MADRID BEFORE MADEIRA

As always preparation for a trip was exhaustive and exhausting. At first it was going to be the south of Portugal. Then Emma noticed a small Portuguese island off the coast of Morocco with fascinating features.

Once Madeira was chosen, the first step was figuring out how to get there. We were not willing to fly Azores Airlines even though they supposedly had direct flights from JFK. Nor were we willing to fly TAP the Portuguese airline, first to Lisbon and then to Funchal, Madeira. We chose Delta to Madrid and Iberia to Funchal. That gave us two days in Madrid, staying near the Prado museum, probably the main thing we want to see there. After that two weeks in Madeira. Funchal, the main town, seemed like the logical base on Madeira, leading to the choice of the Se Hotel in the old town. Obscure fact: Funchal's name is derived from "fennel" a plant which used to be important there.

Walking and hiking seem to be the main activities in the extraordinary varied terrain. We couldn't determine whether it would be better to rent a car for the whole stay or wait until we get a better feel for the place. We decided to wait and booked two tours for the second and fourth day. They have many walks and hikes along old but still functional water channels called levadas. See for example,  https://digitaltravelcouple.com/best-levadas-in-madeira/ Plus a whole range of hikes unrelated to water channels.

To start, Spain just asked for vaccination info on line and then issued a QR code for us to show. Madeira just wants to see vaccination proof on entry. We haven't quite figured out how we will handle the need for a negative PCR result one day before our flight back to JFK. On that day we will fly back to Madrid from Funchal in the evening, stay near the airport overnight and fly back to the US the next morning. I challenge readers to find definite information about where and when we should take that last test. We've decided to wait until we arrive in Madrid and hear what the Delta people there have to say. 

The limo ride to JFK was traumatic with an unintelligible and overly philosophical Sikh driver making every route mistake he could during rush hour. After that only one moment of light panic when Danny couldn't find his passport after security. It was in one of the outside pockets of his backpack where he had stored it before security. Delta's lounge was good and the relatively short 6 1/2 flight went smoothly.

Delta has clothed the food trolleys rather nicely.

Across the aisle from Danny a crew member slept through the flight in a neat curtained compartment arrangement we hadn't seen before.

Danny filled out a form on the napkin provided by Delta.

Our luggage came fast. From a Delta representative in the baggage area we got the answer to our question of when we need to take a Covid test before returning to the US. We had thought that we might do it at the Madeira airport on the evening we leave Madeira to stay overnight on a hotel near the Madrid airport and leave the next morning, still tested within one day before flying back that the CDC requires. But because our flights are not with the same airline we learned we have to be tested in Madrid. That can be done rapidly at the Madrid airport before our 10:40 AM flight or, we found out from the rep, a nurse can come to the hotel the night before. 

The one-year-old, 50-room Hilton Hotel Atocha in Madrid, turned out to be perfect. They let us into the very quiet and comfortable room as soon as we arrived at 10 AM, gave us water, marked out streets of interest on a map and made a few restaurant suggestions. Weather excellent. We walked to the Latina section where a highlight was a restaurant with painted tile exterior in imitation of Toulouse Lautrec. 

Also interesting was a street fruit vendor using an old-fashioned hand scale to weigh purchases.

Stopped in a small supermarket to check out the hams.

The final item of interest in Latina was a camera symbol in the concrete sidewalk in front of the Spanish government's cinema agency.

Back to the hotel for a two hour nap from 3 to 5. Then, on to El Barril de las Letras for a good fish lunch,  anchovies and sea bass for Emma, cod for me, white asparagus and roasted thin Navaro peppers for both of us. house white and good raisin roll. Next we walked to the Prado museum where we were pleased to learn that our senior status got us in for 7 and a half Euro to both the regular collection and the special exhibitions instead of 15 Euro each. Overdosed on Titian, Veronese, Velasquez, Goya, Tintoretto and El Greco. Plus a special Carraci fresco exhibition.

Photos are not allowed but I snapped a Carraci fresco before I knew that.

Staggered back to the hotel where our stupendous first day is now concluding.

END