madeira...an island of fish, flowers and fado

Napoleon's last stop...the flower island

Well-known, not only for being the birthplace of the world's best footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, Funchal, the capital of the Portuguese island Madeira, has been an important historical stopover for explorers and revolutionists.

Located in the Atlantic Ocean off of the northwest coast of Africa, Madeira is a cluster of four little islands known for its wine, its blooms, sugar cane production, and family-oriented, hard-working fishing culture.

Funchal's amazing colours...in the market and on the streets

Mercado dos Lavradores

The Mercado dos Lavradores will entice you into its art-deco, 1930's-designed structure. Over two stories, including a huge fish hall, this market is so beautiful and interesting you will stay awhile.

Black Scabbard Fish

Along with all sorts of exotic fruit and vegetables, fish and food, there are also booths with clothing, music, and leather accessories. A little village unto itself, where locals also come to get shoes repaired, blades sharpened, or to buy lottery tickets...the mercado is full of local flair.

As often is in a cool city, the areas which were once the dangerous, poor neighbourhoods are now the 'it' places to live and visit. In Funchal, these oldest streets are now vibrant, colourful lanes filled with lively restaurants and bars...

With painted doors and murals everywhere you look.

Wandering through Funchal's oldest street, Rua de Santa Maria, which runs parallel to the ocean, there are plenty of options to experience authentic Portuguese Fado. This melancholic music, which translated means 'fate' or 'destiny' is a moody and emotional combination of voice and guitar.

Madeira is also known for its immaculate network of hiking trails. These levadas are the irrigation canals built in the 16th century to supply water to the sugar cane producers. The over 2000 kms of levadas zig-zag and serpentine through the valleys up and down the island, making a hiking holiday here just perfect.

Levadas

Some levadas are cut into hillsides or tunnelled through cliffs, but most of them offer a fairly consistent view of the wide blue ocean beyond.

Fortaleza de Sao Tiago

Camara de Lobos - A proud fishing tradition

A short bus or taxi ride away from Funchal is the gorgeous little fishing village of Camara de Lobos. Made famous by Winston Churchill who stopped at this spot (see photo below) to set up his easel, needing to paint this cove immediately, Camara de Lobos enchanted me.

In amongst the small lanes spreading out from the port there is a tiny chapel which if you're not looking for it you will most likely miss. This is where traditionally the fishermen have come to pray before heading out into the wild unknown of the sea. It is quite possibly the most beautiful chapel, next to Francis of Assisi's own, that I have ever seen.

Nossa Senhora da Conceição

 Said fishermen you will find out on the boardwalk playing cards or in the dark taverns watching TV.

I loved watching the fishermen work on their boats, or hanging out playing cards together. This craft of building and repairing these fisher boats has barely changed over the centuries. It is pure tradition...but unfortunately more and more difficult to make a living at.

Monte - Traditional Wicker Toboggan Rides

A gondola or taxi ride up from Funchal is the quaint village of Monte. Here, the villas are nestled into the  steep volcanic hillside, surrounded by banana plantations. After visiting the Monte Palace, with its late 1800's exotic gardens and waterfalls, and the cathedral, the most exciting way back down (according to Ernest Hemingway anyways) is by Carreiro-driven wicker toboggan.

These super-cool Carreiros, dressed in regulated white with wicker hat, expertly guide the sleds down  the steep 4 km roads with an average speed of 12 km/h.

The tradition began in the 1850's as an easy way for locals to get down the hill to Funchal. Now, it is a strictly-regulated tourist attraction, taking about 20 minutes...on the ride of your life.

But, before heading down to Funchal we made sure to see the exquisite pilgrimage cathedral of Our Lady of the Mountain (what a name!). Not only a visit worth because of its painted ceiling, it is also the final resting place of the last ruler of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Charles I of Austria, who died in Monte in exile.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte

Built in 1741, this church has survived earthquakes and wild fires. It is a colourful, moving experience spending moments here. The painted wooden ceiling depicts religious scenes and artistic elements making you want to look up as much as towards the altar...and Mary.

If you go:

-flying is tricky...go with Godspeed because the runway is one of the world's most, let's just say, interesting.

-take time on the island to walk the many trails, to hang out close to the fishermen and banana-growing locals

-no need to rent a car: walk or take a taxi...it is not expensive

-make sure to eat the black scabbard fish...delicious and unique...and drink wine :)

under the sea

Snorkeling Day 1: As the sea water enveloped me, I took a few panicked breaths, then did as great guy said and lowered my be-goggled head into the water. I opened my eyes and saw a whole new world in all the shades of Martha Stewart's paint line; bay leaf and sultana greens, sea glass and araucana teal, ballet slipper pink, persimmon red, cornbread and heath.

Wikipedia Commons

Floating, or more a feeling like flying, we moved our flippered feet softly forwards and backwards, over Red Sea coral reefs more than 6000 years old. It is a frenzy of peaceful activity 'down there'; a silent hive, like New York on mute, with as many citizens per square foot. Architectural wonders like wrecking ball-sized brain coral, tall skyscraper-like pillar corals, huge discus-shaped apartments three or four storeys high of mushroom coral, and garden-like lettuce coral. Not to be missed, the yellow fish, the most common fish in the Red Sea, sped to and fro reminding me of those other common yellow speedsters, but without the honking.

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Schools of zippy zebra fish heading to school; pairs of lovey racoon butterfly fish out for an afternoon date; gangs of plum-sized, jellyfish floating through us - like being attacked by bubbles; scattered needlefish, thin and long, meeting up like seniors on a street corner to discuss the weather; the eccentric town recluse, a pufferfish, hiding from us, but not really; and a lone devil firefish, the government bully everyone steers clear of for good reason, they hurt (in this case more the actions than the words).

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I must admit I did feel a bit like Ariel, all flippered and floating among the sea creatures. I even saw an anemone fish - Nemo's cousin (oh wrong movie). I couldn't help but hum a few bars of "under the sea, under the sea, darling it's better down where it's wetter, take it from me. La lala la...".

Wikipedia Commons

In between these fringing reefs are wide open sandy spaces, a stark contrast like a central park oasis amidst blocks of high-rise activity. The pocked surface is marked only with soft tracks looking like the moon rover had been by. As we pushed our way against the current to get a closer look I noticed a familiar outline in the sand. All of a sudden I was swimming through a National Geographic documentary. I tapped, more like grabbed hold of great guy's leg and pointed downwards as the shovelnosed ray came to life. It shook the sand from it's sail-like wings and glided away, a mere two metres away from us.

Shovelnosed Ray - Wikipedia Commons

Snorkeling Day 2: We anchored at Sha'ab Abu Nuhas, south of the Sinai Mountains at a place also called the "wreck graveyard". Four ships have sunk here, lying dormant in a neat row along the kilometres of reef here. It is a diver's paradise and home to a large variety of marine life who have moved into these 'new' digs.

Carnatic (1869) - Wikipedia Commons

I wasn't prepared for the wave (no pun intended) of sadness that gripped me as I put my head into the water and saw the first behemoth corpse of a ship lying disfigured on its side just three metres below me. It scared me and I fought to be brave and take in this incredible sight. While great guy happy-go-luckily dove and touched, dove and touched.

Ghiannis D (1983) - Wikipedia Commons

The oldest of the wrecks sunk here in 1869 with a load of gold and cotton headed from England to India. Most of the gold was recovered in the weeks afterwards, but 8000 British Pounds still remain a deep sea treasure to be found. Great guy's ears perked right up at that news!

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My favourite of the wrecks, if I had to pick one, would be the "Wreck of the Lentils" - only for it's great name. But if you're needing some free tiles you might want to dive by the "Wreck of the Tiles" which sunk in 1978 carrying an entire load which still lie on board and unclaimed.

As our trip winds to an end, I'm already excited to get home, get my hands on some MS paint swatches, and get to work making some interior design changes. I want to surround myself with all of the soft colours I saw in the reefs...maybe not all in one room. We'll see how great guy handles the changes.

Wikipedia Commons

Footnote: After returning from our first snorkeling trip I checked into the location of Moses' Red Sea crossing. I was quite disappointed to learn that it was far north of our location. But I did feel a spiritual connection as I floated above the fishies...they must have just been kindred spirits.