Porto to Vigo by train

Its not easy getting from Portugal to Spain, or Spain to Portugal by train.

The most accessible route is from Porto to Vigo. One train each way 12 hours apart. It's almost like the passenger railways don't want to do it.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

We left Aveiro yesterday by train to Porto. When the railway in Aveiro had been running for 75 years they went to town and redecorated the station using traditional blue Portugese tiles.

The trip was uneventful, the guard checked our passports to make sure we were in the right seats. Also to check our ages. Over 65s get 50% off rail fares in Portugal!

A cab to the hotel, a Marriott in Porto. Pushing the boat out, we had lunch in the hotel bar and waited for our room to be ready.

After we settled in, we explored the top floor bar and pool. There are a lot of hills in Porto, and views can be impressive. We were up there just as the sun was going down and weren't disappointed.

Getting into the lift to go down to dinner, I thought that I recognised our companion. But its a big world, a lot of people look a bit like other people, and there was no context. We both sort of nodded and he got out at an intermediate floor.

Dinner was excellent. We started with the cover. This was hotel-made olive bread with Portugese olive oil, and three types of butter flavoured with seaweed, paprika and, salt respectively.

We steadily worked through a bottle of Rosé and our mains of grilled then baked sea-bass with baby broccoli and celeriac pureé in a champagne and olive oil sauce.

We also had some fries.

My pudding was four cannoli representing parts of the former Portuguese Empire with banana, cinnamon, coconut, and peanut flavoured fillings. A glass of tawny port was also consumed.

While that was happening a couple approached our table and the man said: "If you're not Simon Robinson, this could be embarrassing."

It was the fellow from the lift. We did know each other, though I'd not interviewed him for seven years. He was one of the good chaps, but sadly for my sucessor, has just retired. And he and his wife are in Portugal for a wedding.

The next morning, and it did feel early, we got a cab back to the station for our train to Vigo.

This international connection is operated by Portuguese Railways and tickets for it are sold by Spanish Railways. It uses local train stock, for added jollification, today we had to change at Viana do Castelo.

Piece of cake, what could go wrong?

Fortunately, nothing did. Though the only way to confirm we had changed to the right train was to shout "Vigo?" At four ladies who were heading north for a day out from Viana and were on the train before us.

Spanish and Portugese railways always give you a seat reservation with your ticket. The guards are very keen that you are the tight person in the right seat.

Not this one. Instead, we had border guards with a clipboards checking that people with the right travel documents were travelling. This worked well and at Valenca, Portugal's last station. They were satisfied and got off the train.

The trip to Vigo was uneventful, the other brits in our carriage, which sounded like a service from Marylebone to Amersham, were chatting happily as we pulled into Vigo.

Vigo is a nice city, and today the sun was shining. After a little shopping for a new travel wallet. We had an excellent tapas lunch at a cafe just up the road from our hotel.

Tea in our room tonight as we get ready for an early start to Redondela tomorow. Back to the Camino!