A three week Madeira blog

[Paddy Tobin]

Hi John,

Great to have you post your blog here, great set of photographs and good to see colour and bright light at least on the computer screen.

I asked in another thread what garden you were in but you have answered it above, Gerald Luckhurst's.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Happy Christmas, Paddy

[KentGardener]

(by the way - sorry about the image sizes.  I don't have my laptop with me and am relying on using online image software which I don't seem as good at getting sizes right as with my home stuff!)

Thursday 23rd December

Woke to glorious sunshine and decided to take a walk over to Michaelīs house at 10am to see if he was there.  Luckily I found him in and we had a couple of hours to catch up on the last few months. 

1 - Michael posing with a giant ginger
2 - the entrance to Michael's cave
3 - beginning of a Heliconia flower
4 - I liked this flower a lot (I think Michael said it was from Brazil?)
5 - ?
6 - Salvia (?)
7 - Nepenthes
8 - Black Orchid

[KentGardener]

In the evening I went into town with my parents for the 'all night market' that starts at 8pm on 23rd December and finishes at 6am on 24th December.  Many streets are closed off to traffic and stalls selling beer and poncha (a local alcoholic drink made with lemon and honey) are set up every 20 ft.  In between these are food stalls selling local delicacies.  The pork cooked in wine served in a pitta bread was particularly yummy.  There are street musicians and also a large disco area set up in one of the squares.  This is a night when anyone who can get there does so - greeting old friends and new with 'filiz natal'.

By the time I left at midnight there were rather a lot of people on their way to being very merry (and some already well past that stage) - but there was absolutely no trouble and even though it was incredibly crowded one didn't feel intimidated in any way.

[mark smyth]

Thanks for taking time to show us your trip

[David Nicholson]

Thanks for posting John. Have a great time and all best wishes to you.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Yours looks more colourful than our White Christmas John...  !
Have fun and thanks for bringing us som colour ! 

[KentGardener]

Friday 24th December

Woke with rather a hangover after the previous nights frivolities.    

Decided on a relaxing day of swimming, gym, sauna and jacuzzi. Did manage to take a couple of plant snaps in the local area though.  Whenever in Madeira I always try and find an Agapanthus in flower whatever the season.    

[Maren]

What an amazing plant. could it be an Echium?
Thanks for sharing your pics, they take away the winter gloom.

[KentGardener]

Hi Maren

Glad you like the pictures.

If you mean the final picture with the rock emerging from the sea behind - it is an Agave attenuata flower spike.

[KentGardener]

Saturday 25th December

Woke to a promising sky that was followed by a gloriously sunny Christmas day.  Breakfast in the hotel dining room, did another 2 hour walk on the leveda above the Lido - it was like Piccadily Circus up there as everyone was walking that leveda as there were no buses to get people further afield. Also walked along the Lido deck and had a pint in the sun. Another workout in the gym, swim, jaccuzzi and sauna made it a perfect day.  

Finished off by a slap up meal in the hotel restaurant, rather than cooking in the apartments.

1 - Morning view from my balcony
2 - Weed by the Levada
3 - Another Hibiscus hedge
4 - Another Hibiscus hedge
5 - Hibiscus as a tree - I think they look great like this
6 - Angels Trumpets
7 - Little bird getting nectar
8 - Art

[KentGardener]

Sunday 26th December

Woke and stepped onto the balcony to another beautiful sunrise.  




After breakfast we decided to get the slow bus (no 48) up to Monte - the journey takes about an hour doing it this way but is interesting to see all the little hamlets on the way up. The reason for going up was to give some 100 year old photos to someone my parents know up there. Once that was done we came back down pretty quick as we could see the sun shining in Funchal yet we were almost in the clouds.  


The flowers on this were remarkably large compared to what I have normally seen.


Some more of the wonderfully over the top Christmas decorations in Funchal.


Off out now for 'Steak on a stone' - my favourite.  

[mark smyth]

The bird taking nectar looks like a blackcap. Madeira has it's own sub species

[Paddy Tobin]

John,

Your conditions are such a contrast to ours. Here we have had very cold weather, heavy frost, -10C yesterday and then, overnight, we had a thaw and awoke to green instead of white. Now, we have heavy rain which is to continue over the next few days.

But, we can look at your wonderful photographs, scenery and flowers and enjoy them at a distance.

Paddy

[Lvandelft]

John, thanks for sharing your pictures from Madeira. With all the snow around here it is really highlighting my days with all these summer pictures from only 4 hours flying from here.

[KentGardener]

Come on - is Cliff the only one to enter the caption contest?  I'll bring a lovely prize back from Madeira for the winner.   

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