Madeira - Day 47 - taxi tour continued.

 Picking up from yesterdays post, I had asked Jose if we could stop at the lighthouse at the South West tip of the island. He had been to the village of Ponto do Pargo before, with his family for an Apple Festival (They grow a lot of apples on the island, and make cider) but he had never visited the lighthouse. We didn't notice signs as we came through the village but after asking a man further up the road he got directions and we turned back 3 km before seeing the signs for the Farol.

I have a Lighthouse obsession. I confess. I even like nondescript lighthouses like this one.

Part of their lure is their stunning locations.

Usually rocky coastlines

and often high up. Here you can see the white caps on the right, caused by the wind coming from the north and on the left, calmer water in the lee of the island.

Colourful flowers

and crystal clear waters.

It wasn't a busy location or a busy village but we saw this van pick up some mountain bikers and a restaurant with a sign that it had a bike wash, so we knew what the area was popular for.

Jose was glad to get back on to a route that he knew. This is from the lookout above Porto Moniz

Later we would eat lunch in the white building over looking the swimming pools.

This village made the most of its location on a coast littered with rough, black volcanic rocks.

This is the aquarium and

next to it you could wander rough cement paths among the rock pools and dodging the spray from breaking waves.

A little further along there was a large cement area for lounging and sun bathing and pools whose walls the waves could break over. It added a bit of excitement while staying safe. We had bought our bathing suits with us but the wind was strong and cool and we decided not to swim. I am sure it would be a lovely treat in the summer heat.

So instead we opted for lunch. It was about 2:30 and I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture but basically we all had scabbard fish in one form or another except Dave who had steak. Wine, beer and a shandy (Jose)

while watching the brave souls in the pools, through the restaurant window.

We stopped in a number of places along the North coast

to take photos of picturesque villages,

crashing waves

and another waterfall. This one had caused a rock slide that closed the old road permanently

We were running out of time so our trip back across the island was mostly through long tunnels (4km is the longest).

Our final stop was to yet another cable car

that dropped off a cliff to a beach below.

Jose dropped us at home at about 5pm. The weather had, again, been better than forecast, making for a great trip and photos of blue skies and blue water.