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The salt industrial facilities that are shut down for many years, already

Few people in Portugal's capital are aware that Lisbon lies so close to one of the most important wetlands in Europe. Each year thousands of waders migrate here from northern Europe and the Canadian Arctic, spending the winter amid the 55 square miles of marshland, salt lagoons, sand dunes and tidal mud flats that collectively form the Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve. November-January is the best time to view migrant waders at the Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve, though large numbers of birds can be seen throughout the year.

I did something a few weeks ago that I had wanted to do for some time - I walked several trails, end to end, of the Tagus Estuary Nature Reserve. It was not that it is that long; it was more the fact that they are one way trails, meaning that when I reached the end I would have to walk back. All in all, I walked 12 km (7.5 miles). It certainly was a great afternoon. I had an exhilarating walk, and learned a bit about salt marshes, ponds, donkeys, flamingos, other birds, etc... Despite the high temperature and the long walk, meandering slowly the area capturing beautiful things - river beach, marshes, flowers, birds, salt ponds, etc. - I didn't get tired. It was everything a walk should be. Who could ask for more? Here are some photos of that day,plus a slideshow.

In the complex of salt ponds, situated on the southern bank of the bridge right opposite to Lisbon, I could see several donkeys from the northern region of Portugal. We can recognize the breed because of the white spots around the eyes and the long hair that usually falls in summer.

This was once an area where salt was largely collected. Now, the activity has practically disappeared in this area, but since the 90's of the 20th century, when the Vasco da Gama bridge was built -  17 km (11 miles) long (10 km/6 miles of which pass over water), making it the longest bridge in Europe when it opened in 1998 and still today one of the longest in the world -  a Foundation has been created to keep a Nature Reserve here, where some salt ponds are still kept and the many birds species who come to find food in these wet lands are protected and studied.

As traffic thundered above us, we crept to the edge of a salt lagoon. We had to walk in silence, hearing only the scuff of our footsteps and the sound of our own breathing. We counted flamingos as we approached. There were a dozen of them, mostly immature and therefore sporting drab, grey plumage. I was told by the biologist that was guiding the group that, within a couple of years, the pigment in their diet of shrimps will turn their feathers pink.

~~ Thanks for having joined me ~~

~~ Have a wonderful weekend ~~