Tuesday 14th May

I awoke this morning, still full of the Cunard cough, which manifested itself three or four days ago, causing me to partially lose my voice.  I didn’t feel up to joining a couple of QM2 table companions for a ride around Madeira on public transport. 

But, it was (and still, as I write) a gorgeous day and eventually, I disembarked Queen Anne and struggled with dodgy legs, out of the harbour, through that familiar short tunnel.

Normally, I would have walked the twenty minutes into the attractive capital city, Funchal.  Energy, however, was not forthcoming.  The late morning was hot.  I needed to acquire medication for (among other things) a sore throat and voice loss.  I sat on a wall.  Behind me, the harbour accommodating our ship and a smaller vessel.  In front, a main road with a spectacular rugged backdrop.  I was approached by a tuk-tuk operator, offering me various sightseeing packages.

David, the tuk-tuk driver, passed me over to his girlfriend, who devoted most of the afternoon to showing me many interesting places both in the city itself and outside, culminating in an hour at the lovely Botanical Gardens. 

I was then taken to the Statue of Chist the King, the fourth such statue I have seen on my travels. My driver tells me that religion is not quite so prominent as in her parent’s day.

Like all good drivers, I was offered an extended tour to the Botanical Gardens from where lovely views were to be had.  I needed sustenance first, and was allowed 40 minutes at a harbour-side café. I enjoyed some kind of a steak wrap.  It did the trick, and my lady driver was waiting for me at 3.30 pm.    We ventured up steep hills and narrow streets, eventually to beautifully laid out and labelled gardens, full of a treasure of plants, shrubs, and trees from many parts of the world.

Needless to say, there were opportunities to photograph Queen Anne from and through these fabulous gardens.

Eventually, I would be back on board Queen Anne and dressed for dinner in the excellent Sir Samuel’s Steak House, aft on Deck 10.

On board, Funchal at night looks very pretty from the open upper decks.

Many thanks for reading. David, outside in the Panorama Pool Club, aft Deck 9.  23.09 hrs