Madeira weekend (cont.). Part 2

25th September
One of the disadvantages of having a tight schedule or being within a group is that you can't always stop where you would like to and if you do, it  may just be for a few seconds. I wish I had had more time to stroll along this coastline with its impressive modern statues. The temperature was ideal to do so, but the peak of Namorados was to  be the next stop and  having never been to that belvedere overlooking Curral das Freiras was something I was really looking forward to.  

São Lourenço fortified Palace  (Left) and statue in the centre of the city.

Two different perspectives of the same modern statue on the promenade of Funchal Bay.

The view over Curral das Freiras ("Nuns' Valley), as seen from Boca dos Namorados was in fact breathtaking ... (Its name derives from the fact that in 1566 Nuns from the Santa Clara Convent fled from the French pirates attack to Funchal and found seclusion here).

View over Curral das Freiras (Left). At Boca dos Namorados Belvedere (Right)

We then proceeded down the hill in a 4x4 "safari" like adventure, until we reached Câmara de Lobos to try a traditional drink called "Poncha" (which dates back to the ressurgence of the sugar cane in 1854 and is basically brandy diluted with water, lemon and sugar or honey).The picture on the right depicts the last part of the mixing process with a dented wooden stick called "Mexelote".

The next stop over was Cape Girão, the second highest cliff in the world.

I must confess I was speechless when facing such grandeur ... as I looked at the immense  blue sky, as if it were an extension of the wide open sea ... The beauty of the whole coastline expanding to the left side was inebriating ... and there seemed to be beauty everywhere ...

We returned to our hotel room by late afternoon, in order to get ready for a luxurious dinner which was going to be held at the São João do Pico fortress (completed during the reign of Duke of Bragança in 1540).

The dinner was preceeded by a cocktail within the fortress walls, from which you had an absolutely magnificent night view over Funchal, as magnificent as the dinner itself and the surrounding atmosphere ...

Night view of Funchal from the fortress (Left). During the cocktail (Right)

A day I will certainly remember for a long time ...

Note: Last photo (on the right) courtesy of Sofia Azevedo