John Edward Cooper’s Notes

Day 3 [was Day 2]
This morning you will have a guided walking tour of Funchal, during which, you will see its Cathedral, many of the beautiful buildings, the flower market square, old town Funchal and not forgetting the wine tasting of the infamous Madeira wine.
In the afternoon, you will visit the Palheiro Gardens and its beautiful setting in the hills overlooking Funchal. You will be able to pass the afternoon walking through the spectacularly manicured gardens.
This evening is free for you to enjoy as you wish.

Janet wrote: “I had a restless night. Bugger! I heard heavy rain at one point. In the end I got up at 6.45am. It was still black as night![i] I heard a Mr. Blackbird ‘chipping’ away as yesterday morning. He’s followed us [from England] again. Pity he doesn’t sing at this time of year.” Janet vacated the bathroom at 7.00am; so I got up, shaved and showered. We went down for breakfast, back upstairs to get our things from the room, then out to the coach in time for our 9am departure. There was a conversation going on nearby with Maria about the Portuguese language. I commented that in Portuguese, what one would expect to be /o/ was pronounced /u/, and /u/, /o/. I quoted as an example José Mourinho /ʒuˈzɛ moˈɾiɲu/. She seemed impressed with my pronunciation. (I have Wikipedia to thank for that.) We were issued with little Vox receivers and earpieces. Janet hates these things; but I can usually tolerate them, except when the lanyard of the receiver (and/or the cord of the earpiece) gets tangled with the camera’s neck-strap. The earpiece was wholly supported in-ear, i.e. didn’t have an uncomfortable clip going around the top of the ear. Janet and I occupied the back row of seats on the coach, which we would also do on succeeding days; indeed, a couple of the photos, below, were taken through the rear window, as we proceeded from the hotel.

[i] That’s because it was still night. Perhaps one should substitute, “It was still pitch-black outside.”

Map showing places seen or visited on the walking tour
Click on image to enlarge


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:09:34
Views from the coach: statue of Empress Sisi in the gardens of the Casino Park hotel, Avenida do Infante, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:09:34 (detail)
Views from the coach: statue of Empress Sisi in the gardens of the Casino Park hotel, Avenida do Infante, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:11:16
Views from the coach: statue of Infante Dom Henrique (Henry the Navigator) at the end of Avenida do Infante, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:11:16 (detail)
Views from the coach: statue of Infante Dom Henrique (Henry the Navigator) at the end of Avenida do Infante, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:11:36
Views from the coach: Rotunda do Infante at the end of Avenida do Infante, Funchal

We were dropped off in Avenida Arriaga to begin our walking tour. With its double row of trees, mosaic pavements, and a street café, this was just like being back in Lisboa. Janet was the first to express this thought, but it occurred to both of us.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:19:50
Baltazar Dias Municipal Theatre, Avenida Arriaga, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:21:06
Baltazar Dias Municipal Theatre, Avenida Arriaga, Funchal: (from left:) flags of Madeira, Portugal, and Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:24:04
The Ritz, Avenida Arriaga, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:26:32
The Ritz, Avenida Arriaga, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:27:48
The Ritz, Avenida Arriaga, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:28:48
The Ritz, Avenida Arriaga, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:31:38
Northern bastion of São Lourenço Fortress, Avenida Arriaga, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:34:44
Bank of Portugal building and João Gonçalves Zarco statue, Avenida Arriaga, Funchal


Thursday 22 September 2022 13:53:26
Bank of Portugal building and João Gonçalves Zarco statue, Avenida Arriaga (photo taken the following day, with more favourable lighting)


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:40:08
Bank of Portugal building and João Gonçalves Zarco statue, Avenida Arriaga, Funchal

We went on to visit the Cathedral at the end of Avenida Arriaga.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:44:10
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:45:24
Funchal Cathedral


Thursday 22 September 2022 13:50:10
Funchal Cathedral (photo taken the following day, with more favourable lighting)


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:46:30
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:49:26
Funchal Cathedral: statue of John Paul II


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:49:26 (detail)
Funchal Cathedral: statue of John Paul II


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:49:52
Funchal Cathedral: entrance


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:51:50
Funchal Cathedral: Moorish-style ceiling


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:52:00
Funchal Cathedral: Moorish-style ceiling


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:52:36
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:53:50
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:54:04
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:54:14
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:55:02
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:55:50
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:56:50
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:57:34
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:57:58
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:58:26
Funchal Cathedral

Janet wrote: “There was… a statue of Our Lady of Fatima with a portrait of John Paul underneath.”


Wednesday 21 September 2022 09:59:48
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:00:34
Funchal Cathedral


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:01:20
Funchal Cathedral

Just in front of the Cathedral, i.e. before its west end, was a narrow pedestrian shopping street leading off to the left, Rua João Tavira.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:05:32
Rua João Tavira, Funchal: mosaic commemorating the landing of João Gonçalves Zarco on Madeira in 1419


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:05:56
Rua João Tavira, Funchal: mosaic commemorating the landing of João Gonçalves Zarco on Madeira in 1419

At the end of this, less than 50 yards to the right, was the Praça do Município (Municipal Square).


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:11:36
Praça do Município, Funchal: Episcopal Palace (now Museum of Sacred Art)


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:12:00
Praça do Município, Funchal: Fountain and Town Hall


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:12:16
Praça do Município, Funchal: Jesuit Church of St. John the Evangelist


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:12:40
Praça do Município, Funchal: Fountain


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:13:04
Praça do Município, Funchal: Fountain


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:16:04
Praça do Município, Funchal: Jesuit Church of St. John the Evangelist

As we were about to turn left from the north-west corner of the Praça do Município, along Rua dos Ferreiros, I had a quick glance to the right, at the Palace of Justice on Rua do Marquês do Funchal.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:16:50
Palace of Justice, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:17:10
Detail of the Palace of Justice, Funchal: Statue of Justice; flags of Portugal (left) and Madeira (right)

On Rua dos Ferreiros, just after the Jesuit College building, we entered a door with “D’Oliveiras” in big letters over it (in full, “Pereira d’Oliviera”), where we had a session of tasting Madeira wines: sweet, medium sweet and medium dry. Janet doesn’t drink alcohol, so she had water instead. But someone to the right of us didn’t want theirs, so they gave them to me: hurrah!


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:17:56
D’Oliveiras, Rua dos Ferreiros 107, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:19:16
D’Oliveiras, Rua dos Ferreiros 107, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:19:38
D’Oliveiras, Rua dos Ferreiros 107, Funchal

I thought the design of the tables and stools was a very neat idea: they were cut from large and small barrels. I thought they’d be ideal for us at home, for we are Coopers. In the photo below, we see my three empty glasses, a piece of Madeira cake, and Janet’s glass of water. Michele was sitting at the table next to us (those are her glasses), but at the time she’d been called away, for one of the party had left her backpack in the Cathedral. Fortunately, someone had found it and handed it in.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 10:36:14
D’Oliveiras, Rua dos Ferreiros 107, Funchal: tasting Madeira wines

After that, we walked in the opposite direction, back along Rua dos Ferreiros and continuing almost to its end; but, just before there, we turned left along Rua do Bettencourt, and crossed the Ribeira de Santa Luzia.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:03:36
Crossing the Ribeira de Santa Luzia at the end of Rua do Bettencourt, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:03:54
Crossing the Ribeira de Santa Luzia at the end of Rua do Bettencourt, Funchal

Then we turned right, walked the 240-yards’ length of Rua Doutor Fernão de Ornelas, crossed the Ribeira de João Gomes, and entered the Mercado dos Lavradores (Farmers’ Market) just ahead of us.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:10:48
Looking north-east across the Ponte do Mercado, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:10:56
Looking east across the Ponte do Mercado, Funchal: Mercado dos Lavradores (Farmers’ Market)


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:11:26
Crossing to the Mercado dos Lavradores (Farmers’ Market), Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:12:22
Entering the Mercado dos Lavradores (Farmers’ Market), Funchal

Some of the female market vendors on the stalls near the entrance wore Madeiran traditional costume: red cape, multicoloured striped wool skirt with reds predominating, and pale tan ankle boots.


Thursday 22 September 2022 15:21:12
Mannequin in Madeiran traditional costume in a tourist office on Rua Carvalho Araújo


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:14:10
Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:14:50
Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:17:42
Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal

At the far end of the market hall, we descended by stairs to the fish market, with ugly, black, long and eel-like, bulging-eyed, deep-water scabbardfish much in evidence. Janet and I didn’t feel inclined to stay there long, before ascending back to the central court.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:23:48
Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal: fish market


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:23:54
Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal: fish market


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:32:12
Mercado dos Lavradores, Funchal: central court

From there, Maria led us southwards to, then along, the second street on the left, Rua de Santa Maria. A tall wrought-iron sign proclaimed this as the “Zona Historica do Funchal”


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:46:22
Entrance to the old town, Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:46:22 (detail)
ZONA HISTORICA DO FUNCHAL
PORTAS COM ARTE – DOORS WITH ART


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:47:24
Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:47:52
East, along Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:48:56
Rua de Santa Maria, Funchal: “Doors” and wall “with art”


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:53:44
South, along Rua dos Barreiros, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:55:08
Teleférico do Funchal (Funchal–Monte)


Wednesday 21 September 2022 11:56:18
Jardins do Teleférico, Funchal

We were given details of our rendezvous point, and I wrote in my notebook:

1.30pm at the flags
cable car station

Then we went our separate ways for lunch. Janet and I headed back the way by which we’d come.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 12:00:14
Back, along Rua dos Barreiros, Funchal

We didn’t fancy any of the restaurants in Rua de Santa Maria, with their tables out in the cramped, narrow street with multitudes of visitors pushing past — they looked a bit pricey, anyway — and we settled on the first one we came across on leaving the “Zona Historica”: one styled “APAUZA”. I had “that” from the illustrated menu — a hamburger (“sans bun,” Janet wrote: “they had run out”) — and Janet had a mixed salad (“it had black-eyed peas in it”), with no dressing, and a hot bolo do caco. Janet had a Coke Zero; I had a Coral beer. I asked for a bagaceira, but got an ordinary Cognac-style brandy (“Macieira”,[ii] according to the bill). I also had an espresso coffee. As we sat there, a musical duo — guitar and electronic drums/percussion — set up; so we were serenaded, as the guitarist walked around. It was strange that he was here, while the sound of the guitar came out of the loudspeaker there.

[ii] “Macieira,” according to Wikipedia, “is a Portuguese brandy created by José Guilherme Macieira after he studied winemaking in the French region of Cognac… More than 125 years after its launch, [it] is the market leader in Portugal and is also exported to over 30 countries in 5 continents.” To me, though, it was still an “ordinary Cognac-style brandy” and not what I asked for: bagaceira.

Wednesday 21 September 2022 12:39:36
APAUZA Snack Bar & Restaurant, Larguinho da Feira 5, Funchal

We left with ample time to spare for our 1.30pm pickup time; indeed it took us less than six minutes to retrace our route through the “Zona Historica” to the “Teleférico”/“cable car” rendezvous point, and beyond there, even, to the Promenade.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 13:08:52
APAUZA Snack Bar & Restaurant, Larguinho da Feira 5, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 13:14:28
View east from the Promenade, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 13:15:16
View south from the Promenade, Funchal: replica of Columbus’ ship Santa Maria


Wednesday 21 September 2022 13:16:46
View west from the Promenade, Funchal


Wednesday 21 September 2022 13:16:46 (detail)
View west from the Promenade, Funchal: (left:) Santa Maria; (right:) MV Ventura of the P&O Cruises fleet


Wednesday 21 September 2022 13:18:56
Yellow Bus sightseeing tour bus at Avenida do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses, Funchal

We were back at the row of “flags” (i.e. on flagpoles) outside the “cable car station” by a little before 1.30pm. Maria counted up, and the party was one short: one member had felt ill and gone back to the hotel. Not right: that Michele, who had responsibility for the everyone’s welfare, should be the last to be made aware! We boarded the coach and were taken to the Palheiro Gardens. On the way, Maria told us their history: founded by the Conde de Carvalhal in 1804, their ownership passed to the Blandy family of wine merchants at auction in 1885. They built the “new house” in 1891. From 1910 the “old house”, which had been used as a hunting lodge and a hotel, was virtually abandoned; but it was restored in 1996 and opened as a country house hotel in April 1997. One thing I couldn’t get, as we travelled there, was the name “Blandy”. It sounded like “Bladdy”, i.e. how a Cockney might pronounce “bloody”. Then it came to me that we had seen a sign “Blandy’s”, on our first day or maybe yesterday. It had struck me as perhaps the attempt of a speaker of an oriental language to write “brandies”! There was much, much more to the story than what I’ve written, such as where the plants and trees came from: South Africa, Brazil, etc. Maria had a great knowledge of botany and told us the Latin names of plants and trees as we passed them. Many of the photos below were taken with that in mind, as she was pointing them out, but I’ve forgotten almost all of the details. (Some, I’ve been able to look up.)


I don’t know what route we took from the Teleférico station to the entrance to the Palheiro Gardens.
Click on image to enlarge


Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 13:52:08
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 13:54:54
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 13:55:26
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 13:56:38
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:03:10
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:03:32
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:06:06
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:06:54
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:07:26
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:08:36
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:09:10
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:09:40
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:10:00
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Angel’s Trumpets (Brugmansia)


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:11:38
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Sugarbush (Protea)


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:11:50
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Protea flower


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:12:42
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:13:36
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:17:12
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:17:32
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:19:06
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Camphor Laurel


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:20:08
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: fallen Camphor Laurel leaf, which really did smell of camphor


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:21:12
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:22:04
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:23:22
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:23:54
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:24:50
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:25:56
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:26:46
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:27:54
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens

The little Baroque-style chapel in the gardens, dedicated to John the Baptist, can be hired for weddings. But it was locked when we visited, though I was able to take a photo through one of the panes of the glazed door.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:28:18
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Chapel of St. John the Baptist


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:29:16
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Chapel of St. John the Baptist


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:29:44
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Chapel of St. John the Baptist


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:30:30
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:31:56
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Angel’s Trumpets (Brugmansia)


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:33:12
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:33:36
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:34:10
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:34:40
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:35:12
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:35:58
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:36:16
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:37:24
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:37:44
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:40:26
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:42:56
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Tea House (Casa de Cha)


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:44:16
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: the old house, now a hotel (Casa Velha do Palheiro)

Finally, we visited the “Casa de Cha”. I had a bottle of still water and Janet a Coke Zero.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 14:53:40
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: Tea House (Casa de Cha)

As we headed for the exit of the estate, I noticed a number of trees where the wires of a fence actually passed through their trunks.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 15:24:28
Visit to the Palheiro Gardens: growth of a tree around the fence-wires

We arrived back at the hotel, ca.3.50pm. Janet had her hair appointment at 5 o’clock, but left the room to go down there at 4.28pm to see if they could fit her in her early. After a few minutes, I also went down to find her. My appearing silently in the salon startled the hairdresser a bit. We paid cash: €20 + €3 tip. We left the hotel at 5pm to go to Bar El Silêncio. The outside tables were either taken or adjacent to smokers, so we went inside. I had a 500ml glass of Coral beer and a bagaceira; Janet had a Coke Zero and a sparkling water.


Wednesday 21 September 2022 17:15:30
At Bar El Silêncio, Funchal

Back in the hotel room, before we went to dinner, I transferred 121 photos from my camera’s SD card to the WD Elements HDD (18:12–18:14), then copied them from there to “Pictures” on the Samsung computer (18:17). On the menu at dinner there was Mateus shown as available in a small bottle, perhaps 37.5ml; but when I asked for one, I was told they didn’t have any, so I opted for a full-size bottle. And because I drank more than half of it, I thought it wasn’t worth keeping the rest till tomorrow so I drank that. “William, Prince of Wales, was clearly having the night off,” Janet remarked in her journal. Back in the room,… Janet wrote: “[John] was extremely popped [i.e. inebriated]! I had a shower, did this [journal] and went to bed at ca.9.20pm. [John] had already been in bed for about ½-hour. I was so tired after having a very restless night last night. Hope I sleep tonight.
 “Another excellent day.”

[Thursday 22 September 2022]