Ilha do Mel in a Day

Welcome to nowhere
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Today I strolled around Ilha do Mel...literally.  A little over 27 square kilometres, the island is not big (more than 81% of it is an ecological reserve and another 21% or so is a State Park).  Starting in Encantadas, I first visited the Grotto, then strolled along Praia da Boia to Ponta da Nha Pina where I felt several steps closer to God.

A couple beaches later I cheched the Farol das Conchas (Lighthouse), then trekked along Fortaleza Beach to an old fort on the Easternmost side of the island.  Although the weather was a bit touch and go, I was able to spot a few widewinder crabs, which normally dip back into their holes on the beach when they hear you coming, but sometimes, they get confused and you can stare one down on the sand...

Sidewinder Crab
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Occasionally, the sun would poke out and on a couple of occasions, I decided to join the surfers and catch some waves, particularly on Fora Beach.  The water was magnificent...if only I had a board!

After my long day, I enjoyed a rather interesting interpretation on pizza...how does the house special of green olives, hard-boiled egg, onions, pancetta, canned peas, palm hearts and corn kernels sound?...(After a couple of bites, Olivier - one of the Belgians - lost all colour in his face and excused himself from the table)...evidently he had sun stroke.  Unbelievable considering we had no blazing sun at all during the day, but he was fair skinned verging on albino).

Interesting...
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Reading some of the English versions of various items on the menu made up for it though...