Friday 23rd
We often have an overnight stay near the airport the day before departure, but this time it was straight to the destination. An early evening flight meant we had plenty of time for travel. We arrived at Manchester with time to kill, enjoying a few beers and a nice Italian meal before setting off.
The down side of this, was a late arrival to our hotel, where we were greeted with a plate of food we didn’t really want. We didn’t want to appear ungrateful so flushed most of it down the loo rather than leaving the coagulated “mozzarella and tomato salad” all on the tray.
Saturday 24th – Funchal
First full day was full of blue sky and sunshine. We made the mistake of walking down to the centre. It was downhill all the way, but still hard on our legs and not particularly scenic. Especially when we took a wrong turn and ended up walking through a long and very noisy road tunnel!
Finally emerging back into daylight, we spent the afternoon strolling around the old town getting our bearings and refreshing our memories from a previous visit.
We both enjoyed an espetada at one of the cafes, mine was gorgeous fillet steak, JIll’s a slightly overcooked chicken. We then made our way to a craft ale bar to wash it down.
We were lucky enough to bump into a couple who recommended an Uber rather than the bus to return to the hotel. It was much quicker, turned up almost immediately, and only cost €4, the same as the bus.
We were on half board at the hotel, and neither of us felt very hungry after our late lunch. We downed a few glasses of wine until we felt hungry enough, followed by a full bottle with the meal, both going to bed well on the far side of sober!
Sunday 25th – Hotel
We opted for a lazy day on Sunday. Many places may have been closed anyway (Madeirans tend to be catholic), so a relax by the pool was on the cards. A change in the weather put paid to that. The temperature dropped and the wind picked up.
We had lunch at the hotel, and spent time indoors, reading and watching the final episode of traitors. Not an ideal day but a relaxing one.
Monday 26th – Day Tour
An early start and we were off on a weather tour of the island.
First stop was the big Jesus statue at Garajau, where grey skies and strong winds promised a less than enjoyable day.
Next on the agenda was a visit to the rum distillery at Porto da Cruz, and we were bathed in sunshine for most of the rest of the day.
The final stop was the highest point of Madeira with spectacular views. At least when the weather allows them. We stepped out of the minibus into a cold biting wind with rain, and climbed straight back in again. We would have left right away but for a few nutcases who went for a walk anyway.
Tuesday 27th – Funchal Centre
Tuesday was spent in the centre, hunting down a few areas recommended in a blog Jill had found.
We had lunch in a local cafe which was nice enough, but certainly without frills. They didn’t even have toilet roll.
Then it was off to the excellent Beer House, where we enjoyed a few brews before heading home for a shower and supper.
Wednesday 28th – Night Out in Funchal
We wanted a break from the formal four course hotel dinner, so planned for a night out and a curry.
The local supermarket sufficed for a takeaway lunch, getting slightly burnt as we lounged around the pool until mid-afternoon.
The courtesy mini bus then took us into the town, where we sampled a few craft beers at the Fugacidade bar.
It took us a while to find the Indian/Nepalese restaurant I’d spotted a couple of days earlier, but we settled on that for our main meal.
It was a strange experience. The young waiter clearly didn’t have a clue about the drinks, telling me that the menu was new and he didn’t know whether they actually had what was clearly printed on it. Eventually I was brought a bottle of Leffe which he’d neglected to open, he had to go back inside for a bottle opener.
We then had to go in search of someone to place our food order. It took quite some time to arrive, which at least suggested it was being freshly cooked. But when my bright green chicken tikka arrived, I was more than a little dubious. The food was excellent however, unlike the terrible service!
Thursday 29th – Day Tour
After enjoying our tour of eastern Madeira, we decided to book a last minute tour of the west.
Our guide this time was a very, very talkative South African. It’s fine having someone point out things of genuine interest, but Renato was giving us descriptions and backgrounds of practically everything we passed, including plants, fruit, potholes and abandoned washing machines. Talk about information overload!
We visited a quaint fishing village which was only just waking up, a banana plantation, waterfalls, and a very high glass floored platform.
Highlight of the day though was Porto Minoz, where the strong but warm wind treated us to a spectacular display of crashing waves. Part of the promenade had been cordoned off as large rocks had been thrown over the sea wall the previous day!
Friday 30th – Homeward Bound
We were picked up needlessly early for the airport transfer. The driver wasted no time getting there and we arrived with time to kill.
After a bite to eat, we made our way to the gate to find a long, slow-moving queue. We began to worry that we might miss our flight and we weren’t the only ones. After a number of queries and lots of confusion, passengers for Ryanair were called over to jump the queue. Arriving at Madeira was quick and easy but the exit was chaotic. Thankfully however, the take-off was delayed to give us time to board; and to start our journey back to the cold wet weather of Manchester.