The weather has turned in Madeira. It is still warm but yesterday for large chunks of the day it was pouring rain and up in the mountains not a thing could be seen for clouds and the wind blew so hard the driver turned back rather than go to the top. We went back down to the coast where it was milder and even sunny in some places.

Madeira is certainly an odd place for while the sun was blazing upon us at Sao Lourenco, we could see Funchal was covered in black clouds and it was pelting down. A similar thing happened on the trip to the West side of the island, it was raining and almost zero visibility in the mountains and absolutely sunny down on the coast. So many different micro-climates. I was lucky on Sunday and even though it was raining in Funchal, the villages to the east where we were doing the levada walk was overcast but dry and we finished the walk dry.

Unfortunately last night the rain really set in. It was absolutely torrential for most of the night and you could see the landslips caused by the deluge this morning on the roads. It was dry but overcast this morning but the wind was still rather fierce, the clouds scudding across the sky and the sea was rough so none of the ships were going to sail, so unfortunately I missed out on my chance to go on the Santa Maria. I visited the Museum of Sacred Art in the morning and went up to Monte on the telepherique in the afternon. The ascent wasn’t too bad but the return trip when the wind had strengthened was a hair-raising experience, hanging suspended hundreds of metres above these ravines, the gondola rocking with the wind and for a brief moment it stopped moving all together. The gardens of Monte were pretty and I did see the old toboggans that used to transport people and goods down the mountains in the old days as well as visiting the chapel at Monte where the last Hapsburg Emperor of Austria was buried and was surprised to read he had been made a saint by John Paul II. What did he do to deserve that? All I could see was that he fled Europe after WWI and died in Madeira of tuberculosis. JPII must have been desperate to create saints to replace those that had been discredited.

Back to England for a day or two tomorrow morning and then to Mauritius.

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1591

The weather has turned in Madeira. It is still warm but yesterday for large chunks of the day it was pouring rain and up in the mountains not a thing could be seen for clouds and the wind blew so hard the driver turned back rather than go to the top. We went back down to the coast where it was milder and even sunny in some places.

Madeira is certainly an odd place for while the sun was blazing upon us at Sao Lourenco, we could see Funchal was covered in black clouds and it was pelting down. A similar thing happened on the trip to the West side of the island, it was raining and almost zero visibility in the mountains and absolutely sunny down on the coast. So many different micro-climates. I was lucky on Sunday and even though it was raining in Funchal, the villages to the east where we were doing the levada walk was overcast but dry and we finished the walk dry.

Unfortunately last night the rain really set in. It was absolutely torrential for most of the night and you could see the landslips caused by the deluge this morning on the roads. It was dry but overcast this morning but the wind was still rather fierce, the clouds scudding across the sky and the sea was rough so none of the ships were going to sail, so unfortunately I missed out on my chance to go on the Santa Maria. I visited the Museum of Sacred Art in the morning and went up to Monte on the telepherique in the afternon. The ascent wasn’t too bad but the return trip when the wind had strengthened was a hair-raising experience, hanging suspended hundreds of metres above these ravines, the gondola rocking with the wind and for a brief moment it stopped moving all together. The gardens of Monte were pretty and I did see the old toboggans that used to transport people and goods down the mountains in the old days as well as visiting the chapel at Monte where the last Hapsburg Emperor of Austria was buried and was surprised to read he had been made a saint by John Paul II. What did he do to deserve that? All I could see was that he fled Europe after WWI and died in Madeira of tuberculosis. JPII must have been desperate to create saints to replace those that had been discredited.

Back to England for a day or two tomorrow morning and then to Mauritius.

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More Madeira

I’ve had a few days in Madeira now and it is a very relaxed, pleasant place. The first day or so was spent just wandering around Funchal while yesterday I went on a tour to the west part of the island and to the northern side as well. If I thought the hillsides of Funchal were steep, the ravines and mountains and towering cliffs on the coast were simply breathtaking. In the end I bought a few postcards because I don’t think the photos I took would do the scenery justice.

Today after visiting Santa Clara Convent in the morning, in the afternoon I took a trip up to the place called Curral das Freiras (“Nun’s Refuge”) a valley not that far from Funchal but because the steepness of the mountains between it and the coast it seems so much more distant. It was named this because in 1566 they evacuated the nuns of the Santa Clara convent here when a French pirate and his crew raided the island.

I’ve sipped the local firewater at one of the few remaining sugar mills working on the island – it’s lethal stuff and today sipped some liqueurs based on chestnuts and eucalyptus. The last pretty medicinal tasting and a lurid green colour – perfect for getting koalas drunk but could only be recommended for external application for humans.

Tomorrow I hope to do a short and easy levada walk and the next day I’m off the see the eastern part of Madeira and on Tuesday hopefully, if the weather is good a cruise on a replica of the Santa Maria.

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More Madeira

I’ve had a few days in Madeira now and it is a very relaxed, pleasant place. The first day or so was spent just wandering around Funchal while yesterday I went on a tour to the west part of the island and to the northern side as well. If I thought the hillsides of Funchal were steep, the ravines and mountains and towering cliffs on the coast were simply breathtaking. In the end I bought a few postcards because I don’t think the photos I took would do the scenery justice.

Today after visiting Santa Clara Convent in the morning, in the afternoon I took a trip up to the place called Curral das Freiras (“Nun’s Refuge”) a valley not that far from Funchal but because the steepness of the mountains between it and the coast it seems so much more distant. It was named this because in 1566 they evacuated the nuns of the Santa Clara convent here when a French pirate and his crew raided the island.

I’ve sipped the local firewater at one of the few remaining sugar mills working on the island – it’s lethal stuff and today sipped some liqueurs based on chestnuts and eucalyptus. The last pretty medicinal tasting and a lurid green colour – perfect for getting koalas drunk but could only be recommended for external application for humans.

Tomorrow I hope to do a short and easy levada walk and the next day I’m off the see the eastern part of Madeira and on Tuesday hopefully, if the weather is good a cruise on a replica of the Santa Maria.

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Flowery Madeira

It seems that every type of plant from around the world has made its way to Madeira and all flourish in the sunny, warm climate. Last night while walking back to my hotel I was surrounded by the scent of flowers. I took the bus up to the Botanic Gardens this morning, winding up and up. Madeira is a vertical city, the houses all strung up the mountain sides, creeping up the ravines. Lovely views from up there down on the city. There is also an exotic birds enclosure. Maturin would have enjoyed them but I doubt he would like the rather confined cages that most of the birds were in.

Came down to the port and went for a walk along the port and climbed what looked like the only remaining remnant of the old port, Fort San Jose for a view of the coast where you can’t walk because the hotels have bought up all the land, so there is no public access. The QE2 was alongside the mole this morning and discharging hundreds of day trippers into the city. I visited the Mercadore dos Lavradores and the cathedral this afternoon, quite an impressive wooden ceiling, one of the finest examples of knotwork in Portugal supposedly.

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Flowery Madeira

It seems that every type of plant from around the world has made its way to Madeira and all flourish in the sunny, warm climate. Last night while walking back to my hotel I was surrounded by the scent of flowers. I took the bus up to the Botanic Gardens this morning, winding up and up. Madeira is a vertical city, the houses all strung up the mountain sides, creeping up the ravines. Lovely views from up there down on the city. There is also an exotic birds enclosure. Maturin would have enjoyed them but I doubt he would like the rather confined cages that most of the birds were in.

Came down to the port and went for a walk along the port and climbed what looked like the only remaining remnant of the old port, Fort San Jose for a view of the coast where you can’t walk because the hotels have bought up all the land, so there is no public access. The QE2 was alongside the mole this morning and discharging hundreds of day trippers into the city. I visited the Mercadore dos Lavradores and the cathedral this afternoon, quite an impressive wooden ceiling, one of the finest examples of knotwork in Portugal supposedly.

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From Madeira

I got to sunny and sea breezy Funchal this morning after 3 or 4 days of mostly gloom in Cornwall, Plymouth and Dartmouth. The days started clear and then the fog and clouds rolled in just after 8 AM and only reappeared after 4 PM. Seemed like the weather in Labrador when the only fog free photos could be taken was at 3 AM, just after the sun rises in June, not that it really sets there. It just goes to twilight for a few hours.

The mist and lowering clouds could be deemed moody and atmospheric I suppose. *g* Dartmouth was a pleasant little town with the Naval College towering over it. I took a taxi driver’s advice and took the bus from Plymouth and was totally pissed off when the so called scenery could not be viewed at all because the hedges along the road were so high. The bus took two hours just to cut across to Dartmouth from Plymouth, mainly because the speed limit on most of the road was 20 mph which was understandable considering the narrowness of the road and its windiness. Due to lack of time and it being a Sunday and limited nos of buses to get back to Plymouth I only had time to walk around the waterfront and the main street (and of course yet again the museum was closed) and to take a cruise around Dartmouth Harbour. I didn’t have time to get out to the castle. I didn’t know that all of the maritime scenes on that old series, The Onedin Line were filmed there as well as scenes from The French Lieutenant’s Woman and Agatha Christie’s House overlooks Dartmouth Harbour. It is now owned by the National Trust and is being renovated.

Dorchester, what little I saw of it, due to British Rail extending a train journey of four and a half hours to six and a half hours. The train broke down at Exeter so they brought another set of carriages but we were so delayed there and further along the line that my connecting train was moving out of the station as we pulled in. I could have waited for three hours on cold and gloomy Westbury station for the connection that would take me through the heart of Jack Aubrey Dorset countryside (according to mine and esteven‘s calculations) or get the train down to Southampton and get to Dorchester along the coast. The prospect of waiting on a cold and miserable platform in Westbury did not appeal so I took the warmer option and arrived just after 4 PM in Dorchester, too late to do very much. I had a quick walk around Dorchester the following morning and visited the Dorset County Museum which has archaelogical relics from Maiden Castle and around Dorchester and the fossils from the coast as well as a presentation on Thomas Hardy and general historical pieces and odd bits and pieces collected over the years from the 19th Century.

I got to Gatwick airport and checked into the hotel so I could get to check in at 5 AM the next morning. The passengers turned up as requested but the bloody British Airways check in staff took their time. There was a queue a mile long and an elderly lady at the front of the line fainted after standing for so long. Eveyone in the queue could see the check in staff behind and above the counter sipping coffee and water and chatting. They obviously didn’t think it was worth their time to start actual work at 5 AM, so why did they ask us to be there. The flight was fine and have been bustling around arranging tours out to all the places around the island, East and West as well as a Levada walk (the easiest least strenuous one mind). I’ll spend the day in Funchal tomorrow seeing all the sights here and perhaps book a trip across to Porto Santo.

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From Madeira

I got to sunny and sea breezy Funchal this morning after 3 or 4 days of mostly gloom in Cornwall, Plymouth and Dartmouth. The days started clear and then the fog and clouds rolled in just after 8 AM and only reappeared after 4 PM. Seemed like the weather in Labrador when the only fog free photos could be taken was at 3 AM, just after the sun rises in June, not that it really sets there. It just goes to twilight for a few hours.

The mist and lowering clouds could be deemed moody and atmospheric I suppose. *g* Dartmouth was a pleasant little town with the Naval College towering over it. I took a taxi driver’s advice and took the bus from Plymouth and was totally pissed off when the so called scenery could not be viewed at all because the hedges along the road were so high. The bus took two hours just to cut across to Dartmouth from Plymouth, mainly because the speed limit on most of the road was 20 mph which was understandable considering the narrowness of the road and its windiness. Due to lack of time and it being a Sunday and limited nos of buses to get back to Plymouth I only had time to walk around the waterfront and the main street (and of course yet again the museum was closed) and to take a cruise around Dartmouth Harbour. I didn’t have time to get out to the castle. I didn’t know that all of the maritime scenes on that old series, The Onedin Line were filmed there as well as scenes from The French Lieutenant’s Woman and Agatha Christie’s House overlooks Dartmouth Harbour. It is now owned by the National Trust and is being renovated.

Dorchester, what little I saw of it, due to British Rail extending a train journey of four and a half hours to six and a half hours. The train broke down at Exeter so they brought another set of carriages but we were so delayed there and further along the line that my connecting train was moving out of the station as we pulled in. I could have waited for three hours on cold and gloomy Westbury station for the connection that would take me through the heart of Jack Aubrey Dorset countryside (according to mine and ‘s calculations) or get the train down to Southampton and get to Dorchester along the coast. The prospect of waiting on a cold and miserable platform in Westbury did not appeal so I took the warmer option and arrived just after 4 PM in Dorchester, too late to do very much. I had a quick walk around Dorchester the following morning and visited the Dorset County Museum which has archaelogical relics from Maiden Castle and around Dorchester and the fossils from the coast as well as a presentation on Thomas Hardy and general historical pieces and odd bits and pieces collected over the years from the 19th Century.

I got to Gatwick airport and checked into the hotel so I could get to check in at 5 AM the next morning. The passengers turned up as requested but the bloody British Airways check in staff took their time. There was a queue a mile long and an elderly lady at the front of the line fainted after standing for so long. Eveyone in the queue could see the check in staff behind and above the counter sipping coffee and water and chatting. They obviously didn’t think it was worth their time to start actual work at 5 AM, so why did they ask us to be there. The flight was fine and have been bustling around arranging tours out to all the places around the island, East and West as well as a Levada walk (the easiest least strenuous one mind). I’ll spend the day in Funchal tomorrow seeing all the sights here and perhaps book a trip across to Porto Santo.

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Plymouth and Penzance

I got to Plymouth yesterday. I was prepared that it would not be very interesting historically as it was heavily bombed in WWII but it is terribly bland and the few things of historical interest were closed for the autumn/winter. Walked around the Hoe, took a few pictures and visited the Barbican area where most of the old buildings that survived are still standing and then went into the centre of town and noticed how the Guild Hall looked somewhat more church like than the church. The CBD is 1960’s mall bland and in the end visited the brand new shopping centre – named Drake’s Circus. I am sure he would have thought it was.

It has been a grey, grey day today. Went down to Penzance and walked along the coastline but didn’t bother to go to Land’s End as it was so grey and foggy, hardly worth the effort. I didn’t take one picture even of the English version of Mont St Michel, Michael’s Mount. The train ride was pleasant through the countryside, though the Cornish towns and remains of the tin mines have a brooding quality in the mist and gloom.I guess it looks different on a bright summer day.

I hope to go to Dartmouth tomorrow.

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Plymouth and Penzance

I got to Plymouth yesterday. I was prepared that it would not be very interesting historically as it was heavily bombed in WWII but it is terribly bland and the few things of historical interest were closed for the autumn/winter. Walked around the Hoe, took a few pictures and visited the Barbican area where most of the old buildings that survived are still standing and then went into the centre of town and noticed how the Guild Hall looked somewhat more church like than the church. The CBD is 1960’s mall bland and in the end visited the brand new shopping centre – named Drake’s Circus. I am sure he would have thought it was.

It has been a grey, grey day today. Went down to Penzance and walked along the coastline but didn’t bother to go to Land’s End as it was so grey and foggy, hardly worth the effort. I didn’t take one picture even of the English version of Mont St Michel, Michael’s Mount. The train ride was pleasant through the countryside, though the Cornish towns and remains of the tin mines have a brooding quality in the mist and gloom.I guess it looks different on a bright summer day.

I hope to go to Dartmouth tomorrow.

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