Canadians put it on the road but in Tavira we put it on our food. Salt. And it’s home grown. Collected right out of the ocean – after the sun has evaporated the water. They call the process salt farming, and it takes place in areas between the town and the beach. These ‘salt flats’ form a big part of our landscape occupying as much area as the town itself. Perhaps not making economic sense, but the land has no other possible use as it’s too low-lying. And the pretty flamingos enjoy the ease of finding lunch and dinner.
Flat land gets a bad rap, but it can be beautiful as in deserts and the prairies. A less obvious beauty that invites you to look closer into a landscape that that can be serene. Especially when it’s a habitat for native plants and wildlife. Our salt plats form part of a wonderful nature reserve called the Ria Formosa – a hundred-kilometer strip of wildness. The only developments are beach cafés. The old-world life’s essentials!
Salt flats are a photographer’s delight with their checkered pattern of reflected light, but my favourite detail is the trapdoors. These old wooden structures let water in and out of the pans, often with help of pumps. I’m a sucker for aged wood especially when highlighted with morning or evening shadows. But back to salt. Some expert has said that our salt is good for you – low sodium, or something like that. And I thought it was the shadows.
