Madeira: One of the Perfect "Purple Islands" for Volcanos and Wines

NOTE: This entry is out of sync. We visited the Portuguese island before we arrived in Casablanca. Ken was sure that he downloaded the photographs but Sara couldn't find them. When Ken does find them, we will attach them to the entry and move it to its correct place.

The colorful nickname of the "Purple Islands" by the ancient Roman author Pliny probably gave tribute to the shadows of the tall volcanic peaks, but the name could also describe the vineyards where the grapes are grown for the rich wines enjoyed worldwide. Our tour, arranged by Pat Lucas, took us on winding roads up and down gentle slopes through many of the picturesque villages, lush vineyards, magnificent flora and fauna, and along soaring sea cliffs in the western part of this island that is becoming a popular international tourist destination. Madeira, from the Portuguese word meaning "wooded" for its abundance of trees, was definitely a place one could visit again and again. Its capital, Funchal, is the largest Portuguese city outside of Portugal.

With many villages situated on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and the narrow winding roads, the island had a very European flavor. Residents farmed on the side of the hills with vineyards growing up to the steps of the small, well-kept homes. The people seemed to be very adept at not slipping. Not all the houses had a road near by, so people kept in shape by walking to theirs houses and fields. At the top of one hill is the Tower for the Clock, which looks like a church, so that anyone in the valley can see what time it is.

In February 2010, the island suffered horrible floods so signs of construction of new homes for residents who lost their homes were very prominent. During the floods, the roads turned into rivers of rain. We toured a church that had been built facing away from the cliff so that the flood water could not come in the door. In the cemetery near the pretty church, the grave markers all displayed pictures of the deceased. No one on the plaques was smiling. Parts of some of the roads had collapsed during the flooding. The beneficiaries of all that water were the waterfalls along the road, with the most famous being the Bridal Veil. Tourists refer to the waterfalls as the "car wash."

After learning so much about the major flood, it seemed appropriate for us to be visiting on a rainy, dreary, chilly day. The temperature fluctuated from between about 45 to 70 degrees F., much cooler than we had experienced in Africa. When the sun finally decided to grace us with its presence, our guide Phil said, "Mist, rain, sunshine. Welcome to Madeira!"

After a delicious lunch of tuna steak and Madeira wine, we drove along the coast road. We wished that we had counted the number of tunnels through which we passed since we boarded the van. We drove through eight, long tunnels on our way to the extreme point of the island, Porto Moniz. People were enjoying the hot springs from the volcanoes as well as the incredible vistas of mountains, valleys, flowers and ocean. All the beaches, except those that were manmade, are rocky. The ocean with its strong currents was good for fishing. Cows roamed freely along and across the roads with signs warning the drivers of "Cow Crossing." The brakes on the van started to burn as we were coming down one exceptionally long and curvy stretch of mountainous road.

Being a good tour guide, Phil stopped the van at a supermarket for us to purchase the delicious Madeira wine. Sara bought a bottle of dry, semi-sweet, sweet and very sweet. Along with the friends with whom we shared them, we proclaimed all four as outstanding.