Cabo da Roca, Portugal

 

Cabo da Roca, or Cape Roca, is part of the Sintra Mountain Range in Portugal and the westernmost point of continental Europe. The landscape is lonely and pretty rough and even way into the 14th century people considered the rocky, windswept cliffs to be the edge of the world. A fact that even today is easy to understand with only the lighthouse, a café and small souvenir shop being the only buildings. The real beauty is the raw nature of the rugged, barren landscape. 

The lighthouse, located on a rock 165 meters (541 ft)  above the sea started operating in 1772 and is currently the second oldest in Portugal.

In its vicinity, there is the monument, marking this spot as the most western of Europe, with an inscription in rememberance of  Louis de Camoes, the country's most renowned poet:

"Where the earth ends and the sea begins. Where Apollo settles into the ocean"

I had the privilege of standing at this point, many years ago, looking out onto the undescribable beauty and the imensity of the Atlantic Ocean, enjoying unforgettable moments of joy and experiencing a tiny bit of eternity.

Thank you very much Isabel, for this beautiful card and for bringing back these memories !!