Madeira Trip

ScottyON · Post by **ScottyON** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:55 am

Hey everyone.. I was away with my wife and family from July 4th till the 19th visiting the island of Madeira. Most people in North America don't know much about Madeira. It's a pretty popular place for Europeans to visit. It's part of portugal and located 400km north of the Canary Islands and 600km west of Casablanca. The climate there is amazing and weird. The Island is only 56km from end to end. Some of the hightest parts of the island are 3 thousand ft above sea level. They are a zone 10b on the ocean but parts in the mountains get snow. No humidity so temps in the summer are around 77f and 70f in the winter. My kind of place!! Here are some pics to have a look at. I also made a few videos which I will leave the link for at the bottom.. Thanks for looking!!

Tons of banana plants!!

Laurel trees. The only native tree to the island.

Here is the desert part of the island only receiving 12 days of rain per year.

My two favourite things. Tennis and palms!!

The Azore Islands where my wife's family is from..

http://www.youtube.com/user/ScottyOn1

Thanks for looking!!

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 6:57 am

Very nice photos!
I assume you got to drink Madeira. I've heard of it but never had the chance to try any.
Snow?!? I am amazed.
Are there any native palms, analogous to CIDP? --Erik

ScottyON · Post by **ScottyON** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:46 am

Hey Erik.. Yeah we had Madeiran wine pretty much with every meal! The island is from vulcanic rock. The only native tree is laurel. No native palms.. No sure about other smaller plants..

Cowtown Palm Society · Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:49 am

Very cool pics Scotty! That's a climate I could live in, reminds me of San Diego, CA.

Off topic: I'm a tennis nut too! Was that court American clay (har-tru)? Were you able to play on some red clay?

Thanks for sharing the photos!

Duncan

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:50 am

Wow Scott!!!!!

That must have been an amazing place to visit! There are so many things to comment on that I might have to do it in sections.

First off that is a $hit ton bananas OMG!!! That's crazy, I saw tons of nanas in Costa Rica but not at a angle like that, totally awesome.

Talk about some killer yuccas too! And the ferns

Man....

There must be great whites out there right? I was looking on the internet to see where it was when You told me you where there and I came across what looked like a public pool right off the hill hanging over the ocean. Did you see that place?

Anyways looks like it was a amazing trip.

Welcome back

Bill

ScottyON · Post by **ScottyON** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:14 am

Is this what you were talking about Bill??

I loved swimming in this!! Cool places to jump off. Most amazing place I've been.. We'll have to chat on Skype..

Cool, you love tennis too?? Yeah played about everyday my second week with a German guy who was staying there. No sure what type of court it was. It was kinda like astro terf.. Weird...

ScottyON · Post by **ScottyON** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 9:15 am

There is also another one on the other side of our resort that you might be talking about too. Didn't swim in that one..

Knnn · Post by **Knnn** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:03 am

A beautiful place, great photos!

Steve

BILL MA · Post by **BILL MA** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:16 pm

That wasn't the one Scott but I like that one better!

It reminds me of the natural pool in Aruba.

Bill

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:50 pm

Amazing, thanks for sharing.