Wed 3 Feb

Today Could not have been more of a contrast to yesterday. The sky was clear and blue and the sun was shining when we got up. After breakfast we decided to go for a walk up in the mountains. We caught the bus for a 45 minute trip up through Funchal, round hairpin bends and through a couple of lush wooded valleys. Unsure how the bus driver kept the vehicle on the road at such speeds, we just hung on and enjoyed the view! Our walk started with a detour to a viewpoint looking down into Nuns Valley where we Could see the destination of our walk about a mile below in the valley. A charming English lady asked us about our walk and, after a short conversation, we invited her to join us, which she did. It turned out she was staying on the island for a month and was in her 70s though she did not look it, and she kept up a good pace on the walk. What the walk lacked in length it made up for in spectacle and sheer breathtaking beauty. It was only about 1.5 miles but down a very steep winding path of steps made of edge-on stones, each step having a rounded edge which we named mougle steps after the mougle fields on ski slopes. At times the path became the river bed and at other times we Could have had a natural shower under crystal springs cascading from the sheer rocks above our heads. Yesterday's rain (5 3/4 inches in one day!) created waterfalls and springs every inch of the way down the path. The views were fantastic and the walk exhilarating. After a coffee and half a slice of chestnut cake we got the bus back to Funchal. As the sun was still hot we took our books up onto the sun terrace for an hour of sun worship. Just been out for supper and now ready for bed!

New hotel

Moved out of The Monte Carlo and into The Windsor which is much better and not half a mile uphill from the town centre. The rivers are very swollen and almost the colour of fudge with soil washing down from the hills. When it meets the sea, with huge storm waves, it creates huge columns of water 30 ft or more which come crashing down onto the esplinade and unsuspecting, or just plain stupid, tourists.

Cats and dogs

We got up this morning to find pools of water under all our windows, the dining room flooded with water dripping through the ceiling and light fittings - we even had to move tables around so we were not under dripping water. The lounge is under water and they are moving the furniture out to keep it safe. We tried to get an early flight out but no seats available. The hotel has dried our floor but we still have to keep the shutters closed to stop rain coming in. Agents through whom I booked asked if we would accept upgrade in same hotel but we said no. We want a hotel where we can sit in the lounge and have breakfast in the dry, not to mention being able to use hairdryer without being electrocuted. Now in hotel Windsor which is much more comfortable, nearer centre of town AND DRY.

Tuesday 2nd Feb

Another stormy night with the wind howling round the pool terrace outside our room. Fortunately we hot back from our meal before it started. It is still raining hard so we will not be going out on the open topped sightseeing bus as we had planned. Another day in the hotel lounge with a book. :-(

Monday levada walk

It was a beautiful morning as we set out to do a 3hr walk from the Jasmine Tea Rooms to Camacha. We missed the stop so started from the Hortensa gardens instead. It was a lovely walk along the levada dos Tornos past waterfalls and gardens. The scent of the pine and eucalyptus was gorgeous not to mention the dozens of flowers including orchids. We had secretively made ham and cheese rolls at breakfast and taken them with us 4 lunch and we finished off a melon bought on the market on Saturday. There were 2 flies in the ointment however. One was a teenager who insisted the way was blocked or difficult to find and took us on a 'short cut' then tried to get money out of us - without success. The other was having to wait for 2 hours for the bus back to Funchal. We spent the time in the basket weave factory and the coffee shop. Now just about to have a shower and go back down the hill for supper.

Monday 1st Feb

The contrast to yesterday Could not be greater! Today the sun is warm and the clouds light and fluffy. We are just about to set off on a 7km levada walk taking in the art and craft centre and the wicker factory where they sell hand crafted baskets. More later. :-)

Sunday 31st Jan 2010

We were woken in the night by one of our window shutters banging in the storm! The rain was lashing down and, with no guttering on the rooves, it was cascading down and sounded like we were under a waterfall. We have had a late breakfast and are now ensconced in the lounge as the weather is hardly any better. It is raining so hard you cannot tell where sea ends and land begins. No walking for us today and, being Sunday, there's not much going on outside. No wine tasting or sightseeing trips. I pity the new voyage crew on Stavros having to complete their training in this foul weather.