Funchal

Lovely to be back in Funchal after 6 years. We berthed just by the gardens we used to walk through on our way back to our hotel after an evening meal. Too early in the year for the purple flowers of the jacaranda trees but the orange tulip tree is in bloom.
We took a brief coach tour up the mountain to the viewpoints over the town as it was raining when we did this before. Today there was a lovely blue sky in the morning but it got greyer as the day progressed.
After an early lunch we took the cable car up the mountain to visit the Monte Palace Tropical Gardens which we loved so much on our last visit. Before it was the borders of bright orange lilies that made their mark, today it was pink azaleas. They are amazing. Set on the hill there are lots of steps to climb down then up. We rested over coffee and a couple of pastel de nata with a view overlooking Funchal and the sea.
I was very brave and faced forwards on the cable car ride back down the mountain.
Dinner in the Amalfi this evening - the best yet; lobster tortellini followed by fish stew with a glass of Italian red.Baca lagi