WORLD TRAVEL / A WEEK IN PORTO AS IN PORTUGAL

Sipping wine at the Quay Bar, Porto, Portugal

GUEST BLOG / By Nikki Plummer, Writer, The Club, British Airways inflight magazine--Seven days in the north of Portugal can be just enough to take in the mountains, traditions, gastronomy, and world-renowned wines of this culturally and historically rich region. Our guide explores the sights not to miss in and around Porto, from port tasting in its storied wine cellars to the folklore of nearby Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal

Days one and two: Porto

Spend your first two days soaking up the dynamic, constantly evolving city of Porto, where historic architecture meets cutting-edge culture and nightlife. Juxtaposed against the centuries-old city foundations (a must-see is the Clérigos Tower, dating back to 1750) are a few striking, modernist new structures by celebrated contemporary architects including Siza Vieira’s Serralves Contemporary Art Museum and Rem Koolhas’ breathtaking Casa da Música concert hall. Bibliophiles and Harry Potter fans should make their way to the Lello bookshop (pictured above). With a beautiful sweeping red staircase, it’s said to have inspired JK Rowling to write Harry Potter when she taught English in the city. Take the stone steps down to Porto’s many wine cellars to have your first taste of its eponymous Port, and continue to some of its seafront cafés and terraces, to carry on your first two evenings in quintessentially Portuguese style. Don’t miss the rich and varied tastes of Porto’s sophisticated, creative food scene – try the rack of lamb with saffron gnocchi at Rui Paula’s DOP, and sample its world-class wine list.

All images from Getty

Days three and four: Douro

After the whirlwind of the North’s largest city, head to the Douro region for a breath of fresh air. Here, it’s all about serene, expansive geography, pre-history, and vertiginous vineyards as far as the eye can see. The vineyards form an important part of that rich history, as the Douro Valley, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, was the first regulated wine region in the world, tracing back to 1756. The terraces were carved from the wild and rugged slopes of the valley, and today form a landscape unique in the world. From these vines grow grapes not only for the region’s famous Port, but also for a variety of bottles, including DOC Douro wine, sparkling wines, and Muscat. The slopes of the valley also transform during the year, from the spring cherry blossoms to the peaceful sounds and sights of harvest labour. Two unmissable national parks, International Douro and Alvão, are also nearby, as well as the region’s most ancient gem: the Paleolithic markings made on the rocks of the Côa Valley, and its neighbouring Archaeological Park.

Day five: Minho

Within the historic province of Minho travellers can’t miss the vibrant city of Braga, named European Capital of Youth in 2012. Take in its historic central architecture; the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte and Braga Cathedral are both typical of the region. Then, after travelling through the province’s lush greenery, you’ll arrive at Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal, and European Capital of Culture 2012. Try some of the area’s local tapas (with the accompanying vinho verde), as well as discovering its cultural history: processions, festivals and folkloric storytelling abound here. Make sure you pick up some of its famous pottery and embroidery during your stay.

Days six to seven: Trás-os-Montes

Finish your journey in the untouched historical villages of Trás-os-Montes, set among the most towering and dramatic mountain scenery yet. Here, you can explore the Montesinho Natural Park (one of the wildest forests in Europe) to sample a culture that has barely changed in centuries, and the only place you’ll hear the Mirandês dialect. If you’re visiting around Easter time, you may be lucky enough to spy the sensational carnival. In the run up to Ash Wednesday, locals dressed head to toe in colourful costumes parade through the towns in an entrancing spectacle. Paired with traditional foods – such as the alheira sausage and some extremely high-quality olive oil – it’s the perfect way to end your stay.

Map:

Other images: 

Adegas—near Odeceixe is one of Portugal’s seven official nude beaches—is relatively unexplored. Few tourists here. Emjoy the sunny stretch of sand surrounded by cliffs, coves and a dynamic surfline.  Getty.

Porto's Ponte Luis I double deck bridge

Nightlife in Porto

Blog: Honeymoon in Portugual/Porto
http://letsflysomewhere.com/our-trips/our-restless-honeymoon-in-portugal-part-2/

RETRO FILES / REMEMBERING THE OTHER WINSTON CHURCHILL

Winston Churchill (our American version) at his home in Windsor, Vermont.

PARALLEL LIVES.

So your name is Winston Churchill, but you’re not THAT Winston Churchill even though you and the OTHER Winston were both born in the 19^th century to American born mothers, were naval officers, WWI vets, esteemed writers and both dabbled in recreational oil painting and politics.

This post we’ll focus on the American Winston Churchill, who was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of Edward Spalding Churchill by his marriage to Emma Bell Blaine. He attended Smith Academy in Missouri and the United States Naval Academy, where he graduated in 1894.

At the Naval Academy, he was conspicuous in scholarship and also in general student activities. He became an expert fencer and he organized at Annapolis the first eight-oared crew, which he captained for two years. 

After graduation, he became an editor of the Army and Navy Journal. He resigned from the navy to pursue a writing career. In 1895, he became managing editor of the Cosmopolitan Magazine, but in less than a year he retired from that, to have more time for writing. While he would be most successful as a novelist, he was also a published poet and essayist.

His first novel to appear in book form was The Celebrity (1898). However, Mr. Keegan's Elopement had been published in 1896 as a magazine serial and was republished as an illustrated hardback book in 1903. Churchill's next novel—Richard Carvel (1899)—was a phenomenal success, selling some two million copies in a nation of only 76 million people, and made him rich. His next two novels, The Crisis (1901) and The Crossing (1904), were also very successful.

Churchill's early novels were historical, but his later works were set in contemporary America. He often sought to include his political ideas into his novels.

In 1898, a mansion designed by Charles Platt was built for Churchill in Cornish, New Hampshire. In 1899, Churchill moved there and named it Harlakenden House. He became involved in the Cornish Art Colony and went into politics, being elected to the state legislature in 1903 and 1905. 
In 1906 he unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor of New Hampshire. In 1912, he was nominated as the Progressive candidate for governor but did not win the election and did not seek public office again. In 1917, he toured the battlefields of World War I and wrote about what he saw, his first non-fiction work.

Sometime after this move, he took up painting in watercolors and became known for his landscapes. Some of his works are in the collections of the Hood Museum of Art (part of Hopkins Center for the Arts at Dartmouth College) in Hanover, New Hampshire, and the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site in Cornish, New Hampshire.

In 1919, Churchill decided to stop writing and withdrew from public life. As a result of this he was gradually forgotten by the public. In 1940, The Uncharted Way, his first book in 20 years, was published. The book examined Churchill's thoughts on religion. He did not seek to publicize the book and it received little attention. Shortly before his death he said, "It is very difficult now for me to think of myself as a writer of novels, as all that seems to belong to another life."

The OTHER Winston Churchill at his home in Chartwell, Kent, UK