Exploring the past

Today’s mini adventure takes us along the coast to a tiny village, Lombard da Ponta do Sol. Here stands one of the island’s oldest houses - the C15th mansion of Columbus’s friend, João Esmeralda - now, despite  its dilapidated appearance, a school. Eerily, voices of children echo from this ancient building where once slaves owners ruled. 

The vegetation is lush - as it is almost everywhere on the island, making use of every    possible nook and cranny of its vertiginous landscape. Now, the predominant crop here is banana, but in former times, sugar cane was grown on a vast estate worked by some 80 slaves, the wealth created from their toil enabling the building of the mansion and the nearby church. 

Wandering towards a viewpoint, I hear the sound of rushing water, and walking tentatively down a steep cobbled path, see a sheet of cascading water falling from one lavada to another lower down - the ingenuity of Madeiran irrigation systems. Further wandering reveals old farm buildings and dwellings, almost completely overrun with vines, paint peeling, deserted. 

Down in the coastal town Ponta da Sol itself, a mural commemorates the history of thus ignoble trade. Here too, remnants of the past predominate, most charmingly the art deco cinema high above the town.  

Today’s blips reflect the charming dereliction of our gentle exploration- the old farm buildings, a door of the ancient mansion and the fading glory of art deco. 

Many thanks for your generous response to yesterday’s sunrise shots - as always, very much appreciated.