Sunday 5 June 2016

Portuguese Voyage - Final Stop: Madeira (Days 14 - 16) - A Breathtaking Sanctuary

I have wondered for a while now, Madeira is closer to Morocco than mainland Portugal, so why didn't the Moroccans just take the island under its wing?

Ok fine, the difference in the distance is not that big and the Canary Islands are nearer but not under the Moroccans too.

Madeira island sits on top of a huge volcano that rises ~ 6 km (20,000 ft) from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean (no wonder there is so much vegetation and it's known for its flora). Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal and is considered to be the first territorial discovered during the Portuguese Age of Discovery.

Madeira - left me breathless, it is gorgeous! The view from the airplane to the ride from the airport to my accommodation, is not to be missed: the mountains against the ocean, the vegetation, the roads curving around the mountains, the highway bridge cutting through the mountains - enthralling!






My Airbnb accommodation is about a 10-minute bus ride from Funchal (the capital of Madeira). It is nicknamed the 'Banana Villa'.

On the way to my accommodation

The house I stayed in (my accommodation was not the whole house, it was one of the rooms in the house)

Banana trees everywhere! :D


View from my room
How ideal for me! *eating a banana right now* lol
The local bananas are delicious and I had free flow of it :D

My accommodation site is perfect. It is 10-minutes away from Funchal by bus, and the bus stop is right in front of the house. It is also walking distance to the beach.

Note: It is best to rent a car to get around Madeira, however, you can rely on the local buses. There are more than one local bus companies that cover different routes/cities/towns. If you get a day/3-day/5-day pass from one bus company and want to go to a town that is covered by another bus company, you will need to buy another ticket/pass. Hence, plan your trip accordingly. :)

I did not rent a car. I relied mainly on the buses and, thankfully, I have a friend from Madeira who gladly (well I hope it was 'gladly') took me around for some of the time I was in Madeira. (The story of how we met and kept in touch is rather funny....#lifeworksinfunnyways). 

Actually, I am extremely agradecido (grateful) that he took me around. Other than being a great guide, I got to go to cool bars (one in the mountains) and incredible restaurants (one in the mountains as well) :) I owe you big time!!

Most of the time I was in Madeira was spent in Funchal. Funchal is a lovely city and you can spend days just relaxing in its charm.

Funchal

Lanes in Funchal


Around Funchal


Replica of the ship typically used during the Portuguese discovery, built by craftsmen from Madeira



In the Funchal Sé (Cathedral of Funchal)

Isn't it magnificent?

Statue of Empress Elisabeth of Austria ("Sisi") near the Madeira Casino
She stayed in Madeira for a while as she was unwell, under her doctor's advice
View of Funchal

Madeira has many hiking trails. Due to my limited time on the island, I could only go to one, the Ponta de São Lourenço in Canical, the eastern part of Madeira.
The trail is an easy but rather long hike (~2.5 hours) and it is absolutely stunning! I feel everyone MUST do this trail!

From Funchal, there is a bus that goes directly to the starting point of the trail. Depending on the time you take the bus, you might have to change buses in Machico.

Do you remember my earlier post, I mentioned I got my last 'shoevenir' in Madeira? Well, at the bus stop, as I was walking down a few steps, I twisted my left foot (a sign to go home? lol). There was some slight pain which reduced quickly, and I could walk normally. Hence, I still decided to carry on with the hike - I mean I was halfway there!
As some parts of the trail were rocky and the winds were so strong that they were pushing me (yes, it was that strong, I am not light!), I had to put a lot of pressure on my foot to stabilise myself, and in the end, I got the 'shoevenir' I deserved... lol. However, I do not regret doing the hike one bit!















The hike is profoundly humbling, and the ocean... majestic!



The end point before turning back








Although it was the same route back to the starting point, I felt the view was different. It could have been because I was drowning with fatigue, my foot was killing me and all I wanted to do was rest! Lol

The 'shoevenir' - back in Kuala Lumpur, after my trip
But my foot is fine now! :D

Whilst in Madeira too, don't forget to go to the highest sea cliff skywalk in Europe - Cabo Girão!

*There is a lot of confusion with regards to the highest European sea cliff. The highest sea cliff in Europe is Hornelen in Norway (860 metres). Cabo Girão is the highest sea cliff skywalk in Europe (589 metres).*

Without a car, you can take a bus or hike up to Cabo Girão from Câmara de Lobos. I chose the former (due to my foot).
Cabo Girão is about 2km away from Câmara de Lobos, a traditional fishing village which apparently inspired the late Sir Winston Churchill to paint its lovely surroundings.

Câmara de Lobos

Câmara de Lobos
Câmara de Lobos is about 5km from Funchal, whereby you can take a bus to reach to. From my accommodation, there is a walkway to the village - about a 15-minute scenic walk.

Walkway to Câmara de Lobos 



Câmara de Lobos
Câmara de Lobos
Câmara de Lobos by night
Before heading to Cabo Girão, do take the opportunity to explore the picturesque village and take a stroll in its quaint alleys.

On the way up to Cabo Girão
Cabo Girão



The skywalk platform

Atlantic Ocean - feel like jumping it!

What boundless beauty!

Now...Food time! 

Fish lovers, you will love Madeira, there is so much fish, and different types too.....

Black scabbard fish with the local banana



Tuna




I don't know the names of most of them, but they are all amazingly fresh and tasty! There are some unique kinds of seafood too, that are only found in Madeira!

Lapas (limpet) - they may look like mini oysters but they are more delicious!
The limpets 'live' on the rocks on the beach. They are cooked with garlic, salt, and some herbs.


Sea snail
Other than seafood, there are other local delicacies that are a must try.

Espetada - typical dish in Madeira of beef rubbed with garlic and salt, skewered onto laurel/bay leaf stick, cooked over hot coal. (Now it is skewered onto a metal stick)

Fried maize

Bolo do caco - love this so much! Bolo do caco is a flat, circular bread, shaped like a cake (hence called bolo). It is traditionally cooked on a caco, a flat basalt stone slab.

Queijada Madeirense (Madeira Cheesecake). Unlike its Sintra cousin, it does not have a distinct cinnamon taste. However, it is equally as scrumptious and slightly more decadent!
Let's not forget the alcohol now...hehehe

*One good thing in Madeira is that local snacks (olives and some beans) are served when you order drinks, unlike in the mainland.*

1) Madeira Wine (I somehow did not take a picture). It is fortified wine from Madeira, but, unlike Port, this is so much better and it is not thick! There are a few types you can choose from, I chose the medium sweet. Reminded me of Moscato, but has a different taste.

2) Oh boy, other than the gorgeous views and fish, the one other thing I miss a lot about Madeira is Ponchas! It is a traditional alcoholic drink from Madeira, made with aguardente de cana (distilled alcohol made from sugar cane juice), honey, sugar, lemon rind and different fruit juices (depending on the flavour of poncha), but traditionally made with lemon juice. 

Poncha - cannot be found anywhere else!
I call it the seductive poison. It is remarkably delicious and tempting, but one glass is lethal! I had a glass mid-noon one day, it made me light-headed and I nearly got another pair of shoes! (Bad influence much?!) Ok - maybe it was because I was so tired which negatively affected my tolerance level.. lol.

Strawberry Poncha
I also had the passionfruit poncha - ambrosial! The strawberry poncha, however, is not as good (tasted more like strawberry daiquiri).

As you can see from the above, it's safe to say I didn't meet Cristiano Ronaldo, neither did I see his statue.. lol. (The statue has been removed. I think it is due to vandalism).

3 days is not enough for Madeira, there is so much more to see and do: Toboggan ride in Monte, Porto Santo, Santana, Porto Moniz and more, which unfortunately I didn't get to experience. If you are planning your trip, do spend more time on this lovely island! 



This is the end of my Portuguese Voyage :(

With a heavy heart, I left this spectacular country.

Would I go back? In a heartbeat!

There is so much more I have not seen, in mainland Portugal: Óbidos, Duoro region, Alentejo region, Algarve (there has to be a reason David Cameron goes there every summer!), the islands: Azores, and Madeira (as stated above, there is more to explore, and I can load up on the Ponchas! Lol), Belcanto, luscious wines, lovely coffee and so much more!

I will end the post with two songs that remind me of Portugal and the last picture I took before flying back home!


Hallelujah used to remind me of Christmas whilst in university. Now it reminds me of Portugal. Reason: As it was Sunday evening, the music selection was switched to more 'calming' music to mentally prepare for the next working day (totally understand! I get it too). But.... Hallelujah, "This is not calming, this is sad." Lol.. Don't get me wrong, I love Hallelujah! 


Again, this song used to remind me of university. Now Portugal. This is the last song I heard before leaving Portugal. And below, the last picture that was taken!

At least I saw him in some way...lol


Tchau bela Portugal! Selamat kembali ke Malaysia! (Bye beautiful Portugal! Welcome home to Malaysia!)

Next post - somewhere closer to home :)


1 comment :

  1. You have inspired me to plan a vacation in Madeira.

    ReplyDelete