On the fast train to Lisbon but not travelling fast yet as we are still in the suburbs of Vila Nova de Gaia. Modern with functional and fast wifi connection all has gone smoothly since we left the shat! Thats half ship, half boat but I dont think the name will stick. Boip is probably worse though. The windows here are big scenic ones but I share mine with the only person in the entire carriage thats pulled his down! There must be 80 passengers in this carriage, half of whom sit next to the window and I share with the 1 in 40 that pulls the blinds. I might try the half centimetre every few minutes sneak up technique, well see. The driver has just ‘put the foot down and we are gaining a bit of speed so I hope that is maintained. It wasnt.
Few goodbyes on board, obviously before we left. Breakfast was punctuated with byes and travel wells as people prepared to leave for all over the globe. There were even a couple of Canadian flags on cases and I didnt even know we had Canadians on board. The cases off and
not going on but they may have been on the boat moored alongside us. Thinking about it they most likely would have been. The industry of cruising must be really big here. Catering and cleaning as we were leaving and a constant flow of and go. Viking and APT have high visual presence here and each have several vessels (at least) going up and down the Douro. Viking livery is everywhere and APT signage abounds but the vessels dont belong to APT and hence have banners and flags that are obviously temporary and bought in and displayed as need arises. There are logos as well, some catering for just Portuguese travellers so it is a busy place.
Yesterday was inclement, overcast and at times it rained yet the tourist precincts were still busy, the hop on hop off buses still busy and the attractions ringed with paddle carrying guides miced (as in with microphone) up and sprouting. I know the tourist precincts are not the entire city, in fact far from it
as there are more than 300000 on the Gaia side of the river, but the cities must derive quite a lot from tourism. Ive mentioned the cost of ‘tourist gentrification before but here it is real, evident and obvious. More so here than most other cities we have visited probably because the old town area is so defined and so many tourists are here. Even on the train here a significant proportion of the travellers are international tourists and there is quite a bit of English being spoken. There are 6 carriages making up the train, one being a buffet car but theres hardly a spare seat and the situation was the from Lisbon. The service at the station and on board has been excellent and the trains have been punctual. I think its easier and cheaper to taxi to the airport so thats the next little adventure and then again we will put TAP, the Portuguese airline to the test.
But it is fast train time at the moment and although its not TGV or ‘bullet train speeds it is moving at more than cruisin pace! Tickets have been checked and again both my words of Portuguese have been put to good use.
Think Ill look out the window a bit. And no I havent been able to get the blind up although if I slouch Im low enough to see out.
