Strange birthday

Yesterday, 25 February, Hans turned 81 and we were prepared to celebrate throughout the day - but it ended in a complety different way.

We didn’t like the room, we got and asked to change from parking view to sea view.

We spent roughly 5 hours waiting the lobby before we could move - but it was worth it.

Not only do we have view on Christus Rey overlooking the ocean (like he does in Rio de Janeiro)

We also have sunset - and a bit of sunrise around the left corner of the balcony.

Time is flying ... already one week on Madeira

View from our room - the mornings are misty and fresh, but when the sun breaks through, we can clearly see the ‘Deserted Islands’, that can be reached by boat from Santa Cruz in half an hour.

Yesterday we  went to Santa Cruz, a small and cozy town some 15 kms from our hotel.  

There is only one airport on Madeira - on top of the flat mountain at the horizon.  The airstrip is  very, very short and makes landing quite scary.

Almost summertime - in February.

Amazing pavements throughout the whole town - the black parts are cut from lava.

Communal lady workers cleaning the stony beach from weeds.

There are two ‘‘canals’ leading water from town into the sea.

They are of hidden by Bourgainvillas in all shades of red.

Brussels is cold and humid.   It has rained for days in a row.   

The "Ciara" storm was strong, when it hit Brussels.   We also had a touch of "Dennis".   

Now it is calm on our 8° floor .... but rainy and ever so grey.

 Departure tomorrow, 24 February, at 13:05 - on 2F and 2E (with an empty seat between us).   

This year we allowed ourselves an upgrade from the very beginning.

Autolux pick-up at 10:45.

We have booked "Hotel Dom Pedro Garajau" in the village of Canićo, at the South-East coast.
3* only - midway between Funchal and Santa Cruz.
We hope to get sea view from the top floor.

Madeira is 660 km from the West African coast (Marocco), 980 kms from Lisbon, 400 kms from Gran Canaria and almost 900 kms from the Açores.

That's all we know about the island and its Archipel.

 We do not speak a word of Portuguese, we don't have a travel guide - 

and we are very curious about how this trip will be.

I am "allowed" to bring a normal size suitcase instead of just a cabin luggage.

A new and great feeling of having more than a bathing suit and a short.

And this time we are gone for just one month - we are to be back on 25 March early evening.