Madeira & Sao Miguel 2017

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These sea stacks are found at Ribeira da Janela outside of Porto Moniz.

Because the coast is so rough in this area of the island, they have made these natural saltwater pools for swimming in the ocean without having to worry about getting swept into the rocks.

The saltwater pools in Porto Moniz

This picture typifies why they have natural pools for swiming along the north coast. The ocean can get very rough and with the jagged rocks would not be safe for swimming.

The white "teeth" that you see in the picture are the guardrails for the road out of Porto Moniz that climb up the hill towards the top of the mountain surrounding the town. These guardrails are found throughout the island.

The coastline is absolutely beautiful.

The view of Madeira's north coast with Porto Moniz off in the distance in the upper right of the frame.

The "town" of Achadas da Cruz is at the bottom of the mountain and is reached by a cable car that is seen at the very right of the picture.

Rosemary and I took the cable car down to the beach and this is what it looks like from the bottom.

The roads of Madeira are lined with flowers, sometimes with hydrangeas and sometimes with these white and purpole flowers.

Throughout the island you find grape vines and banana trees.

In the Town of Santana you find many examples of these typical Madeiran houses.

Funchal has a cable car that runs from the harbor to Monte. You then transfer to another cable car down to the botanical gardens. This picture shows the highway system of bridges and tunnels the circle the island.

These two workers were taking shoots from the plants that were then planted to create another garden.

The shoots that were cut by the other works were then planted by these two men.

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This lobby shows the stone work that is found throughout the island.

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The town of Paul do Mar is typical of the towns along Madeira's coast. People sunbath and relax where there is open space.

The Mercado dos Lavradores is Funchal's farmer's market where you can buy fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and other sundery items.

The black scabbard fish is sold throughout Madeira and is found in many restaurants.

Fish monger showing off his product.

Limpets, also known as Lapas Grelhadas, are popular in Madeira.

Fish mongers trimming the fish.

Customer buying fish.

The Fanal is located at the top of a mountain on the road that leads from Porto Moniz on the north to the south side of the island. The trees are majestic and mysterious particularly in the dense fog on the day that we were their.

Pico do Arieiro is the second highest mountain on Madeira at 5,965 feet. There is a NATO radar station at the top and it frequently is above the clouds.

This is the view from the other side of Pico do Arierio.

The view from the top of the final climb - Ponta do Sao Laurenco. You can see the neighboring island of Porto Santo in the distance.

The view back from the top of the mountain at the end of the trail.

Our hotel in Funchal was the Monte Carlo. A classic hotel in the heart of the city with high ceilings.

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These are the original gates of the City, which served as the model for the gates that were dedicated in Fall River.

This church is located in the Village of Fanais da Luz, which is where my Grandfather was from.

Like Madeira, Sao Miguel's roads are lined with flowers making the driving quite enjoyable.

Not only are the roads lined in flowers, but the farms fields are also dived by Hydrangea Hedgerows.

The two lakes at Sete Cidades. One is blue and one is green. This is the view from the roof of an abandoned hotel that overlooks the two lakes.

gThe caldeiras in Furnas are used to cook food in metal pots that are buried in the ground and use the geothermal heat for cooking.

The thermal pool at the Terra Nostra Gardens is fed by water that has been heated by the volcanic activity in the area. The water is very warm and loaded with silt giving it the brown color.

This church is located at the top of a hill overlooking the village of Villa Franca.

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This waterfall was interesting because it plunged about thirty feet onto the rocks just above the beach.

Sculpture dedicated to the first settlers.

This particular backroad was very old and for much of its lenght was paved in cobble stones.

We were fortunate enough to be able to go to the feast in Ribeira Grande a village on St. Michael's north coast. In addition to great food and entertainment, medevil horse demonstration and sword fighing.

We were fortunate enough to be able to go to the feast in Ribeira Grande a village on St. Michael's north coast. In addition to great food and entertainment, medevil horse demonstration and sword fighing.

We were fortunate enough to be able to go to the feast in Ribeira Grande a village on St. Michael's north coast. In addition to great food and entertainment, medevil horse demonstration and sword fighing.

We were fortunate enough to be able to go to the feast in Ribeira Grande a village on St. Michael's north coast. In addition to great food and entertainment, medevil horse demonstration and sword fighing.

We were fortunate enough to be able to go to the feast in Ribeira Grande a village on St. Michael's north coast. In addition to great food and entertainment, medevil horse demonstration and sword fighing.

We were fortunate enough to be able to go to the feast in Ribeira Grande a village on St. Michael's north coast. In addition to great food and entertainment, medevil horse demonstration and sword fighing.

We were fortunate enough to be able to go to the feast in Ribeira Grande a village on St. Michael's north coast. In addition to great food and entertainment, medevil horse demonstration and sword fighing.

We were fortunate enough to be able to go to the feast in Ribeira Grande a village on St. Michael's north coast. In addition to great food and entertainment, medevil horse demonstration and sword fighing.

We were fortunate enough to be able to go to the feast in Ribeira Grande a village on St. Michael's north coast. In addition to great food and entertainment, medevil horse demonstration and sword fighing.

While walking around the small harbor in Porto Formosos, where Rosemary's grandmother was from, we saw these boats coming in with bags of seaweed that they had harvested.

Mirai eating corn that has been cooked in the caldeiras - the boiling hot springs that are throughout the Furnas area.

Povocaoa is to Sao Miguel what Plymouth is to the United States - it is where the first settlement was established in 1432.

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