From the Beach to Bones to the Beach Again

*Shout out to Aiyana for the catchy blog title! 

TUESDAY – We started the day with a visit to the world famous Laboratory & Research Station MARE, where we learned how Portuguese scientists can predict a fisherman’s catch a week out.  They accomplish this feat by sampling small fish at the bottom of the food chain and dissecting their otoliths (or inner ear bones) and counting the annular rings, much like the rings on a tree.  One ring signifies one day of life; thus scientists can create informed stories about ocean quality that week. 

Then we visited the town of Cascais, about 30 minutes from Lisbon, and learned more about different tidal ecosystems. Using homemade quadrants students counted specimens found within the squares and documented them in drawings, descriptions and numbers. We then extrapolated the data to a larger area.

WEDNESDAY – We woke up and drove to Mora and visited the first EVER freshwater aquarium, El Fluviario de Mora. It was built in 2007 and remains one of only three other freshwater aquariums on the continent of Europe! A marine biologist greeted us and shared information on the impacts of freshwater sources on oceans. She mentioned that about 85-90% of the annual pollution caused by plastics comes from only10 rivers across the world.

After a picnic in the park we went to Evorá and explored the Capela dos Ossos (The Chapel of Bones). Monks who wanted to honor the souls of people buried in local cemeteries built it in the 16th century. During that time, the land within Evorá was becoming more valuable and city officials wanted to destroy the cemeteries in order to use the land for more profitable endeavors.

Monks envisioned this chapel as a place for the public to use as a chapel and/or place to meditate. There is a clear message written above the chapel entrance, “Nós ossos que aqui estamos, pelos vossos esperamos,” which translates to, “We bones, are here, waiting for yours.” It symbolized the idea of life and death and how we all experience both. There are about 5,000 bones cast into cement from floor to ceiling within the chapel. Reminded some of the students of the Catacombs in Paris (only smaller). 

*I tried forever to get the pictures rotated but couldn't figure it out! So Sorry! Just tilt your head! 

We then headed back to the hostel and ate dinner at a local restaurant, L Bistro, which is owned by Bernardo, the chef who cooks our dinners every night! We were really excited to see his place and experience his food once again.

THURSDAY – As the blog title states, we literally went from beaches to bones, and then back to beaches! We started the day with our second surf lesson and a local biologist (Rita) explained to us the differences within waves, swells, barrels, what forms them and what impacts the wind has on them. Many got up! And many fell. All in all, everyone had fun!

Surfing pictures to come!!

We ate sandwiches on the beach and fresh squeezed lemonade (that was the big hit among students) and worked on a project with Rita discussing the different sea creatures that live within the ocean and what depth zones they live within, how much we know about each zone and what the visibility is within each area.

Tomorrow will be our last day in Lisbon and then we’re off to Lagos located on the southern coast!