The cable car that takes you the long way around to the Madeira Botanic Gardens is under maintenance so we had a choice of a bus, an uber or walking up to the gardens in the end we picked a uber.
Not the local beer but fascinating specimen jars in gardens museum ...
Its not that far, but quite a trek completely up hill so easy to get cab and think about return plan once up there.
The gardens were lovely despite it not being the best time to visit. I had hoped we might catch the end of the camelias but they were defo past their best. Still a lot of stunning plants - amazing giant cacti and succulents similar to the ones we saw in Malta.
Dr Fred thought the museum bit was a bit shabby- nice cabinets but the displayed objects had seen better days... he was right but I felt yhey had a kind of preloved air about them and really didnt mind the moulting faded feathers.
The large fish and turtles were rather 'alarming' in a sense they all looked very fierce and positivly manic. Still, I rather liked them.
The large fish and turtles were rather 'alarming' in a sense they all looked very fierce and positivly manic. Still, I rather liked them.
Back in the 21° sunshine the gardens really were a breathe of fresh air - glorious foliage and scatterings of colour from the birds of paradise and late blooming camelias. There were alot off other colourful plants as well.
We climbed to the top to the lovers cave... it was closed off- looked very dark and damp - I think it scuppered Dr Freds idea of proposing to me🤣🤣🤣. Then from the top wezigzaged down the gardens though the formal bits- winding in and out of the gigantic spikey cacti and prehistoric looking huge succulents. I have many of them at home but in miniture form. 😂.
Once,at thesouthern end of the park wechecked out a walking route home... remarkably simple.. striaght down almost a striaght line. It was striaght down and at times it felt like a vertical drop..... google said 30 mins - it took us nearer an hour doing fairy stepsmost of the way down. There wasnt much traffic but what there was was local - going silly speed down extremly steep narrow roads!
We made it with acheing knees, feet - my thighs will know abot it tomorrow and once back in town centre we treated ourselves to coffee and delicious paxtel de nata - the national cake thimgy.
A last local beer in a street cafe before heading slowly back to our cabin...
Quick update on cabin the noise ... I was woken by loud banging at about 1.00am i wated about 20 minutes tp sed of it stopped... it didnt so I run customer services. They said they'd look into it. 10 minutes later security banged on our door, of course once they came in the room the noise kind of stopped🤣 I explained what had been happening . He wasn't particularly sympathetic but did say he would go look into it. We think he must have done something because it went very quiet. But now, I'm really woken up now by ringing people answering doors etc so I start readimg my book and eventually fall asleep and then the phone rings and it's customer services to say they've checked it out and they think it might be quieter! We did sleep ok eventually!!!
Comments
Post a Comment