A Verada, Not A Levada

 Veradas are hikes that do not follow water channels. Emmas selected one named Ribeira Grande  and Wilson drove us there on a spectacular road first thing in the morning. The hike was steady downhill for 45 minutes and then back uphill for an hour, testing our stamina and well worth it. Completely alone in forest except for two couples on the way back. Excellent weather conditions. Quick stop for our second visit to Cabo Girao viewing platform on our way back. Lunch at the hotel restaurant and nap afterwards. Finally, to Akua, the best fish restaurant, for the last dinner before we move to Porto Moniz tomorrow.

The pre-hike scenery

Some people compare Madeira to Switzerland. (If so, Switzerland condensed to an island only twice the size of Nantucket.)

That's Wilson, our driver, telling us that the rock you see in the middle is dangerous to the houses below and the engineers are planning to remove it.

Emma is standing at the start of the hike. Down, down, down from there.

The hike name.

Down a long way

Rest makes me happy

Watch out for stones and roots.

Up

And further up

And still further up

The top feels good

Very good!

On to that glass viewing platform at Cabo Girao for a second visit, this time with fog rolling in - but the glass was cleaner.

It's a big view downward 580 meters

Back in town, an amusing disguise for the machine that dispenses parking slips.

Emma had crostinis for lunch. I had a salmon burger.

Afterwards, the ice cream shop selected by Emma as having the best passion fruit ice cream. Unfortunately, their freezers are in repair and they had no maracuja. The coco lime was not an adequate substitute.

At dinner we had a lot of shared appetizers, sardines, tuna tartar, oysters, mussels, seafood sausage, good local wine and the first dessert on the menu.

Small, well coordinated kitchen

Sardines

Dessert preparation

Back to the Hotel

END