Funchal, Madeira

We woke up this morning to see Funchal under a lovely blue sky through the portholes of our cabin.  Not only that, Peter is starting feel and sound better.  The ship was only scheduled to spend the morning in Madeira, and since we’ve been here before, we decided we would take a stroll, pick up a couple of things like soft drinks for the cabin and soft face tissues, and enjoy the free wi-fi.

Our first job was to find the items on our shopping list, and I remembered a supermarket that was able to provide just about everything except thermos mugs.  We wanted these so that we could take tea and coffee back to the cabin.   We didn’t find them, which was hardly surprising.  I mean, who needs thermos mugs in Madeira?
But we enjoyed our meander.  Funchal really is a beautiful city and we took several photo’s to add to our previous collection.

The city is also noted for its New Year Fireworks, where loads of cruise ships arrive purely for the occasion, vying for the best positions just offshore.  Obviously we missed all that, but during our walk we noticed that the Christmas decorations and nativity were only just being dismantled, althoough I managed to get a photo of the snowmen before they were taken away, they were just so cute.

Then we indulged at a cafe on free wi-fi, tea, coffee and a sickeningly gorgeous cake for me in the lovely warm sunshine.  We updated a few bits n pieces on the internet, and I was able to use the wi-fi to say hi to me Mum and Dad on Skype before we made our way back to the ship. The ship sailed at 2 this afternoon, passing a couple of smaller ships - the Saga Pearl II and the Saga Ruby on its way out of port.   I had a good look as we went past.  I wonder what a Saga ship looks like alongside one of the Royal Caribbean “Oasis” ships?  A lifeboat probably! 

We’ve had a really lazy afternoon and evening, (another nap), and enjoyed a pleasant meal in the Marco Bistro.  I remember that on my last cruise, I commented that I was fed up of having to dress for dinner.  On this ship however, they do have a “Casual” dress code, which they seem to use for those evenings when we’ve been in port.   We can go to dinner in jeans. Yipppeeeeee. 

Now I will go on to the second real downer of the Marco Polo – no launderette.  Something we didn’t pick up when we read all the reviews.  On a two week cruise I would imagine you could cope without washing anything, but for the people who got on in Tilbury, this cruise is 45 days long!  You can put your clothes in for the laundry service, but I am not paying a £1.00 a pair to get me knickers washed and  “ironed”.  (According to the price chart you can’t just have them washed.)

So when we were out today, we bought soap powder.  There are little washing lines in the bathroom, so it looks like I am going to have to get me rubber gloves on and get scrubbing.  (Feel sorry for me......... I have to wash Peter’s socks!)  Tomorrow is a sea day.  More relaxing methinks.

Funchal, Madeira 2011
Travelling to Funchal, Madeira 2013
New Years Eve Fireworks, Funchal, Madeira 31 Dec 2013
B&B in Funchal, Madeira 2014
Funchal, Madeira 2014

My first Sea Day on the Marco Polo.

Our cabin

It seemed that the last 48hrs have been a little bit of a blur.  So today, I am just getting used to being  on board the Marco Polo, and catching up on meself. 

Marco’s Bistro was very busy at breakfast this morning, it is obviously preferred over the restuarant.  We could only find tables outside, so we sat on the rear deck near the pool, where we met the history lecturer and his wife.  Apparently, they were on the Marco Polo when it did this cruise last year.

Marco Bistro

They must have really liked it because they’d come back for another go.

Peter has developed quite a disgustingly snotty cold, so I insisted we find him something to help dry it out.  Not as simple as you would first think.  We went to the shop first, which, it turned out, doesn’t even sell paracetamol.  Staff there directed us to the medical centre, where we would be able to “buy” something.  When we got there it was quickly established that Peter was “crew”, so he was sent away to get a form from the Cruise Director. 

The form was to save him the extortionate medical cost that passengers would be subjected to, because he had to see the doctor before they would allow him to be issued a box of Day Nurse.  What a faff on.  Necessary I suppose, but honestly!  Next time I will pack the stuff.

We also sat and worked out what tours we wanted to take part in when we get to Brazil.  The tours can seem expensive, but our last visit proved that some of them are well worth the money, and really are one of the best ways of being introduced to the port you are visiting, with lots of information about the place and the people.  We quite like them, and I am really, really looking forward to things such as the Bumbai festival, Manaus Opera House and Piranha fishing.

As for the rest of the day: Peter’s classes today were very organised, (cos I was helping of course).  He insisted on a max of 20 per class, which funnily enough, is exactly what he got.  While he was working, I had a very nice lunch of pasta with cheese sauce and salad.  It was so nice I went back for seconds and then I had a little wander around the ship.  It has been lovely outside, quite sunny but not too hot.  We’ve had a nap this afternoon and spent some time in the “Palm Garden” so that Peter can catch up with his emails and stuff. 

Not being able to have tea and coffee in the room has been one of the only downers.  There are no kettles in the cabins.  We assume this is something to do with power and the Marco Polo is an old ship.  All coffee and tea has to be served from Marco’s Bistro which is just a bit tedious really.  We may buy a couple of thermos mugs in Madeira tomorrow if we see them.  I think a crate of cold drinks may also be in order.

Tonight’s dress code for dinner was informal, so this time I wasn’t overdressed, and Peter’s red nose is perfectly in keeping with the shiny and glittery stuff everyone else was wearing.  Dinner was borscht soup and beef stroganoff, not fancy but very nice. Afterwards we went to watch the show, and when that finished, we sat and listened to the very pleasant duet of violin and piano in the Captains Club.  I’m all nice and relaxed now and looking forward to Funchal, (with shopping list), tomorrow.

Lisbon

The front entrance to the beautiful Church of St Engracia

It’s been a long 24hrs.   It started yesterday at about 2.45 pm when I waved goodbye to my grown up children, (together to celebrate the 18^th birthday of my youngest), to be driven by the newly adult g child to Darlington Station.  My  journey of trains, planes and automobiles went so smoothly it was amazing.  I can tell you that St Pancras Station is awesome and the Holiday Inn Express at Luton is really nice and comfortable, although the food wasn’t the best.

 Altar inside Ch. St. Engracia, from upper level

Due to worry about missing the flight, I didn’t get much sleep though, about 3-4 hours.  Luton airport is extremely efficient, and Easyjet managed to get us to Lisbon 25 mins early.  I’m never really comfortable on an aeroplane, the slightest flicker of turbulence makes me uneasy, but today’s flight was made so much better by the little boy somewhere behind me asking questions of his mum:  When the plane banked, he asked “is it going to go upside down?”, when the captain talked about descent, he wanted to know if we were going to land in the sea. 

One of the many examples of run down buildings in Lisbon

And finally, when the plane suddenly smoothed and quietened approaching Lisbon airport and we were still a couple of thousand feet in the air, and he asked “Has it stopped?”

The taxi seemed a little expensive, but at least the driver spoke English, and bothered to ask a colleague about the location of the ship.  I’d already checked with Peter, and the Marco Polo was supposed to be at the the “Apolonia Pier”.  And it was,with Peter sat outside on the dock, waiting for me.  Awwwwwww.

So, I finally boarded the Marco Polo on a beautifully sunny day in Portugal.   

Lisbon Cathedral main entrance

No trouble getting booked on, a quick coffee and a little bit of lunch  and we went back out to explore Lisbon.  Admittedly, we have only seen that part of the city which is within walking distance of the ship, but our last visit here didn’t leave a very good impression.  And today’s walk confirmed that Lisbon is still tatty and run down.  Some areas were downright awful.  But when we got away from the graffiti and the most decrepid of the buildings, Lisbon started to grow a little on me. 

The main altar, Lisbon Cathedral

The only word I have been able to conjure up is Bohemian - Juliet balconies, carved wooden doors,  tiled walls and pavements, antique little trams and glorious architecture.  Sadly the paint has blistered, the tiles are falling off, the pavements are full of holes and the plaster and carvings are crumbled and damaged.   But the place has still grown on me a little.

Our walk today included the The Church of Saint Engracia, which is national monument, not a working church and also a “National Pantheon” which means it is a place dedicated to housing the remains of important figures from Portugals history.  It’s other claim to fame is the inordinately long time it took to build it, 1682 until 1966!  It is a wonderful, beautiful building where we were allowed travel up to the higher levels and admire the views of the altar and chapels from on high.     

We also had a quick look at the Church of St Vicente,  and the Cathedral.  I don’t understand all the nuances of the catholic religion, or why there are so many chapels in the cathedrals. 

Central monument and gateway, Praca do Commercio, Lisbon

But I do appreciate the beauty of the buildings and the craftmanship involved.  This cathedral was built about 1150  I think.  Amazing what they did without cranes and power tools.Back on board ship, our evening meal was very nice, but marred ever so slightly by the fact that our copy of the Daily Blurb detailing activities and evening dress code was in dutch!  Our guess of “informal” on a casual night meant that I felt overdressed.   Dinner was good, not a lot of choice,but well cooked and presented, and we finished just in time to go up on deck and watch the lights of Lisbon slide past as the ship left port.   A thoroughly lovely day.    Tomorrow is a sea day, and a chance for me to better explore the ship.  I’m looking forward to it.