Day 6
Gardening in Maderia?
A bright and sunny day dawned. Not for us time to sit by the pool and soak up the rays sipping cocktails. No, we had been invited to join the Porto Mare Management, Customer Relations (Cindy) person and the hotel gardeners to join them on a Green Day. About twenty guests, top bosses, administration staff and the gardeners were there to help us create something that will make this once dull, unattractive, soulless bank into a thing of beauty.
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| Not exactly Wolf Garten equipment |
It's amazing what a bit of bribery can do. Lansdown Landscaping Limited doing voluntary work in Maderia. Well a bottle of red wine, baseball cap, facial in the Spa, a free three course lunch and some good fun has made this holiday something special and in the years ahead we shall be able to look at this little bit of Maderia and say 'We did that.'.
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| Mother-in-laws tongue? |
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| Now a muddy bank soon something beautiful. |
The soil bank in question is opposite the Porto Mare Hotel and owned by the Council who are encouraging the community to make their environment beautiful. Never before have I seen so many hydrangeas, Maderian Asters, Mother-in-laws Tongue and huge banana trees being planted in less than two hours. Amazing team work by everyone. Bet Eurovision would be such fun. We've made new friends and been very impressed by the Teamwork by everyone at the hotel. I can't compliment them enough.
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| Eddie hiding under a banana |
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| Team Work |
Even lunchtime was that extra bit special. Again the guests on one side of the table to get the best view of the pool and the staff on the other. The gardeners being waited on by the management. You wouldn't get that in the UK. Soup, pizza, steak in garlic bread, fruit salad and as much beer, wine and water as you could wish for. Amazing.
Okay, so that's the morning overwith. Muddy knees, two broken nails and very well fed but the hire car has to go back. We took advantage of the afternoon and went up beyond Funchal to Monte. In February 2010 Monte and Funchal suffered the appalling loss of 37 lives and the total demolition of a church in the village of Monte. All that remains today is a pile of rubble and no hint of the lovely church that was once there. However, the Geocache is still there and we had solved the puzzle two years ago. We found it and signed the log before going to watch the basket sledges. Yes, basket sledges. just Google MONTE or try Youtube.com and you will find pictures of the guys dressed in white with straw boaters standing on the back of wicker baskets which has wooden slats on the bottom. These then act as sledges with the men using feet and the ropes on the baskets to steer and brake as you speed down the hill. Not something for the faint hearted, although I am assured they don't go as fast as you may think. Neither Eddie or I are yet brave enough to try and at 35 Euros it isn't exactly cheap. It does look fun though.
Okay, and so towards the end of another day on the Island. The car has been returned, the cocktails have been consumed and now it's time for a bit of book reading. Tomorrow I think will be a rest day before going off to the Casino for dinner and a show and who knows a couple of pounds at the tables?
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