RTA Galway visits Madeira Island



Many of our members have experienced several adventures abroad in the past number of years with the RTA group. Our recent tour to Madeira was no exception. We celebrated Mass at the 17th century Chapel of Our Lady Penha de Franca in the center of the capital, Funchal. On that bright glorious sunny morning, in the midst of sacred images and icons, ornate ceiling and altar the church was thronged and religious devoutness and participation of the congregation was evident. We joined the parishioners for tea and coffee after the ceremony – a treat to meet the locals and visitors.

We walked through a banana plantation, we trekked the picturesque levadas that crisscross the island – a system of narrow water courses channeling rain and spring water directly to fruit orchards, sugar plantations, vine groves and terraced farming along the mountain slopes and reaching far down to the coast. The diversity of the landscape, rugged and mountainous with deep sided lush ravines covered in thick
vegetation – huge plantations of eucalyptus trees, laurel forests indigenous to the island, gigantic ferns and amazing colourful exotic flowers, trees and shrubs adorn mountains and roadside verges. Terraced farming predominates with vines, bananas, beans, maize, potatoes and vegetables.

The flowers are amazing. Madeira is like a ‘floating garden’, much of the credit must go to the keen British amateur gardeners who exploited to the full the mild climate conditions and rich volcanic soil. The British brought in their merchant ships bulbs and seeds from the remotest parts of the globe in times past. Purple jacaranda trees flourish beside Funchal’s traffic-clogged roads, bougainvillea cling to river embankments,
orchids, purple and white agapanthus, geraniums, lilies and the alluring fragrance of jasmine escapes the bounds of garden walls. Towering camellia trees with brilliant white and red streaked flowers, yellow trumpets and a variety of lilies, proteas from South Africa, bird of paradise, pink amaryllis, gladioli were in full bloom in this semi tropical climate - all a joy to behold.

Madeira is considered the Portuguese jewel of the Atlantic since its discovery in the 15th century. An amazing system of tunnels weave through the mountains to expedite travel across the island and through villages which seem to hang on sheer cliff edges. There are no sandy beaches and when we tried to swim in the turbulent water of the Atlantic we found the current too dangerous. My friend and I clung to each other while waves washed over us under the watchful eye of the pleasant life guard.
The island is quiet and peaceful – a secure place to visit with little crime. It is predominantly a Catholic island, with the birth place of Christiano Ronaldo in Santo Antonio not far from where Winston Churchill visited to write his memoirs and paint cliff and harbour views. George Bernard Shaw came her to tango!! Not to be out done RTA members danced the night away and participated in a cultural night of music and dance while indulging in the local cuisine of Estrada – large chunks of skewered beef suspended over the table  - all washed down with copious amount of the famous Madeira fortified wine and liquors – no need for sleeping pills that night!

We took a city tour of Funchal, including a visit to the main market, where we saw a spectacular selection of fruits, flowers, fish including the local specialty of black scabbard fish being sold by natives some dressed in traditional costumes. We visited the Botanical Gardens, a factory producing beautiful, intricate embroidery and colorful ceramics. We took a cable car high up into Tropical Gardens. We also explored the East and West of the Island, enjoying stunning views, literally above the clouds.
Porto Moniz where we enjoyed a delicious lunch of beef and scabbard fish was a favourite with the group where awesome Atlantic breakers pounded the basalt beach, flooding caves and rocky inlets and submerging treacherous reefs - which must be a
hazard to ships in the area. Our Lady of Peace statue which was erected in 1927 at the instigation of the local priest, who had lived through the bombardment of Funchal during World War 1 – the links of the large rosary around the base were forged from anchor chains of Allied ships and the little traditional triangular thatched houses were another favourite.

We didn’t visit the famous Reid’s Palace Hotel as afternoon tea would have set you back 33euro and no shorts or jeans were allowed! Winston Churchill’s suite I believe is still on offer at a mere 3.200 euro a night! We gave it a miss. We thought we would reserve our funds for our next trip to Rome in September and our tour to Ancient Greece in 2017 le cunamh Dé.

Mary Kyne (June 2016)