The boats at the Rio Douro is one of my favourite pictures of 2014. It is a view onto the Dom Louis I bridge between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia (Portugal) (see map).

The construction of this 385 m long bridge begun in 1881. The upper deck was opened on 31 October 1886; the lower deck opened in 1887. The Dom Louis bridge is one of five bridges linking the high and rocky banks of Rio Douro (>>>). To see them all we took o tourist boat – a service that is offered for tourists on the regular basis.

The banks of the Rio Douro are densely inhabited. Some of the older houses seem to be constructed one above the other gradually. If seen from a boat the panorama is quite picturesque.

Lately, I was talking to a professional photographer who just came back from Portugal. He prefers BW or soft colours.  But his pictures of Porto’s Douro (the river) banks were … colourful. He told me it was not possible to make them otherwise. Somehow I agree, although – regrettably – my only equipment in Porto was a cell phone.

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