Leaving the fine, sunny fishing town of Baiona (quasi-Portuguese, judging from the language), Spain we moved on to the environs of Porto, known, of course, for its famous fortified wine. But first, we spent a brief few hours in Vilo do Conde, a quiet town with a remarkable tatting museum and school. Tatting? Yes, lace-making, for which Flanders and the Vosges in France are better known. Indeed, when a Portuguese monarch of the seventeenth century wanted fine lace, he immediately looked to Flanders, only to be informed by an appropriately obsequious retainer that his own home country had (and still has) a world-class lace making industry. The rapid clack-tick-clack sounds of bobbins from the skilled fingers of local women attest to the fact that the King need not have looked afar to find intricate skills at home. Are the seven- to nineteen- year-old girls working in the tatting school above the museum sweatshop laborers, like Persian carpet weavers or Chinese firecracker rollers? NO! From their faces and voices, there is no doubt: they are carrying on a long tradition of fine feminine skill, retaining a cultural link with a critical part of local history.
But we know that this part of Portugal is not known for its lace, but for its port wine. The city of Porto found its niche in the world during the eighteenth century, when a British embargo, congruent with mercantile policy, prohibited the import of French wine to England. The Portuguese replacement was not a dry, subtle imitation of Bordeaux, but a sweeter, more alcohol-laden dessert and cheese-associated wine. Before long, the defenders of quality in the local wine industry assiduously invented the first state-certified wine labeling system in the Duoro valley wine region, thereby certifying world-class taste. Integrity guaranteed, Sandeman port (whose cellars were visited by our guests) became the wine of choice when sampling Stilton cheese, creating a social ritual of high taste enjoyed by wine-and-cheese lovers not only in Britain, but around the world.
The evening closed with the Captain's farewell dinner, allowing guests to express their appreciation to all of the Caledonian star officers, crew, and staff for a thoroughly satisfying journey through history, fine wine, and cuisine.
