An Anniversary Weekend in Beautiful Madeira

How Madeira was never on my list of must-see places is a mystery. This place is paradise! My camera battery died half way through the trip so I took pictures sparingly, knowing it would die at any moment, but even so I got A LOT of pictures.

I'll start with scenery, and then do a separate post with my Funchal pictures.

 

We rented a car and just sort of drove without any real plan other than to explore the island. One can't go wrong, because around every corner is a scene more spectacular than the last.

If you look closely, you can see the above church in the below photo.

We came to the north side of the island and decided to have a picnic up on what looked like an easy-to-hike hill. No trip with Pai is compelete without super human walking distances, the wrong shoes (on me) and blisters, so up a ridiculously dangerous hill we went.

 

 

Look who we met halfway up

Below is the hill we hiked.

 

Every valley had hidden majestic waterfalls that always stopped us in our tracks, or compelled us to pull over and get out of the car for a closer look.

Pai wins a gold medal for driving because not only did he manage the most perilous roads I have ever experienced, but he obliged all of my requests - on just about every bend in the road- to stop the car.

 

I think my Hollywood imagination took over as I half expected drug lords to burst out of the jungle in jeeps with AK47s. That never did happen, but lots of hikers with ski poles and appauling hiker clothes came out of nowhere when we least expected it.

There are most certainly more banana trees than people. I'm ready to plant a banana tree in our own garden ASAP.

I didn't get any pictures of the abundant, spectacular, prolific, flowers because of my camera battery, but the flowers were the best part. Madeira earns its nickname of the "floating garden," for sure.

This is a traditional island house.

 There are natural ocean pools that seem Disney-fake they were so beautiful.

 And mini waterfalls at every turn.

 We tried to get a selfie at the bottom of a small waterfall, but it didnt work.

 A valley on the north side of island

Note the road carved into the hillside below.

 

I would love to go back with the children when they are all old enough to do arduous hikes without complaint, and sensible enough not to fall off a cliff. For now I might just start planning next year's anniversary weekend.