Madeira
Our day started with glorious weather, all we could hope for on a day of exploration of the “Pearl of the Atlantic” one of the many names by which Madeira is known. After breakfast we boarded buses for a full day of tours. Those of us that chose to visit Pico Ariero, drove inland to the second highest peak of Madeira (5,900 feet) and as we climbed the winding road up to the summit we were rewarded with spectacular views in all directions. Our next activity was a walk along one of the many “levadas” (to carry in Portuguese), a local system of irrigation channels designed to bring, using only gravity, the rain from the north side of the island to the cultivated fields in the south. As we walked we encountered much of the native vegetation of Madeira, called Lauresilva (woods of laurel trees), and stopped at viewpoints to take yet another photograph.
The second option included a visit to the Botanical Gardens which was a dream come true for plant lovers. Having seen the splendid variety of exotic plants in Funchal, the display at the gardens taught us the species names and their place of origin. The Botanical Gardena was formerly the residence of the well-known Reid Family and was opened to the public in 1960. Among the beautifully laid terraces were a number of “miradouros” offering magnificent views of Funchal. We then travelled to Camacha, the center of wicker production of Madeira, which exports 700 tons of wicker in some 1300 different shapes each year. Our tour would not be complete without a visit to a winery where the famous Madeira wine is produced. At Blandy we learned about the process of making this deliciously sweet beverage and most importantly, we had the chance to taste and purchase it.
To top this magnificent day, we took a Zodiac ride to another group of islands not far from Madeira, the Desertas. Here we saw the remains of the lava, ash and other pyroclastic materials that burst forth from the earth’s innards to form the Madeira Archipelago. Since 1992, the Desertas have been part of the Council of Europe’s Biogenic Reserves.
Our day started with glorious weather, all we could hope for on a day of exploration of the “Pearl of the Atlantic” one of the many names by which Madeira is known. After breakfast we boarded buses for a full day of tours. Those of us that chose to visit Pico Ariero, drove inland to the second highest peak of Madeira (5,900 feet) and as we climbed the winding road up to the summit we were rewarded with spectacular views in all directions. Our next activity was a walk along one of the many “levadas” (to carry in Portuguese), a local system of irrigation channels designed to bring, using only gravity, the rain from the north side of the island to the cultivated fields in the south. As we walked we encountered much of the native vegetation of Madeira, called Lauresilva (woods of laurel trees), and stopped at viewpoints to take yet another photograph.
The second option included a visit to the Botanical Gardens which was a dream come true for plant lovers. Having seen the splendid variety of exotic plants in Funchal, the display at the gardens taught us the species names and their place of origin. The Botanical Gardena was formerly the residence of the well-known Reid Family and was opened to the public in 1960. Among the beautifully laid terraces were a number of “miradouros” offering magnificent views of Funchal. We then travelled to Camacha, the center of wicker production of Madeira, which exports 700 tons of wicker in some 1300 different shapes each year. Our tour would not be complete without a visit to a winery where the famous Madeira wine is produced. At Blandy we learned about the process of making this deliciously sweet beverage and most importantly, we had the chance to taste and purchase it.
To top this magnificent day, we took a Zodiac ride to another group of islands not far from Madeira, the Desertas. Here we saw the remains of the lava, ash and other pyroclastic materials that burst forth from the earth’s innards to form the Madeira Archipelago. Since 1992, the Desertas have been part of the Council of Europe’s Biogenic Reserves.
