Week three, much like the first two weeks, involved the continuation of building the boxes for planting our natural plants in, however, during week 3, the rice fields had been filled along with our lake! What started out as a dry, desolate lake bed full of spiders, soon became a couple feet deep of water, full of spiders. Much prettier to look at now and will be kept filled for some years to come (they may have to eventually drain it to study the plant growth) but until then, it will be a new ecosystem for migrating birds :)
We also made "water sculptures" which sounds nothing like it's name :P We took sticks and made designs in the dry lake bed (before it was filled) and when it reflects in the sun and on the lake, it makes shapes (fish, zig zags, butterfly, another fish :P )
Beginning in the third week, twice a week in the evening, Josh and I engaged in turtle monitoring sessions, about half an hour outside of Valencia in our little Oasis (as we were calling it). We met with a new volunteer, from Voluns named Rafa and he drove us there and back each night. His English was pretty good but like every other Spaniard, thought it was terrible. He was very funny too. He actually had a masters and degree in paleontology yet he was still going to school while working the past 3 years at a McDonalds! The jobs are that sparse. There is 25% unemployment in the country and over 50% unemployment amongst students. If you get a job, you keep that job. Anyhow, he took us out to this dry farm land, looked a bit like desert but down in a another river bed lay this beautiful desert oasis, with cactus, aloe, agave, rivers and waterfalls! A man was leading his herd of sheep through as we showed up! So cute! While here, several volunteers dawned waiters and made there way into the water to collect traps (buckets with nets) that were placed there to catch turtles so we could monitor them. Monitoring turtles require several things including pictures, measuring and weighing. Each turtle is identified by marks in their shells (Carved/dented in, it doesn't hurt them but depending where the mark is gives them an identification). We were of course searching for European Turtules and Laprases turtles. While here, we encountered another sort of cactus which would prove to be another foe of Sarita, much like Benidorm. The other volunteers where older and from university, and not through our group. During this particular week, we found the same turtle twice and LOTS of crawdads (which can actually be used in Paella). One turtle had a pretty scarred neck which appeared to be from a Crawdad claw, but was otherwise in good health.
The crawdads were overly amusing. Every time you put your hand towards them, they would lift their arms in the air as if to say "You wanna go" - was absolutely amazing and hilarious every time. So being me, I kept doing it over and over just to see them challenge me.
Following our work at Albufera and our side trips to turtle monitoring, Josh and I spent time at the park, taking full advantage of the exercise equipment and the entertainment provided. Pictured is a group that was performing reggae music in the park. Their voices weren't the strongest but the large group of people gathered made it a very special moment. It was a very tiny woodstock. Some people were lit up but they were discrete. Spain, like the U,S. forbids it, but much in the European style, people don't freak out over every little thing.
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