We left Sao Martinho do Porto early this morning, to take Whitney to the airport. We had a wonderful time with her, and enjoyed seeing more of Portugal. The primary reason we travel is to learn and this trip has exceeded our expectations. It was even more special to share it with Whitney!
This trip has spurred us to read more about the history of Portugal and its people. They were the world's main economic power during the Renaissance. We are currently reading The Portuguese, by Barry Hutton, and The First Global Village, How Portugal Changed the World, by Martin Page. Both books are giving us new perspective on the people, the land, and their history.
We watched seaweed harvesting in the Sao Martinho bay, so we've been reading about that process and its uses (harvested by hand in Sao Martinho for primary use as food, secondary for vitamin supplement and skin care). We've seen thousands of cork trees with bands of bark removed, with 50% of worldwide cork production coming from Portugal. We've seen more ancient windmills than we saw in The Netherlands! We've enjoyed seeing churches and exploring and staying in castles.
We are staying in Pousada Castelo Palmela for a couple of nights before going to Lisbon.
