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Post by cheerypeabrain on Nov 14, 2010 21:37:25 GMT
We went on another cruise this April because we loved the first one so much. The first cruise had been very interesting in that we were visiting places of historical interest..the 2nd cruise was more a sightseeing trip. Madeira was fabulous...luuurved it and will go back. We spent a day in and around Funchal    signs of the damage caused by a fire the previous year...there had also been a flood earlier in the year but the authorities had worked very hard to clear up...it was astonishing.   the view from the top of the 2nd highest seacliff in the world....Cabo Girão (1935 ft)  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2010 23:38:54 GMT
Looks like such a tranquil place, so beautiful.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 15, 2010 3:35:27 GMT
It's so steep and craggy! Amazing to think of people building and living there throughout the centuries. Wherever were you standing to get that incredible shot of the valley floor? It's incredibly beautiful. Was it warm there in April?
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Post by hwinpp on Nov 15, 2010 5:02:59 GMT
Madeira has been a dream of mine as well.
A friend of mine went there for a three week trekking tour some years back...
After about 2 weeks he found the Hanover Yellow Pages buried at the bottom of his back pack ;D ;D ;D
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2010 6:02:05 GMT
Madeira was extremely popular with French tourists for decades (and I can see why), but I think it has dropped off in this century due to all of the cheap flights to Asia and the Caribbean.
Great pictures, cheery. Even though I knew it was mountainous, I didn't realize Madeira was so steep.
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Nov 15, 2010 16:05:29 GMT
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Nov 15, 2010 16:16:00 GMT
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Post by tod2 on Nov 15, 2010 17:08:39 GMT
Oh Cheery! Fantastic Fantastic! My DH and I have never been to Madeira or the Canaries but our son has. He said the steep mountain roads in Madeira are something else!! He was there during Festival.
I was so glad to see the Dragon Tree - I have a very similar tree growing in my garden but we call it 'the penis tree'!
I could show you why.......
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Post by fumobici on Nov 15, 2010 18:36:17 GMT
Wonderful report! The Canaries are partially mapped in Google Street View so if one is curious one can easily waste a few hours touring in a virtual sense as I have.
For a good scare Google: La Palma mega-tsunami
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2010 18:39:38 GMT
The fish are wonderful. I am always relieved when I see a lot of fish together, since there are so many place where the fish are few and far between. The vegetation is excellent as well.  |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Nov 15, 2010 19:07:10 GMT
Oh Cheery! Fantastic Fantastic! My DH and I have never been to Madeira or the Canaries but our son has. He said the steep mountain roads in Madeira are something else!! He was there during Festival. I was so glad to see the Dragon Tree - I have a very similar tree growing in my garden but we call it 'the penis tree'! I could show you why....... oh do! purleeeeeease..... |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Nov 15, 2010 19:09:06 GMT
The fish are wonderful. I am always relieved when I see a lot of fish together, since there are so many place where the fish are few and far between. The vegetation is excellent as well. cheers medears...the submarine went down to 28 metres...and we travelled a short distance out to sea. The seafloor was quite barren because of an erruption in the 50s....apparently it takes several decades for the plants to return. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 17, 2010 10:07:32 GMT
I went to Tahiti once shortly after a typhoon had raked through the reefs and beaches, and there was hardly a single fish in the water. It was totally creepy.
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Post by Jazz on Nov 17, 2010 14:31:53 GMT
Great report, Cheery! The photo from the top of Cabo Girao is stunning. It must have been a sensual and unusual experience below the surface with the fish!
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 21, 2010 23:32:31 GMT
My gosh, Cheery ~~ this thread gets better & better!
So wonderful to see those succulents thriving. (The Aeonium is mostly native to Madeira & the Canaries.) The garden is fabulous. What are the flowers in the last garden pic, please?
Oooo ~~ you went down in a submarine. Were you scared? I would love to see the fish up close like that, but would worry about claustrophobia. What an experience!
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Nov 26, 2010 17:26:24 GMT
Hlo Bixa...sorry I missed this...
The flower in the last pic in the garden thread (purple ones?) are echiums...I think it's echium fastuosum (I've only grown echium pininana)
The submarine trip was fine...I worried about claustrophobia but I was so busy looking out of the porthole that I forgot to be scared! it was brilliant...would love to see a coral reef next time...
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