An Explosion of Colours

When we were in the Alentejo last summer, a woman told us, very poetically, that in the spring, it was "uma explosão de cores", and we're definitely seeing the beginnings of this, though apparently, it gets better next month. The colours and variety of wild flowers everywhere... deep blues, hot pinks, poppy reds, yellows... we sat and ate our picnic today leaning against a mound of rosemary covered in pale blue flowers, and looking out on a view of turquoise waves battering dramatic headlands.

Today was the first day we saw other walkers - two German (Dutch, actually, so we found out at dinner) women passed us as we were eating - we offered them a glug of our wine - they got out cups to pour it into and drank our health, and then proceeded to tell us that they had booked a room with twin beds, as they were "no lovers"... they arrived at the same time as us to a simple hotel here in Almograve.

Mike was very happy today as we spent ages watching the antics of a pair of peregrine falcons above a cliff - hanging stationary in the air and then plummeting over and over down the cliffs - no idea whether they were two males competing or a couple courting...