Home » Portugal » Madeira part V.

We're late for sunrise today. There's some magic about this place, because even I, who usually make do with a cup of espresso in the morning, eat English and Continental breakfast with eggs, sausage, bacon, tomato, cheese, bread and fruit. OK, it helps that you don't need to make things yourself, and then there's the magnificent view over the Atlantic and the hotel pool, where some guests work hard for absolution or at least a better conscience.

Madeira part V.

Eric
2005-12-08 20:25:59

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We're late for sunrise today. There's some magic about this place, because even I, who usually make do with a cup of espresso in the morning, eat English and Continental breakfast with eggs, sausage, bacon, tomato, cheese, bread and fruit. OK, it helps that you don't need to make things yourself, and then there's the magnificent view over the Atlantic and the hotel pool, where some guests work hard for absolution or at least a better conscience.

The weather seems changeable today - one moment sun, the next rain. We decide to go for a walk in the Northern part of the city centre.

When we pass "Casa Museu Frederico de Freitas" in Calcade de Santa Clara, the museum has just opened. It is a beautiful house with many rooms and holds the collections of a Madeiran lawyer. A few days before he died he willed the lot to the state, and now his house has been turned into a beautiful museum.

Frederico de Freitas must have been a passionate collector, because the number of objects and artifacts is amazing: furniture, ceramics, pottery, statuettes etc. etc. Especially the painted tiles are impressive, and it isn't cheap stuff - the old Persian, Chinese and Dutch tiles must be worth a fortune. So either lawyers in Madeira make good money or Mr. Freitas had some other income.

Casa Museu Frederico De Freitas

There's a small army of custodians who kindly, but firmly insist that you see things and the rooms in a special sequence. We don't go to museums that often, but this one is definitely worth a visit.

The city-hall square is close by and we visit the café before entering a bus at random. The bus takes us up the mountain to a residential area high above Funchal, West of Monte. We get off before the last stop and walk around looking at houses, gardens and Funchal and the sea far below.

The houses are beautiful and well kept. The roofs are ...