Madiera - Day 9 - Miradouro do Gabo Girao

The day started with coffee and

Custard-Apple, or Annona.

It was perfectly ripe and I ate half of it, with a spoon right out of its hard, bumpy, green shell.

Blanca had, by WhatsApp text, invited me to go to a local landmark with them at about 4 and, as buses run infrequently of Sundays, I left by 10 to ensure I could get a good walk and pick up some milk and get back in time.

Decorative tiles under a window sill.

This was inside elaborate wrought iron gates that protected a lush overgrown garden and a huge abandoned building; peeling paint, broken windows, boarded up doors.

I walked along the sea front again, this time paying more attention to the city side than the sea side.

George and I "discovered" Portuguese custard tarts, pastel de nata, when we lived in Cambridge. It had a large Portuguese population and a fabulous bakery downtown.

Here they have become my "go to" snack. Flacky, crunchy pastry and soft, sweet custard.

Even a miniature custard tart food truck though it wasn't open today.

I stopped and watched some little Optimists racing. A close start

and quite amazing acceleration.

Much further out there were windsurfing races going on. The islands in the background are Islas Desertas (Deserted Islands) that are uninhabited.

Up on the hillside I could see the palace and church that I had visited up on the Monte.

A quick stop for milk, wine and eggs and I was home by 2. Time to lay outside in the sun, eating lunch and reading. Blanca and Joao picked me up at 4, without their children, who had studying to do and so had to stay home. The roads are either fast motorways or winding, bumpy and not very wide and it was nice to get out of the city.

We parked, Joao's little car squeezed into a tiny spot between 2 others.

and walked out to the lookout.

Looking over the railing and down to the fields and beach 2000ft below. It is the second highest sea cliff in the world.

But more impressive was standing on the glass floor and looking down at it below my feet. Blanca is scared of heights and didn't venture on to it.

Looking west towards Funchal.

Looking east

I could see the "galleon" making its way back to Funchal.

In the car we had been talking about my fruit experiences and shortly after our return I got a text from Blanca asking if I would like some Pitangas. These are from her father in law's garden

Eugenia uniflora, with common names pitanga,^[2] Suriname cherry,^[3] Brazilian cherry,^[2] Cayenne cherry,^[4] or Cerisier Carré^[5] is a plant in the family Myrtaceae, native to tropical South America’s east coast, ranging from Suriname, French Guiana to southern Brazil, as well as parts of Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay
from Wikipedia.

These were a little tart, almost a combination of tomato and lime. They had quite a large pit inside. I had seen them in the market but not tried them. Lovely to have them grown right behind the house, with no pesticides.