they say travel broadens the mind

exposing you to previously unseen things

diving into different cultures

taking you out of your comfort zone

it can also create long lasting memories

we took a trip to Portugal in 2018

exploring the cities of Lisbon and Porto

visiting wineries and tasting delicious port wine

we celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary

in a small town called Pinhoa 

deep in the heart of the wine country

on the banks of the river Douro

eating lunch in a small restaurant overlooking the river

followed by an afternoon stroll through the town

chatting to the non-English speaking store owners

communicating through gestures pointing and smiles 

we stumbled upon a wine store

the owner spoke perfect English

helping us chose a rare ten year old vintage port

directing us to a late afternoon river boat cruise

boarding a small traditional flat bottomed Rabelo boat

originally used to transport people and goods 

on the shallow fast moving waters of the Douro river

which has since been calmed by many dams

there was only one other couple on that boat

a father and daughter from South America

touring Europe to celebrate his retirement

chatting as the boat glided through breathtaking scenery

the boat captain miraculously had clean glasses

toasting our 10th anniversary with our new friends

sipping on 10 year old vintage port

swapping life stories in the short one hour trip

declaring 2008 to be a fine vintage year

 making lifelong memories on the Douro river