It isn’t all sunshine

It’s tempting to post only sunny, idyllic shots of Madeira but if they didn’t have rain, they wouldn’t have the flowers, the vegetables, the happy animals - or the wine. I relegated my sunny shot of the Jacaranda to an extra, and I had to include the latest on the progress of “Bleak House” (which sadly is resembling any brutal modern makeover !)

It was spitting when I went out. It got sunny for a while, but the day was actually drizzly or downright wet.

In the afternoon, I joined an interesting tour focussing on the grape variety, Tinta Negra, which is versatile and a key factor in the development of both the fortified and table wines of the island.

We walked through one of the vineyards of H and H ( a key producer of Madeira fortified wine.) it was an excellent walk, but several of our group hadn’t fully realised that they could get rained on !

This vineyard has been designed to be managed with machinery. It’s a success but the locals hope and pray it can’t spread, as one machine could replace 150 humans !

In total contrast (and after a super tasting) we walked the last segment of the Levada do Norte. It’s so steep that working on the terraced vines is seriously hard work. Carrying baskets full of grapes up 500 steps is not for wimps.

The bright green of the Tinta Negra terraces are stunning, even in the rain, and the nasturtiums and other plants add to the effect. My chosen shot shows a bit of the landscape, with the church and town of Estreita de Camara de Lobos as the backdrop.