Madeira · Fog in the Middle of the Sea

Madeira is a volcanic island in the Atlantic, and from the sea it looks like a mass of rock floating on fog; the hills have a sea of cloud all year, and the laurel forest on the heights grows moss and lichen in the damp.

The island has water channels and mountain paths: narrow levadas run along the cliffs, and those who walk them must press themselves to the rock face. The people who built the channels left no names; only the channels still carry water.

Islanders say the fog in the hills will guide you — it covers the road ahead and leaves only the step under your feet. Walk the paths you know, and do not overtake.

Natural Mysteries / Madeira · Portugal / Time immemorial