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27 February 2010

At World's End

For those of you who are getting really excited, thinking that we've spotted Kiera Knightley somewhere in London, my apologies. No, no, sorry to disappoint, I'm just talking about the most amazing sunset we witnessed over a place called Cabo de Sao Vicente. It's the south-easternmost point in Europe--and it is a sight to behold, especially when you realize thousands of miles worth of Atlantic waves are pummeling the ground below you. This point has had several names, from Greek to Roman to Early Christian (this is the one that stuck--Cape St. Vincent). The Romans believed this was the edge of the world--and when you're standing, watching the sun sinking, hissing into the ocean, you can see why. We just happened to catch the cape, and its lighthouse, at the end of sunset one evening.
(For those of you who care (Kent), it boasts the most powerful lamp in Europe, and can be seen at least 100 km out to sea. In 1908, the most recent rebuilding of the lighthouse, it included the installation of one of the largest Fresnel lenses ever built).
We actually had intended to be here at Sunset, but nearly skipped it, because we had gotten so caught up with other things--Punta da Piedade, hidden beaches, forts along the coast, etcetera, etcetera. It was already mostly dark as we drove along the southern coast to the point--but we made it just in time to see the end of sunset, partly masked by a rain storm sweeping across the dark waves to the East.

1 comment:

  1. "...partly masked by a rain storm sweeping across the dark waves to the East." lovely.

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