On day 6, we decided to make a walk which was not too far away from where we were staying. The route is also a fairly easy one. The route was PR8 Vereda Da Ponta de Sao Lourenco. It is on the eastern-most peninsula on the island and is named after the caravel sailed by Boncalves Zarco, one of the three discoverers of the Archipelago of Madeira. It is part on the Madeira Natural Park and the penisula is partial nature reserve ce. It had a very different feel from the other walks we had done so far. There are supposedly colonies of seagulls and other birds species. It is 4km there and another 4km back.
Given its proximity to Funchal, it was obviously quite popular with lots of tourists so the carparks and roads leading to the start of the walk were heaving. It was also a different walk as it was quite exposed since it wasn't surrounded by trees.
It was lovely to see the sea and bays at many junctures.
CBC and I decided to try and go out for a meal locally and CBC found a place that was very individual, had a tiny menu. Sadly, I cannot remember its name. Weirdly, as we drove to get there, all of a sudden, I started to feel really queasy. As we looked at the very meaty menu (game and that sort of stuff), I couldn't bear the thought of eating anything! CBC thought I was sulking because I wanted to go elsewhere but it was so strange that I felt so odd.
He ordered stuffed mushrooms
It was blissful!
He then ordered me the beef stew.
And a salad for us.
I managed to eat a bit of salad and about 2 pieces of beef but it was a real struggle. At this point, CBC started to realise I genuinely didn't feel well and nobly ate most of the stew.
We headed back and I got into bed feeling utterly awful, my tummy felt terrible and I felt sick.
In the middle of the night, after many hours of grasping my tummy, I made my way to the toilet and then lay on the floor outside the bathroom. I felt like a change of scene might help me. CBC came and made me go back to bed.
It was a long night.
In the morning, I was very slow getting up, still feeling very unwell. CBC wanted to go to breakfast and hurried me up. Just as we were about to leave, all of a sudden, I knew I had to be sick and ran for the loo. After 6 times throwing up, I think I'd expelled whatever was irritating me. CBC headed off for breakfast and left me behind to lay down.
After this, we decided to head out to walk. Despite having felt so unwell and not having any food inside me, I felt it was probably best just to get outside. We headed to the north-east of the island to the PR6 trail, Levada das 25 fontes. Waterfalls were to be involved.
It started raining heavily as we did this walk. The first part was on road and it was quite a popular route. We made our way along and reached the waterfalls which were lovely. After around 8km walk, we came back and found a lovely cafe in the woods which had a massive queue. CBC and I managed to find a table. Sadly, the only thing I felt like eating was soup and they had run out of that so I decided to give it a miss.
I don't have any photos sadly!
Once we were back to the car, we decided to drive up to the northern coast to Porto Moniz where there are natural saltwater pools on the sea.
To our delight, once parking, we discovered, as it was around 4.30pm, the pool was free to enter though there were no facilities to use to change or store things.
I did a sneaky changing manoeuvre in full view under my sarong and changed into my tankini.
As I entered these breath-taking pools, it was the first time all day I felt well.
We drove home, after a walk around town. I should mention at this point, that wild nasturtiums grow absolutely everywhere in Madeira and I took the opportunity to collect some seeds
When we got back to Canico and got changed, having not eaten anything, I needed something to eat so we went out to La Carbonara which had an extensive pizza and pasta menu. I ordered a lentil soup and a half portion of Spaghetti bolognese which was absolutely enormous! CBC ordered a meal which he didnt realise had chicken in it. His flexitarianism doesn't include chicken so he was very sad.
The next morning, we went for our final Buffet breakfast and then packed up our things. As our flight wasn't till 5ish, we left out stuff with conceirge and walked down to the sea front in Canico via the supermarket...
Where I picked up this epic bag of Pick and mix crisps! I love foreign crisp trying!
I was pleasantly surprised by the beach there. It was stony but the sea looked clean and I wished I had come to swim here when I couldn't get into the hotel pool
If it hadn't started raining and I had no towel, I might have swum.
I doodled on some stones.
We made our way back towards the hotel, passing monster aloes.
Beautiful flowers and lots of sea food restaurants which we wish we'd known were there.
I love the street signs on Madeira. Like lots of the municipal walk ways, they are beautiful!
CBC downloaded the Bolt App and we got a very cheap ride to the airport in a yellow car. Public transport would have taken 1.5 hours. This took 10mins!
At the airport, I marvelled at the myriad tins of sardines for sale!
We'd had a wonderful holiday in Madeira and were so grateful to have had this time away together, away from the anxieties of real life and work!
We got home around 12.30am, via the X30 bus and a taxi and then I was up for church the next morning at 9!
xx
