Algavi, Portugal: Things at the ends of the earth.

Opportunities are always good. I never thought that I would stay in Portugal, a strange country where I first arrived, for more than two years. Alentejo area in south-central China is full of endless field ups and downs. It has the largest area of Quercus variabilis forest in the world, and Quercus variabilis forest is an important supplier of wine corks around the world. Under the oak trees in the fields, you will always see black pigs naturally raised in Iberian Peninsula, pacing and looking for wild acorns.

At first, I lived in a small town called Ourique, and later moved to Faro, Alcoutim, near Faro in the south. Public transportation is extremely inconvenient, and rural life has spread out my daily life that I have never had before. The quiet day by day is very slow, and the month I look back is as fast as flies. Lisbon, Porto, Cape Roca, egg tarts, yellow trams ... these are the key words when Portugal was still a distant country, and you can live here for a long time. In the private map, Portugal is a blue coastline with different shades strung by beaches dotted in the southwest corner of the European continent, surrounding the ends of the earth along the coast of Algavi, the southernmost region of Portugal.

The ocean is really of great significance to this country, half of which is coastline. Five hundred years ago, it was here that human beings bid farewell to the land in an organized and planned way, sailed for the mysterious and vast sea, and began to explore the world map. For modern people living in Portugal, the ocean has become a gift in ordinary life. It reminds you of your smallness with vastness, lights up your nervousness with all kinds of blue, and satisfies your appetite with rough and fresh food.

On weekends, we often set off near noon on Sunday, and the way to choose a destination becomes very casual-dragging Google Maps directly to the cape where a lighthouse is located at the junction of the North Atlantic and this continent, eliminating the experience shared by travelers on the Internet, and there will always be unexpected stories about the wonderful sky and sea in half a day, as well as such diverse colors that can only be perceived after entering nature.

Lighthouse in Southwest Europe (Xu Qi/Map)

Speaking of it, Camilo Beach and nearby Ponta da Piedade are the first places we have been to for more than two years. We drove all the way from Portimao's harsh silver-blue color at noon in winter to the south coast of Lagos, a small town, and thus began our exploration of Algavi.

Compared with the lazy blue coast of France and Italy, the coast of Algavi in southern Portugal is a holiday destination in the eyes of a group of lonely Europeans. There are more than 3000 hours of sunshine here a year, and the beaches in summer are always crowded with naked people. The summer vacation has passed, the weather has turned cold, and Algavi has returned to its true colors. For me, carmelo Beach and Cape Peddad in winter are places with healing functions, much like the distant hometown and vast past imagined by Portuguese poet femando pessoa in his writings. Listening to the wind, sitting on a cliff and watching the sun sink a little bit, the full moon turned the Black Sea into white, which was a great calm recorded by Hiroshi Sugimoto.

There are also lazy and elegant tourists on the beach. (Xu Qi/photo)

Standing on the cliff of Kemiro Beach, when the last ray of sunshine on the reef faded, the tiny peaks scattered on the calm sea made me feel the Zen of the western world for the first time, as if I had returned to Long 'an Temple in Kyoto in the rainy season and sat in front of the stone court for a long time and looked at the mysterious dry landscape in front of me.

The beaches in Algavi are very friendly. You can reach the seaside by walking down the wooden steps from the cliff. The tides rise and fall, and different beaches will be swallowed up in one day. Benthic fossils deposited on rocks, barnacles found a stone and never walked again. They lived for thousands of years, leaving a dense round mouth like a reef pore. Through the "tunnel" of the reef wall, you can stroll on the small beach in the rock bay next door. There are several small reefs, which seem to come from different spaces. At low tide, you can also get into the mini cave and enjoy the changes in the sky outlined by the natural opening at the top of the cave.

Cape Peddad, adjacent to Camiro Beach, is the hometown of Yu Dacheng, a strange mountain peak and rock. Surrounded by the sea on three sides, it is the best place to enjoy the sunrise and sunset. In the evening, travelers who snuggle up to each other in the zero-degree constellation formed by natural protrusions on the cliff and enjoy the sunset are the scenery here. In May, just after six o'clock in the morning, I wrapped a beach towel in a nearby hotel to watch the sunrise. The fresh light pink that gradually changes from blue in the morning is completely different from the affectionate pink that changes from orange in the evening, just like peony and rose stained with morning dew.

There were only two of us on the cliff that day, until we walked to the cramped reef at the foot of the mountain and met some photographers from all over the world. These photographers who have traveled around the world and visited various bays and beaches are excited about this unknown corner of the North Atlantic. They praised the savage temperament of the Portuguese sea, which was far more ingenious than the famous Australian Ocean Road "Twelve Disciples". In the early morning, the sun shone its first rays from the "arch" in front of us. Soon, the gentle waves will cover the rocks around us with layers of gold, explaining what "the sanctity of nature" means.

Kemilo Beach (Xu Qi/Map)

There are at least seven or eight weekend excursions in this area. Beyond the mountains and seas, there is another reason to come to Camelot Beach-Camelot Cliff Restaurant o Camilo. Unlike most restaurants in rural Portugal, which are family-style and old-fashioned, O Camilo is young and full of vitality, and its environment is elegant and modern. Whether on the terrace overlooking the coast or indoors surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass, being in an island resort hotel is a kind of relaxation, and the cold of the North Atlantic has become a ramble on the Mediterranean side. The unique O Camilo focuses on traditional Algavi dishes, and the freezer that greets you at the door is the symbol of the restaurant. The fresh marine fish caught that day are displayed here, and Iberian red shrimp, oysters, barnacles, golden snapper and so on exude sexy brilliance. We often spend a little time trying to choose which fish is beautiful. Tapas platter, an appetizer full of inspiration and creativity, is different every time. Homemade seafood stew, roasted mushrooms, chicken liver sauce and fish sauce are always surprises. For dessert, every time I go to the restaurant, I go to see the transparent freezer and ask the familiar waiter to keep the cheese lemon tower in case it is sold out. The price of such a high-quality restaurant is very friendly, and the Iberian-style Tibetan wine is also unique and cost-effective.

Saldang pt (Cabo Sard? O) A black cliff at the end of the land needs to cross the romantic football field under the sky. The last visit was at eight o'clock on midsummer night. After the fierce waves of the North Atlantic rushed to the rocks, the air of the whole world was full of water vapor. In this dusk, the light is a bit like smoke. The sunset finally turned into pink feathers and disappeared at the end of the horizon.

This is a landmark in the popular hiking route "Fisherman's Road" in southwest Portugal. At present, the jagged cliffs form the outline of the European continent, which is endless and full of wild flowers. In March, this cliff is always covered with rain. The waves are light blue, condensed into a striking force in the strong wind, crashed into the cliff engraved with black stripes, and cast white water mist, leaving a trembling echo between heaven and earth. Seabirds slide on the cliff with the wind and fly effortlessly. The line of sight followed the track of a snow stork and found its nest on the top of a sharp rock wall. Two pairs of snow-white wings stand side by side, guarding such a home at the ends of the earth, watching the huge waves roll, the sun rise and set, and the sky disappear. It's really romantic and magnificent.

Stork Nest on the Cliff (Xu Qi/Photo)

Returning in early summer, the stork's nest is a different scene. There is only one on tiptoe, but if you look closely, there are three or two young birds at its feet. The more it rains, the more wings the mother stork will spread to protect her children. She fell in love three months ago and became a mother. Sometimes she looks far away, perhaps just waiting for her partner to feed and return.

But if we use a sense to recall this sea, it is not visual, but an indescribable smell. Along the way, succulents along the coast spread wantonly, with pink and yellow flowers dotted in a large area of dark green and drenched by rain, just like when I was a child, the smell of soap in the room woke up from the depths of the soil and floated in the air after taking a bath in summer. On a sunny day, this familiar fragrance, which is thicker than flowers, gradually began to diffuse after sunset, as if flowers and plants were breathing deeply after intense photosynthesis.

One afternoon at the end of May, we walked along the mountain road on the cliff. Stop at the end of the road in front of the dusty bike in front of the tent. Then, I met a man who seemed to come from the depths of nature. He was naked and vaguely smelled seaweed on his body. We started chatting. "I slept here last night. In a tent, I couldn't see anything, but I could hear the tides in the depths of the sea so clearly at night. Such as the frequency of the radio. Regular and quiet. " His wet face sparkled. I guess he must have looked up last night when the moon was not dazzling, which was closely related to the stars all over the sky. There must be many other animal-like superpowers in his thin and naked body lines like Renaissance sculptures.

"I don't like to wear clothes! People are born. Even in winter, exercise can warm the body. For example, I live here these two days and can swim at any time. " He is really not afraid of the cold. When the rain comes, he hugs it. And his body is dense, as if wrapped in fur produced by himself, with two beautiful shells collected from the ocean and rocks hanging on his chest.

Wanderer (Xu Qi/map)

The bike carries his family. I pointed to the lovely cushion. "This is from my parents' sheep, which can be useful. Especially in summer, after the direct sunlight, my cushion never gets hot. "We chatted happily for a long time. He told us that in addition to architecture, he is also a musician. " What instrument do you play? "

He walked to the front of the bike, took off the long wooden tube and moved it to his mouth. Very low music, as his hard body stretched out, slowly spread out, and the sound echoed with the sound of the tide.

After meeting homeless people, I also saw more possibilities of life. I always like chatting with them, listening to stories full of stories and telling me a little auspicious feathers. They bid farewell to prosperity only to return to primitive nature and grow together with the world.

Nuhai (Xu Qi/Map)

When I first arrived in Portugal, I first saw this strange-looking and even scary shellfish-Goose-necked barnacles (local language: Percy, known as "ghost claw snail" in China) in a seafood shop in Lisbon. It's like a bunch of sharp claws gathered on a plate. Look carefully, the sharp "fingers" are filled with bright red traces like blood. The edible part is hidden in the "neck" of the softest rainproof canvas with a texture of about two or three cents. When you twist your fingers, the fresh and salty sea water will always splash all over your face, revealing a crystal-clear and elastic body. How does it taste? It's like eating a sexy sea

"Ghost Claw Snail" Goose Neck Barnacle (Xu Qi/photo)

The edible "neck" of goose neck barnacles (Xu Qi/Figure)

Even in countries rich in seafood, gooseneck barnacles are still a delicacy in dishes. After careful investigation, Vera Daubisse's output is the best in Portugal. Driven by greed and curiosity, we deliberately went to this seaside town in the southwest corner of the European continent.

This is a veritable town! Narrow alleys run through white houses with high and low levels, and you can walk to the central area in less than 20 minutes. I found a small restaurant with high evaluation on Google Maps, Ribeira do Po? O, it later became the reason why we drove here for two hours a month.

This restaurant, which has been in business for more than 20 years, has harvested diners from afar with fresh seafood and perfect local cooking methods, especially in small towns. The refrigerator at the door displays the seafood served that day, black hairtail, oysters, my favorite jewel-like shells, all kinds of clams, and of course, the gooseneck barnacles that are called "ghost feet from hell" by the locals every time. Even in the country of origin, this precious seafood costs 45 euros/kg. The reason is, of course, because it needs to climb over the cliff and fight the waves. Today, only a dozen people in the town are qualified to engage in this most dangerous offshore fishing work.

Gemstone-like hat shell (Xu Qi/Figure)

As a rare local customer in China, we are familiar with the enthusiastic restaurant staff after several visits. The old waiter called our neighbor, Barnacle Hunter Paul balata, to see us. Balata's career with the sea has gone through more than 30 years since he started fishing with his father at the age of fifteen. The rough waves shaped his broad and hard back and rock-like courage. Drinking the glass of wine we handed him, he smiled, and his dark face flashed with eyes. Balata told me that this crustacean grows on a rock 80 meters below the cliff. After the hunters climb to the fishing area with their bare hands, they need to avoid the violent attack of the waves at any time and chisel off rows of sharp "ghost feet" from the thick rocks. Barnacles are seasonal seafood, and he works almost every day except on particularly stormy days. Balata shared with me the videos he occasionally recorded at work in the morning. Sometimes the waves are huge, and sometimes the rainbows after the rain are like magnificent and dangerous epic dramas. Obviously, he deeply loves this insidious nature. "He will do this job like his father until he can't move." He said that close contact and fighting with the sea is an indispensable time in his daily life.

It is only10km away from the center of Bishop Town in Cape Saint Vincent (Cabo? Oviente), stands the southernmost lighthouse on the European continent. Compared with the well-known Cape Rocca, this canyon that covers the sea and makes people unable to move forward and turn back is more extreme. The mark on the map is: Sagres, the end of the world.

Since ancient times, it has been the main route for ships to enter and leave the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, and the European coastal highway E9 has also come to an end here. On the way to the destination, there is also a stall called "The Last Sausage Before Arriving in America", whose name is German. Yes, if the earth is flat and the line of sight crosses the ocean in front of us, it will be America.

Sausage Shop (Xu Qi/Map)

The cliff was steep at 90 degrees. On the way from the mountain road to the seaside, people with surfboards and smelling the North Atlantic came face to face. On a sunny April day, the vast sea is magnificent and it is a paradise for surfers. They walked into the deeper and deeper blue alone, standing on the stormy waves like mountain peaks again and again, and because their bodies could not be distorted by the fierce power of nature, they were swallowed up by the thick white waves that churned over and over again, but they enjoyed it, just to enjoy a "flight" in which their bodies, waves and waves merged in a short moment.

At dusk in late July, the light was ambiguous and warm, clouds chased each other, and huge waves hit the cliff. The sea is heavy, like lead when silent, and becomes mercury when provoked. The wrinkles on the sea are scattered little by little, which is the visible shadow left by the invisible wind. The sun sank a little in the ever-changing sky light, became huge and suddenly fell into the ocean. People unanimously applauded and cheered for this wonderful Haitian performance. The Englishman on the side told me that this is a magical place considered by ancient Greece and Rome, and the sunset is bigger than anywhere else in the world. The sun sinks into the ocean here, which means that it has fallen to the end of the world.

Uncle Sichuan and Chongqing who travels across continents in an RV (Xu Qi/Photo)

In February 2020, before the extraordinary spring came, Europe was still in a peaceful atmosphere. People from afar, together with the cats here, enjoy the sunshine and warm wind of the North Atlantic coastline in late winter at the coordinates at the end of this world.

On the way to leave, the large RV with the license plate "Chuan A" on the open space next to Saint Vincent Lighthouse really surprised people. In a pile of European Union-licensed station wagons, there is a food storage cabinet with aluminum alloy behind it, which is the size of a White House. We were a little surprised to meet a rare China here at the ends of the earth. I asked them curiously how they drove all the way here. "rectified, actually road trip visa is not very strict, we also drove this guy to Morocco. I stayed in Africa for 20 days, slowly, unhurriedly. Then return to Europe, from Spain to Portugal. " A car full of four or five uncles and aunts from Sichuan and Chongqing who can hardly speak English bravely reached the end of the world with navigation. Don't be afraid if you can't get used to foreigners' food. It would be nice to have enough dried peppers, oil, salt, sauce and vinegar. Just make a fire, fry rice, cook vegetables and stew soup. Even though the mountains are high and the water is long, there is mala Tang every day, and China people can live in peace wherever they go.

Lonely and warm travelers at the ends of the earth (Xu Qi/Photo)

On the cliff in Cape Saint Vincent, there are always several RV parked in neighboring countries. At the moment when the moon rises, the sky and the sea will become a blue curtain of affection, and their flowing white home will become a candle in the field of vision, lonely and warm. This long and carefree journey is a poetic ceremony for many Europeans in their later years. When resting in the car, they often sit by the window and drink coffee. They look gloomy and don't talk. They just look at the ocean and the sky not far away. The world in the RV is very simple and readily available. There are fresh wild flowers in the glass bottle on the small shelf, old folk songs of john denver are sung in the small old speaker, and two bicycles are tied to the car body to facilitate another kind of hiking. The sunrise and sunset sky is projected on the window glass, becoming a constantly changing human painting.

For travelers, sunrise and sunset are a poetic ceremony. (Xu Qi/photo)

These weather-beaten and innocent people are the most beautiful scenery at the end of the world.

Xu Qi