Madeira

To the Island

The journey to Frankfurt Airport today was dominated by a gray sky. Only near Heidelberg did the visibility become a bit clearer; I could at least make out the Odenwald. And then I actually dozed off and was woken just before the airport by the rain. The parking lot was booked in advance and the bus to the correct terminal was also ready. I wasn't expecting so many travelers.

Even though the seating was very limited, all the fellow travelers huddled together and no one had to wait for the next bus.

The luggage was then checked in with the assistance of an employee. The friendly lady's hint: ALWAYS READ WHAT'S ON THE SCREEN!

And that worked out. We spent the remaining time – a little more than two hours until the departure – looking for an espresso bar with cups. Disposable cups just aren't my thing.

It worked out; still plenty of time, which I could pass with QiGong exercises from our group.

And then we finally took off.

I couldn't really sleep on the plane either – but dozing off was enough. So the flight wasn’t particularly exciting for me.

Funchal Airport is very easy to navigate. More importantly: there was no drop of rain - just mild temperatures and sunshine! We didn't have to wait long for our luggage either. We were then taken directly by a mini-bus with other travelers right to our hotel QUINTA BELA SAO TIAGO.

The hotel was beautifully renovated in 1998. Our room with a view of the local pool and harbor is really nice. There’s also a view of the terrace, where not only meals are served, but also a drink can be enjoyed at any time.

After the – for me – long flight time (4:30 hours in the air), we really needed some movement. So we walked through the narrow streets, past many uninhabited and dilapidated houses, downhill towards the harbor. When we arrived there, surprisingly a lot of different types of dining options were available. Many people were outside and almost everyone enjoyed their dinner outdoors. We found a bar with seating right by the sea. Along with delicious toast and fries. The sky still threatened rain, but no one was bothered by it.

We could really enjoy the end of the day there.

See you soon!