Madeira

Being in Portugal, you really have to take advantage of the short flying times and low prices to the Portuguese islands. That is at least what me and my friends thought, when we planned our holiday on Madeira.

Madeira is an island of the Autonomic region Portugal and lies in the Atlantic Ocean on the same height as Marrakesh a bit higher than the Canary Islands. Because of that it even has good climate in winter. The have the same time zone as Portugal, their official language is also Portuguese and it is only about a two hours’ flight from Lisbon. It consists of the main island, the deserted islands and the two small ones Camacha and Porto Santo. We were four friends planning the trip together. One of them would leave earlier because of work and another one would come some days later because of exams. We started our trip on Sunday the 22nd of January at seven o’clock in the morning at the airport of Lisbon and landed at 9 o’clock on the Cristiano Ronaldo Airport in Madeira.

There we had our first problems. For some reason, the car rental agency didn’t accept my credit card and the only one allowed to pay was the driver. As usually, I was the only one allowed to drive the car as one of my friends didn’t have a drivers licence and the other one didn’t have it long enough. Apart from that, I am the only one, who I really trust driving. After some discussions, we were allowed to leave the deposit by cash, but two times higher than the credit card blocking should have been. We separated the money amongst us and drove off to out hostel, once again in a Fiat Panda. Our hostel the Phil’s Haven in Funchal is really to recommend. It is tidy, has everything important and the people there are very kind and helping. The only negative thing is that there is no heating and we only had sheets to sleep. When I asked for a blanket and they told me that was the blanket, I was shocked. After searching for a long time, they found two real blankets, which they gave me and my Nepalese friend, who was also freezing. Even with the blanket, I slept with pullover, not to freeze as it still gets cold at night, even on Madeira.

Day 1:

We started by walking to the city centre of Funchal, which was on foot maybe half an hour away. The weather was good, a lot better than read in the forecast and we were really sweating as we had packed too warm clothes. As the Cristiano Ronaldo Museum, where the guys wanted so much to go, was closed on Sundays, we just took some pictures with the statue and then went to see the smallest principality in the world (Guinness book of Records). There, we were welcomed by the prime minister, who emphasized to tell that to all our friends. The Fortress de Sao Jose, is a small stone fortress, really cute made, with a rooftop, where we went to enjoy the sun and the view on the ocean, together with the many cats. It was so nice that I really fell asleep. I woke up half an hour later and was embarrassed until I saw that the others also had fallen asleep. When everyone was awake again, we all agreed that we needed ice cream to cool down. So, we got some at the beach promenade, of course Maracuja. After going grocery shopping for dinner, we slowly returned to our hostel. The city centre is very cute with many cafes, coloured doors and exotic houses.

Day 2:

Today, we had planned our big hiking trip. We got up early, had breakfast and prepared lunch, drinks and snacks for the hike. At about half past nine, we left the hostel packed with rain jackets, hats, scarf, sandwiches, cookies, bananas and camera. It was half past ten, when we arrived at the Pico de Arieiro, after driving the long and windy roads through the mountains. We started our 7 kilometres hike from the 1818 metre high Pico de Arieiro to the highest mountain of Portugal at 1862 metres: the Pico Ruivo, where no road leads. The closest that you can get by car, is on the other side, where you still have a two kilometre hiking track. We were in the clouds and the wind was howling around us, it was ice cold and we were happy about our many clothes. Here, the wind comes unslowed from the Atlantic Ocean. The hiking track is very narrow and at many places secured with ropes as it goes deep down. Normally, there are two different ways, so that you can go by one and come back by the other one, but one of them was closed. Probably, it has broken down partly, which is not uncommon. We also had to cross five tunnels on our way and that is why it is recommended to bring flashlights. The path was very beautiful. We had many great views in different directions, over the mountains, the green valleys and many different kinds of vegetation. We saw some endemic birds and few times met other hikers.

When, we were protected from the wind by the mountainside, it even got really warm with the sun and we continued hiking in t-shirts. On the way, we always filled up our water bottles in the rivers and waterfalls. The path is mostly natural, sometimes beaten into the rock and one time, they had added some metal stairs to make the path more secure. Shortly before arriving to the peak, we crossed a strange looking forest. The trees looked like smoked and really dead. Later, we got to know that they were ill, caused by some not endemic insects, and dying. We arrived at the peak, where suddenly many people gathered, the probably came from one of the other three walking tracks. The view was just breath-taking. The green forests, the clouds between the mountain peaks and the beautiful birds! We made a pause, ate our snacks and watched the birds.

We then returned over the same way that we came from as our car was parked at the parking lot. Shortly before the end, the sun was going down and coloured the clouds in golden. It was just spectacular! It took us seven hours, 15 kilometres and over 900 metres in height to finish the hiking. We were so tired and just fell into bed, when we came home. But, it truly had been an amazing day.

Day 3:

This was the last the of our Nepalese friend and he really wanted to visit the Cristiano Ronaldo Museum, so of course, we went there. As I am not a soccer fan, I was nor really interested. But even I know Cristiano Ronaldo and also that he was born in Madeira. In the museum, you can find old soccer balls, shoes, shirts with signatures, cups and honours, two wax figures, his fan mail and dedications from other people and organisations. It was interesting, but surely not on top of my to-do list in Madeira and surely nothing I have to see twice. After the museum, we started our tour around the island.

Our first stop was Porto Moniz, in the north west of the island. The city is famous for its lava pools with the surrounding sea. It was impressive as the waves were up to 10 metres high that day. They said the water should be nicely warm (17 degrees), but I think we have different ideas of what is warm. I fled directly from the water and preferred lying in the sun and watching the spectacular waves crash against the black rocks of the pools. I also should mention that we, or rather the boys, were the only ones in the pool.

Next station was Sao Vicente, a bit to the east. Here, you have access to the magma caves. Madeira is a volcanic island and until shortly ago, they thought that they are all inactive, but after finding hot water, they changed their mind about that the volcanoes are only sleeping. You can get guided tours through the magma caves with many explanations, a simulator, an exhibition and a film in 3D. The caves itself are not so spectacular - black, narrow caves with cold magma – but the explanations about the different kinds of magma and volcanoes were very interesting.

For a last stop of that day, we went to Santana, where we got after following some adventurous streets along the cliffs. Sometimes, we could see fallen rocks on the roads and sometimes, I was really thinking about what to do, if we meet someone. There was no way to get pass another car, but it also was not a one way street. Santana is part of the cultural heritage because of its traditional old houses. We thought they would be all over the city and were very sad, when we didn’t see them. After searing for a long time, we found three, but which were already very damaged. As is already got darker, we returned home.

Day 4:

Early in the morning, we brought our friend to the airport and went back to sleep. At a more normal time, we got up and prepared ourselves for an excursion to the Curral das Freiras– the Valley of the Nuns. There, we hiked a one kilometre high mountain up. The way was going up in serpentines and we always had the same view, just a few metres higher – not very interesting- but the view on top was very impressive and made the exhausting hike worth the forces. Up there, I tried a typical chestnut cake and we hiked back down with a very grey sky and even some time of rain. Actually, we had planned some more things for the day, but after being completely wet, we preferred going home to take a hot shower and put on some dry clothes.

Day 5:

Today, a Polish girl from the hostel came with us and we went together to fetch our other friend from the airport. We went to a fisher village: Câmara de Lobos, which was very nice, with a stone beach, cute city centre and a view point on top of a hill, but actually it didn’t look like a fishers village. After a coffee to wake up, we continued to the Cabo Girao, a glass walkway 580 metres high above the sea. This was the first time, we had problems with the car. I wanted to park in an inclinated road and the hand break didn’t hold the car. We found a flat parking spot and left the car there, but even then, I was afraid that it would be gone, when we come back. The glass walk was impressive and with good weather and clear sky, the view was amazing. I was very satisfied that the car was still on the parking space and we immediately tried our breaks: they worked.

Next destination was the Serra d’Água, where we wanted to hike a bit. As it started raining, when we arrived and some of us were hungry, we went to the Taberna da Poncha. We ate some snacks and drank the traditional Poncha, which is made from fresh fruits and alcohol, depending on the fruits it is rum or vodka, and then gets mixed with honey. Very delicious! We tried six kinds: the orange, the mandarin, the passionfruit, pineapple, raspberry and lemon. Slightly tipsy, we went hiking up the mountain. As we couldn’t find the walking track, we just walked alongside the road and ended up at a restaurant with a viewing point. From there, we found small walking path down the mountain and there walked back to our car. On our way, we met a young cat, which followed us for some time. Later, we even met several dogs and goats, so it was a very inter-animally hike.

Sadly, there were already many clouds in the sky, but we decided to go anyway to the plateau of Paul da Serra. It lies high up in the mountains and is completely flat, so flat that they were thinking about building an airport there. But because of the very likely fog they gave the idea up.

Also, that day, it was foggy. We could hardly see 200 metres of the road and drove very slowly. For some parts, it got better. We met a mother cow with a calf, running around freely on the road and later, we crossed two bulls with huge corns. Very interesting! One time, before getting on the plateau, we even passed under a waterfall. On the other side of the plateau, the sky got clearer and we could see the sun going down, before we drove home in the pitch black.

We brought our Polish friend back to the hostel and then, went to the restaurant with a Russian guy from our hostel. We wanted to try the typical speciality of the region, which is the swordfish. Other typical things are similar to the ones in Portugal: Bacalhau and everything from the sea. For starters, we had the typical Madeiran garlic bread, which we all loved! The swordfish came one time in a wine sauce, one time with banana and one time with tropical fruits. Every version was so good! For me, it had been a perfect day!

Day 6:

That day, we had another big hiking tour planned. Once again, we got up early, prepared everything and took our Russian friend with us. Today, we wanted to go the hiking track to the Cape of Sao Lourenco, which is the most eastern point on the Island. It seems like a complete different place: here, instead of green and lush vegetation, lots of rivers and waterfalls, high mountains, you will find short and hard grass, which is more yellow than green, brown ground, soft hills, cliffs, lava stone and red rocks. Because of the missing water and shadow, the seemingly easy track got more exhausting than thought. From our experiences of the last days, we had only brought few water in the hope we could refill it at a waterfall or river. So, we had to ration our water. But the landscape made it all worth it. It was different than the rest, but very beautiful and you from the point, you could see the island Porto Santo. At the cape, we made a pause and then returned with a small detour down to the sea back to our car.

We had heard that Machico should be a nice village, but when we arrived there, we didn’t find it interesting and just went to the coast to one of the two golden beaches on the island. The beaches here are all black because they consist of volcanic stone, the golden ones are imported from Marocco. And that every year again as the sand is too fine and gets swept away.

Day 7:

We seem to be very kind people as every day someone wants to come with us. That day, it was an English Lady. She wanted in the same direction as we and prefers our company to the old, non-communicative people. As we still had a free space – of course the Russian guy was already part of our group – we took her. We took the street through the mountains and stopped at the Ribeira Frio, where a short Levada Walk brought us to the “Balcoes”, which means terraces. From there, you have an amazing view on the green valley and the mountains in front of you. We could even see, where we walked from Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo.

Our main destination was the Laurisilvaforest, where we wanted to do a several hours Levada Walk, which is called the Levada of the king – Levada do Rei- through the forest, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Levada Walks are actually all the walk along the small artificial rivers that softly run down the hills. These rivers were constructed to bring the water to the less rainy side of the island and water the agricultural fields. Along these rivers are paths, which were originally thought for maintaining the rivers, but very fast they were popular amongst hikers.

The way was wonderful, a very soft path through the very green forest with lots of fern and other lush vegetation. One time, the way passed under a small waterfall, we got a little wet, while passing. Afterwards it was a little cool as the sun didn’t reach down here. Everything was so calm there and we also stopped talking to listen to the wind blowing in the leaves and the birds singing. The Levada ended at a small river, which must be the origin of this Levada. In contrast to the other tracks, it had been very relaxing as it didn’t get steep. Most of the Levada walks are like that as they just follow the water. Also, the colours have been very pleasant.

Our Russian and Ukrainian friends wanted to stay overnight in the forest. We tried to talk it out, because it was too cold and they didn’t have rain jackets, sleeping bags nor a tent and wanted to try to make a fire with the almost not present and if present wet wood. Apart from being illegal, it would not even work. We went home, had tea, a hot shower and a really good dinner as well as a nice sleep.

Day 8:

Me and my German friend started our hiking tour alone as even one hour after the combinated time, the other two guys were not back yet. We spontaneously decided to go to Ilha and hike the Pico Ruivo, where my friend hadn’t been yet, from the other side.

It took us some time to find the starting point and then we noticed how stupid it is to just go spontaneously without any information, especially if you start too late – of course, except of me no one makes plans and when I tell them to do nothing happens or they are just too bad, so that I have to make them again and we are too late, which was not a problem for me as I have already been up on the Ruivo. We would start at a height of 400 metres and wanted to get up on 1862 in 8, 7 kilometres and then had to hike it all back before it gets dark, which is at about 6, in the forest behind the mountains even a bit earlier. The height meant that there was not even a few metres flat path, it went only up in stairs, up and up and up. I have not a problem with hiking hours on flat or slowly increasing ways, but stairs are the worst thing for me. Especially now, that I haven’t done any sports for a long time, was so tired – because of cold and loud flatmates – and already had sore muscles from the days before.

Anyway, we started our track. After three hours, we had already met some goats crossed some interestingly deep forests, I was already desperate: only stairs as far as one could see. They were natural stairs, but still stairs. My friend layed me motivational smileys on the ground, I had told him to just go his on speed as this is the easiest way for everyone. That’s also how we did it in New Zealand. You get exhausted faster, if you go faster but also slower than your personally preferred speed. On the whole way, we didn’t meet anyone. When we finally arrived at the tree border, we got some nice views, if the clouds disappeared for some time.

The way starts to be more dangerous, steeper and narrower with loose stones. It would be too dangerous to go this way back in the dark. From here, we could see that the peaks were still far away and we wanted to get on the highest. I gave up because I was exhausted and also thought we couldn’t make it as we should turn around soon. My friend kept walking, he wanted to get at least as high as possible. He came back after half an hour and told me the peak was just around the next corner and not the one that we had thought. So, it had also been a lot closer than thought. Damn, you should never give up. But luckily, I had already been on the peak and therefore not too sad for not having continued. I had sat there, ate my bananas and watched the birds fly.

The way down was a lot easier, but also with the wood and the higher humidity very slippery. I almost fell several times. Deep down in the forest, we found a cat, meowing and coming towards us. She was very confident, didn’t look abandoned, lost or even badly nourished. She was very nice and followed us one hour, meowing all the way. Several times, she almost caused us to fall as she always crossed – typical cats -between our legs. After one hour, we stopped on the way and, apparently, that was where he lived as we couldn’t motivate to come further with us. We had thought, she was from the village. When we came back to the hostel, our friends were awaiting us with dinner. This was so amazing! I was so tired that I couldn’t do anything and would have just went to bed. I hardly managed to take a shower and eat the delicious meal.

Day 9:

The Polish girl came again with us as well as the Russian guy and together we went to the north west of the island to Seixal. Seixal is one of the most beautiful black beaches on the island and we went barefoot for a walk. It was such a pleasant feeling: in t-shirt and with lots of sun, but still too cold for a swim.

Afterwards, we drove to the Ponta do Pargo, where we took the funicular to go down the hill. It was swinging a lot in the wind and it was a bit scary as we went alone just with a walkie talkie to tell the guy up on the mountain when we wanted to come back. Down, we went for a walk along the sea and saw the old village. We didn’t find out if there were still people living. Most of it looked abandoned and destroyed, but some of the houses still looked as if they were used. Everything looked like from another time, very peaceful and quiet, a sustainable way of life. We don’t know how the people got there in earlier times, I don’t know how long the funicular already exists, but around the mountain it didn’t look like there was any other way to get there. A storm started to come and we went back up, afraid of being stuck down there. During storms, the funicular is closed. Up, we drank hot chocolate and ate typical bolo de mel, which is something like ginger bread. After the snack, we continued to one of the light towers and there, learned a lot of interesting facts about them, their usage and the lights.

Day 10:

Our last day, would also be very exciting. In the morning, we walked into the city and went for a walk, relaxed at the sea, did some shopping and ate ice cream. Then, we met our Russian friend and went to the Mercado dos Lavradores, where they had everything from vegetables, fruits and spices that you can imagine. We got to taste a lot of that and got to know many strange fruits: mixes of banana and apple, golden and silver bananas, a "banananas" - as I call is – it is actually called Philodendron, but "banananas" sounds more logic. It is a fruit, which only grows on Madeira and the Canary Islands -, tomato-Marajuca, lemon-marajua, strawberry-maracuja, normal maracuja, …

We then wanted to go to the village above Funchal, called Monte. We all got in our Fiat Panda and then, followed the instructions of the navigation system, that was normally never a problem. So, we ended up on one of the really steep roads, as already some times before. This is always very funny – or not – as they always end with a stop sign and there, they are even steeper. Sure, I am going to stop on this steep road and I will never be able to start my car again. I told the others, I would just try to honk and drive over the crossing, what the Medeiran people always do. But, that didn’t work, because I saw a car coming and afraid that it wouldn’t break, hit the break myself. When the car passed, I tried to start, but it didn’t work. We rolled backwards. I tried again. Didn’t work. The others comment really intelligent: „You have to go full speed“, yeah what do you guys think what I am doing?! After some more stupid comments, I said we would change. I put in the hand break, took my foot of the break… and we started rolling backwards! I put the foot again on the break and my friend put the hand break in with as much force as he had. I took my foot of the hand break and again we started rolling. The hand break was not strong enough! So, no change possible. I tried again starting with hand break – my friend released it as I didn’t even have the strength to do it, so strong he had put it. Really slowly we started and everyone was more than happy. I went full speed in the first gear, but the car slowed down more and more. I told them, we would not make it and the other started shouting “full speed! ”, but the car died. It started stinking like hell and the car didn’t start anymore. I decided to roll backwards down the street. I sent two of the cars to the crossing to look for other cars and drove backwards down the street. When we arrived down, I told them – completely done with my nerves – that I didn’t want to drive anymore. But as no one else was insured on the car, I had to. We took another road and drove up the mountain in many curves.

In Monte, I was not any more in the mood of doing or visiting anything. I just followed the others around and we saw the park, the church and the village as well as the typical sledges, in which many tourists go down the roads. One last time, we went to eat typical Madeiran food. We ordered the delicious garlic bread and then together a meat skewer with mixed meat. When we arrived at the airport, I was completely done with my nerves, happy to leave the car and told the responsible guy furious that the hand break didn’t work. They had told us that it could be difficult with the mountains, but the mountains hadn’t been any problem, it had been within the city that we had problems and that on the last of 10 days! And who the hell invented the streets in Madeira? I would give any mounting car priority. Apart from me, no one stops there anyway. The Madeiran people do have the same problem as me and just honk to warn the others and everyone gives them priority. I thought that had already been the stress for today, but no…

At the airport, the guys wanted to watch the planes and therefore we went late to the security check. There were lots of people and the Madeiran people didn’t hurry at all. It took us quite a while to get through the security check and when we arrived at the gate, it was closed. We could explain what we wanted, they didn’t want to let us on the flight. Only after 10 more people with the same problem arrived, they re-opened the gates for us. What a holiday! Exhausting, a lot of stress, but amazingly good! I am truly enchanted by the island and will come back to see more. There are still so many treasures hidden.

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