MADEIRA: WARM OCEAN BREEZE AND PALM TREES SWAYING!

Regal Princess/Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Sun, 76F

Funchal, Madeira on Sunday morning after we were docked

Who can resist walking along an ocean side promenade with a warm, salty ocean breeze and palm trees swaying?  TK and I were doing just that this morning.  We very pleased with warmer weather and sunshine, leading us to think of ourselves as fair weather cruisers. Funchal is very walkable right off the ship, although Princess offered a shuttle to the city’s center.

  
Funchal from the ship in the afternoon

TK made a screenshot

Strolling along the shore--the Regal Princess in the background

Why not have beautiful blue tiles on your building?

Closeup of one panel of the blue and white tiles

Palm trees along the street

What's not to like!?

TK checking directions

We stopped for a soda

We could run a coffee truck and 

stay in Madeira!

I need to clarify something--Madeira is an autonomous region of Portugal, but it is not considered part of the Azores Islands. It is an archipelago  made up of four islands (two are uninhabited) and situated in the North Atlantic, 250 miles north of the Canary Islands, 320 miles west and 500 miles southwest of mainland Portugal. It sits on the African Tectonic Plate, although it is culturally, politically and ethnically associated with Europe, with its population predominantly descended from Portuguese settlers. Madeira’s population is 254,000.

Funchal, the capital, is the largest city and has a population of 105,795, making it the sixth largest city in Portugal. Because of its high cultural and historical value, Funchal is one of Portugal's main tourist attractions; it is also popular as a destination for New Year's Eve, and it is the leading Portuguese port on cruise liner dockings.

After coffee and a croissant at a local coffee shop, we headed for the city center and Plaza Madeira, a “unique shopping experience.”   We have visited Funchal several times previously, so today was just going to be a leisurely day. There is a cable car to take people to the summit of a nearby incline, and one can take the basket sled ride back down, something Funchal is famous for. 

Others enjoyed the tuk-tuk ride for two or four—a small mode of motorized transportation for driving guests around the city.  

 

Tuk Tuk

This bright shiny mall only had a few stores we recognized, and I think by now readers know we are not really shopping at malls, but just checking out the local streets and people watching.  More stops along the way included stops at sidewalk cafes for soda, and some souvenirs.

 

Madeira Plaza

One food shop in the Food Court

Burger choices:  Fresh looks like tomato and lettuce?, vegan 

(looks like it has a fried egg on top), mushroom, cheese

Continued: Cheese, carbonara, Mediterrean, eggs Benedict, superbread

Friend Julie, I can order the benedict burger for you!

The city park was refreshing, and I noted the lush Clivia miniata, also known as September Lily or Bush Lily, native of South Africa. It was a plant my mother had, and I still have as a houseplant. Mine never blossoms because I have not figured out the right window for it. 

City Park

Bush Lily

Bird of Paradise

Silk Floss Tree

I do not think we have seen such a tree before

I love the purses made of cork and the embroidery of Madeira.  Other souvenirs include Poncha (sugar cane alcohol, honey, sugar, tangerine or lemon), and Madeira wine (a fortified wine, usually sweet). 

Football Sunday!

Shout Out to our football crew in Erie!

Chicago Bears and the Jacksonville Jaguars 

are playing in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium 

as part of the NFL's Week 6 schedule.  

TK was watching this game this afternoon.

TK's Takes:   He definitely thinks it's better to cruise in warmer weather.

Finally, when the ship leaves Funchal this afternoon about 6 p.m., we will on the Atlantic until next Sunday when we arrive in Antigua.  I am not sure about the Internet during that time, nor what exciting things we will be reporting. Don't worry!