Jimmy took a full day tour organised by the boat. The island was not what he was expecting at all (and defiantly on the list to get back to), beautiful with spectacular mountain ranges in the interior and the coast, reminiscent of Hawaii and Tahiti.
Some of the sheer drops that go right into the ocean were spectacular, one in particular, Cabo Girao, which, at 1,935 feet, is the second highest ocean cliff in the world. There are very few beaches, and they are all black sand.
Some of the sheer drops that go right into the ocean were spectacular, one in particular, Cabo Girao, which, at 1,935 feet, is the second highest ocean cliff in the world. There are very few beaches, and they are all black sand.
Charlotte and I took a Hop-On-Hop-Off 1.5 hour sightseeing bus around the town (about the 4th of our trip so far! – great way to see the place).
We rode the cable car (also the 4th of this trip!) to the top of one of the mountains, with a great view over the capital of Funchal.
We rode the cable car (also the 4th of this trip!) to the top of one of the mountains, with a great view over the capital of Funchal.
Not far from the top, was the start of the famous Madeirean traditional toboggan ride – basically 2 or 3 people sit in a wicker sleigh with two guys on the side, steering, breaking, and pulling the sleigh down the steep streets. I was here about 11 years ago with mum, when we stopped here on the QE2 as we sailed across the Atlantic from UK to Bermuda. On that trip we did ride the toboggan:
That night, there was a great “Sail Away / Leaving Europe / Entering the Atlantic Ocean” party up on the top pool deck. It was a lot of fun, although in some respects, quite a bazaar scene, as we sailed out of the relatively quiet island of Madeira, with the music blaring, watching Mickey and Minnie grooving away together on the dance floor, and all the characters partying and dancing with everyone!
