Passed through Mimosa, small town.
Driving inland now.
Tiago stopped the bus next to a field of cork trees just before the town to wander in amongst the trees, just off the side of the road.
This was amazing.
There was a break in the fence so in we went trying to walk on very soft, deep sandy soil.

They are not planted in rows or anything.
Just scattered amongst the olive trees.
Apparently, this is so they can graze cattle and harvest olives as well as the cork.
They also grow wheat, rice, hay and ...
gum trees.

I loved seeing these trees.
It looks so strange to basically see them ring barked.
And the older the tree, the thicker and better the cork.
They only use the cork from the trunk as the cork bark on the branches is not good quality.
So strange to see trees with a 3 painted on it and know that the cork was taken in 2013 and they cannot touch the tree again for 9 years ... So 2022!
Fascinating.

Now, we were also told about the 'Stork Condominiums.'
Storks apparently nest on electricity pylons.
Sometimes one under another ... Hence the name.
They mate for life and come back to the same nest year after year.
We saw 6 Stork nests, one on each electricity pole off through a paddock.
Though none of the 'Condominium' effect.
I'll look it up.

Then onto the Lusitano Stud for the 'Be My Guest' experience that the tour offers.
It was a tour of the stud, lunch inside the house of the stud owners and then a display of the horses in the enormous indoor arena.
The stud is called 'Montenegro'
Basically meaning black.
The houses and buildings are unusually painted a very dark colour.
Apparently, the reason for this is the first man to establish this stud had the King and Queen of Portugal to stay many times.
And he had been given the land in the 18th Century by the King to raise horses for the army, and for hunting.
Now, this man had the misfortune to fall in love with the Queen.
Apparently, because he could do nothing about it, he went into mourning and ordered all his buildings painted dark, instead of the beautiful white wash.
Would only breed black horses ...
Had only black dogs ...
Black cats ...
And black cows ...

( Bet he thought the storks were taunting him!)

Anyway ...
That's the story of the dark, painted buildings!

We had cucumber, cinnamon and peppermint champagne on arrival in the stables, surrounded by horses in stalls.

It was established in 1778
Lusitano was the town, named in Roman times.

The original man had no descendants.

( Well, he was in love with the Queen.)

So the Stud passed to his nephew's grandson.
Then father to son.

On 25/4/1974 there was a Revolution in Portugal.
The property was seized.
And the family given 2 hrs to leave.
3 years, 3 months and 28 days the stud was occupied.
Animals were killed and many mares sold.
After that 3 years, 3 months and 28 days, the farm was given back to family.
However, there was no compensation given.

The family searched the country to buy mares back to keep the lineage.
And now they export and show extensively.
These horses are very adaptable for different sports.
Short and strong, flexible, with round faces.
The mares live in the wild on the property and the foals are handled from birth.
But they stay out in the fields until they are 3 years old.
Then training is done every day.
The foals are born black and as they mature they turn grey and then white.
Old horses stay in the fields/wild and serve as godparents.

This was a lovely day.
Beautiful old home.
Great horse facilities, rustic.

And the riding display was lovely.