Howdy (doody),

Well, it is difficult to recant two amazing days in Porto when I am sitting here with 17 minutes left on my internet card in Porto, Portugal. This is an absolutely magestic place. When we arrived in the country, it was cold and rainy, but since then, this place has yielded absolute perfection. Firstly, we made a mistake on our hostel reservation and they honoured it anyway, beginning two days of sightseeing, awe-inspiring and walking around....

Porto is hilly... very hilly. We have walked many miles. But one thing I notice here is that people are extremely passionate about their day-to-day lives. This is a busy place, crowded at times and cramped, but people seem more interested in improving their quality of life, from having a two hour lunch (siesta) to enjoying the finer things, like good port and beer.

I have seen some crazy things, like a man walking around with an iguana on his head, a marching band travelling the city on a double decker bus playing military music, a castle that is actually home to the Saudi Arabian Embassy, gondolas being used as trams.... I have also been on two port making tours, met a crazy Brit named Oz who was the epitome of British crassness, shared drinks with some wonderful dutch people and walked and walked and walked around this more than wonderful city. We keep saying this is paradise, a place not worth leaving, where everything makes you happy, makes you smile and makes you think... This city and country are not to be missed, and I will be back. Heck, if I could buy some property here, I would.

Kowski and Fisch bought a travel guitar today, so all we have been doing is sitting in parks and playing music. We also climbed up the talling church in Portugal and took some wonderful pictures... Tomorrow night we are off to Lisbon, even though part of me wants to move here... and move all my family, my sister, my girlfriend, mother and friends here... We have no plans from Lisbon, as we are riding by the seat of our pants planning one city in advance...

We will upload pictures either tomorrow or the next day, because their is no USB connection at this this cyber cafe... We have loads, and they are breathtaking... many of them atleast. Avoid the ones we are in of course.

Love you...

Shain