crystal cruises, crystal serenity, funchal

Funchal, Madeira

Located about 250 miles due north of the Canaries lies the Madeira Archipelago claimed by the Portuguese in 1419. The islands were so heavily wooded, timber was slashed and burned by the early settlers. Some fires are claimed to have burned out of control for up to seven years. Leaving behind a fertile layer of ash, these lands are still today farmed in the amazing terraces that seem to cover nearly every square meter of the open land. The crops of miniature bananas, sugar cane and wine grapes have given way to tourist development around Funchal, but continue to be farmed by back-breaking methods in other parts of the island.

In Funchal, we've opted for an organized shore excursion that visits some of the farming communities and fishing villages outside of the main urban area. Leaving Funchal, we're amazed at the highway system that has been created on Madeira. In most places, steep lava mountains and cliffs extend down from the highest peaks right into the Atlantic ocean. Built between and through these cliffs are some of the most amazing roadways. Very few of the roads that we travel are "on-ground" – instead there are long spans of bridges that fly across the deep valleys before plunging into tunnels carved in the mountains. Over 12% of the roadways on Madeira are in tunnels which must make the construction of new roads terribly expensive and time consuming.

One of our first stops is at Cabo Girao, one of the tallest sea cliffs in the world Later we tour several small villages before arriving in - the home of a old sugar cane mill. Originally the cane was milled and shipped to Portugal or Morocco for processing. Today, the old cane mills have been turned into tourist museums and shops. Our stop includes a tasting of poncha, a "cane brandy" made of rum, molasses and juice drink originally created on the island. We're also treated to some of the holiday baked goods that incorporate the cane molasses. We return to Madeira with enough time for lunch in one of the street cafes. We're back onboard for our 5PM sail away. Tomorrow we're at sea, en route to Lisbon, Portugal.