Funchal Part 1

 

First impressions of Funchal; there are way too many cars, too many high rises, and so

much

construction.

Bit of a shock coming from Ponta do Sol.  Sure, that town was small and kinda dull, but at least it was gorgeous. Here, it’s basically a mini-Lisbon, but in a bad way that just seems to waste the island’s natural beauty.

My cab driver finally reached the building after having to ask for directions (the second time that’s happened on this island) and I wrestled my bags into the multi-story building.  The host had texted me detailed instructions on getting into the apartment and with good reason.  There was a code to get in the front door which I would only use once and after that I would have a key.  I wouldn’t take the first elevator I saw, instead going up a flight of stairs to a second, coffin-sized elevator that would take me up to the 8^th floor.  Then, I’d have to go down a set of stairs through a dark hallway to find the apartment.  Then I’d have to input a code in the lockbox on the door, get the actual keys out of it, and then, finally, open the door to the place.  I’ve had tax returns that were easier to maneuver.

This place is tiny.  While it does have everything you need, it is still a box of a studio on the eighth floor.  Again, a shock coming from the huge 3 bedroom, 3 bath, 2 balcony goodness I had in Ponta do Sol.  There was no sound of water in this place.  Mostly I just heard the neighbors yelling and banging things.  Not what you want to hear on your first day in a new place.  Still, the view from the balcony wasn't half bad.

Once I dropped my stuff off, I left the building and started walking in no particular direction, hoping I’d be able to find my way back.  I spotted the water and tried to figure out the best way to get there.  There are a lot of hotels situated close to the water, though none of them were truly beach side.  There are no real sand beaches because it’s still very rocky here, but most of the hotels have pool areas that overlook the ocean.  The hotels also border the scenic pathway I stumbled upon which I later found out was called the Jardin Panoramico (the Panoramic Garden). 

The pathway, park, garden, whatever you want to call it is fantastic.  It goes on for about a mile and gives you some nice views of the ocean.  I still can’t get over the abundance of flowers and trees that are everywhere.  The breeze coming off the water, the sun shining down, the multiple benches and cafes sprinkled around so you can just sit and enjoy the day and I take back what I said about the construction ruining the natural beauty.  There’s still too much of it but the city has found a way to make it work.  You can’t even hear the banging of the construction or the noise of cars while on the path, thanks to the stone walls in between.  I walked there every day I stayed in that apartment.

Something I noted about the tourists on the various parts of the island.  In Ponta do Pongo, I mostly heard German accents from a lot of hikers.  In Ponta do Sol it was mostly Italians looking to take pictures.  In Funchal, I’ve seen quite a few older British people ‘just on holiday’, cute elderly couples holding hands as they take in the sights.  I’d find out later that it was mostly the Brits who stayed in Funchal.  They only became an issue when they’d clash with rival footballers while watching a game in one of the pubs.

Since Funchal is the capital and the largest city on the island, it is the tourist hub spot.  Do you need a break from all the walking, maybe a glass of wine or a slice of cake?  Throw a stick.  There are so many snack bars, wine bars, coffee shops, restaurants, and bakeries that you could probably eat at a different restaurant every day for a month and still not hit them all.  Since the weather is so gorgeous, all of these places have outdoor seating areas with prominent menus on display in multiple languages.  But I found that it’s not just the tourists frequenting these places.  Plenty of Portuguese to be heard everywhere.  There’s a bakery near the apartment called Penha D’Aguia that’s been around since 1844 and was always busy no matter when I passed by.  Particularly in the morning, the tables would be full of people having their tiny cup of espresso and a pastry while staring at their phones.

Grocery stores are abundant here.  There are three Pinga Doces in walking distance to the apartment.  This is the big chain of stores equivalent to Publix in Georgia.  Then there are the small Fruta e Legumes (fruits and vegetables) stores sprinkled everywhere.  You are never far away from fresh food.

I also passed by multiple pharmacies, clinics, furniture stores, you name it and it wasn’t difficult to access.  This is a very functional city designed for the residents to get what they need without use of a car.  Yet there are still so many around.  I understand the need for one if you live on one of the higher hills and need to come down to the hotel area for work, but other than that I say walk or take the bus.  Street parking is just as nuts here as it was in Ponta do Sol and while there are some designated parking lots attached to buildings, owning a car just seems to be more of a hassle than anything else.

There is an actual functioning open air mall here called Forum Madeira.  It has H&M and Zara as the only stores I recognize along with a bunch I’ve never heard of including the restaurant pictured below that's in the food court.  It also has a theatre and a Pingo Doce on the lowest level.  I found the mall, by accident but it turned out to be very close to the apartment and a definite selling point.  Later in the week I realized that there is a rooftop garden that’s easily accessible to the residents of the apartments surrounding the mall.  Another nice touch to make Funchal as comfortable and inviting as it is.

Despite (or probably because of) the thriving Forum, I did encounter a few dead husk spaces, what I’ve come to expect regarding malls.  There were at least two hollowed out places that still had a working café or convenience store attached.  It was strange to see such large half-dead malls in the middle of such a small city.  Prime real estate that was going to waste.

Some other things I noticed.  There are no stoplights in the city and I only found one stop sign.  The only traffic calming comes from the curvy roadways and the zebra crossings.  The drivers are just as patient with pedestrians as they have been during the rest of my trip and I have yet to see any issues on the roads.  A few honking horns but that’s it.  No accidents or traffic jams – a serious change compared to anywhere in the Atlanta area.

I had discovered my new favorite wine in a restaurant while in Ponta do Sol.  It’s a brand of vinho verde (green wine) that’s a specialty of Portugal and it is delicious.  I’m not even a wine person or a heavy drinker, but I’m a little addicted to the stuff.  And in Funchal there are multiple places to buy the wine for cheap at around 4 euros.

I continued to explore the local cuisine while in Funchal, trying the Super Bock beer.  Not bad, as far as beer goes.  Very tingly, like a highly carbonated beverage.  Interesting, but not something I’d order again.  I also tried the Bolo Mel Cana, a round chocolate cake with nuts on top that’s sold everywhere.  Kinda fudgy and not bad. 

A last note.  I mentioned having difficulties with my credit card on my very first day here.  Well, those problems persisted.  I ended up having to call the company three times to get it resolved.  We eventually decided to cancel the card and they would send me another one.  I initially balked at this (hello!  I’m in Portugal!) but at least I had my backup card with me.  I figure I’ll return to the states in May and pick up the new card before heading back to Europe for the next leg of my adventures.  Since the problem was with too many charges from Uber, I’ve used taxis during the rest of my trip.  I don’t blame them for the problems but I also don’t want to end up getting any of my other cards flagged while I’m here.  Moral of the story; don’t enter your credit card numbers on your phone while in an airport.  Too many wandering eyes about.