As I began writing this, Dave and I were in a lock on the Douro River. I was enjoying a decadent dessert and finishing off a bottle of wine while Dave was on the top deck taking pictures, his dessert untouched. The lock operator, was patiently (I guess) waiting for another boat to arrive. Both boats would rise together to the higher level of the river, an impressive process. There are two locks to go through between Porto and Regua, with the second one being much taller than the first.

The food and wine were exceptional and the tour was interesting. (Thank you, Cyndi, for the recommendation!) At the other end of our table sat a very nice Portuguese couple, who spoke no English. We made do with Google Translate, managing a brief conversation before my phone battery died.

The last time Dave and I cruised the Douro River was in 2015, on a clear blue-sky day. Today, the scene was different. The sky was milky-white, the sun had a yellow-orange glow, and smoke blanketed the hills. The landscape resembled a soft, monochromatic watercolour painting. Oddly enough, the hazy air did little to dampen our spirits, though, and we were grateful not to have canceled.

Fast forward a couple of hours to the final stretch of our cruise to Régua. We passed by pockets of smoldering spot fires, and blackened trees. Thankfully, it seemed that homes and vineyards had been spared, at least for now. I can only imagine the tension felt by residents and winegrowers, fearing the loss of their homes and livelihoods.

On our drive back to Porto by bus, we saw a more active fire on the other side of the river. The smoke turned the sun red. There were homes nearby but the fire was moving away from them, thankfully.

After a brief rest back at the hotel, we wandered down Rua de Santa Catarina in search of dinner. It is a lively pedestrian-only street and is the heart of Porto. We had piri-piri chicken at Honest Greens and admired the Majestic Café, with its carved wood, mirrors, and chandeliers, from the outside. Too bad we don’t have more time here in Porto so we could be patrons at the beautiful Majestic Café.

Now we’re off to sleep because tomorrow will be Day One of the Camino Portuguese. Rain is in the forecast which should help dampen the fires as long as there is no lightening (a possibility).