Portugal, Algarve, Ludo Trail, Ria Formosa Natural Park, Nov. 20, 2015

The last day of our holiday we again had very nice weather, and a nice walk along the Ludo Trail just west of the Faro Airport. The trail is situated in the Ria Formosa Natural Park, The Ria Formosa Natural Park is a barrier between the Atlantic and the mainland and is further protected by several islands, which are basically large sand dunes. In between these islands and the mainland are large areas of dunes and lagoons, small sand isles, mud flats and canals. This provides a wonderful habitat for flora and fauna, especially birds.

We parked next to the airport and walked on the trail in the direction west. Unfortunately we did not have time to walk the two other legs to the north, and we did not get a close look at the flamingoes.

On our way

The northern shoveler (Anas clypeata), skeand.

The Eurasian wigeon, (Anas penelope), Pibeand

Flamingos in the distance

The white stork (Ciconia ciconia)

Ringed Plover (Charádrius hiaticula), Stor præstekrave

The trail over the lagoon to the barrier island and the beach.

The beach

Ruddy turnstone, (Arenaria interpres), Stenvender

Everywhere on the shallow mudflats you find people collecting mussels and worms for bait

Common redshank (Tringa totanus), Rødben

Western swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio), Sultanhøne

Azure-winged magpie (Cyanopica cyanus), Blåskade

Hoopoe (Upupa epops), Hærfugl

Little grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis), lille lappedykker

The common greenshank (Tringa nebularia), Hvidklire

Portugal, Algarve, Quinta do Marin, Nov. 19, 2015

Parque Natural da Ria Formosa is situated just east of Olhao. The trail included a historic tide mill.

A grey heron (Ardea cinere) welcomed us to the trail

The old tidal mill had been restored

The reservoir of the tidal mill

A view of the Ria Formosa

European golden plover (Pluvialis apricaria), Hjejle. European golden plover is disappearing as breeding population in Denmark

Inside the old tidal mill, reading the information

This is how the tidal mill worked

Pond with an impressive amount of ducks

Gadwall, (Anas strepera), Knarand , male and female

Gadwall, (Anas strepera), Knarand, male

The common pochard (Aythya ferina) is a medium-sized diving duck. Navnet taffeland refererer til, at man før i tiden anså taffelanden for at være en meget velsmagende fugl - lige til et veldækket taffel!

Portugal, Algarve, Ilha da Armona, Nov. 18, 2015

We took the ferry from the small town Olhao to one of the barrier islands in the Ria Formosa: Ilha da Armona

Fish marked of Olhao. Head of Lophius piscatorius, commonly known as the angler. It can swallow prey of its own size.

Everywhere in the shallow areas of Ria Formosa you find people digging for mussels (for human consumption) or worms to be used as bait.

The beach of Ilha da Armona

The old ferry?

The black-tailed godwit (Limosa limosa), Stor Kobbersneppe

The new ferry

Portugal, Algarve, Rocha da Pena & Albufeira, Nov. 17, 2015

The rock cornice Rocha da Pena presents a quite picturesque and compelling hiking route deep in the traditional Algarve countryside. Like a commanding sentinel guarding the frontier between the Barrocal foothills and the rugged Serra upland.

On our way to the plateau on top of the rock.

When we climbed the rock cornice, we were observed by 12 vultures circling above us looking for some easy prey.

View from the Rocha da Pena to the rugged Serra upland.

A farm

The stone-by-stone battlements in the top that probably date back from the Iron age, used as defensive walls. Also the preferred place of refuge for the Moors as they fled from the Christian forces during the conquest of Salir.

Scarce Swallowtail (Iphiclides podalirius), svalehale

Rocha da Pena is a limestone cornice that reaches 50 metres high and is topped by a plateau with some 2km in length.

Abandoned well

Coffee stop at the Algarve village of the year

Albufeira beach

Sunset east of Albufeira

Churches and Manors, Denmark, Langeland, Nov. 22, 2015

Langelands (the Long Island) Museum Association organized a cultural trip to the churches and mansions in the north of the Island, November 22, 2015. Jorgen Skaarup was our very knowledgeable guide. At the manor Steensgård (the manor of the noble family Steensen) we were told about the manor and dramatic history of the family Steensens. The Long-islanders fought valiantly against invading Swedish troops in a battle a few kilometers from Steensgård in 1659 when the Swedes were trying to take over the Island (and the rest of Denmark). The churches in Stoense and Snøde both have beautiful Romanesque stone carvings from the 15th century. Snøde is the burial church of noble family Steensen. The Bøstrup district church and cemetery with Constance Leth's graveyard. The last stop was at the manor Egeløkke. Kirker og herregårde på Nordlangeland, 22. November 2015. LANGELANDS MUSEUMSFORENING arrangede en kulturhistorisk udflugt til nordøens kirker og herregårde med Jørgen Skaarup som kyndig guide den 22. november. Ved herregården Steensgård fik vi fortalt om herregården og slægten Steensens til tider dramatiske historie. Langelænderne kæmpede tappert mod invaderende svenske tropper i 1659 ved Andemose Knøs få kilometer fra Steensgård. Kirkerne i Stoense og Snøde har begge har smukke romanske billedkvadre og billedskærerarbejder fra 1600-tallet. Snøde er gravkirke for Steensen slægten. Herefter Bøstrup herreds kirke og kirkegården med Constance Leths gravsted. Turen blev afsluttet ved herregården Egeløkke.

On our way to the manor Steensgård. On the beautiful Nordlangeland in Snøde parish existed, in the late Middle Ages, a small nobility farm called Krogagergaard. Over time it became the stately manor Steengaard. It is now island's northernmost manor and is located on a hill with a magnificent view of the sea. På det smukke Nordlangeland i Snøde sogn lå i slutningen af middelalderen en lille adelsgård ved navn Krogagergaard. I tidens løb blev den til den anselige hovedgård Steensgaard. Den er nu Øens nordligste hovedgård og ligger på en bakke med en pragtfuld udsigt

The widow of Knud Steensen - Anne Lung - took over the estate, as the first Steensen, in 1577. At the time Steensgård consisted of the manor itself and 16 farms, including Brobjerg, 9 houses, some pastures and fishing rights. Mrs. Anne Lung was a brisk and enterprising housewife who skilfully steered her properties. She obtained few farms in Snøde parish, just as she got Snøde parish church which included church tithes Knud Steensen’s enke - Anne Lunge - overtog, som den første Steensen, herregården som blev til Steensgaard i 1577. Det gods, fru Anne Lunge fik, bestod af Krogagergaard og 16 gårde, deriblandt Brobjerg, samt 9 huse, nogle enghaver og et bund­garnsstade, »som nu først i dette Aar er begyndt og opsat«. Fru Anne Lunge var en rask og foretagsom husfrue, der med stor dygtighed styrede sine ejendomme og stadig arbejdede på godsets forøgelse; således tilbyttede hun sig et par gårde i Snøde sogn, lige­som hun fik Snøde sogns kirketiende i livsfæste.

The manor is very old, but we know little about its early history. Mrs. Anne got in her marriage with Knud Steensen a son: Hans Steensen. At his father's death Hans Steensen was 16 years, and his mother sent him shortly after on the obligatory educational trip abroad for young nobility men. At first he went to Germany and then to France and Italy. In Italy he studied at the University of Padova in 1580. Mrs. Anne must have thought that the buildings on Krogager were small and inconspicuous, and while her son was abroad, she began to construct the current Steengård. Gården er ældgammel; men om dens ældste historie ved vi lidt. Fru Anne havde i sit ægteskab med Knud Steensen en søn Hans Steensen. Ved faderens død var han 16 år, og moderen sendte ham kort tid efter ud på den obligate uden­landsrejse, der først gik til Tyskland og derfra til Frankrig og Italien, hvor han 1580 studerede ved universitetet i Padova. Fru Anne må have syntes, at bygningerne på Krogager var for små og uanselige, og allerede medens sønnen var i udlandet, begyndte hun på at opføre den nuværende Steensgaard. 1582 kom sønnen hjem og fortsatte byggeriet, og tre år efter stod gården færdig.

Our very knowledgeable guide tells us about the manor. Vores kyndig guide Jørgen Skaarup fortæller os om Steensgård

View from the manor

Memorial to Vincens Steensen who died at this place in 1659 in one of many battles with the Swedish occupation force. The Long-islanders fought valiantly against invading Swedish troops in a battle a few kilometers from Steensgård in 1659 when the Swedes were trying to take over the Island (and the rest of Denmark). The battle was won by the Danes, but the Swedes came back, occupied and looted Langeland. Mindesten for Vincens Steensen faldet 1659 ved Andemose Knøs i et af mange slag med den svenske besættelsesstyrke. Langelænderne kæmpede tappert mod invaderende svenske tropper i 1659 ved Andemose Knøs få kilometer fra Steensgård. Slaget blev vundet af danskerne, men svenskerne kom tilbage, besatte og plyndrede Langeland.

View from the memorial at the coast, where part of the battle took place. Udsigten fra mindestenen for Vincens Steensen ned til kysten hvor en del af slaget fandt sted.

Another view from the memorial. Endnu en udsigt fra mindestenen for Vincens Steensen

Stoense church is from the middle ages. Stoense Kirke. Middelalderkirke med træskærerarbejde i bruskbarok af Hans Gudewerth og Lorentz Jørgensen.

Inside the church. Stoense kirke har en fantastisk god akustik. Sidst i 1970-erne begyndte Christian Vincens Steensen-Leth, Steensgaard, at arrangere sommerkoncerter med klassisk musik i Stoense kirke. Disse koncerter har gennem tiden fået musikelskere og musikere fra nær og fjern til at besøge Stoense kirke.

Romanesque stone carving in the church wall. Kirken i Stoense har smukke romanske billedkvadre.

Romanesque stone carving in the church wall. Kirken i Stoense har smukke romanske billedkvadre.

Snøde Church is the burial church of the noble family Steensen. Vincens Steensen, who died in 1659 during the defense of Langeland in the Swedish Wars, is buried inside the church. Snøde Kirke er gravkirke for Steensen slægten. Kirken er en middelalderkirke indviet til Sankt Andreas og Langelands højst placerede kirke. I koret hviler slægten Steensen med bl.a. velbevaret gravsten for Hans Steensen, Margrethe Basse og sønnen Christoffer. Vincens Steensen, død 1659 under forsvaret af Langeland under svenskekrigene, ligger her.

Another view of Snøde Church with the outside graves of the noble family Steensen

Entrance to Snøde Church and its graveyard

St. Christopher is a widely popular saint, especially revered by athletes, mariners, ferrymen, and travelers. He is revered as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. He holds patronage of things related to travel and travelers. The legend he says he was a very tall man – a giant. On the stone carving St. Christopher hold his arm around a wayfarer to protect him. Sankt Christoforus . Dyrkelsen af Sankt Christoforus kendes tilbage til det 5. århundrede i Lilleasien. Hans navn betyder Kristusbærer og legenden om ham fortæller, at han var en frygtindgydende kæmpe, der blev døbt, og at hans stav grønnedes som et jærtegn, hvorved mange lod sig omvende til kristendommen. Han var de pilgrimsrejsende og vejfarendes skytshelgen. Generelt var Sankt Christoforus en populær helgen på grund af sine mange gode egenskaber. På billedet holder han beskyttende om en vejfarende.

View from Snøde Church. This hill hosts an old Christian graveyard, and can be the former place of Snøde Church

Bøstrup Church. There are in all 20 Danish National Evangelical Lutheran churches under the deanery of Langeland and Strynø, -19 on Langeland and 1 on Strynø. Fifteen of which were built in the Middle Ages and five in more recent times. This large number of churches, however, bears witness to a profitable past of very fertile cultivated land and an abundance of fish in the sea around Langeland. Bøstrup Kirke er en middelalderkirke, oprindelig herredskirke for Langelands Nørre Herred

At the cemetery rests Constance Leth to Egeløkke. The famous pastor, author, poet, philosopher, historian, teacher and politician Grundtvig fell hopelessly in love with the beautifull Constance while he was tutor at Egeløkke Gods in 1805-1808. På Bøstrup Kirkes kirkegård hviler Constance Leth til Egeløkke, som Grundtvig forelskede sig i, mens han var huslærer på Egeløkke Gods i 1805 - 1808.

Stone carving from the wall of the church showing Jesus. Kirken har karakteristiske billedkvadre indsat i murene, blandt andet dette smukke Jesusportræt.

Bøstrup Church. Pulpit in renaissance style carved by Hans Gudewerth the Younger in the 1634. Prædikestolen er udført i renæssancestil af Hans Gudewerth den Yngre i 1634.

The present buildings of the manor Egeløkke as well as the surrounding landscape are almost exclusively typical of the 1800s, and the main building from 1845 is Classical style. N.F.S. Grundtvig had his first job, aften being educated as priest, as a private tutor at Egeløkke from 1805 - 1808 and fell hopelessly in love with the lady of the house, Constance Leth. Unfortunately, his love was unrequited, but it had an important influence on his life, thinking and poetry. NFS Grundtvig (8 September 1783 – 2 September 1872), was a pastor, author, poet, philosopher, historian, teacher and politician. He was one of the most influential people in Danish history, as his philosophy gave rise to a new form of nationalism in the last half of the 19th century. Grundtvig and his followers has been very influential in the formulation of modern Danish national consciousness. It was steeped in the national literature and supported by deep spirituality. Egeløkkes nuværende bygninger og landskab er næste udelukkende præget af 1800-tallet. Hovedbygningen fra 1845 er bygget i klassicistisk stil. N.F.S. Grundtvig var huslærer på Egeløkke fra 1805 - 1808. Han blev så stærkt påvirket af en ulykkelig forelskelse i fruen på Egeløkke, Constance Leth, at det senere påvirkede hans digtning.