RECREATION - The act of recreating, or the state of being recreated; refreshment of the strength and spirits after toil; amusement; diversion; sport; pastime.
[The Online Plain Text English Dictionary].

Recreation boats (barcos de recreio), recreation basin (porto de recreio). Vila Real de Santo António - Algarve, Portugal.

And this is one of the nowadays' best concept of recreation...

[Portuguese post on April 8th, 2008]

Category: THE COASTAL LAND

Dec. 2008: Images down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

The scale of boats and and the scale of houses,
in the warm colours of Tavira - Algarve, Portugal...

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... and in the cold colours of Copenhagen - Denmark.

[Portuguese post on Mar 7th, 2008]

Category: THE COASTAL LAND

Dec. 2008: Images down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

Parede, Cascais - The Avencas Beach (Avencas means Maidenhair) is still a living example of the coastal biodiversity, under and above the sea level, specially because of its rocky intertidal zone (the continental platform, predominantely limestone, with «steps» and basalt intrusions).

Here, one can watch:
... different species of animals, plants, protists and fungi, their adaptations and the interactions between beings and environment;
... different sorts of rocks, strata and intrusions;
... the effects of hydrodynamics, as well as of eolian and hydraulic erosion.

It is therefore a real living laboratory, which diversity and dynamics have been affected and diminished by all sorts of human activities, but which we must preserve and recover, as much as still possible.

NOTE: The Municipality of Cascais (Câmara Municipal de Cascais) and the Commission for Coordination and Regional Development of Lisbon and Tagus Valley (Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, CCDRLVT) have recentely reached an agreement on the «requalification» of the Avencas Beach. And «requalification» is a very up to date word, but very many times with no meaning at all!

[Portuguese post on Feb 22nd, 2008]

Category: THE COASTAL LAND

Dec. 2008: Images down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

Salt crystalization on the water surface of salt ponds. Tavira - Algarve, Portugal.

[Portuguese post on Feb 2nd, 2008]

Category: THE COASTAL LAND

Dec. 2008: Images down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

- was 2007, but has been extended to 2008.

Since Aristoteles, dolphins have always fascinated men. To many people, they represent the Earth's heart and soul.
[...]
More than twenty years ago, the roazes-corvineiros (Portuguese common name for Bottle-nosed dolphins) were usually seen by travellers sailing across the Tagus River from and to Lisbon. As years went by, and because of the increasing use and pollution of these waters, the dolphins have disappeared.
[...]
The last remaining coastal waters dolphins in Portugal are found in the Sado River estuary and its surroundings.
(Translated from Portuguese - Stefan Harzen et Barbara Brunnick, O Roaz-corvineiro do Estuário do Sado, Portugal. 1995).

The roaz-corvineiro of Sado River (Tursiops truncatus) watched durind a visit to the estuary, on Hiate de Setúbal bord.
The Hiate de Setúbal is a faithful reply of this river traditional boats (called hiates) and was built by Clube Naval Setubalense (1993-94); it represented the Municipality of Setúbal during Lisbon Expo'98 and has been participating in international traditional boats meetings - see picture of sailing Hiate de Setúbal.

The Sado Estuary Natural Reserve (Reserva Natural do Estuário do Sado) was defined as Protected Land under the portuguese law in 1980. It is now included - since 1996 - in the Ramsar Convention List (Wetlands of International Importance) and - since 1997/99 - in the Natura 2000 Network.

The most devastating threat upon the Sado River dolphins is environmental pollution.
[...] No matter if it is commercial or private garbage, chemical discharges, high temperatures, loud noise, pesticids or toxic gases, all this is pollution. [...]
The threats upon the Sado Estuary are very serious and deserve an immediate attention. The dolphins are not the only ones in danger.
(idem, ibidem).

The European Environment Agency, in its fourth assessment on Europe's Environment (Belgrade, October 2007 - the first assessment on this subjet is from 1995), under chapter 5, Marine and Coastal Environment, considers: The overall picture in 2007 has hardly changed from that in 1995.

And it's rather awkward not to find a single reference to this dolphins community in the official site of the Biodiversity and Natural Conservation Institute (Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e da Biodiversidade)!

[Portuguese post on Jan 12th, 2008]

Category: THE COASTAL LAND

Dec. 2008: Images down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.

... IS NOT THE SAME THING AS EUROPE'S WEST (OR FAR WEST?) COAST (*):

- It is more colourful and diversified, more truthful and exuberant, more real and less technologic.

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(*) NOTE: «Portugal, Europe's West Coast» is the main title for an appetising campaign conducted by the Portuguese Government and Tourism Office, trying to sell the idea of a modern technological country.

UPDATE (originally on November 3rd 2008):
The oficial pdf file of this campain can be downloaded from the Portuguese Government site:
http://www.portugal.gov.pt/NR/rdonlyres/94EFD4E0-A052-4264-BE24-F3E4D34D046D/0/Portugal_Costa_Oeste_Europa.pdf.
The images of the campain can be seen here.

[Portuguese post on Jan 7th, 2008]

Category: THE COASTAL LAND

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Comment by Brenda - 2008-12-20 - 23:54:49
One can see the wind blowing on the dune! Fantastic pictures!

Comment by AM.MA - 2008-12-21 - 00:42:21
The point is this landscape is fantastic in itself, Brenda! Thanks for stopping by.

Dec. 2008: Images down to 20% of ORIGINAL SIZE (click to see). Comments closed.