As I walked through the gateway, I felt as if I had been transported into another time and place. Huge banks of intricately sculptured sand loomed over me, as I wandered through the pathways, absorbing the magical atmosphere.

Located near the small and rather unassuming town of Pera in the Algarve, FIESA is the world´s biggest sand sculpture exhibition, created by 40 world famous sculptures. I had always assumed that sand sculptures were no bigger than large sand castles and so I was amazed to see mountains of sand, beautifully crafted into life like figures, animals and landscapes.

This incredible artwork led me on a journey across the globe and back through time. I saw the dancers of the Moulin Rouge posing provocatively under the Eifel Tower, the scene of the Last Supper, the towering figure of an aboriginal amongst a herd of kangaroos, the plains of Africa, the skyline of New York and the temples of Egypt to name but a few. The detail in the sculptures was breath taking and their sheer size made them even more impressive.

I watched a Brazilian sculptor at work, as he carefully chiseled away at a large block of sand, realizing how much pain staking work must go into these wonderful creations. The following day, the usual blue skies of the Algarve turned dark and ominous and my thoughts turned to the ephemeral nature of this magical city of sand, hoping it would not be washed away forever.