Reflections from the week by David Johnson. A letter head for my weekly newsletter. Black writing on a blue background with a drawing of a tree to the left

Monday June 3, 2024

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the first newsletter of June 2024. Today’s letter will probably be brief (I say probably because I am still writing it!) as we are on the road for a couple of days. This time exploring the eastern Algarve - quieter (in terms of the tourism impact) and more nature. We arrived here yesterday and have been greeted with vast expanses of beach, mud flats, small boats (mainly fishing, a few pleasure), oyster farms, and grasslands. I hope to include some photographs of these in next week’s newsletter.

The weather is warming up. The rice fields around Alcácer do Sal are being flooded and some are starting to turn a bright shade of green as the young rice shoots come through. I am told that with the rice season also comes the mosquito season, with everyone ducking indoors for an hour around sunset as the mosquitos come out to feed. We have yet to experience this, but will see what the next couple of weeks bring. I’ll be sure to report if the swarms arrive.

Thank you, as always, for reading.

David.