Stork Surprise

Stayed last night in an excellent place in Olhão, called Stork Hostel, on a small cobbled square with a sculpture of a stork emerging from a tree. And then, when we looked out from our balcony this morning, lo and behold, an actual stork on the small church across from us, preening itself in the morning sunshine, with all the usual small birds flying into and out of its nest.

After a fairly authentic English breakfast on the front by the market, went to the headquarters of the Ria Formosa Reserve, where we learnt a lot about the area, unique in the world: two peninsulas, five islands, six tidal inlets and salt marshes along 57km of coast - on one side the sea, on the other the land, and the Ria (Lagoon) Formosa in the middle, filled with unique flora, sea creatures, mollusks, and birds - this is the last place for birds migrating to Africa to rest and feed before heading off. 

There´s a two hour walk around the area, with hides to watch the birds, the last working tidal mill in Portugal, and Roman ruins. If you´re ever in the Algarve, really worth a visit. Maybe because it was the middle of the day by the time we got to the salt marshes, but only saw three flamingos.

Gratefuls:
- getting home safely, just after sunset
- more beauty and good food in Portugal
- a FaceTime with a happy Eden this morning