... Madeira, the best island in the world
Beloved Madeira,
We landed with a round of applause for the captain for landing on the first attempt. I did not realise that you are a difficult place to land, and later I discovered that the entire runway is suspended in water using concrete. That on its own blew my mind away.
Your people love you, and it shows in the way that they speak about you. You encourage your people to speak multiple languages so that they can share the best parts about you to those that come and take a peek at the best island in the world. The Eastern tour painted a picture of how your people, the Portuguese anchored ship here and made a home. Camacha showed us how people made things using readily available wicker plants. Our only regret was not being able to go to Monte and have a ride in a toboggan which is also made from wicker and probably comes from this very factory shop. The oldest and still operational on the island.
I thought Riberio Firo did not have much going for it until I stumbled upon the trout farm. Back in Switzerland, we went to Blausee where they too have a trout farm, but they did not have the different life cycles shown like you do. It’s an excellent activity to do with children, especially if they have started staying biology in school.
Santana felt like a museum, showcasing Casas de Colmo houses that made me think that things were much simpler back in the day. Minimalism was something that you were already a part of before it became mainstream. What I loved most was seeing the modern houses that have been built here in Santana, but still have the traditional house next to it. It made me ask myself, why are we always so keen to move on from the past when it can be a great way to remind us about where we have been and provide us with an insight on where we could go. Moreover, it was a pleasure to have the chance to go see a view of Portela from above, from which I could see why when the first settlers came across the island they decided to make a home on your shores.
It is not often that I have the opportunity to go to the most eastern part of an island but here, on Ponta de São Lourenço, you make it possible. With no settlement in this place, you let this area remain untouched, showing the world that this Earth is a gift to be cherished and not every space is supposed to be occupied.
With your unpredictable weather, you made it impossible for us to complete the hike from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. The next person you had sent to guide us on our way had another walk-in mind that was further down the mountain and close to the coast. Through the alternative walk, you still taught me several things. You taught me that mimosa is not just the alcoholic drink I have come to love but a sweet-smelling plant that the drink takes its name from. Collectively with the Canary Islands and the Azores, you are referred to as the Macaronesian Islands. You are fortunate to have some vegetation that prefers to only grow here, such as the laurisilva plant. Little did I know what is where the bay leaf comes from. I was even more amazed by the succulents that adapted to grow on the side of the rocks. Talk about natural selection :)
I was grateful that we found a catamaran just for JJ and me to go and see the dolphin’s in their natural habitat. That on its own was a pretty surreal spontaneous moment that I will forever hold dear. I love that your people are protective over the inhabitants of the water. Through limiting the number of boats that can get too close to the dolphins or the whales when they are close by over-tourism does not affect the animals. I might not have seen many dolphins close by enough for me to have that shot, but I was pretty happy to see them and carry on.
Touring the west side of the city allowed us to have a complete experience of your island. We learnt how Winston Churchill loved your island and spent many times in Camara de Lobos and even has a cafe that has been named after him. We would too, want to move here if given the opportunity.
Cabo Girao is home to the highest skywalk in Europe, and at 580m, that is an experience I will not forget soon. Obviously, for people who are scared of heights, this might not do it for them, but for the rest of us, there is an opportunity to experience the magic. What’s even crazier is the view from this spot, particularly the farms where people grow the most delicious food and charge a pretty penny for it due to it being so challenging to grow food here.
You allowed the weather to hold up a little as we made our way to Encumeda, the point where the east part of the island meets the west - the centre for us to head all the way up the mountain and have the chance to be at one of the highest peaks on the island. We really were grateful for that snippet of time to be able to capture this moment. What we did not realise is what you were preparing for us. Those clouds that you let roll in were paving the way for a moment that I will hold dear to my heart until the day I die. The first time I got to be on cloud nine. Literally.
There’s something magical about nature, leaving us a place to enjoy and Porto Muniz is one of those places where we can enjoy. I did wish that it was warmer and that the pools were open, then we could have had a dip. I definitely believe that this is a top experience in Madeira.
All in all, we are grateful for giving us a place to return to over and over and over again, and with every trip, we will continue to fall in love.
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