We slept wonderfully, the salty air out here at the lagoon is wonderfully refreshing. Looking out of the van, we can't believe our eyes. Not only that the landscape has changed overnight, at the moment it is low tide. No, we look directly at three flamingos, which are searching the now almost exposed lagoon for crabs. Although their pink coloration is only visible on the forebody, the upper wings and the legs, they can be recognized at first sight by their beaks. I can't even describe what this sight triggers in me. - Maybe it does, plop happy. How switched on! I just grin.
At such a wonderful place you can certainly not stay alone for long. So out of the bunk and off under the outdoor shower. And right, hardly we are finished with the shower, come little by little some cars and mopeds approached. - But they are not tourists or hikers, but mussel fishermen who search the beach.
This looks like hard work. - I get into a conversation with one of the shell seekers named Nuno. He speaks good English and shows me how he exposes the shells with a short board. Nuno only collects here for pleasure, but candidly tells me that most fishermen would be here every morning to make a living searching. Nuno grew up here and first explains to me what the lagoon is all about.
Our place, the Ria de Alvor, is an estuário, both mudflat and river estuary. Dunes and salt marshes merge into each other. The river Alvor rises from the mountains "Serra de Monchique", where we were true only a few days ago. - There are over 500 species of plants, including several protected ones, over 250 species of birds, as well as various species of butterflies and beetles. So a paradise for every ornithologist.
When I ask him about the apnoea divers from the day before, he points to another mussel fisherman. He would harvest stick clams just like the divers. The divers, however, had significantly larger yields. He told me to take a look. You catch the mussels with salt. - Miguel, the second collector, speaks only broken German, but his explanations are simple. He simply sprinkles a little salt on one of the small holes in the mudflats. Slowly, the worm-like stick shell slides halfway out of the hole. One grip and the mussel is already exposed. You can quickly see how the mussel digs in with its lower end. This shell could almost have been the inspiration for the fiction novel "The Desert Planet" by Frank Herbert. You don't have to know that one, it was the 80s. Supposedly the mussels taste quite good. - I even found a recipe: https://sz-magazin.sueddeutsche.de/das-kochquartett/ferien-im-kochtopf-8664 - Glad to hear your feedback. I would be more interested in Nuno's catch. Because he pulls an octopus out of the water. - Yummy!
Torgit walks a little along the dike. The path finds its sudden end, because the dike collapsed after about a kilometer. - Until then, on the left you can see the Rio de Alvor and the dunes behind it. On the right in the brackish water you have a beautiful view of the bird area. Nuno told us that there were no flamingos here in the past. These would be to be seen only in the last decades in this area. One notices, Nuno is no longer the youngest. - In the afternoon several kite surfers and a wind surfer appear in the lagoon. - This animates me to unpack the SUP. I bought a kayak paddle especially for the sea. That was also good, because without it I would have come with this wind certainly no centimeter forward. So I enjoy still a little the nature. After two hours of paddling I come back to the van completely exhausted. - Torgit has prepared jacket potato with herring dip. - Food makes happy. - We have seen many beautiful places on our tour. This is definitely one of the favorites.
After dinner, I also decide to follow the dam to its end. Meanwhile, the water is back, again the picture has changed. From the end of the dam, you can see some Bauhaus villas, as well as a golf course on the opposite bank. I am always surprised how many modern architect houses are to be found here. Shortly before sunset I am back at the Bulli. In the meantime all fishermen, kiters, surfers & Co have disappeared. We have the place at the dam for us again. Rarely have I spent such a peaceful day. If someone had told me earlier that a few flamingos could make me so happy, I would have laughed at the narrator. - (Note from Torgit: Now I also know why there are so many salt packs lying in the garbage here).
Realization of the day: You only need a handful of salt here to find your food.
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