This post shouldn’t really be here; it’s not so much a photography feature as a collection of holiday snaps. For a trip that was supposed to be holiday relaxation we ended up being really very busy. What impressed was the range of places, landscapes and activities on offer. Despite travelling light (see later) I still managed to take an extraordinary number and variety of photographs. In the absence of anywhere better to post them all, I’ve added the holiday album here.

Funchal

We stayed in the Old Town in Funchal, which meant that we had pretty much everything we needed on our doorstep. What wasn’t walkable was accessible by public transport, while the addition of a boat trip at the end of the week gave us an opportunity to see Funchal from the water. The only exception was the one day where we hired a car to get out to Fanal. There is a selection of snaps in and around Funchal below - hopefully they convey some of the colour and vibrance of this historic city.

We also ate incredibly well - the food was truly superb. Being a small island, fish (and particularly tuna) plays an important part in the cuisine. However, as we discovered, Madeira also benefits from plentiful rainfall at the higher altitudes, with the result that the interior of the island is very fertile. While Madeira is renown for its wine, all of the food and drink was very fresh and incredibly tasty. A trip to the market is well worthwhile and underlines the point.

Madeira Flower Festival

During May there is the month-long annual flower festival. The climate allows for some fabulous species to flourish and the variety on offer adds colour and life to the island.

*Madeiran Flora*
Sony A7R V, Sony A9ii | Various Settings

Over the month of the festival the streets are decorated with some beautiful displays (many of which are renewed each morning) and supported by a range of street art and live events in the centre of the old town.

Monte

Sitting above the Old Town is the district of Monte. The area can be reached by cable car which gives great views over Funchal. To return to the town there’s the option of taking one of the toboggan’s piloted by one of the many Carreiro. We passed on the opportunity to career down a hill in a wicker basket with just shoe leather as brakes and returned the same we came up. In between there were a couple of superb botanic gardens to explore, the Jardim Botânico da Madeira and Jardim Monte Palace Madeira.

Outside Funchal

We did manage to get out of Funchal more than once. Câmara de Lobos is a lovely fishing village along the coast from Funchal and from there it’s a short bus ride to the sky walk at Cabo Girão, with panoramic views along the coast. An enthusiastic bus ride from Funchal takes you to the hotel at Eira do Serrado and from there it’s a very picturesque walk down into Curral das Freiras.

There was also one day where we hired a car to take us out to the Fanal Forest (see later). On the way back we took in the views from Porto Moniz in the North down to the Christo Rei just outside Funchal.

Madeira Classic Car Revival

*Olda*
Sony A7R V | 50mm f/4.0 1/125s ISO 50

One real bonus was the Madeira Classic Car Revival which took place over the weekend while we were there. We knew nothing of this before we arrived, but the main display area was just over the road from our hotel. There is, apparently, a thriving classic car scene in Madeira and, given the cost of shipping, very few depart once they arrive. There was a real variety on display, including the Olda picture above which is a real rarity. (There’s more information here). The highlight of the event is the Rampa dos Barreiros, a timed run through the streets of Funchal. There was certainly plenty of enthusiasm on display…

Fanal Forest

A photographic highlight of the holiday was a trip out to the Fanal Forest. This is somewhere I’ve had on a wish list for a number of years and it certainly lived up to expectations. The location works best in fog, something which is apparently not uncommon in the forest. In the event we didn’t get fog, but rather a sort of torrential drizzle. Photographically these are very similar; from a personal comfort perspective, however, not so much.

The fog, or in this case extreme drizzle, simplifies the scene and transforms the trees into ethereal and abstract shapes. The choice of monochrome further simplifies the scenes. The decision to hire a car to get here was the right one; it meant that we had time to wander and explore a truly magical location.

The Photography Bit

This was a great holiday and one that we both thoroughly enjoyed. I went knowing that there were a couple of locations I wanted to photography. I hadn’t expected there to be the wealth and variety of opportunities that were available.

Because I’d not expected to capture as much as I did I’d taken the opportunity to travel with very little kit. The initial idea was to confine myself to one camera and one lens; the Sony A7R V and the 24-105mm. However, travelling for a week without a backup would have been madness and so I added the second Sony body and a small 40mm prime. I did, however, leave behind tripods, longer lenses and much of the other paraphernalia that would accompany me on a photographic trip. Despite this I didn’t feel limited by my kit.

The other photographic observation regards the light. Madeira is closer to the equator that I’ve been in very many years. In May the light is bright, direct and incredibly harsh. Rather against the conventional wisdom of the landscape photography gurus, with the right subject, I loved it. Indeed, the image at the head of the post was taken close to midday in bright sunlight. I think it’s one of my favourites this year.

Madeira: Holiday Snaps