Madeira
We rose in the darkness, but the early birds were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise as we departed Funchal harbor for our days adventure.
Madeira’s natural beauty and culture is so rich that we split into two groups in order to better explore the island. Some chose to enjoy the fantastic views on a coach ride to the heavens and “walk in the clouds” at 5900 feet on top of magnificent Pico do Ariero. Others chose to immerse themselves in the carnival of colors of the Botanical Gardens.
After the descent from Pico do Ariero, the intrepid group visited an interesting trout farm and hiked along a shady, wooded trail to a stunning viewpoint. The trail followed a Levada, an old irrigation channel typical to the island. These channels were used to bring the abundant water from the north side of the island to the fertile land in the south, allowing Madeira’s agricultural economy to flourish for centuries. Dug by hand, the channels are about one meter deep and one meter wide and there is about 2500 miles of levadas in Madeira.
In the Botanical Garden, our curious group strolled the manicured paths and learned about the many exotic plants introduced to the island as well as the island’s endemic species. The gardens are home to many rare flowers, colorful birds and fantastic views of Funchal below us—a busy day for the cameras. A family trade wicker-work has been part of Madeira’s life for centuries and we visited the center of this activity Camacha that is also know for being the place for the first soccer game in the Portuguese Empire. The co-op store had every imaginable item made of wicker, such as Noah’s Arc and a small zoo of wicker animals. We watched the gregarious Umberto, who had learned the trade at 13 years old, use his 38 years of experience to skillfully make baskets at the speed of light while he entertained us with his good humor and wit.
After the morning’s activities, both groups were treated to an authentic Madeiran lunch, complete with espetada, a skewered beef dish, and the local Espada fish, revolting to the eye but a treat to the palate. The meal would not have been complete without a copious supply of Portuguese wine. After a fulfilling meal, our travelers observed the scenic beauty of the island as they were whisked back to their home away from home—the M.S. Endeavour. The two groups intermingled and swapped tales of the day’s exciting events as the ship set sail for the Canary Islands.
We rose in the darkness, but the early birds were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise as we departed Funchal harbor for our days adventure.
Madeira’s natural beauty and culture is so rich that we split into two groups in order to better explore the island. Some chose to enjoy the fantastic views on a coach ride to the heavens and “walk in the clouds” at 5900 feet on top of magnificent Pico do Ariero. Others chose to immerse themselves in the carnival of colors of the Botanical Gardens.
After the descent from Pico do Ariero, the intrepid group visited an interesting trout farm and hiked along a shady, wooded trail to a stunning viewpoint. The trail followed a Levada, an old irrigation channel typical to the island. These channels were used to bring the abundant water from the north side of the island to the fertile land in the south, allowing Madeira’s agricultural economy to flourish for centuries. Dug by hand, the channels are about one meter deep and one meter wide and there is about 2500 miles of levadas in Madeira.
In the Botanical Garden, our curious group strolled the manicured paths and learned about the many exotic plants introduced to the island as well as the island’s endemic species. The gardens are home to many rare flowers, colorful birds and fantastic views of Funchal below us—a busy day for the cameras. A family trade wicker-work has been part of Madeira’s life for centuries and we visited the center of this activity Camacha that is also know for being the place for the first soccer game in the Portuguese Empire. The co-op store had every imaginable item made of wicker, such as Noah’s Arc and a small zoo of wicker animals. We watched the gregarious Umberto, who had learned the trade at 13 years old, use his 38 years of experience to skillfully make baskets at the speed of light while he entertained us with his good humor and wit.
After the morning’s activities, both groups were treated to an authentic Madeiran lunch, complete with espetada, a skewered beef dish, and the local Espada fish, revolting to the eye but a treat to the palate. The meal would not have been complete without a copious supply of Portuguese wine. After a fulfilling meal, our travelers observed the scenic beauty of the island as they were whisked back to their home away from home—the M.S. Endeavour. The two groups intermingled and swapped tales of the day’s exciting events as the ship set sail for the Canary Islands.
