Madeira (top) and the Isle of Wight shown on the same scale. (Shameless rip-off from Google maps.) The official maps are the Carta Militar (needs Internet Explorer). See also our visit to Arran another island of comparable size

top is a cross-section through Madeira from west to east.

(Image ripped off from 068816.jpg found somewhere on the web.) ++++ Madeira, Easter 1999, a walking holiday can be linked from the postcard ++++ List of Arciprestados / Paróquias can be linked from somewhere

AIDAaura cruise ship

Five hundred years of development of naval architecture. The vessel on the left is a (presumably full size) replica of the Santa María de la Inmaculada Concepción which was the largest (!) of the three ships used by Christopher Columbus in his first voyage across the Atlantic in 1492. It does half-day trips along the south coast

The old and the new - small fisherman and big ship

The upper part is a copy of this image which is linked to from this page about RMS Titanic. It has been scaled to match the Independence in size. Bear in mind that the red bits of the Titanic represent its 10.5 metre, below the water line draught. With a draught of only 8.8 metres and that towering superstructure the Independence seems awfully top-heavy.

looking east along the coast. Note how soon the cliffs begin.

looking east of Monte

looking east towards the fort

The famous fish market was finished for the day when we arrived and was being cleaned up

The courtyard, where flowers, fruit, leather and other goods are sold

The Independence of the Seas dwarfs the buildings in Funchal

Jacaranda trees and bougainvilla

Homenagem a Bordeira - statue outside the Embroidery Museum

bougainvillea grows out across the wires over the ribeiro

The Jacaranda trees contrast well with the yellow taxis

Note the woman at extreme right taking a photograph. She appears in the same posture on the left of the previous!

Statue of João Gonçalves da Câmara de Lobos first captain of Funchal (wikipic of same statue)

Toyota showroom with traditional azulejos

near the Marina shopping centre

the Independence of the Seas seemed to be visible at the end of every street

Elisabeth of Bavaria. The flowers in her hand are real

Farewell to the Independence of the Seas

In the old town restaurant area

looking down on the Cimentos Madeira cement factory in Ribeira dos Socorridos

the three chimneys on the right are on the Central Térmica da Vitória - the thermal power station with 16 diesel generators. Despite all that water (and a bit of wind power), this station generates 60% of the island's electricity