WED. DEC. 2, 2009 - MADEIRA (FUNCHAL) PORTUGAL

THU. DEC. 3, 2009 - MADEIRA (FUNCHAL) PORTUGAL (Day 4 of cruise)
We arrived at this beautiful port in the Azores overnight and departed from the ship early in the day.  The beauty of the flowers against the backdrop of red roofs was a sight to behold similar to ones we have seen in Croatia and Montenegro.

And then we found this poster on a door. Recognize that man and his cigar?

This island city was one of Churchill's favorite places.

When we began planning this trip and researching "places to see in a port" I found a posting from another member on the website 'Cruise Critic' that mentioned a cable car that would take us from a bluff above the ocean level to the ocean and back.  I researched it and got the details with recommendations of "how to do" this.  We hailed a cab and got the driver to take us to the location of this cable car.  We stopped at the designated place to pay and then were let off at the location where the car stopped.  (shown below)

We boarded,  followed the instructions, and the descent began.  The views were outstanding!  The multiple pictures I took (looking through the glass enclosure) all "bounced off" the glass and reflected items inside the coach.

The picture (below) is looking up the cables from the ocean to the bluff.  (small cross-looking item)

 This is what we saw from our stopped position (doors opened for photos).  We were not scheduled to get out of the coach; just sight see.

After the allotted time we returned to our starting location.

Using another cab we returned to the ship where Tom left the group to return to the ship.  Marlys, Sylvia and I boarded a ship's tour bus to visit the resorts on the mountain above the city.   

 Sylvia & Marlys pose on the balcony of a resort.

The views of the city were beautiful.  Back on the bus, the bus started a climb and the views became more beautiful.

 And finally,  we climbed so high, it felt like we were airborne.

We returned to the ship where Tom joined us for lunch.  Afterward, all four of us departed again to visit for the Church of Our Lady Monte where The Monte Toboggan run is held.

THE MONTE TOBOGGAN is one of Madeira’s most famous attractions. Dating back to the 1850s, the Monte Sledge — a wicker toboggan — was the primary means of downhill public transportation in Funchal.  Today, and for many years now, the “Carro de Cesto” is used to entertain and transport tourists from the steps of the Church of Our Lady Monte downhill to Livramento — a suburb of Funchal — 1.4 miles away.  Two men, called “Carreiros” dressed in white and wearing straw hats, would be your chauffeurs on this downhill adventure. They wear special, rubber-soled shoes that help them steer and brake the toboggan, which is essentially a wicker basket attached to two wooden runners (that glide on greased up rags).

The trip to the bottom takes about 10 minutes down a curvy road, and you can expect to reach speeds up to 30 mph!

We watched with lots of interest but decided to forego the trip deciding instead to climb the steps and go inside the church.

After our church visit,  we returned to the ship and later sailed for the Canary Islands.