Retirement trip - Day 12

 Set off early from Porto into another cool, misty morning. Route went over some good mountain roads, and when I crossed one peak the mist cleared and I was once again riding in bright sunshine. The route was mostly up the valley of the Douro River and both side are intensely cultivated with vineyards. 

At a viewpoint overlooking the river.

As I made my way inland the landscape flattened a bit and the temperature rose, reaching 32C for part of the day.

I stopped in a small town for a rest and sat on a bench at the side of the road drinking some water. A lady called to me from across the road and handed me some peaches from her garden, what a nice gesture!

I carried on and had to come off of the main road to buy petrol. I stopped at a station and filled up, and when I went into the shop to pay. It was more like a bar full of old farming looking men drinking spirits, it was about noon! I got my bank card out to pay and the guy looked at it and said 'não português?', and I replied 'é escocês'. He looked surprised, banged his hand on the counter to attract attenion and said something in Portuguese to the drinkers in the bar. They cheered and raised their glasses to me. I gave them a bow, said 'obrigado', and left. They probably don't get many travellers round there.

I carried on and stopped at this dam at the border with Spain.

You know it's hot when you see plants like this growing in the wild!

Across the river and I'm in Spain

Carried on and the land flattened out more, the farming changed from vineyards to neat rows of small trees, (olives?), it started to get overcast and I saw dark clouds and lightning ahead. For the last half hour there were spots of rain and when I arrived in my destination, Salamanca, the roads were wet. Found my hotel but it was in a pedestrian area (yes, again!), but they had an attached garage I could park in.

Checked into hotel, changed and went for a walk round the very attractive and well preserved old city centre. My legs were still a bit sore form all the walking yesterday, so didn't go as far as I would have liked to.

Saw these metal plaques outside a shop near the hotel Particularly the bike and motorbike ones.

There were lots of tourists around and you could hear plenty of English being spoken. I was amused by one American family whose teenage daughter was having a very loud breakdown in this square because she NEEDED to go to MacDonald's NOW! 

This is the outside of my hotel. It's very near the University and there's a college directly across the road. Hope the students are noisy at night!

Approximate map of the route from Porto to Salamanca.