About that Fortified Wine...

...in a minute. I just finished tasting a 60-year-old (the port, not Lorenço, who's lovely).

Breathe.

Shit. Lorenço just poured a single vintage '68 called a Colheita. I've had old US ports--the difference here is this didn't come out of the barrel until last year. Unreal.

Where was I? Don't know...Porto, former capital of the country named after something sensible like a dessert wine. Or an aperitif--there's dry, white port, too. We had that before dinner. Then I ate half a roasted lamb and some amazing potatoes. And saltcod and potato fritters. I think carrots and collards were involved. I vaguely recall Karen eating some cheese and maybe a fish while VH1 played videos from the '80s and the...oh, it doesn't matter.

Where is Lorenço?

Porto at night

So What's Your Country Named For?

"Uh, a federated amalgam of semi-sovereign states united by a single constitution on the continent of America, which was named for an Italian who never came here. Yours?"

"Fortified wine."

Buçaco

So we decided to take a side trip east from the freeway to experience some nature. Thankfully, the national Buçaco forest comes with a four star hotel. But don't even think about it, because if you aren't staying here, you can't even think about doing anything here--even contemplating an overpriced lunch. But it is a lovely building when appreciated from the outside. And there were lots of Carmelites here, so there is plenty of spiritual stuff (like a convent) if you are into that kind of thing.

Find the Minotaur

Conimbriga

Okay, it is the largest Roman site in Portugal, but it is not all that, especially after visiting southern Italy. But it does feature some pretty bad-ass floor mosaics.

Taxi Ride or Laxative?

Both, actually, which totally justifies the fare. Either way I was walking like this afterward.

Truth is, though, Portugal is friendly, beautiful, helpful, clean, traditional, hip and delicious. One of those countries that got the Boy Scout oath really right.