With traditional and spectacular Funchal fireworks, we celebrated the passing of the turbulent year 2025. We were there live, and luck was on our side. Were the storm Francis caused a lot of problems and threatened to drown the event, the rain stopped when we left Fajã da Ovelha, and the poor visibility, which could…
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Rescue may come at a price in Madeira
I think it is time to talk about something that has been discussed by many in recent years: The irresponsible behaviour of many tourists who visit Madeira. Though this includes people who pass barriers and go too close to the sea when the sea state is rough, or people who decide to go swimming in…
Madeira roundabouts
During a trip to Funchal yesterday, it struck me again. Many foreigners – i.e. tourists – on the island are unaware of the Portuguese traffic rules regarding how to “take” a roundabout. This often leads to accidents, because they behave in a way that is not in line with how we pass a roundabout here.…
Alma Artista: a breath of fresh air
A stay on the island of Madeira is often a life altering experience. The island’s natural beauty is unequalled, and people often marvel to see such diversity in landscapes on such a small island. The vegetation is lush, and in every season there are always flowers to be found, many of them very exotic. Most…
Madeira Flower Festival
One of Madeira´s yearly attractions is the Festa da Flor da Madeira, the Madeira Flower Festival, held in the month of May. This year, it is from the 1st till the 25th of May. Click here for the information given by the official Web Site Visit Madeira, and you can find some more information here.…
Overtourism in Madeira?
Lately, there has been a lot of talk in the media about overtourism in Madeira. If you believe what people say, there are way too many tourists, way too many houses bought by foreigners, and prices are being driven up to such a level that the Madeirans really can´t afford to live on their own…
an awful lot of coffee…
For many, Italy is considered the best country to enjoy a good cup of coffee. It comes in many varieties, and the Italian coffee has a long and interesting history. What many don’t know is that Portugal is another country where you can enjoy an excellent cup of coffee. Much, much better than in Spain…
A winter hike to Pico Ruivo
Many people used to be fed the line that Madeira was an island for the elderly. The publicity probably told you it is a ‘flower-island’, wrong footing most, as the general image of Madeira was – and still is – that of beautiful and civilized gardens, inviting to leisurely walks and glasses of Madeira wine…
Green Veil: Madeira bushfire aftermath
It was just after mid-October when we received a WhatsApp call from Maria, who looks after our house in our absence. What she told us was frightening: our village, Fajã da Ovelha, was on fire. When I speak about Fajã da Ovelha as a village, I have to add that a village in Madeira is,…
Calheta on fire: arson proven
Like every summer, from a distance, we follow the Madeiran news about bush fires. There are many eucalyptus trees on the island, and the leaves they drop are easy fuel for any spark dropped, accidentally or on purpose. We have had our share of bush fires in Fajã da Ovelha, and though some of them…
