Levadas, twisted trees & pickled beans

We have made it a habit to stop for a small talk at the local bar every evening we return to Ponta Delgada. The owner of the bar & the local "u name it we've got it" seems to await us (as all the other handymen, house keepers and drive-by-shoppers) and serves the desired Poncha, coffee and a small tray of pickled large yellow beans.

So what did we do today?

We had our first true Levada hike (during this trip). It was thrilling, surprising and a little bit boring at the same time.
Thrilling to see clever the construction is to direct the rain waters from where they fall and gather to where they are needed and desired.
We were also quite surprised to find trout (just a wild guess) living in the concrete channel.
The huge Eukalyptus trees lining the Levada (no, it is not Laverda 😉) on the down slope side came quite unexpected for us. Guess we'll have to do some research how the different types of Eukalyptus came to Madeira. What we found out so far is, that they are a invading threat to the endemic Madeiran Laurus forrests.

As the Levada passes through several tunnels so did we - on small paths along the stream of the water, about 30 cm wide and an average height of 160 cm, in the total dark, of course. Glad we had Smartphones with flashlights along.
And yes, after two of the shorter tunnels we gave up on the longest one (length about 1,2 km) and returned along the Levada again passing under the small waterfalls.

When it comes to natural life the Levada hike was almost boring. The surrounding forest seems to be completely dead silent, we hardly (or didn't) see any animal life from or traces of that.
Flora great, Fauna invisible or existing on a very low level.

After the Levada we changed into the next valley (from quiet sunshine to gusty and chilly haze) to do a hike along a trail that reminded us of the arctic rain forrests of Southern Argentina. Lots of different species of ferns, moss and lichens and weirdly twisted trees - but again almost no signs of vertebrates...🤔

Well, after reflecting the day out in the setting sun up front of the bar it is time to finish up and go home for dinner and wood stove.Читать далее