The great Portuguese unmasking
Today I noticed several people inside buildings without masks. When I pointed that out to Grubb, he said “huh?”
Grubb has added The Portuguese News online, an English language Portuguese newspaper to his daily news scan. Sure enough, just today most mask mandates have been dropped. Except on public transportation and in health care facilities. Ekes. And I was so happy about how scrupulous everyone here is about masking.
Tour busses arrive
Three giant tour busses arrived at the big University plaza just as we reached the top of the steps. Gaggles of slow moving folk descended. Not many youthful faces. I can only surmise that these were retirees, like us, whose travel agenda had been interrupted by a global pandemic and now they were out testing the travel flow.
One of the groups was clearly a Viking tour. I am positive because the guide was holding a Viking sign. I’ll just say that not only were they slow moving, but they all looked to be in a stupor. Like their travel mojo had been left at home. Or maybe this was their first time seeing daylight in two years.
Back to the Port
Port wine that is. I now confess that I snagged a small box, consisting of 6 samplers of port before leaving the Kopke winery a few days ago. I polished them off last night. Really, there were only a few gulps in each tiny bottle. Three reds, three whites.
I’m no wine expert and have never taken one of those courses where you learn how to describe the shape, body and flavor. I can only tell you what zinged my taste buds.
Whites. Forget the “white and dry”. You might as well buy a nice white wine instead. The “fine” was better but the clear winner was “lagrima”. Now THERE was the burst of sweet, but not too sweet fruity flavors I’ve come to love.
Reds. I’d go straight for the “reserve”. I’m sure it must be the priciest one. The “ruby” slightly beat out the “tawny”. But the reserve was the one that did it for me. you could almost smell the oak from that 100 year old cask the wine had been aged in.
