Madeira: more photos (4)

This is my 4th post with Photos taken in Madeira, feel free to check and comment. And don’t forget to add this island in the Atlantic Ocean to your “must-go destinations” 😉 .

 

Cable Car at Funchal

Another street in Funchal

The view from the Eastern side

Another side of the island

The ocean and the Island

Abrupt Landscape

Photos taken in 2009

Madeira: more photos (3)

More photos from Madeira Island:

Yellow and Blue Taxis

Old street at funchal

Local cocktails

Is this a race?

Artificial Sand Beach

Strange Flowers

Madeira: Banana Tree

The archipelago of Madeira was populated by the Portuguese during the Discoveries historical period because of its strategic location along the coast of Africa. The islands served as a refueling station and a first stop from ships coming to Europe from India, Brazil and other Portuguese “Feitorias”.

The weather and the fertile volcanic soil of the islands allowed the introduction of multiple species from overseas, one of those being the Banana Tree.

The bananas produced in Madeira Island are relatively small but are considered to taste sweeter than bananas from other locations due to the concentration of their natural sugar. They are used in some of the local dishes, for example “Swordfish with bananas” (click here to view a photo).

Banana Tree at Madeira

This is a photo from a Banana Tree near one of the Hotels in Madeira Island. The tree only produces one bunch at a time with its distinctive purple flower. When the flower withers and falls, the bunch can be cut off the tree because the bananas will keep maturating outside the tree.

Note: For more info about Madeira Island check its category or the index page please.

Madeira: “Levadas”

“Levadas” are aqueducts in Madeira Island built in order to bring water from the North of the Island where it is abundant to the South where the main colonization of the Island has always taken place. Besides carrying water the Levadas also create walk trails in the landmass of Madeira that are the best ways to explore the natural wealth of this island. You’ll be able to see the laurisilva endemic forest (UNESCO World Heritage, 1999) with trees like Ocotea foetens, Laurus azorica or Persea indica and also birds like the Trocaz Pigeon or the Pterodroma madeira and others.

There are many trails with different difficulty ratings, I don’t know yet if I’m going to post specifically about different levadas later but it is easy to find the information on any of the hotels or tourism centers in the island.

Most of these trails will take several hours to complete and go across remote parts of the island so you shouldn’t go alone in case you get hurt or need medical assistance for some reason.

Lagoa do Vento 01

Lagoa do Vento 02

Lagoa do Vento 03

Caldeirão Verde 01

Caldeirão Verde 02

Caldeirão Verde 03

Special thanks to Carolina for the photos.

“Caldeirão Verde” means Green Cauldron; “Lagoa do Vento” means Wind Lagoon

There aren’t snakes or any other dangerous animals in the Island.

Helpful Links: MadeiraNature.com

Other interesting links: MadeiraIsland.travel; Youtube (levada video); Madeira 1st post

Madeira: more photos (2)

Please click the photos for aditional information and higher resolution images.

Madeira Liquors

Funchal (Cable Car)

Agriculture on a wall

Roads across the mountains

Waterfall

Another road in the mountains

Flowers for sale

Note: For more information about Madeira Island please check my first post about Madeira: HERE

Madeira: More Photos (1)

Looking at the Blog Stats during October it seems that the photos of Cabo Girão and Santana – Madeira were everyone’s favourites. Here you have more photos of the funny traditional houses and more breathtaking landscape views of Madeira Island. Enjoy.

For more info please re-visit the previous Madeira post.

Another strange flower at Santana

Land meets Ocean - Cape and Cliff

Eira do Serrado

“Eira do Serrado” or “Pico do Serrado” is another precipice like “Cabo Girão” however this time there’s no sea but land at the bottom. And there’s a town down there called “Curral das Freiras“, it was the most remote town in the island until the relatively recent opening of a tunnel.

Porto Moniz from above

Thanks everyone for your visits.

Other destinations: Madeira

Note: The local guide is not only about the place where i live, here’s a post about other possible destination for you:

Madeira Island

 

Where is it?

Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago located in the North Atlantic Ocean at approximately 700 Kilometers (435 land miles) of the coast of Morocco. Of the seven islands only the two bigger ones are inhabited: Madeira Island (sharing its name with the archipelago) and Porto Santo. Funchal is the chief city of Madeira Island. Link to Google Earth

How to get there?

If you have limited time and you only want to stay a few days to know the Island, going by airplane is your best option. For example TAP (member of Star Alliance) and EasyJet provide regular flights to and from the Funchal Airport.

There is also the option to go by sea either by Ferry or in one of the many cruise ships with Funchal in their itinerary. However this are clearly more limited options, the Ferry for example is only available once a week.

Reasons to visit:

• The landscape – an abrupt beauty created in the ocean by volcanic activity.
• The flora – strange flowers can be found all over the island, some of them are native and others were brought over the centuries from all over the world. Sugarcane, Bananas and Pineapples also grow in the Island.
• The weather – warm weather during all the year.
• Calm and relaxing island unlike others that have become completely tourist-centered.
• Part of the European Union

Links:

Helpful Links:

http://www.madeirahelp.com/transport_information

http://www.madeira24.com/english/home.htm

 Here at wordpress:

http://popotnica.wordpress.com/2009/01/31/madeira-island/

http://salutwineco.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/madeira/

http://sheralyn.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/madeira-island/

Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtqnT4goUdo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2x9q9K4rJs

 Gallery:

Funchal

flower-symbol of Madeira

Sea water pools

580m(1903ft) vertical

Traditional Houses of Santana

Flowers grow everywhere

Note: downloading the images in the higher resolution will probably be better to zoom them in and out.