TRAVELING EAST Breakfast this morning was in a little restaurant overlooking the colorful fishing boats in Câmara de Lobos, a village just outside Funchal. A place much favored by Winston Churchill, Câmara de Lobos is where he loved to paint. The picturesque boats and scenery are in direct contrast to the black scabbardfish they catch here at night. Often referred to as “monsters from the deep,” due to their rows of sharp teeth, they are extremely ugly but considered a wonderful fish to eat and are often served with passion fruit and banana sauce. A short journey along the coast leads to a glass walkway at the top of the towering Cabo Girao, allowing visitors to walk out and admire the stunning vistas. At the entrance, we encountered a oddly dressed man playing
bongos and chanting in strange tones. A rainbow formed overhead, so we drove up the nearby hillside to get a better view. There were many eucalyptus trees and the air was heavy with their pungent scent. Further along the coast, we traveled through a rock tunnel, which made its exit onto a road where a waterfall plunged onto the pavement from the lofty rocks above. Many visitors stopped to dance in the cascading water. TRAVELING WEST Eventually, we traveled west from Funchal to Quinta do Lorde. The terrain became frilly, and smooth porous stones of various colors littered the landscape. A couple of small vans along the way displayed beautiful handmade artwork.
We continued to Semana, famous for its historical tiny A-framed houses with straw roofs. I especially enjoyed the woman spinning yarn for her handicrafts in one of the A-frames and the homemade cakes and biscuits in another. The flavor of home baking outstripped the usual tourist offerings. We received some interesting baking instructions using local ingredients, like the syrup from the sugarcane — often referred to has honey cane — and used in the island’s traditional madeira cake. Here too they sold Madeira wine, and we learned that a five-year- aged bottled goes well with savory dishes and a ten-year-old with desserts.
VOTED EUROPE’S BEST ISLAND DESTINATION SIX YEARS IN A ROW
INTO THE MOUNTAINS The levadas, narrow channels of water which slope from the humid north to the drier south, were first built in the sixteenth century. Energizing walks following the levadas offer magnificent panoramic views and opportunities to enjoy nature at its best. Some of the most interesting viewpoints on these expeditions could be found on Pico Arieiro and Pico Ruivo, two of the area’s highest peaks. The micro climate here places you above the clouds, which was a truly enchanting experience. We returned to Funchal along a route which was, at times, shrouded in mist where temperatures plummeted. We stopped for refreshment at a rustic timber restaurant, a place akin to a ski lodge with blazing log fires. It seemed so bizarre when not far away, down in Funchal it was warm and sunny. We enjoyed a cheese and sausage platter with all the accompaniments here that was fantastic.
As we continued toward the capital, small hamlets with terraces of cultivation began to appear, and the verges on either side were edged with hydrangeas for mile after mile. Later, we entered banana-growing country. The giant bunches of fruit looked almost ready to harvest. Traveling on, we encountered several gushing waterfalls en route to the north shores of the island, where great waves of the Atlantic Ocean pounded the coast. We stopped for coffee and encountered strange alien-looking plants hanging in giant loops. Further along the coast, we visited the natural swimming pools at Porto Maniche, which are formed by volcanic lava and filled with crystal-clear sea water from the Atlantic. Paths and walkways connect the pools, so it is possible to swim in one and easily move THE PICTURESQUE NORTHERN COAST
to another. They vary in size and depth. There is also a children’s play area, changing rooms and bathrooms with lockers for storing personal items, and a restaurant on site. We spent quite a bit of time here enjoying the unique ambiance. ETERNAL SPRINGTIME One of the greatest things about Madeira is the diversity of experiences available, with colorful tropical vegetation and a wonderful climate year-round. There is also a packed calendar of events, from the flower festival in the summer to the fireworks display at New Year’s, which has been heralded as one of worlds must- see displays.
19 WESTON JEWELERS MAGAZINE
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