Madeira Island
October 4, 2019
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On Day 5, I walked around Funchal a bit, first touring the quiet convent Santa Clara, checking out possibly the most beautiful (on the inside) church of Madeira,
St. John the Evangelist, then walking through the old town around Rua de Santa Maria, São Tiago Fort and finally along the city's waterfront.
This set of pictures includes walking through the old town around Rua de Santa Maria, exploring the São Tiago Fort on the coast and then along the city's waterfront.
São Tiago (St. James) Fort was built on the centre-east coast of Funchal to protect the coast from piracy during the 16th-17th century, after a 100 day
raid by the French pirate, Bertrand de Montluc in 1566, whose band of drunks and savages went on a murderous and destructive rampage across the island.
The nuns of the Santa Clara Convent left during this period and hid in a valley, now called Nun's Valley, pictures which will be available for Day 7.
The Fort is currently used partially as a classy restaurant, plus an art and photography exhibit. And a quiet place to bring a lunch and watch the ocean.
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Above: The Farmer's Market near the old town of Funchal.
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1 is one of the two main viaducts going through the main part of Funchal, used to carry the water and mud that flows down with the often heavy winter and spring rains.
3 to 5 are shots of fish and meat in the Farmer's Market at the end of the day.
6 and 7 show Rua de Santa Maria in the old town of Funchal, with it's narrow and winding cobblestone streets, café's and painted doors.
8 to 11 show parts of painted doors, a tradition of the street that continues.
12 shows the rubber duckie store which features dozens of different ducks from Marvel and Disney characters to historical figures.
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