near the historic city center. Hotel Guilietta E Romeo was in a great location.

After checking in and leaving our luggage in our room, we went out for a walk to begin exploring Verona. Our hotel was a block away from the arena. The Verona Arena hosted the Opera festival every summer. People come from around the world to attend. We didn’t realize this was the last few days of the Opera season or we would have tried to get tickets.

We took a walk around the arena and saw the props, costumes, and staging. It was located outside the arena. I don’t know what they do if it rains!

The Verona Arena was built in the 1st century and was the best conserved Roman amphitheatre.

The arena is beside the Piazza Bra. It was the largest public square in Verona and one of the largest in Europe. It also was busy!

Equestrian statue of Vittorio Emanuele II

This bronze monument of Vittorio Emanuele II was created by Ambroggio Borghi and erected in 1883. He was the first king of united Italy. It was located in Giardino park beside Piazza Bra.

The Monument of the Fallen for Freedom was a statue by Mario Salazzari and created in 1946. It commemorated the anniversary of the Liberation of Italy on April 25th.

Palazzo Barbieri was the current seat of the Verona City Council. Its construction began in 1836 and was completed in 1848.

It was such a beautiful evening after dinner that we took a walk around the Piazza Bra.

Tomorrow we were going to explore more of Verona!

Italy- Vino, Views & Vacation Vibes: Day 9

Thursday, September 4th, 2025

We were up early to catch our bus for today’s excursion. Our route took us from Milan up to St. Moritz. It was a scenic route and we passed small villages on our way.

The Adda River was in northern Italy and was a tributary of the Po.

Chiavenna was a scenic location at the foot of the Rhaetian Alps located along the Italian and Swiss borders.

We passed the Acquafraggia waterfall. It was a multi-tiered waterfall located near Chiavenna.

This waterfall was noted by Leonardo da Vinci who included descriptions and sketches of it in his notebooks.

We saw many homes in the Italian Alps roofs made from local stone slabs. These stone roofs were known for their longevity and resilience against the harsh alpine conditions, including cold weather, wind, and heavy snow.

Prata Camportaccio was a municipality in northern Italy. It was known for its Alpine beauty and outdoor activities.

On the Italian border was passed Castasegna. The town’s name meant chestnut grove and it had the largest chestnut forest in Europe.

We passed by Promontogno, a small village in Graubünden, Switzerland. It was located along the Maira River.

In the connecting village of Bondo we saw the Castelmur Castle. It was built in 1723 and was completed in 1854. Bondo purchased the castle in 1961 and converted it into a museum.

To arrive in St. Moritz our bus followed the Strada Cantonale Maloja road. This was a climb up in the Swiss Alps. The Maloja Pass wasn’t for individuals who easily get motion sickness because of the many tight hairpin turns. The pass was 14.78 miles long. Our driver was amazing on these turns. We were glad to reach the town!

It you took your eyes off the hairpin turns, the scenery in the Alps was beautiful!

We got off the bus in St. Moritz. It was a luxury alpine resort in Switzerland’s Engadin Valley. It had hosted the Winter Olympics twice. Our guide called it the “playground of the rich and famous”. The population was about 5,000.

St. Moritz was 6,089 feet above sea level and known for having 322 days of sunshine a year! It was sunny when we visited but it was windy!

The St. Moritz library was located in the old school building and was the largest building the Plazza Da Scoula. It has over 7,000 books in various languages.

It also was part of the UNESCO World Heritage site. St. Moritz was also the beginning site of Switzerland’s winter tourism.

Picture this covered in snow and skiers on the trails!

The Schiefer Turm was a leaning bell tower in town. It was a 12th century bell tower of the demolished St. Mauritius church. It leaned at an angle of 5.5 degrees. The above picture really doesn’t show how it leaned but when we visited we could see the leaning of the tower.

St. Moritz has hosted the Winter Olympics twice. The first time was 1928 and this year was also the first Winter Olympics! The town also hosted in 1948.

The Cresta Run was a world-championship bobsled run and made from natural ice. It also had an outdoor Olympic ice rink.

The Cresta Rider was someone who tobogganed headfirst down the Cresta Run in St. Moritz. It was a dangerous and traditional ice course built anew every winter. It was run by the exclusive St. Moritz Tobogganing Club.

Our guide recommended if we wanted to have original Swiss cuisine, then go to the restaurant La Stalla. It was decorated in an alpine style.

We went here to eat and ordered the traditional Swiss cheese fondue! It was SO good!

After lunch we had time to explore more of St. Moritz. The Hanselmann Bakery since 1894 was located in a historic building.

Lake St. Moritz was located next to the edge of town. In the summer the lake was used for rowing, sailing, fishing, and stand-up paddling.

After our visit to St. Moritz we boarded the Bernina Express train! It was a UNESCO World Heritage route because of its scenic beauty and engineering.

Our Bernina Express train ride was from St. Moritz to Tirano, Italy and lasted about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

The Bernina Express traveled on the highest railroad tracks in Europe.

From the train we saw the beautiful landscapes of the Alps. This was September and we still saw snow covered mountains and glaciers.

There were many waterfalls from the melting snow.

Everywhere we looked from the train it was a fantastic view.

We traveled on the Brusio Spiral Viaduct. It had nine-arches and was a stone spiral. This viaduct was built in 1908 to manage the steep gradient of the terrain.

Some of the quaint towns we passed on our ride.

We exited the train in Tirano, Italy. We met our bus here and went back to Milan. It was a full day. By the time we arrived at our hotel it was close to 9:00 PM. Due to our big lunch in St. Moritz we opted to go to the hotel bar and enjoy a glass of wine with some bar snacks! It was a full day but we loved every minute.

Italy- Vino, Views & Vacation Vibes: Day 5

Sunday, August 31st, 2025

This morning we were up early to catch our boat tour of the Amalfi Coast with stops at Amalfi and Positano. It was sunny and warm today. The weather was perfect.

As our boat sailed along the coast, we saw so much and when there was something of note they explained it to us and did a 360˚ turn of the boat! It was great!

The Quadrangular tower called the Minerva Tower was first built in 1334 by the Angevins to guard against pirate raids. It was destroyed in 1556 and rebuilt in 1566. It was a historic tower at the tip of the Sorrento Peninsula. It overlooked the island of Capri.

Gallo Lungo was an island off the coast of Italy between Capri and Positano. It once served as a monastery and a prison before it became a private estate. A watchtower was also built during the 13th century. It was used to guard the Amalfi Coast against pirates.

We also saw the Tower of Crapolia located above the Crapolla Cove. It was another watchtower for protection of the Amalfi Coast.

Near here on the Scoglio Isca we saw remains of a Roman villa with a large staircase that was partly carved into the rock.

Our first stop was Amalfi. Due to being Sunday and a gorgeous weather the city and its beach was very crowded. Amalfi was known for its history and culture and the coast was named after this town. It also was a maritime powerhouse and Amalfi was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Cathedral of Sant’Andrea (St. Andrew’s Cathedral) was located in the Piazzo del Duomo, its main square.

We found a delicious family-run deli that accommodated gluten free diets, Luisa Gastronomia Artigianale. The freshly made sandwiches were amazing. In fact we still talk about how good our sandwiches tasted.

Our second stop was Positano. It was another spectacular setting along the Amalfi Coast.

Like Amalfi, Positano’s beach was packed with people and surrounded by boats! We enjoyed walking up and down and around the town. We stopped at a bar/restaurant to enjoy a glass of wine with a view of the beach and water.

The majolica-tiled dome of the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunto (Church of Santa Maria Assunto) was built in the 10th century. It can only be reached by foot.

Church of Santa Maria Assunto in Positano.

On the boat we passed a small coastal village that was once a tiny fishing village, Canca dei Marini. Now it’s one of the exclusive tourist destinations on the Amalfi Coast.

Below was another picture of Canca dei Marini with the 5-star hotel, Borgo Santandrea (the white building in the middle of the photo).

We also saw the cliff-side town of Praiano that sat between Amalfi and Positano. Praiano had about 2000 residents.

It was a fun-filled day along the Amalfi Coast. We were hot and tired when we got back to Sorrento and spent the evening on the rooftop bar of our hotel and made it an early night.

Italy- Vino, Views & Vacation Vibes: Day 4

Saturday, August 30th, 2025

This morning we walked to the train station in Sorrento to meet our guide, Gino. Our group rode the train with him to the Pompeii station. He gave us a tour of Pompeii. We had visited here before but we still saw things we hadn’t seen before.

Pompeii was a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was a Roman city that was destroyed and preserved by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Pompeii was founded in 600 BC and was a busy Roman trading city and port with approximately 20,000 residents. After the eruption of Vesuvius that buried the city, it was rediscovered in 1599 during the construction of a canal. Excavations are still happening today.

The Stabian baths were public baths from about the 2nd century B.C.! It was divided into two sections, one for men and the other for women and it included a courtyard that was used as a gymnasium.

We visited the House of the Faun which was a large home with an area of 2,970 square meters or 3,552 square yards. The owner was a wealthy magistrate. The home had an atrium decorated with a mosaic floor and in the center was a bronze statue of a dancing satyr.

The home also had an enormous floor mosaic that depicted the Battle of Issus between Alexander the Great and the Persian King Darius.

In the Palestra dei Iuvenes was a frescoed wall. It was a private gymnasium for young men.

Our guide showed us the highlights but we barely touched the surface of how big the Roman city of Pompeii was.

After our tour we visited the Antiquarium which housed many artifacts discovered during excavations.

Modern archaeologists detected hollow spaces in the volcanic debris. This space was created by victims’ bodies decomposition. They slowly filled in the spaces with plaster. They created molds. Below are a couple of the molds that were housed in the museum.

When we finished our time in Pompeii we took the train back to Sorrento. We stopped by a wine bar near our hotel to enjoy some wine.

We enjoyed an Italian red wine that our server suggested. It was delicious.

This evening we walked around Sorrento.

There was a travel agency nearby and because the weather tomorrow was supposed to be great we booked an Amalfi coast boat tour.

From Lisbon to the Vineyards: A Douro River Experience- Day 11 & Day 12

Monday, August 4th, 2025

This morning we set sail and went through the last lock, Crestuma Lever Lock. We went down 46 feet. We docked in Porto around 9:00 AM.

As soon as the gangplank was lowered we were off the ship of a “City of Bridges” tour of Porto with a local guide. We went through the town’s main districts.

At the Cordoaria’s Garden we saw Giant Sycamore trees with these big bulbous trunks. This lush garden was first established in 1865 and it had been redesigned several times over the years with the latest in 2001.

One of our stops was the São Bento train station. It was Porto’s central railway station and was built between 1900 and 1916.

The high entrance hall was lined with azulejas (tiles). The artist was Jorge Colaco. He used 20,000 tiles that depicted historical life scenes.

North of the railway station was the Igreja de Santo Antonio dos Congregados or the Church of St. Anthony’s Congregation. It was built in the 17th century. It had a Baroque style facade with an image of Saint-Antoine and blue and white azulejas (tiles).

The Casa Horticola also included the Bolhão Market which we had time to explore.

The Bolhão was a covered market that reopened in 2022 after a 4 year, 26 million Euro makeover.

In the Batalha district the Sé Cathedral or Porto Cathedral was a Roman Catholic Church in the historical center of Porto. It was built in the highest part of the city. Construction began in the 12th century but was rebuilt and renovated many times over the centuries.

Across from the cathedral was the bronze equestrian statue on a stone pedestal of Vimara Peres. He was the 9th century nobleman that served as the 1st Count of Portugal.

We saw remnants of the Roman Wall that was built in the 11th-12th century. It was located around the cathedral hill. The rest was buried below houses.

The 14th century Fernandine Walls of Porto once completely surrounded the old city. They were medieval fortifications with rectangular watch towers.

The Fonte dos Leões (Fountain of the Lions) was a 19th century fountain with 4-seated lions that supported two bowls. It was almost identical to the fountain outside Leicester City Hall in the United Kingdom. It was located across from the University of Porto.

Fonte dos Leõs fountain in front of the University of Porto

Located in the historic center of Porto, a UNESCO Heritage site, was the Clérigos Church and its bell tower. The construction of the church began in 1732-1740 and the bell tower and the divided stairway in front of the church were completed in 1763.

A walking tour of Porto was a great way for us to get to know Porto.

We went by a McDonald’s without the “golden arches” in front.

McDonald’s had to keep the historical facade.

At the Sandeman Cellars and Wind shop entrance they had marked the level of flooding and the date it occurred.

We walked across the Dom Luis 1 Bridge that connected Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia across the Douro River. It was a double-decked metal bridge. We crossed on the upper-deck that was also used by the Porto Metro.

The views from the bridge gave a different perspective along the banks of the Douro.

The Gaia Cable car ride was the end of our walking tour. It was about a five minute ride and covered about 2000 feet. We had views of the historic area of Porto and Gaia’s Port wine lodge roofs.

As we walked along the banks of the Douro River we saw a street artist and purchased one of her watercolor paintings.

This evening was out last dinner on the Ama Douro.

Our favorite waitress, Yulianna, from Bali. She was only 21 and her first time away from home.

Tuesday, August 5th, 2025

This morning we were up by 4:00 AM because we had a 9:00 AM flight from Porto to Newark, NJ. The Porto airport was busy at 5:30 AM in the morning. We had to wait for the agents to open so we could check our luggage. It’s the hurry up and wait syndrome!

Leaving Gaia with the former Monastery of Serra do Pilar

We departed from Porto on time! We had plenty of time in Newark, NJ before our flight to Columbus.

We landed in Columbus, OH on time and began the process of unpacking. Portugal was all we had hope for and more. If you haven’t visited Portugal we highly recommend you plan a trip. We also were impressed with Amawaterways. The itinerary was well planned and all of the staff was outstanding!

From Lisbon to the Vineyards: A Douro River Experience- Day 8

Friday, August 1st, 2025

Our pier was very close to the border of Spain. Today’s tour is an all day trip to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Salamanca, Spain. The city dated back to 220 BC and a Renaissance city.

Along the way we saw fields of sunflowers on both sides of the road.

We passed the town La Fregeneda, a municipality in the province of Salamanca, Spain. It was known for its location of being near the border of Spain and Portugal and also the Arribes del Duero National Park.

Salamanca was known for its historic university of about 30,000 students. It was founded in 1218. It was the oldest university in Spain and I read it was the fourth oldest university in the world! Salamanca was nicknamed “La Dorad” (the golden city) because of its sandstone buildings golden hue. The buildings were beautiful!

The Art Nouveau and Art Déco Museum had these beautiful stained glass windows. It was located at the entrance to Salamanca’s Old Town in what was once an old private mansion.

We had some free time at the Salamanca Central Market before our walking tour. It was located in a protected architectural work that was more than a century old. It was the oldest market of supplies in the city. It had the best meats, fish, and vegetables.

Plaza Mayor was one of the most beautiful squares in Spain. It was the best example of Baroque architecture and constructed between 1729 and 1755. It was the meeting point for the people of Salamanca. The square had 88 arches and a number of carved medallion reliefs.

On the northern facade of the square was the City Hall had two stories of balconies and a Belfry that was added in the 19th century with three bells and a clock.

On the easter facade of the square was the Royal Pavilion. It had a large semicircular arch. Royal officials watched events on the plaza from the central balcony. Above the balcony was a medallion of Philip V, who was King of Spain in the 1700s.

The Casa de las Conchas, was a 16th century Gothic palace that was now a public library. It was covered in more than 300 symbolic seashell motifs. The shells were a symbol of the order of Santiago.

The Major Schools building (University of Salamanca) with its detailed sandstone characters, shields, and symbols. It was said students and visitors strived to find the famous frog of the University of Salamanca that was hiding.

Chapel of the Higher Schools of the University of Salamanca

The ceilings within the Major Schools were quite unique.

Salamanca had 2 cathedrals that stood side-by-side! The old Cathedral was built in the 12th-13th century and was in the Romanesque style . The “New” cathedral was built in the 16th century and was in the Gothic style. The town needed a second cathedral partly because of the large number of students at the university!

Our guide pointed out to us on the facade of the north door on the New Cathedral an astronaut, a dragon eating ice cream, lynx, bull, stork, rabbit and a crayfish. These were added during a 1992 restoration. The astronaut was added by the stonemason Miguel Romero. He carved the astronaut to symbolize the 20th century and mankind’s achievements. He had permission to add these to the facade. We found the astronaut, the dragon eating ice cream and the lynx.

We went inside the “New” cathedral which was beautiful. Please click through the slideshow below to see the exquisite interior.

A local lunch was provided at the Alameda Palace hotel which was a five- star hotel. An interesting fact was in the woman’s restroom stalls you were surrounded my mirrors in every direction. It was a talking point by our guide and all of the women! The lunch served was a traditional Spanish meal. After lunch we were entertained with a Spanish Folk show!

After our lunch and entertainment we had free time to explore more of Salamanca.

As we walked around we saw the pilgrim shell which was a universal symbol of the Camino de Santiago. This shell and a yellow arrow were the two primary symbols that guided pilgrims along the Camino de Santiago. One of the ancient pilgrim routes that lead to the tomb of St. James in Santiago de Compostela went through Salamanca.

We returned to the Ama Douro around 6:00 PM. Tonight’s dinner was an amazing Portuguese dinner.

This evening there was a Vintage Port Wine opening ceremony with our Cruise Manager André and our Sommelier, Gabriel in the lounge. We had never experienced this ancestral tradition of opening the bottle of vintage port wine with only fire and water. It was fascinating to watch.

After opening the bottle cleanly, we all had the opportunity to have a glass of the vintage port wine.

It was a lovely evening to sit on the sun deck and enjoy our wine.

From Lisbon to the Vineyards: A Douro River Experience- Day 7

Thursday, July 31st, 2025

This morning we set sail along the UNESCO-listed High Douro Wine Region. Not long after sailing we came to the Bagaúste Dam. The difference in the water level was 84 feet.

The Bagaúste Dam lock is on the far right.

The weather was perfect for sitting on deck to view the beautiful High Douro Wine region. Many of the vineyards had signs with their name.

A couple of hours later we approached the Valeira Dam with a 109 feet change of water level. We had to wait for another riverboat to pass through before out turn. The river was narrow.

These really illustrated how narrow the Douro can get.

It really was beautiful sailing along the High Douro Wine region. It was endless vineyards and quintas (wine estates). In the early 16th century, Manuel I ordered the widening of fishing channels along the Douro river because there was a growing demand for port! The sailors requested barrel after barrel of the fortified wine to get them through the long sea voyages.

Before lunch our three guides “taught” a Portuguese language lesson! They covered basic words and phrases. It was a fun hour. Of course, ask us what we remembered.

This afternoon the Ama Douro stopped at the Pocinho dock to let us disembark for our afternoon tour. A town we passed on our way to the Castelo Rodrigo.

We went to the Castelo Rodrigo which sat on a hilltop. It was a small fortified medieval settlement with great views.

The town had medieval charm with its winding cobblestone streets, old walls, and traditional houses.

We saw the 16th century pillory in the main square where town gatherings and announcements took place. It stood on a five-step pedestal and topped with an octagonal enclosure with eight twisted colonnettes.

We walked around the town on the cobblestone streets. You had to be careful when walking up and down with the uneven stones.

Below was the Parish Church that was founded in the 13th century. It was restored in the 13th century. It had a wooden ceiling painted with scenes of Saints, 18th century blue and white tiles in the chancel and Hispanic-Arab tiles at the high altar.