Are u ready? Welcome to my 2nd journey throughout Madeira archipelago! This touristy place is known as Atlantic's Hawaii. Have u ever heard about it?? It's the 1st time i'm writing a report on my trips, on a real time, that is, writing it day by day... that is grace to my new PDA. I brought with me, of course... u know!! I mean... i'm telling u my news as they just come by... don't get me wrong if i use different verbal tenses... i never wrote trip reports in that conditions... sounds strange sometimes!! Ugh!
Funchal city marina views, Madeira island.
8thAug
I’m taking this vacation with my old friend Ana. My last vacation with her was some when in 1999 or 2000 to Tenerife island,Canary archipelago, Spain. (Which location is not too far from Madeira island!! Funny, ugh?!?) We were here in 1995 & we got the chance 2 visit all the island—by boat and by bus-- so now we’re more based on the island’s capital. No stress, no worries… no rushes!!
Our flight to Funchal city, MADEIRA's capital was only at 1.25pm... but we both had 2 b in the airport quite earlier... at 11.30pm!! I won't give u more details on the flight, as it wasn't that interesting... a banal one!! Around 3.00pm, the plane was landing...
The news are about 2 start now... gosh, the hotel was expected 2 b a 4 stars one... indeed it was that way... but it was worst than our other 3 stars one, the one we stayed in in 1995. (See more info at: www.grupofbarata.com)
Anyway, that is my very 1st impression, of course!! Let's see...
Vila Baleira Spa, Porto Santo island
Funchal city sunset
9th Aug.
Woke up at 8.45am... to be honest, we woke pretty earlier due 2 very busy & noisy roads just around the hotel area!! Terrible... the noise last all night!! Time 2 wake up & hurry up: it's breakfast time!! For a change, breakfast was a very nice surprise!!! Actually, not all had 2 b that junk!! Ahhhh Morning meals were all delicious & we'd the chance 2 prepare little meals 4 all our days, with the breakfast extras!! I mean bread with cheese, ham, typical Madeira cake (dark cake made with honey. Tasty!!)... cereals, fruit... that we took out from breakfast!! Too bad our hotel room hadn't a refrigerator!! That would b so very useful!!
After breakfast, we had to wait, until we were able to take a nice swimming-pool bath! We had 2 wait 2 hours,so we went down to one of the hotel's bars, 2 site down and look after our Madeira archipelago's visits!! Pool time quickly arrived, so we hurry up 4 the pool... the outdoor pool was too crowded, so we tried the cozy indoor pool. Despite the 29°C water temperature, the pool was so cozy, and very important: all itself 4 us, nobody else was there! We quickly jumped in... show is about to start!! I was particularly funny... started 2 joke around... cool, nobody knew me! We were there for a good while, and then we were at the outdoor pool... i needed 2 take some sunbathe! But at night, i could see i got sunburned...i got pink 3 hours later!! Would u believe i got only a 1 hour sunbathe??!! Then, we visited the tennis + children's area... hopefully we'll play a tennis game 2... i haven't been playing tennis 4 over 10 years now, i guess!! Around 4.30pm, we returned 2 the hotel room 2 have a shower, eat something & relax in the bed...after a while i was almost sleeping!! Gosh, i believe that was due to the extra fancy moment spent at the pool area!! Ehhhh Later, i called mum 2 say all was fine... (She told me that the continental temperatures keep being too high... around 35°C,some fires around, just like be4... too bad!! 1/3 of my tiny country is burning!! Criminal origin!)
At night we were playing snooker at the games saloon! It was my 1st snooker game... of course Ana won both games!! It's funny! Before 0.00am, we returned 2 our hotel room.
Porto Santo island views
10th Aug.
That night was pretty long... already lying in our beds at 0.30am,10th Aug., we're watching TV... also chatting around about this & that... then, at 2.00am, turn off with the TV, and time 4 some chats on Ana health's problems... that night was too long... i was feeling terribly sleepy, but was glued on the chat ... would u believe we were chatting up 6.00am??!? Then, breakfasts start at 7.30am, so we waited up we could dress ourselves and hurry up to breakfast room! While waiting, i was badly tired, but was joking around...i thought that me & Ana, we could b invited 2 leave the hotel due 2 our noisy night!! We can became real silly & crazy, u know!?? We took breakfast, and at 8.00am we got back to bed... slept up 1.30pm!! (I agree with ya, the idea of going back 2 bed after eating displeased me totally, but i'd no chance!) Woke up again at 2.00pm, and got ready 2 visit the marine area... after a 20 minutes walk, we were walking throughout the sea area... and the marina... amazing afternoon!! Plus, i'd 2 buy another after sun ... the one i took from home, by Roc, wasn't doing a thing!! I saw 4 the NO results after a 2 days try, so i bought Bepanthene, a softly fresh after sun lotion. By the way, do u know it?!? (My 1st time at Madeira, i got sunburned too & bought 2 Bepanthene packages!) We kept walking and by chance,we arrived at the new CABLE CAR: TELEFÉRICO da Madeira. It was recently built, and traveling on it's cabins, u can see a huge area of the city of Funchal. The view could b a lot nicer although!! (Details at: www.madeiracablecar.com)At the highest point, we were supposed 2 visit some places, but had no time 2 see half of them, because the last cabins round 2 return was were starting 15 minutes later, at 5.45pm!!! Back to sea level, we seated 2 have a fresh drink... at 7.00pm i'd chicken 4 dinner!!! Boy,it was delicious!! 10.00pm time 2 get back 2 hotel room...shower, TV & relax time! Boy... i'm so tired...tourists have such a hard life!! Ahhhh
Porto Santo island in the background....Us at Lobo Marinho boat,leaving the island....sniff snifff.... :)
Porto Santo views: the Marina and mountain area.
11th Aug.
Another day in the island... nothing special... got the breakfast at 9.30am... then we went 2 visit Madeira Orchid farm. I was a bit disappointed, was expecting something bigger... but was ok. At 12.00am we were at the Funchal city's market. Ana wanted 2 buy some flowers BULBS... and i end up buying 2 bulbs too... an ESTRELICIA & an ORQUIDEA (orchid). I bought them 4 my sister & bro-in-laws new home at Gerês Natural Park. My bro-in-law loves flowers... and hopefully, these bulbs will b healthy growing over there, but i'm not that sure due 2 the rigid winters over there. (Some flowers websites:www.orchideen.com & www.plantzafrica.com) U know, Madeira has an almost tropical climate!!
Then, we headed 2 lunch at VAGRANT restaurant/bar. It was around 2.30pm... i'd chicken & salad & vegetables. U got it, i've been suffering from originality's lack!?!! ehhhh But, there wasn't anything else i really enjoyed! We could confirm that Vagrant's service keeps being slow, bad & expensive!!! After all, we were curious 2 see how it was since our last time there: 8 years ago!!!
After lunch, i wanted 2 visit Funchal city's MARINA... i just love to see all these fancy & elegant yachts!!!! They make me dream so easily!! Too bad Ana didn't join me, so i almost didn't see as wished! Took some pics... not as much as i wished either!! Then, around 5.00pm we took the public bus 2 return 2 our hotel. After almost 1 hour waiting 4 it! Grrrrrr Got back to the hotel in 5 minutes... quickly found out i got sunburned again!!! Boy... this time the sunburn was twice worst than the 1st day's one!! U wouldn't believe i was wearing a long dress, will u? But... that was the result... after that fancy discovery, i put my swimsuit, and hurry up 2 the hotel's pools! Ana stayed at the mobile chatting... I got a delicious 30 minutes bath and returned 2 the room... took shower and was busy putting loads of after sun body lotion... so i couldn't dress anything... i'd 2 sleep naked again... upppss!
That night we ate at the hotel room... we had fruits & cereals... how fancy!!
Funchal city market! The bright colors i love to photograph!! All pics come out so livelly! Ugh?! :)
12nd Aug.
Big day that one... we'd 2 wake up at 6.50am... because at 7.30am we would b boarding the big boat LEÃO MARINHO to Porto Santo island. (More info at: www.portosantoline.pt. It is a new boat: pretty big, nice, comfortable & secure. I was impressed! The website is pretty complete and nice!! )
No time 2 take breakfast at the hotel this time. We took something 2 eat early in the morning. For this day,we bought a full day/ticket trip; That included: the hotel transfers, boat trip & lunch at the island. We arrived at around 11.00am at VILA BALEIRA. This is Porto Santo island's main village. This island is Madeira archipelago's 2nd biggest island. Porto Santo island lies 50kms Northeast of Madeira. It took a 2h40 boat trip 2 reach there.
Porto Santo is an extra dry island. It almost never rain & the vegetation is too scarce. The island has a great & long gold sandy beach. These sands are great 4 some health (mainly 4 bones) treatment, so there are some good Spa's here as well.
We're about 15 persons in all to do this island trip. Our guide, Fábio was super. I took a good while talking with him. Around 1.00pm we arrived at VILA BALEIRA hotel,(Website: www.ferpinta.pt ;E-mail : vila.baleira@ferpinta.pt )
it was where we'd an extra delicious lunch!! Boy... i ate so much... i couldn't resist as all were so very tasty!! Time 2 explore the hotel's area (That's a habit i gained from my Dad!! Curious, we're so similar in some aspects!!) ... the pools (My fav areas as always!!) ... the kids area, gymnasium, and last but not least: the SPA area was also fantastic! Then, a look at the long golden sandy beach. I was still sunburned and decided not taking the risk of + sunshine exposure!?!! (Ana solidarized with me!!) Besides hating 2 go 2 the beach (Yeah, that's me!!), i wouldn't ever 4get that memorable day!!! Later, we headed 2 take the bus 2 reach the island's centre... so, we waited... waited... and both under a torrid sun!!! After a 40 minutes wait, we could experience a funny & original convertible bus!! Gosh, funny trip... but a short 3 kms one!! Once at the centre, we visited some cultural areas like Christopher Columbus museum, the local tiny church ... we bought souvenir, and even books at the local Books fair. I called mum too... at 7.00pm the bus collected us 4 LEÃO MARINHO boat boarding. The view from the boat were very nice...sunset time, so i took some + pics as well...
(If u want know more about Porto Santo island’s excursions, u can e-mail at: dunas@oninet.pt. There is no website available this time!) At 10.40pm we reached Funchal city, MADEIRA's capital. Again the bus took us 2 the hotel... we were deadly tired... took shower and watched TV up 0.30am... while sinking myself in body lotion!
Girão cape, 2nd world highest promontory, Madeira island.
Madeira, Funchal city marina.
13th Aug.
Ok... i won't bore u with the same old routine again... that day we visited the Botanical garden and the Madeira Orchid garden. (www.madeiraorchid.com) I liked the 1st one (our 2nd time there) and disliked the 2nd one!! U wouldn't believe we paid 4.9 € for this entrance, while 3 € for the Botanical garden!!! The Botanical garden was pretty nicer, bigger & so much more interesting!! Guess what… the service & the house itself at Madeira Orchid garden wasn't that good at all!! Still they explore people!!
We returned 2 the hotel earlier, this time using our hotel free bus... at 7.00pm i was relaxing & having shower... ate fruit, bread with ham & eggs from breakfast... time e relax while watching TV... an international football game with a Portuguese team: BENFICA x LAZIO...(( Benfica lost! . My city’s team, FCP won Lazio 4-1 one month earlier!!))
Also, i've been getting some phone calls while in Madeira... some of my old male fans are attacking again!! Gosh!
Above: Botanical Garden in Funchal city, Madeira island. Beautiful exotic plants & flowers!!
Below: Porto Santo golden beach. These golden sands have many world known theraphy properties!! I tought to pamper myself with one of these treatments there... but.... each treatment cost a small fortune, so i gave up!! I prefer to invest it in returning back again...lol So i did it again in 2005.)
14th Aug.
Our last full day in Madeira. After the usual schedule, at 10.45am we were taking the hotel bus. The bus left us at the city centre. We’d 2 take other bus (That time the public transports: Horários do Funchal. Details at: www.horariosdofunchal.pt) We took the bus 2 MONTE. Time 2 visit MONTE PALACE TROPICAL GARDEN, an extra big garden area, British style. (See more at: www.montepalace.com)I liked the area, but i don't like British style gardens. Too many “details”(2 many ornaments), 4 my taste!! How about u?!? We spent 4 hours walking inside... at 5.00pm we got back 2 the city's centre... cool. Again, taking the free hotel bus 2 return "home". This evening was different... at 6.00pm we were at the indoor hotel pool... at 7.30pm getting ready 4 dinner at Maravilhas Café... were we got delicious & cheap meals these days. Back to the hotel at 9.30pm... time 2 pack our bags... vacations ALSO have an end!!
Funchal city and it's new civil engineer wonders.
15th Aug.
Today we are returning home... at 10.00am taking the transfer 2 the airport... On board of AIR LUXOR flight at 12.05pm... Landing at 3.20pm ... Welcome 2 Porto city!! Thanks God is no longer 35ºC here!! It’s a pleasant 21ºC!! Almost rainy… cool…. After over 3 weeks of 35ºC--38ºC at Porto… and over 40ºC is some Portugal’s areas…. Many, many fires all around in my country…. Unfortunately over 2/3 of forests are all burnt by now!! I guess I’m hoping autumn or even winter 2 come soon…. Even I prefer summer…winter make me feel depressed sometimes!!!! But this is such a TORRID summer!! I feel miserable with that torrid days!!! It’s so nice being back home!! I miss my golden kingdom so much!!
My private yacht to do some fancy and wild parties on week-ends (LOL); And besides it's Lobo Marinho boat sunset, at Funchal city.
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