Click here to read the introduction: Holiday in Madeira – The Pearl of the Atlantic
Another highlight of this island was the Levadas. This was the water supply system of the island. Centuries ago, they were developed by the natives together with the slave workers. The north side of the island is rainy but the south side is almost always dry. So these Levadas or canals were constructed to transfer drinking water from the north side to the south side. Besides this, the people of Madeira use another natural product, the Erika’s plant. They cultivate this plant which turns out as an optimal water supply. There are several Levadas in the island and each has its own unique surrounding. A walk by the Levadas is really relaxing and something that can definitely bring the romance back into your heart.
The tiring part about the island is that, anywhere you have to go, there’s always a long trek ahead of you. But most of the treks are quite enjoyable, and you will always come across a few quaint villages and many astounding sights. During one of our treks, we came across a Levada that was actually flowing up the mountain! A proof of early engineering.
I knew I couldn’t take it anymore, I came here to unwind. But all I was doing was trekking and exploring. I loved it, but I knew I wanted to lie sown and soak up the sun. That’s it and nothing more.
We decided to check out the different cuisines that very evening, and headed out to the streets of Madeira. Fish plays a major role here. The “Espada” is the most famous and is very delicious. They say that there are over 365 recipes for this fish. I’m assuming that’s one recipe for each day of the year! We were sitting in a local restaurant as a few locals came by and offered me a glass of “Poncha”. It was a mix of sugarcane schnapps, white rum, lemon juice and sugarcane syrup. The local told me the drink was very strong, but I guess I didn’t remember too much after a couple of those drinks!
The next day, we visited an Espetada (a type of sword fish) Restaurant. It is said that if you want to carry back home a cheap souvenir, then you shouldn’t wash the clothes that you wore in the restaurant. The locals say that this smelling memory would last a whole year!
There were hardly any beaches in Madeira, and I wondered where I could have a swim. I was then told that Madeira’s sister island, Porto Santo passes off very well for a beach. A day’s visit to this place had my enthusiasm soaring, and I felt the vacation mood in full swing.
The rest of the days were spent travelling from one village to another, along with the occasional trip to Porto Santo. The days flew swiftly and the adventurous and romantic holiday came to a close. We loved every experience in this island, and had several souvenirs to carry back home, not to forget the Poncha drunk shirt I wore to the Espetada restaurant. I at least knew that I would have something that could remind me of the great times we shared in this island, the unique island of eternal spring, the island of Madeira.
Click here to continue reading: Vacations to Madeira - Guide and Tips
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