Serra de Água
Encumeada
Pedras
Paúl da Serra
Roger with wind turbines behind
After the vertiginous climb up the mountains, the flat bleakness of Paúl de Serra is strangely disconcerting. Even the car looks suprised.
wind turbines looking east. See how the tops of the peaks peep over the edge of the plateau. The highest peak in the distance is the Pico Ruivo, 1862 metres and this plateau levels off at 1500 metres
Strange cacti - botanists please identify
The straight road on Paúl de Serra is probably the only road which is straight for over a mile on the island
Rabaçal
looking down from car park
Water management system? and cattle
Looking towards Calheta? Is the smoke the sugar factory?
Woodland plant in the shade on the levada walk
Levada do Risco
Ferns under the waterfalls
The levada path at Rabacal is wide and shaded by ancient laurel
same as
link but with cloud
Arco da Calheta
Loreto
Ponta do Sol
Escola Basica e Secundaria da Ponta do Sol
harbour
We ate espada
(
several pages on madeiraisland.com),
in English known as
black scabbardfish (which they serve with banana!) in the seafood cafe on the rocks. The food was excellent, as are the views.
Various bridges in the British Isles are described as a "bridge over the Atlantic":
see geograph.org.uk or
the most famous one
Clachan Bridge near Oban. This one could also claim the title
View from the cafe terrace looking west
São Vicente
Ginjas, Corrida Feiteiras
Grutas (caves) and Volcanic Centre
Our shadows, thrown by the spotlights, began to resemble primitive cave paintings
Ferns growing under the spotlights
lapilli is a generic term so it is no surprise that this stuff looks nothing like the
pretty white balls
we found on Fuerteventura
Grutas (caves) and Volcanic Centre - exterior
Roger hidden by the Pride of Maderia plants
Lameiros
Domestic details - there are few supermarkets. All Madeirans seem to grow food and flowers, whether it is in a few fields or in pots on the steps.
This combination of palms and misty peaks is typical of the north coast.
Capela de Nossa Senhora de Fátima
in Laranjal, seen from Lameiros
sea front
Whereas the sea on the south coast was quite calm, the power of the Atlantic is obvious on the north coast. It could almost be a different ocean.
looking back into the village
(Image ripped off from somewhere on the web.)
(Image ripped off from somewhere on the web.)
Not actually sure of location but looks like the old road from São Vicente to Seixal
(Image ripped off from somewhere on the web.)
Seixal
near Ponta do Poiso
This was our only rainy day, but we were glad to find out what it is like in the north when wet Atlantic weather closes in.
harbour
See the banks of nasturtiums cascading down the cliff
Ribeira Brava
sea front
Roger was not pleased when the waiter grabbed his camera - probably worried that he would drop it
Pico Alto
Cabo Girao?
Strange structure - we thought it might be a takoff runway for the "mad German hang gliders" described to us by a local taxi driver.
Ribeiro Frio
fish farm
walk to Balcoes
Flowering shrub on side of path - botanists please identify
Balcoes miradouro
Tree with small blue birds by the miradouro
Branches inspired by chinese brushstoke painting
Roger on top of the miradouro
The photographer photographed
The small blue birds were hopping about looking for crumbs - (ornothologists please identify)
Rock plants - (botanists please identify)
small shrine to Nossa Senhora de Fátima
cafe
Lombo do Baixo
Another bank of nasturtiums by the roadside
Faial
Miradouro
wind and salt hardy wild plants. could they be Madeiran rock orchids?
Rocks in the swell of the sea
Wind and salt hardy wild plants - some form of sedum or stonecrop?
village centre
Domestic detail - all houses have to be multi level
tunnel portal. Tunnel is 3168 metres long
bridge
The old bridge which was lost in a storm
Porto da Cruz
quayside
American tourists - probably from a cruise ship
Statue which seems to pay homage to flowers
Porto da Cruz was an old fishing harbour, but is now being modernised. We spotted one fishing boat.
Roger paddling - Madeira doesn't have beaches, only rocks
Even the palm trees find it hard to thrive in the strong winds
The photographer photographed
cafe
From inside the cafe with the yellow blinds
Who is that in the top window?
Shrek has retired from movies and is now running a cafe in Porto do Cruz!
snap!
These two pictures are actually 21 Streatham Common South, London, SW16
village
Statue of a flower maiden
Another multi level house with palms, flowers and several balconies
Strelitzia - Bird of Paradise flower
Hanging baskets - botanists please identify
igreja
churchyard
Botanists please identify
village
Agapanthus grow large and wild in Madeira
car park
Canico de Baixo
Another bank of wild nasturtiums
Possibly the Vision of the Seas
Funchal
Electricidad da Madeira
Festa da Flor de 2009
Flower Festival held in Funchal
Some people in the crowd clearly had friends and relatives in the parade
Some needed lolipops to keep going
Parading on a float is thirsty work
The best view in the house
Is this a Michael Jackson tribute?
Rancho
top of teleférico
Câmara de Lobos
street scene with balconies and laundry
Eira do Serrado
looking down to Curral das Freiras
Walk to viewpoint
The view over Curral is vertiginous
Roger alone with the mountains
Curral
The hotel, cafe and car park which is the starting place for the walk to the viewpoint
Wild yellow flowers (botanists please identify)
Curral das Freiras
Village
Terracing work in progress
The viewpoint seen from below
churchyard
These beautifully tended floral displays are loving tributes to families and friends
Looking beyond the churchyard to even lower parts of the valley
Strelitzia - Bird of Paradise flower, and Protea? in arrangement
The profusion and beauty of the flower displays is quite breathtaking
Canna lilies and volcanic crags
Fajã dos Cardos
Monte
Following the track of the old rack railway
Monte church
(Image ripped off from somewhere on the web.)
Flowers growing on the rooftops
start of the toboggan run
the famous carros de cesto, literally "basket cars", stacked up at the start of the run - this was evening
when the toboggans are working this place looks like this.
(Image ripped off from somewhere on the web.)
The sign at top right reads …
fare table for the toboggans - interestingly non-linear: 1 person - €20, 2 people - €25, 3 people €37.50
Further down the toboggan run with two drivers not in uniform
(See Hofi0006-29 for licence.)
Another tropical garden in a gorge
The charming but faded old town square at Monte
viaduct for the funicular railway.
Terreiro da Luta
Santuário de Nossa Senhora da Paz
near Monte
Another bank of wild nasturtiums, with lorry
Rancho
top of teleférico
Taken from the restuarant at the teleférico
Roger using the camera's "night portrait" mode
Encosta Cabo Girão
looking down to Club House
Calheta
Beach
The sand is from Morocco!
Madeira is not dog friendly
Engenho da Calheta
Raw materials for the sugar factory coming in by lorry
outside the church
church
Wrought iron balcony and roses
Bush outside sugar factory (botanists please identify)
Bush outside sugar factory again
Lombo do Salão
Escola Básica do 1° Ciclo
Ribeira da Calheta
well up the Ribeira da Calheta visiting the point where the levada tunnel comes through from Rabaçal
Levada Nova
depth gauge showing 44 cm
monitoring station and a flag labelled escala marking the depth gauge
These lilies are in garden of the the abandonned cottage. At one time there must have been a levada keeper, but now everything is automated
Central Hidroeléctrica da Calheta N° 1
looking through the windows into the turbine hall
spare Pelton wheel
Lombo dos Faias
exterior
Lombo do Doutor
Caminho Lombo do Doutor
Lombo dos Faias -ish
Canhas
Recta da Canha
Vos que passais
Descuidados, presos ao mundo
Parai!
Morri por vossos pecados
Descobri-vos e
Rezai! which Google translates as:
You that raisins
Careless, stuck to the world
Stop!
Died for your sins
I found you and
Pray!
Nossa Senhora da Piedade (Sorrows) and Santiago (St James)
More Senhoras
Ribeira Brava
looking east at sunset across the Ribeira Brava valley
Ponta São Lourenço
the St. Laurence peninsula. the eastern tip of the island
Botanists please identify this strange plant
More Pride of Madeira and small ferns
The Swim V - Roger and friend
Botanists please identify
Botanists please identify
Botanists please identify
Botanists please identify
Santa Catarina Airport
(Shamelessly ripped off from this blog post which has more pictures of the runway extension.)
Santa Cruz
Public sculture - flower maiden and friend?
Roger - photography is very tiring
Arch dividing the beach from the harbour area
This cafe proudly offered free wi-fi
Flora growing on wires above the ribeira
After a good meal with vinho verde
Abstract representation of driving through one of Maderias many tunnels after vinho verde
Serrado da Adega
this rock has recently fallen on to the road
Santana
Parque Temático
dotted around the park are giant representations of various typically Madeiran things. Roger had to point out the walnuts before Lesley registered this as Madeira cake
This distorting mirror improves both our figures
As we toured the site,
we realised that the continuous folk music was coming from these singing stones -
speakers hidden in plastic rocks.
Note the little holes which are the give away.
Watch
the video!
The Singing Stone uncovered.
I am trying to pretend that it was heavy, but really they are very light.
For another take on the phrase "musical stones" see
MySpace and
Wikipedia
The sign inside this earth closet stated that it was not for public usage!
giant whicker chair made out of copper tube
The famous Madeiran embroiderers at work
Santana
Manhole covers
Santana
Encosta Cabo Girão
(I think the manager is called Eugene Manole!)
Vilamoura
Some specimens in Algarve for comparison
Câmara Municipal de Loulé
Loulé
Faial ?
Porto Santo is further away than the Islas Desertas and is more difficult to see
Pico do Arieiro
the Porto Santo ferry is sailing through the clouds.
The spelling Areeiro is also seen.
Indeed the
Carta Militar (cf. Ordnance Survey)
uses one spelling at one scale and the other spelling at a different scale!
Google thinks Arieiro is more common
The steps to the viewpoint
Roger checking his exposure
Pico do Ruivo from Pico do Arieiro
Roger on top of Pico do Arieiro
The hotel on the Pico is shut, but seems to undergoing some building work
the secondary peak is called the Miradouro do Juncal
Looking north to Eagle Rock
Looking north to Eagle Rock
Encosta Cabo Girão
cruise ship heading towards Funchal
Ribeira dos Cambios ?
or Lombarda dos Marinheiros
works access to two tunnels being built on the extension of the rapido
Ribeira dos Marinheiros
Lombadinha
possibly because it was May Day, people, mainly children, were selling these flower necklaces at the roadside all over the place
Ponta do Pargo - the point itself
the westernmost point of Madeira
Ponta do Pargo village
May Day is a workers holiday and native Madeirienses formed happy family groups with picnic tables at every attractive spot
Begonias in a front garden
Centro Cívico
The minimalist modern architecture of this civic square contrasts with the ornateness of the churches
Achadas da Cruz
teleférico
bottom of the cliffs
On the small patch of flat land at the bottom of the cliff are strange gardens (allotments?) divided by stone walls
Small shrine to St Christopher
Rush fences protect against the north east wind
Is it a home or an allotment shed?
The paths create a maze to a cafe which we never reached
The gardens are fed by mini levadas
This small dwelling is harvesting wind power
Sugar cane blasted by the salty wind
T.S. Eliot in Little Gidding writes of places at "the world's end, some at the sea jaws". This is one of them.
Wild poppies and scabious
Who is that small figure in the distance?
The base of the teleférico
Santa
above Porto Moniz
Candles, lilies and fresias decorate this roadside shrine.
More Senhoras
Homenagemdos Motoristas do Porto Moniz
aNossa Senhora dos Bons Caminhos1.7.84
Porto Moniz
Cactus garden at Porto Moniz
Piscinas Naturais do Porto Moniz
It is clear that the Madeirenses did not build the pool here for themselves, but so that they could be entertained by seeing foolhardy northern europeans swept out to sea
At last, Roger gets to swim
Only two other swimmers braved the waves, which crash over the rocks and send mini tsunami across the pool
See how the rock plants crawl down the cliff
Porto Moniz
Tamarisk trees? Botanists please identify
Ribeira da Janela
looking back to Porto Moniz
above Ribeira da Janela
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