With Dave and Sheena’s arrival, we’ve been able to become real tourists for a couple of days.   We’ve learnt lots about this island; not least is that the bus drivers are mad and the busses brakes must be very good!  The marina is at the East end of the island and although they provide minibus services on a daily basis, to ensure you can get around, the busses need to be tackled.  They have a good service into Funchal; however we were led astray about the journey time.   “The Express” is about 40 minutes, the local about an hour’s journey – well, double that (and also at double the speed limit) Anyway our first trip only gave us and hour and a half in Funchal; so we struck out for a second time yesterday, a wee bit earlier, and had a visit to the Farmers’ market, a cable car trip (well we did miss ski-ing this year) and a wander around the Monte Palace Tropical Garden where we spent a pleasant few hours.  Although the wrong time of year to see it at its best, there was still lots of flora strutting its stuff.  It began life in the 18^th century, built by the then English consul and was variously a hotel and government office before the Madeiran Joe Gold got hold of it, digging lakes, creating fountains and pavilions and importing tress and stuff from all over the world.  Pictures below give a flavour.   The laundry done, we now prepare for today’s fiesta!

View from the marina restaurant                                                  the local bus stop                                  Bathgate Gala day preparations?    

Funchal market                                                              fish today?                                                       A possible Christmas present?

            Monte’s folly!.........