Digital Wanderer

We live as long as we fly

☰

Portugal — 9, Praia da Marinha

2019-03-23

Some of the participants in these events just informed me that I got everything mixed up, and we actually went to Loulé and Praia da Marinha on different days. This is surely true, but in ten years, who would've known how it really happened? A blog is an ephemeral, yet written piece of evidence, whereas human memory is so unreliable that it's laughable to count on it.

I got things mixed up because the cameras were set to different times, making it hard for me to sort the photos from here, hence the timeline issues.

At Praia da Marinha, there was a warning that the path wouldn't be suitable for everyone—too rocky and steep in places. For a battle-hardened tourist like me, this would be laughable, had I not lost my shape and gained back the weight I had shed with such effort.

Succulents of all shapes and shades of yellow-green Succulents of all shapes and shades of yellow-green

The landscapes really turned out to be just like on the postcards

A woman in a blue jacket stands by a wooden fence on a path overlooking the sunny sea, a sandy beach, and steep cliffs covered in vegetation.

A girl with bright pink hair, sunglasses, and a patterned dress throws up a "V" sign while leaning on a wooden railing. In the background, a rocky ocean shore and tall sandy cliffs can be seen.

The limestone coast washes away easily

The limestone coast washes away easily, forming all sorts of cool holes.

For some reason, a dead rabbit is lying right on the path

For some reason, a dead rabbit is lying right on the path. Why it appeared exactly here is a mystery.

A woman with bright red hair in dark glasses, a patterned dress, and a plaid scarf stands against a sea coast with sandy cliffs and a blue sky.

I promised a bunch of photos, so here they are I promised a bunch of photos, so here they are.

Turquoise sea waters wash over tall sandy cliffs covered with sparse vegetation. A clear blue sky stretches over this coastline.

A young woman with bright pink hair in sunglasses stands on a dirt path by the edge, holding onto a wooden fence and looking into the distance. In the background, a rocky cliff and green trees can be seen under a clear blue sky.

Periodically, the path pops out into civilized spots where you can grab a bite and wet your whistle. A tall glass of cold light beer with white foam, covered in condensation drops, sits on a dark table of an outdoor cafe on a sunny day.

The foam and spray on the beach are a solid ten! The foam and spray on the beach are a solid ten!

A tropical plant with long yellow-green leaves radiating in a star shape from the center, with brownish edges and a tangle of dry branches amid the surrounding vegetation.

Let's go into the dungeon! Let's go into the dungeon!

It's freaking awesome here! It's freaking awesome here!

You can't not take an ironic photo

A man with outstretched arms and his head tilted back stands on a sandy beach. Behind him is the turquoise sea with waves, an orange rocky shore on the left, and a lone cliff in the water on the right.

A hand from above points to a sandy beach below, surrounded by light-colored cliffs, with the turquoise sea and crashing waves; people can be seen on the beach. In the background, green hills stretch out with a winding dirt road.

A smiling man with a beard and dreadlocks takes a selfie against the backdrop of a picturesque sea coast with rocky cliffs on a sunny day. He is wearing a gray t-shirt, and backpack straps are visible on his shoulders.

I might've wanted to write you something interesting, but I went to bed at six in the morning yesterday because of insomnia, and I only have enough juice left for photo captions.

A close-up of a bright pink flower with a yellow center among lush green leaves. In the background, other similar flowers and leaves with reddish edges can be seen.

A view from the back of a person with bright red hair looking at the sparkling sea and a tall rocky cliff in the distance.

The plants look a bit like aliens The plants look a bit like aliens

Do you see these huge "pines"? Do you see these huge "pines"? Funnily enough, that's an agave flower. It gathers its strength for one of these for about 5-7 years, and then, after blooming, usually dies.

The flower is like a real tree The flower is like a real tree.

A variegated agave bush with green leaves that have a yellow border and prickly edges grows on a rocky slope among large stones. In the background, green shrubby vegetation and dry grass can be seen.

They grow right out of the rocks They grow right out of the rocks

Reminds me of resting in the shade of a sprawling cranberry tree

Sometimes you come across massive sinkholes, but taking a good photo of them is not that simple

Sometimes you come across massive sinkholes, but taking a good photo of them is not that simple.

Just a moment ago she was calling me to the dungeon, and now she's dragging me into the woods Just a moment ago she was calling me to the dungeon, and now she's dragging me into the woods

It's interesting to see how the picnic areas are set up around here It's interesting to see how the picnic areas are set up around here.

The main takeaway is that all the tables are deep in the shade of the trees, so there's somewhere to hide from the blistering heat in the summer.

Sunset is already creeping up By the way, I'm still totally hooked on the rapper ATL and his partners in crime.

The track "Zakat" (Sunset) came to mind just in time.

A deep rounded karst sinkhole in a limestone cliff, overgrown with sparse green bushes. Sunlight falls on the rocky slopes of the funnel going down into the dark depths.

Anita and I walked for about three hours and change. When we reached the final point, it turned out the girls were still far behind, so we went down to the beach to admire the sunset. Like a true gentlehomo, I couldn't help but buy the lady a cocktail, even if it was 5 euros. The cocktail was Brazilian, their national one—a caipirinha. With cane sugar moonshine, lime, and so much ice that the other ingredients were barely visible.

Sipping the cocktail, we lazily watched the waves and the sunset. I rarely get this feeling anymore—the pleasant fatigue from physical activity in the fresh air—which is a pity.

Piling into the Black Jeep, we set off to get some dinner. It was a long drive home, so, arming ourselves with TripAdvisor, we found a nearby pizzeria called "O Forno do Fraser".

A panoramic night view of an illuminated coastal village on top of a cliff. Below it, a sandy beach and the dark sea with reflections of lights are visible.

I don't have a photo, but the pizzeria turned out to be really cool: the owner told us how he makes the dough and the Piri-Piri sauce himself. This sauce is native to Portugal and is made from the eponymous pepper (African Devil), lemon, and spices. Funnily enough, Piri-piri translates as "pepper-pepper" in Swahili. Where the right pepper is hard to get (and it's not easy to grow), as is usually the case, they substitute it with whatever was lying around nearby.

Funny that the whole species of hot red peppers (chili), just like the tea bush (Caméllia sinénsis), is called Chinese in Latin (Capsicum chinense). In the case of the pepper, it grows in Africa. Tea, as you know, is mostly known in our parts as coming from India. All of this is thanks to imperialism and colonialism—British in one case, Portuguese in the other.

The pizzas were very tasty, the crust was toasty and crispy. Even though we ordered without the sauce, he brought some to try anyway—for Anita, because she's a foodie. Perhaps, as a well-known libtard and Gayropean, I should write 'gourmande', but I can't quite bring myself to do it yet.

Lastly, if that's still not enough for you, here are some of Vika's photos. Both her skills and her camera are much more serious, so I just don't have the strength to hide them.

A panoramic view of picturesque orange cliffs framing the turquoise sea with an isolated cliff and a clear sky where birds are flying.

A young lupine bush with fan-shaped green leaves grows on sandy soil by the edge of the path next to short grass and shrubs.

Three striped cats are hanging out outside: two are on a massive wooden table, one of which is sleeping, and the third is peeking out from under a nearby table on the sandy ground.

A large flock of white sheep and a brown goat are grazing on a green meadow overgrown with shrubs. In the background, trees can be seen under a blue sky with clouds, and a white bird is flying.

A sculptural composition of human figures made of stone, set on platforms in a shallow pool in a city square. In the background, residential buildings with tiled roofs, trees, and a partly cloudy sky are visible.

On a tall brick chimney, there is a large nest with two white storks, towering over the tiled roofs against the backdrop of a blue sky with a few clouds.

To contents Ctrl + ↑