Orchid Hunting

As Joanne’s Portugal adventure is winding down (she heads back to Canada on Sunday morning) our goal today was to head back to the Fonte da Benémola and see if “perhaps” some of the wild orchids had started to show their pretty little faces. I am beyond thrilled to report that we had success!!

The day had been threatening rain, which has not materialized up till now, and that contributed to a heaviness in the air which made this normally easy walk, feel a tiny bit more challenging. The river was quite active and was burbling noisily as we walked beside it.

The one orchid I was hoping to find for Joanne is called Orchis italica,or more commonly,  the naked man orchid!!! It gets its common name from the lobed lip of each flower which mimics the general shape of a naked man. In Italy, it is believed that the consumption of the plant is conducive to virility. How happy was I when I spotted one single bloom dancing in the breeze.

Joanne is now completely content to go home as her goal was to see a naked man…………….orchid here in Portugal. Life is complete!

It still hasn’t rained however it feels like a perfect afternoon to curl up at home with good music, a book, or jigsaw puzzle. Given we are going to the Keans for dinner and Dixit this evening, an official goodbye for Joanne, we have nothing else to do this afternoon but relax.