07 March 2013

Coexistence of men and mountains

I would be a very unhappy person if Madeira was a flat island. Thankfully, in such a small geographic area, Madeira is shaped by an aggressive orography, probably the highest responsible for its many natural attributes.
However, making a living in such a violent landscape is far from easy to its inhabitants. The land is prone to mudslides in Winter time and traveling on certain roads during the rainy season is, by itself, an adventure.
But when you travel by these secondary roads on a quiet and nearly-Spring day, with a new surprise every time you turn or surpass a ridge, you cannot stop to be amazed of how adaptable the human spirit can be.
Every evening time, when I remember the postcard-like landscapes that I've seen during the day, I'm always glad to be presently living in such a beautiful place.
Civil construction in Madeira is, in itself, an adventure. A tale of conquest. Of men vanquishing (adapting to?) the natural reality surrounding them. Here, a square meter of ground is important. And it has to be used properly. Either to build a public road or a family house. But, in the end, this philosophy also adds to Madeira's particular atmosphere. And enchantment. Like these houses, near Faial, with a privileged view over the Central Massif.
Picture taken with Nikon Coolpix P7100 and post-processed in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, ver. 4.1.

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