Funchal

Botanic gardens
Botanic gardens
Botanic gardens
Botanic gardens

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Festival and Saint
Festival and Saint

Got the bus, scenic route as the whole of Madeira is built on a slope, lots of bridges and tunnels (but slightly concerned when I saw the driver crossing himself as he drove into the first tunnel).  The airport runway is built out on stilts to get enough flat ground and there is a boatyard underneath with enough space to have much bigger yachts than ours complete with masts.  Arrival in Funchal was complicated as the Madeira triathlon was in progress and roads around the marina area were closed.  The adults were just finishing but it was amazing how many kids were racing.  Town is quite picturesque with pretty narrow streets.  Marina did look quite full so just as we didn’t try to go ther by boat.  Eventually managed to get the bus to the Botanaic gardens (delays due to the triathlon).  This was an experience in itself as there is obviously no concept of the bus being full until everyone is on somehow, so standing passengers hanging on desperately as bus ascended switchback road racing round bends.  Arrived back in Quinta da Lorde in time to see the Saint and the fishing boats again, this time she was being returned to the church.  Anita was able to run round the hill path round Punta Laurenco that we had seen the walkers on from the anchorage, except that at 8 am she had it mainly to  herself.

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