Madeira - Day 46 - Nun's Valley with Nicola and Dave

Last nights full moon at dusk.

As I have posted on the Nun's Valley before I will attempt to have some slightly different pictures this time. I tried taking pictures out of the bus window as we climbed out of the city, to where clusters of houses hang on to the slopes of the mountains

and then climbed up beyond habitation.

We did the climb from the parking lot at Eira do Serrado up to the Miradouro.

This time I could clearly see all the peaks as there were no clouds creeping over the tops.

We needed pre-walk sustenance and the restaurant got a high rating because the Chestnut cake was gluten free. Dave with his Apple cake and me with my Chestnut biscuit (scone) didn't really care about that.

We walked the zigzag, cobble stoned, sometimes slippery path with Nicola and I each using a walking pole.

Down into the trees (Chestnut, Eucalyptus and Pine)

until we were actually below the level of the main part of the village and had to walk up the road to it.

We stopped at the same cafe as I did last time, same cat, same friendly waitress and I had the same wine and octopus salad (it was so good last time).

Nicola can't believe how brilliantly orange the egg yokes are. Dave had a steak sandwich.

As you can see, we didn't rush to catch the first bus by.

The look out peak from the restaurant.

As we weren't in a hurry, the waitress bought us testers, hoping we would buy some bottles to take home: Poncha, Eucalyptus Liquor (why!), Blackberry Liquor and Chestnut Liquor (lovely).

We knew we didn't have time before the next bus to visit the museum.

Truck full of willow branches destined, I'm sure, for the wicker shop in Camacha.

It was not all tourist perfect.

I walked down to the little church, built by the parish on land donated by the nuns from the convent in Funchal.

Tiles lined the lower part of the walls

and a painted wooden ceiling

which included the village in the valley.

Looking up, from the church, at the path we had taken down.

I was able to get a seat at the front of the bus and took some videos of the drive back.