Oranges &. Donkeys

Today got off to a great start with a tour of the orange groves at the farm of Quinta Santo Estevao Algarve.  I was joined by a British couple and a couple from Austria, and a donkey named Orangina.  The five of us humans were taken on a long and leisurely walk through the acres of oranges while our host  talked about the history of the farm, the varieties of oranges they grow, Portuguese agriculture (carob, avocados, apples and pears all play very large part in the economy, among many other crops).

The farm is outside of Silves, in an area that's described as "the orange route" for the orange trees being grown as far as the eye can see.  It's a very quiet farm business, as there were no signs of people working (or needing to) as we walked around.  Apparently when it's time for harvest, a crew of 30 can clear the orchard of whatever is ripe in a day.  We were invited to pick oranges and eat them as we walked along, which was drippy and messy and delightful.  There were a few we tried that were not great for the market -- too hard to peel, too pithy, too many seeds -- that nonetheless were fragrant and delicious.  It was easy to love them and also to love the navel oranges and mandarins, which we can get readily in a store but not exactly picked one minute and eaten a minute later.  

The quiet of our little group was apparently in great contrast to the day before, when two busloads with 62 people came to the farm. I am glad to have missed that!  And the Backroads company bike tours also stop there, so I think we just got lucky with a small tour.  

At the end of the tour, we sat in a courtyard garden drinking fresh orange juice and lemonade with plates of cookies and bites of cake.  We were each given the opportunity to take home oranges and my haul should last me for at least a few days.

The tour can be followed by tapas, but the small group didn't sign on for that (darn!) and instead I got a recommendation for lunch in Silves.

Marisqueria Rui is a busy, noisy seafood restaurant with tanks and ice beds of huge fish, lobsters, crabs, shrimp.  I got there as it was just filling up and when I was done with my lunch there were people lined up in the street.  They are known for "seafood rice" and I got a half portion, which was a hot pot loaded with clams, shrimp, lobster and prawns and rice in a rich broth.  This was my second messy food of the day, as I had to crack the lobster pieces and dig out crab from the shells and it was well worth it.  It was also, even with a "half" portion, enough food for a feast.   In addition to the lobster crackers and tools for extracting seafood, the meal came with a big pile of napkins and a cloth bib.   I realized while I was eating that part of the restaurant noise came from the mallets and cleavers and cracking of shells by both the chefs and the other diners.  It was amazing to see all the seafood moving around (they distinguish "seafood" from "fish" so if I got fish rice, it would have been sea bream and other white local fish; my seafood rice had the shellfish) and huge fish being carried into the kitchen for preparation.

the photo doesn't do justice to this dish, it was delicious

I had painting supplies with me, but I didn't find the spot or the time I could sit and paint.  I asked about coming back to paint and the response was of course, feel free, it would be best to paint in April.  Ha!  I'll keep scouting orange painting locations in the next week.  So happy to be over jet lag and my cold!