The Passage of the Douro

The Passage of the Douro might more commonly be called, the Crossing of the Douro or the Attack at the Douro or the Battle at Porto, but most maps and records of the time use the phrase: The Passage of the Douro reflecting the Portuguese title for this event: A Passagem do Douro. It recalls the events of the 12th of May 1809. When General Arthur Wellesley's Anglo-Portuguese Army defeated Marshal Soult's French forces and took back the city of Porto, bringing to an end the Second French Invasion of Portugal.

As it runs towards the sea the Douro is a formidable river as this photo shows.

But before we go into the details of the day, first let's go back to the beginning.

Early Morning

I woke at 2.44am and used the toilet. I then went to the PC to upload the last two days Flickr photos, but 5 minutes later I realised my mind was too tired to focus. 

A ten hour day of travel, much of it in the sun at 32⁰C is a little exhausting. I went back to bed and slept for a couple of hours. Waking at 5am and getting on with yesterday's blog post. As I wrote it I realised it wasn't a surprise I was so tired. It was a fascinating but tiring day. 

Drew woke at 5.30am and read the blog post, I then did my ablutions and uploaded to the blog while Drew was doing his. 

Breakfast

We went down to breakfast at 7.30am, Portugal, outside the large cities, seems to be a place of late breakfasts.

Drew went for bacon, egg, bread and coffee

Whereas I was very happy to be back to yogurt, with three kinds of seeds (Chia, sesame and linseed) and walnuts.

I then had a delightful selection of fresh fruit

While Drew had cake and pancakes

I had some sausage, bacon and scrambled egg

Followed by a cheese selection and a bread selection, which went down very well.

Towards the Douro

We left the hotel promptly at 8.30am and headed on the road, the A1, to Porto. Having a toilet stop at a service area called: Colibri Antuã Norte we arrived at 9.30am and were back on the road to Porto at 9.45am. 

Overlooking the Douro

Our first destination was the Policia Judiciária Militar Delegação do Porto, the working base of the Human Resources unit of the Portuguese Army. 

Our guide, Mark, had got permission for our visit from the Joint Chief of Staff of the Portuguese Army. 

We were greeted by Colonel Pedro Franca, who works on the site and Lieutenant Pedro Almeida, the duty officer. Colonel Franca had come in specially on his day off. 

The colonel explained that this site is most famous to the British for Wellington's point, where he took his first view of Porto, but for the Portuguese people it is most famous for the battle between the two sons of King João VI, Pedro and Miguel. Don Pedro was on the side of the liberals and Don Miguel on that of the anti-Liberals. 

King João VI (John VI) had remained in Brazil having moved the Royal Court there in 1807 (as per yesterday's blog.)

On 24 Aug 1820 liberal officers revolted in Porto. The movement spread and quickly took over the government of Portugal. Spain was going through a similar process and constitutional government was established removing the 'Divine right of Kings' in both countries. In 1828, Don Miguel, the younger brother, suppressed the constitution and established himself as King Miguel I. Only the USA and Mexico recognised him with the rest of Europe supporting Pedro as King and against the suppression of the constitution. King Pedro IV (Pedro the first of Brazil), decided to abdicate in Brazil (his son become Pedro II of Brazil) and return to Portugal, via the Azores, which was the only part of Portugal to remain loyal. Having brought a military force together in the Azores he returned to Portugal.

Pedro IV entered Porto on the 9th of July 1832 and he, with loyal troops at this barracks, a former Augustine Monastery, where then besieged by Miguel and his army. The walls of the building have retained the evidence of Miguel's attack with the holes being cannon fire. 

The liberals were relived in August of 1833 and on 16th of May 1834, a definitive battle took place and Pedro IV took the throne while his brother went into exile. He didn't enjoy his victory for long as he died on the 24th of September, 1834. Since that date the buildings have been a permanent centre of the Portuguese Army. He then showed us some of the history on display in the former monastery

The Second French Invasion of Portugal

After Colonel Franca's fascinating history, Mark took back the lead and focussed us back on Wellesley in the Peninsular. 

Mark reminded us that the last of the French forces after Wellesley's first defeat of them retatied the key border forts until October 1808. Wellesley had returned to the UK and spent time in both London and Ireland. 

Following this Sir John Moore's attempts to push the French out of Madrid led to the Battle of Coruña. Having failed to enter Madrid Moore and his forces were pursued by the French under Marshal Soult, the British retreated across northern Spain while their rearguard fought off repeated French attacks. Both armies suffered from the harsh winter conditions and much of the British army suffered from a loss of order and discipline during the retreat. When the British eventually reached the port of Corunna (A Coruña today)  on the northern coast of Galicia, a few days ahead of the French, they found their transport ships had not arrived. The fleet arrived after a couple of days and the British were embarking when the French forces attacked and the battle took place. The British forces resumed their embarkation overnight and the last transports left in the morning under French cannon fire, though by the John Moore had died.

Soult having driven the British out of Spain turned his forces south and invaded Portugal, he had taken 2/3rds of Portugal's territory before Wellesley arrived in Lisbon. Soult arrived in Porto on 29th of March 1809. 

Wellesley arrived back in Portugal on the 22nd of April of the same year and made his preparations to attach Porto. Having asked Beresford to reform and reinvigorate the Portuguese Army, he sent him to cut off any retreat on the part of Soult, while Wellesley planned his attack on the city.

Soult defend Porto in two ways. He destroyed the pontoon bridge that was the only bridge over the river at the time. 1,000 locals were killed when the bridge collapsed under the weight of them leaving the city, Soult's men finished the job of demolishing it. He then removed all boats to the north of the river and destroyed others, including the main ferry crossing further up the river. He then focussed on the sea passage into Porto, assuming Wellesley would develop his attack with seabourne troops, as he had the year before.

Wellesley arrived on this site in the 11th of May 1809 and looked out across the river from the end of the monastery. He planned his attack from here, helped by the fact that Soult and his forces were at the other end of the city facing the sea. The views from here are spectacular, though the City is much bigger now than it was then.

Wellesley insisted that only he and a small number would be at the end of the Monastery looking out, so they would not be seen. Wellesley left 10,000 men to garrison Lisbon in case of French attacks from other parts of Spain went up the coast with 18,000 men.

 

He hid his troops behind the hill the monastery is on and sends his exploring officers - Croft and Warre - both from Port merchant families who were fluent in Portuguese - out to find boats. It turned out that many of the Portuguese had hidden not destroyed their boats, which were there livelihood on the river. Even the stoved in ferry was repareable with the help of Portuguese carpenters. It is reported that a barber, who plied his trade on both sides of the river came across in a small skiff and tells the General where more boats are hidden. 

From Wellesley's viewpoint, the best place to cross the river would be opposite the Seminary way round the bend from where the French were stationed. Here the boats could cross the river out of sight from the French who are looking 180⁰ in the opposite direction. 

The context of the battle is well displayed in these maps:

Leaving the barracks we then drove down to the river to look over at the site of the crossing and the seminary. 

This is seminary, from across the river, 

It is a steep, but possible climb, especially when not under fire. This is the distance being covered by the boats which could carry no more than 30 at a time.

However, by the time Soult was aware there were troops on his side of the river 1,000 had already crossed and were defending the seminary the numbers quickly increased.

General Delaborde  came forward but by Midday Wellsley already had 1,000 red coats were defending the seminary. The Portuguese then went across and got even more of their boats back and Soult realised he was caught in a pincer. 

He retreated and heading for the Spainsih border was caught by Beresford and the local partisans, so was forced to head into the higher mountains of Spain, a harsh territory. His retreat failed because of Wellesley's foresight with Beresford and an additional attack he sent via the Ferry, so if French troops (as some did) went South, they were cut off. 

A twelve day chase followed and in the meantime Wellesley's took over Soult's HQ - there is a rumour that Wellesley went in and eat the dinner Soult's chef had been preparing for him before the battle began, but no one seems to know if that is myth or fact. It does no harm for Wellesley's reputation either way.

Thus, the second invasion of Portugal ended. In the months ahead Wellesley headed into Spain for the battle of Talavera, but that's for another tour. 

Lunch

At 12.40pm having had an extended morning of Portuguese Civil War and Peninsular War history we had an hour for Lunch. 

We found a block back from the more expensive riverside venues.

It had a range of food options. I went here

and Drew here

Though we were able to sit and eat together in the central foyer.

I had a Chicken Poke Bowl with Quinoa as the base, sriracha as the sauce. Light easy eating and very tasty.

I washed these down with two bottles of Agua com Gas, as I'm trying to remember to say. 

Drew had a burger with Beef with Cheddar Cheese, Iceberg lettuce, pickles, sliced ​​red onion, tomato and American Sauce. He had a choice of chips or fries and a Pepsi Zero. While ordering mine I'd spotted a Chocolate Cake in the store, so got that for Drew to enjoy.

Port Tour

We met back on the coach at 1.50pm and headed to Cockburn's Wine Merchants. Mark told us more of the story of Sir John Croft, who was part of the Croft wine family (any relation Robin?) and was a key intelligence officer (spy) for Wellington in both the second and third invasions. As well as being knighted by the British he became a Portuguese Baron under the title Barão da Serra da Estrela. The idea of a famous spy does seem a bit strange!!

The tour of Cockburns can be seen here

Back to Curia

At 4.25pm - leave Porto for the hotel, arriving back in Curia at 5.30pm. I then tried to get to Mass at Santuário de Nossa Senhora Auxiliadora, Mogofores, where Mass is at 6.30pm. What I'd not considered is that taxis aren't as common in countryside Portugal as they are in the UK. After the receptionist rang 10, none of whom were available, I gave up. It is too late to get there by foot. There is no early morning Mass in the region and no evening masses where we will be tomorrow night!! I'm a bit sad that in one of the most Catholic countries in the world I'm not going to make a Sunday Mass!

Dinner

We went down to dinner at 7.30pm. 

Tonight we had Caldo Verde – a Portuguese green cabbage soup with Beira chorizo. The chorizo raised the flavour of the soup which otherwise was cabbage water with flecks of cabbage

The main was Roast chicken breast in a tawny Port sauce with creamy "alheira" sausage rice and Portuguese style green beans. The chicken was juicy, delicious and well seasoned. The sausage in the rice was almost invisible. The beans were peppery and tasty. Simple cooking, but a pleasure to eat.

The meal finished with Chocolate mousse with salted nuts, so Drew had mine and his and was very happy with both.

After dinner we went up to the room at 9.15pm and to bed by 10.15pm.

Co-pilot's Note

Meanwhile Drew has been puzzling about this hotel and wants to offer his reflections as a co-pilot's note:

Lest you forget, dear readers, I am not one to be picky, or 'overly negative' if you prefer. And so from the start I must reiterate that there was and is no single point of failure in this hotel. The room was comfortable. The bed and pillow(s) a delight. The grounds were wonderful. As I say, I'm not one to be overly critical just for the sake of it.

At this point in time dear readers I would like us to go back in time to previous trips. Come, let us hark back.. hark with me...........

July 2017. Destination: Mickey's House, Florida 

Mr Walt Disney devised 'the happiest place on earth'. A multi world theme park. And oddly he (and his team of very talented 'imagineers') devised a ride where people would enjoy the simulation of being taken on a tour of a fine, upmarket 1920s hotel that is then sucked into another dimension, where people would enjoy the simulation of people plunging 20 stories to there doom!. Million and millions they spent coming up with the design. And it has to be said a damn good job they did of it. Well done fellas 

Let us hark to another time... Come,

June 2026. Destination, Portugal. Chasing Nosey.

It turned out dear readers that dear old Walt and his merry band only had to pop here to this hotel. Let us remind ourselves that there is nothing singularly wrong with this hotel. If it had only one or possibly 2 of the oddities it does, then all would be well. Unfortunately they have a lot more!

My first thought when approaching the hotel was 'that looks a bit like the tower of terror'. The water feature just mirrors Florida. The lobby looks like it. Same 1929-30 jolly little ditties playing in the background. 

This Hotel has clearly had a lot of money spent on it since it's inception and this has continued on a ongoing basis. However, unfortunately for the hotel they appear to have employed a wannabe Disney Imagineer

Some examples:

To turn on the air con we have to go to the fuse box and flick a switch and then flick it back. 

To have internet in the room the TV must be on. Ask yourselves dear readers how Mr b can flickr and me sleep at the same time!!

The lift takes 95 seconds to move from the ground floor to the third. And only 14 seconds to come back down.

The interesting choice of '20s' style music 'i don't want to set the world in fire, I just want to light a flame in your heart'.

There are floors that the lifts (and indeed the guests) cannot get to.

Should we survive this hotel, or indeed the hotel as a whole, without being sucked into the twilight zone, we will continue our blogging adventures. Unfortunately I think the twilight zone is blog free, so you will have to continue your own research into the third peninsula campaign. Wish us luck dear readers, wish us luck....