Levada dos Marocos Experience

Length -  6 kilometers

Hike Duration - 2 hours

Grade -  Easy

Highlight - The view over Machico and Atlantic Ocean

About the Levada

Levada is an irrigation system typical to the island of Madeira. In the 16th centuries because of Madeira´s ridge landscape, the Portuguese started building the levadas to carry water to agricultural regions in the island. Nowadays levadas have still the same agricultural function and serve as one of the popular tourist activities in the island. The Madeirans have built  approximately 2500 kilometers of  levadas.

The Levada

Our experience

The guide was already waiting at the hotel door. We were the last couple they have been waiting for. Our guide for this hike was very friendly. I sat next to him in front of the van. He was a joker and a talker. Well I think that is a part of their job!

Before we started the walk, we have got a short briefing about the do's and don'ts during the walk. A reminder for our safety.

When I first saw the levada, I thought about the way to Taytay Falls in Majayjay, Laguna.  The only difference is that the levada is narrower and longer than the irrigation in Majayjay.

The Levada - Marocos Trail is a short hike. It is easy. So it is very suitable for beginners and senior citizens too. The main highlight of this hike is the view of the Atlantic Ocean and the town of  Machico. It was in Machico that the first Portuguese landed in the island. João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira are the two explorers who discovered the island.

Where the first Portuguese explorers landed.

The guide told us about geological history of Madeira, about how the Levada works, how much the farmers pay and how many cubic meter water they get. How it is to live in Madeira, the development that happened in decades in the island, the present political issues and many more. He showed also the fauna typical to the island. Honestly, though the trip was short, it was very educative. I have learned so much. 

View of the town Machico

Before lunchtime we were already at the pick-up point, while resting we still did enjoy the  surrounding. Because of this short trip, I have missed hiking in the Philippines.

Madeira Explorers

Because our tour guide was very good and trusted. I like to give him a special mention to my entries about Madeira. His name is Alvaro Freitas, I can say he was the best tour guide I have ever met. He is from Madeira Explorers, a company that offers guided tours to the levadas and mountain ridges in the island. We have a very positive experience with him as our tour guide and I think most of tourists enjoy his company. If ever you would like visit the island and explore their rich mountains, choose Madeira Explorer and hope you will meet also Mr. Alvaro Freitas. :-)

A Wandering Pinay in Funchal

I was expecting again an orange tinted sky, when I opened the curtain. But there was not. But the rising sun and the view of the Desertas Islands amazed me. The name Ilhas Desertas or Desert Islands speaks for itself, the place is uninhabited, except for the scientists and rangers that monitor the islands. The islands are nature reserves for different species of animals, mainly birds and reptiles. One must have a license to visit the islands.

The second day of our awesome vacation is planned for the Funchal trip. I was excited. The evening before, we have reserved two seats for the free shuttle to Funchal provided by the hotel. It is not a bad idea to stay out of the vicinity of Funchal, because most of the hotels are providing free shuttles to the town. We are satisfied that we chose a hotel in Canico de Baixo, 9 kilometers away from a busy city of Funchal. The quiet and relax Canico de Baixo made us comfortable.

The bus chauffeur was waiting in front of the hotel entrance. We were lucky that we got the last pair  of seat. I sat next to the window. The bus departed on time and we rode uphill.It was the same zigzag road, where we have walked the first day.  We reached the coastal highway and we are pretty impressed with the highways and tunnels that they have built in the island. On the left, the view of the ocean and on the right, the steep hills with villages, banana plantations, different kinds of flowers, succulent plants and trees. Some of it are located on the top of the tunnels. It was amazing.

In the Netherlands a 9-kilometer distance is not far at all. It is a flat land. Madeira is its opposite. A 9- kilometer distance is not a piece of cake, because of its ridge landscape. The view along the way was overwhelming, especially when we were already near the city. We also saw the remains of the forest fire in the distance that hit the island last August.

There are three places we highly prioritized to see - the Mercado Dos Lavradores, the Cathedral of our Lady of the Assumption and the Sta. Catalina Park. We decided to begin with the famous market and saved the park as our last destination. From the bus pick-up point, we walked to Funchal Marina. It is a seafront with many cafes and restaurants.

We had to search the way to the famous market. A small map we brought was handy . We saw the cathedral's bell tower along the way, so we have decided first to visit it. There were already many tourists in front of the cathedral. Two young men with a parrot and an owl and a musician who tried to earn money by their own means captured my attention. Thinking that the two beautiful birds were in captivity and they were being used to earn money, I pitied them.

The Cathedral of our Lady of the Assumption has a Gothic and Mudejar architecture. Mudejar is a fusion of Islamic and Christian art tradition and it was new for me.

A certain part of the city Funchal is under renovation due to the landslide that happened not long ago.

 

We have found the Mercado dos Lavradores. This is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Funchal.

You can buy here fresh fishes and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables which come mainly in the island. Aside from what I have mentioned, there are also souvenir, handicraft and flower stalls inside the building. We have bought potatoes, vegetables and fruits. All in all in a paltry sum.

 

We walked along the Rua (Street) Dr. Fernao de Ornelas going back to the Funchal Cathedral. Along the way, we saw this canal. I made a picture of it, because it was very clean. The people of Madeira are environmental conscious. They know that they have to take good care of the islands and they have to preserve it for the next generation.

  
The cathedral is facing the Avenida Arriaga. The boardwalk along this avenue is very ideal place to enjoy the city. There are many restaurants, cafes and Italian ice cream parlors along way. You can chill out on one of the benches and watch the passersby.

We saw the Jardim Municipal, it is a small park in the heart of the city. It has a variety of beautiful flowers and and trees native to Madeira. There is also a small podium for concerts and other activities in the middle of this park.

We arrived at Rua de Sao Francisco, a street adjacent to the Jardim Municipal. We saw an old jewelry shop. No one was inside except for the two old ladies we have assumed the owners of the shop. One of them spoke barely English. But she was not shy. We scarcely understand each other though, she tried hard to accommodate us. And because of their effort and sweetness, I bought a pair of old silver earrings and a pendant. They were so grateful that we came in and bought something in their shop. With their authentic smile, we have only felt sincerity and hospitality. This is one of the unforgettable moments we had in Funchal.

From Rua do Surdo we saw an old church at the end of the street. - the São Pedro Church. That is why we love walking, we always discover places which are not very touristic. The church is small, but the interior is very beautiful. The wall on the left side is covered with Delftware-like tiles, the right side has a Gothic art.

I have noticed the narrow streets. Just like in the Netherlands the old street roads of Funchal are also paved with bricks and the houses are attached next to each other. The Portuguese ambiance is something to enjoy on.

Our last destination was the Sta. Catarina Park.

The lovely view of the bay of Funchal from the Sta. Catarina Park is worth a thousand words. There are many species of flora in the park. The succulent trees are amazing. Because we have walked the whole day, we spent the rest of the afternoon in the park. It is indeed a perfect place to end up the day. We sat on a bench along a man-made lake where the swans gracefully swam.

We headed back to the bus pick-up-point after doing some shopping at the nearby supermarket. While waiting for the bus, we still got the chance to see the pirate ship. The Santa Maria de Colombo is a replica of the 15th century Christopher Columbus' ship. This replica ship was built by a Dutchman living in Madeira named Robert Wijntje.

I often met fellow Pinoy during our other trips. But on this trip, I only saw few Asian people in the island, but not of them was Pinoy. It would have been nice if I have got to meet even one Pinoy kababayan. I was perhaps the only Pinay wandering in Funchal that time. But surprisingly, while we were watching the pirate ship, I saw in the distance the Philippine flag. I felt happy and I have just whispered to myself  "I am not the only one. Pinoy talaga is everywhere."

Next post: The Levada Walk - Maroços trail

13th Edition: Lego Fair Holland, First Year in Utrecht

Facts about Lego

It started when I brought a bagful of Lego bricks at home from my in-laws' house. Honnepontjie was glad to see the old toys and remembered some events, when they were young. That evening we began sorting the pieces and made some figures like cars and houses based on the manuals included in the bag. We came up to an idea that we would like to have a Lego Christmas decoration on our windowsill this coming holiday season.

We bought a week after 2 extra boxes of bricks. Then a week later, Honnepontjie tumbled on a site about the 13th edition of the Lego Fair in Utrecht. In the hope that we could get special discounts in the fair for the other bricks that we needed, I bought two tickets the day after Honnepontjie visited the website.

The Lego Fair was first organized in Ijsselhallen, Zwolle, Holland in 2001. More than 70, 000 people visit the Lego Fair every year. To better accommodate the increasing visitors, they have relocated the event in Utrecht. Because the Jaarbeurs Utrecht is bigger than the Ijsselhallen.

When we stopped out the bus, the dozens of parents with kids were waiting to cross the street to the Jaarbeurs. Fortunately, a few in the crowd were couple without kids, like us.

The Lego Fair has occupied two halls. Hall 2 for adult visitors and Hall 1 for children. Since the entrance was in Hall 2, we started at the Lego Museum, which we thought very interesting to see. I have once watched in You Tube the film about the Lego story. Because of the video, I have got to know that Lego started making wooden toys before the modern bricks. I have posted here the video, so you can also watch it.

Video Source: LegoClubTV

In the museum, we have discovered some Lego pieces we have at home. We thought that it was not theirs.  It is called Fabuland, a 1979 Lego theme. The main characters in the Fabuland theme are animals. The bricks and the characters are smaller than the Duplo, but larger than standard Lego bricks. The pieces are colorful and suitable for toddlers. 

 

One of the themes they have created was the Lego Scala, which targeted the young girls. The characters are similar to the Barbie dolls. It was released in 1979 to 1980 and then came back to the market in 1997 to 2001.

We skipped the Duplo section and headed right away to the section: Emmen Zoo. The life-size animals inside the section were wonderful. It was one of our favorites.

Our next station was the Lego Fans exposition. Everybody drooled over their fantastic works.  A proof that Lego is also for big boys (and girls), too!
 

We skipped the Lego Cinema, too. Because we were running out of time. We decided to buy first some pieces that we needed for our project. Honnepontjie bought some bricks with different colors on the first merchandise. I have got two Santa's, one Christmas tree, and an Autumn tree with mushroom on the second stall. On the third one, we bought a pack of leaves, trunks, plants and an adorable mini bicycle.

At the Hall 1, we saw the Lego Friends, attractions like the Lego artworks of Dirk Denoyelle and other activities for children. The Intertoys Store was also present in the area. A small merchandise, where you can buy loose pieces of Lego, was interesting. Search for the pieces you needed, then they will weigh it and then you pay the amount per gram. We went inside.

 

The small loose-Lego-bricks booth is crowded. I was laughing while we both dug through the tubs of bricks. The digging caused a lot of nuisance and no one minded it. After one and a half hours our patience was rewarded with some bricks that we needed.

We saw almost everything and we are satisfied that we have visited the fair. As a bonus, every one got a Lego goodiebag at the exit gate. We all left the building with happy faces.

My brother and I did not own Lego Toys when we were young and you? If you own one, what is your favorite theme? Please share.

The First Day at Caniço da Baixo

It was already 7:30 in the morning. Soon as I woke up, I ran quickly to open the curtain on a glass sliding door to the terrace. I was excited to see the view outside. Our room lies on the 5th floor of the Four Views Oasis Hotel at the Caniço de Baixo, Madeira Portugal. It overlooks the promenade and the ocean. An orange tint on the horizon has welcomed me. It was beautiful. I called Honnepontjie while  I was opening the door to the terrace. I went outside. "What is this a perfect day!", I whispered and smiled.

After the breakfast we have got a brief introduction about the island from our contact person. She was friendly and assertive. She has also welcomed us when we arrived at the airport. After the presentation we have arranged the Levada Trips with her.

We walked down the promenade to the nearby Spar supermarket. The promenade made me think of the Baywalk in Manila, but it is not as busy as the Baywalk. I should not compare the two, because they are both beautiful in different way.  The promenade is very clean. I love the palm trees along the way. The view of the ocean gave me also a satisfaction. I love the place. It is very peaceful.

The promenade is a home for many endemic animals in the island. One of these are the Madeira wall lizards (Lacerta dugesii), which were constantly running across our path. Lizards are not really my favorite animal, except for the few species of it. The population of the wall lizards in Madeira is abundant. They are so many and they continously running here and there. Honnepontjie was happy to see them. His astonishment was lovely. How can someone be so happy just seeing the lizards? Of course I was happy, too! But he was two times happier than me. I guess all people with a Biology background have that.

There are many cacti and other succulent plants in the island and they grow bigger as the trees. Normally, in the Netherlands you can buy the succulent plants in pots as house decorations, but in Madeira, all these plants are gigantic. We were totally amazed. It was our first time to see cactus and other succulent trees.

at the Promenade Caniço de Baixo

After buying our necessities, we wandered a bit in the area. I noticed that most of the hotels are on the coast and the residence houses are located on steep hills. Almost all vehicles run fast though,  the roads in the island are zigzag with sharp turns.

Houses on the steepy hill facing the ocean.

Bridges

We went back to our hotel and did siesta. Evening, we walked again in the promenade to the restaurant and then went back at the same route. I noticed that there are two or more stray cats along the way. I am surprised, I did not expect it. Other tourists have surely noticed the cats, too. A young one was following us and later his attention diverted to the flying insect.

Our first day was really, really great. The succulent plants and trees, the ocean, our hotel room and all other I have seen the whole day gave me full enthusiasm. I was excited for the day after - Our Trip to Funchal!



See you on my next post.

Girl Power Day

It is always fun to be with friends and spend a day without thinking about work or any other else. Spotting bargain, visiting places, sharing a girl talk while sipping on a cup of tea? I called this - "Girl Power Day"!

I was again in Amsterdam with the same person we were with two weeks ago in Artis Zoo. We have been talking about going out together a long time ago and because she had three weeks vacation from work. We grasped the opportunity to meet again. I want to see more places in Amsterdam, so she toured me more in the city.

1)  She brought me at the Waterlooppleinmarkt.

The Waterloopplein is the largest  flea market in Amstedam. From African local goods, Asian accessories, brand new/second hand clothes and shoes, antiques, books, bicycles and accessories, foods and other knicks-knacks, you can find it here for a measly sum.

My friend and I rummaged through the used clothes (ukay-ukay) on the ground. My friend was lucky to find a very nice second hand Indi skirt and a tank, both for 6 euro. As for me, I was not so lucky, so I just bought two black Cookie Monster t-shirts with humorous texts from one of the market stalls. One for me and one for Honnepontjie. 

2) We ate at a cheap Surinamese-Chinese eatery at the Waterloopplein Subway Station. 

Surinamese eatery is very similar to Pinoy carinderia. They are selling rice with different dishes and mirienda. We ordered two Broodje Tempeh for lunch for only 5 euro. Tempeh is a traditional soy product out Indonesia.

 3) We walked from Waterloopplein to Rembrandt Square

Statue: Rembrant van Rijn

After our enjoyable lunch, we walked to the Rembrandtplein. The square is named after the Dutch famous painter - Rembrandt van Rijn.  It is a small square surrounded by hotels, clubs, cafes and restaurants. It was originally a Botermarkt or Dairy Market in the mid-16th century. Aside from the Rembrandtplein's nightlife. The 3D sculptures of the Night Watch is the newest attration in the square.

3) From Rembrandt Square to Bloemenmarkt (Flower Market)

The Flower Market is located at Singel Canal between the Koningsplein and the Muntplein. I never thought that the flower stalls stand on the house boats. You can buy all kinds of flowers and bulbs here and they are all ready for export. Opposite the flower stalls are different souvenir shops, cheese store and a Christmas shop, which is open all year round. 

 4) We visited the Begijnhof (Beguine's Court)
 

The Beguine's Court is an inner court in the heart of Amsterdam. The beguines are group of religious women similar to nuns. But they enjoyed more freedom than the nuns in the convent. Just like the nuns they also took a vow of chastity in the Beguine's Court, but one of their privileges was, that they could leave the court at any time if they wished to marry. The last Dutch beguine died in 1971.

Although the Begijnhof is located nearby a busy shopping street - Kalverstraat. The place is not very popular to the tourists. It is not as busy as the other places in city.

5) We have drunk tea at Museumcafe Mokum

We walked in the Gedempte Begijnensloot street to Amsterdam Museum. The building, where the Amsterdam Museum is located, was in the Middle Ages a monastery. Later during the late 15th century it became a city orphanage. The museum courtyard was very quiet. We saw people quietly resting and reading books. We did not visit the entire museum, but we walked on the City Guard Gallery to see a public exhibition entitled "Mijn Stad (My Town)". The other side of the inner courtyard is the museum cafe. Its terrace was a former cow shed of the abbey. The museum cafe and its terrace is very wonderful and absolutely recommendable.

6) We have bought ice cream at Banketbakkerij Van der Linde

From Amsterdam Museum, we walked to the famous Dam Square, then through the busy shopping street - Nieuwendijk. My friend showed me the best soft ice cream parlor in the city - the Banketbakkerij Van der Linde. A family business founded in 1937 and still owned by the family until now. She told me that her mother used to buy soft ice cream here since her childhood. They still often come here to taste the ice cream. She added also that everyone in Amsterdam knows this address.

Their soft ice cream is indeed one of the best. It is very creamy and not so sweet. I would like to taste next time their own original slagroom mergpijpjes. We ate the ice cream at the Beursplein.

7)  Window shopping at the Bijenkorf

The Bijenkorf is the biggest department store in Amsterdam. It is located in a monumental building nearby the Dam Square. You can buy a wide range of luxury products in this department store. We wandered at the children section. The toys were wonderful. She told me that when the department store was not yet renovated, we could see the view of the Amsterdam Central Station from the building. 

 8) We walked along De Wallen, the most famous street (for men) in Amsterdam

Sex shop, sex shows and theater, coffee clubs selling soft drugs and many more. Most of the young male tourists visit Amsterdam just to see this. De Wallen is the best known red-light district in Amsterdam and the most crowded street at night. I saw the area for the first time after our visit to the Artis Zoo. It was evening. De Wallen is totally a different world and there is a big difference between walking on the area during daytime and nighttime.

9) We chilled out at the Temple Bar Cafe, Nieuwmarkt

Our friend told me that this area is also called Chinatown Amsterdam. The Waag building is the best-known landmark in the area and it is facing a square. There is a daily market here and there are many cafes, restaurants, stores and Chinese supermarkets that surround the square. We were supposed to see the nearby temple, but we found ourselves sitting in one of the cafe terrace drinking choco mocca and white beers. An amateur jazz musician was also performing on a boat in the singel. We had fun talking and we have not noticed that it was getting late. We forgot the temple anymore.

This was one the best days ever! I was very happy to spend a day with her. I really hope we can have another day-out together and our backpacking trip plan soon will happen.