I've got the Gypsy in My Soul: Madeira...and...Bangkok

I'm a bit behind on my blogging. I've actually had this post almost ready to go...when a few things got in my way. First, we started to make our move to Southeast Asia. That involved a flight from Madeira to Lisbon...then to Rome, where we spent the night. From Rome we went to Cairo, Egypt and from Cairo to Bangkok. All that took two days.

We left Bangkok on Sunday and are currently in Siem Reap, Cambodia...where we are spending a hot and steamy month. Unfortunately, I ran into some computer problems with my Mac here, which further delayed the completion of this post. After an entire day of trying to solve my problems, I think I finally have it fixed. So, today I have vowed to finish it up and send it on its way. To all who take the time to read my posts, thank you! I appreciate your interest more than I can say.

Let me start by saying...We loved Madeira. It is a beautiful sub-tropical island that belongs to Portugal and is located in the Atlantic Ocean close to Africa. Madeira enjoys mild weather during the winter season, with temperatures in the low to mid 60's during the day...and just a bit cooler at night time. Flowers and plants grow here year round...including banana trees. In fact, we had a grove of banana trees growing in our neighborhood right next to our apartment.

Funchal, the capital and largest city, is lovely with stately looking buildings and beautiful gardens throughout the area. This coastal city has a modern fresh look about it...despite its historic buildings and long history. It is extremely hilly here...but locals and tourists alike are saved by the fleet of buses that will quickly take you up and down the steep streets.

A photo of the ocean taken from our apartment building.
We lived in the building on the left hand side.

The island flower of Madeira is the Bird of Paradise.

Throughout Portugal you will see sidewalks with designs created with small rocks.

This is actually our second visit to this island. The first occasion was back in April of 2018 when we took our Transatlantic Cruise to Europe. This island was one of several port stops. On that trip we booked a guide, Lisa, to show us around the city. This time we booked Lisa again to take us for a hike along one of the many levadas located on the island. A levada is an irrigation channel or aqueduct that supplies water for the island. They are still used today to bring water from the west and northwest of the island to the southern parts of the island.

Many people hike on trails located next to the levada's. The hike we took a few days after arriving was located on the eastern side of the island. We did the hike with a mother and daughter visiting from the U.S. It was easy, with very few hills going up or down. The only trouble we had was when a bee unexpectedly flew into Lance's mouth and stung him on the inside of his lip! Our guide notified the driver and he hiked in with a bag of ice to soothe Lance's pain. After a short time of discomfort, Lance was as good as new.

The levada that runs along the eastern side of the island.

Lance nursing his injury.

Lance and I posing with the mother and daughter that joined us on the hike.
They were a lot of fun and good hiking companions.

The second hike we took was the following week. This time we boarded a bus that drove up to the top of a mountain. We were dropped off there, and then we proceeded to hike down to Nun's Valley where there was a small town. There we enjoyed a lovely lunch and walked around the town until the bus came to take us back to Funchal. The whole trip cost each of us about 6 dollars. This was my favorite hike because the scenery was spectacular. However, it was a bit hard on the leg muscles in our calves because we had to constantly brace ourselves as we hiked down the mountain.

A view of the valley from further up the mountain
and another as we got closer to the valley.

It started out a bit cold...but warmed up nicely when the sun came out.

Lance enjoying lunch at a lovely restaurant with one of the best views in the valley.

A local church in the small town.

Near the end of our stay we took a cable car up to the Monte Palace Tropical Garden located at the top of the mountain. In the 18th century, the English Consul, Charles Murray, bought the land and transformed it into a beautiful estate. In 1897 it was acquired by Alfred Guilherme Rodrigues, who built a palace like residence, which was later converted into a hotel. After his death, the hotel was closed and the property was taken over by a financial institution. In 1987, it was purchased by an entrepreneur, Jose Manuel Rodrigue's Berardo, who re-established the gardens and planted exotic plants from around the world.

Although the day was a bit misty, with not much sun, we had a lovely time exploring this area. As you can see by the pictures below, part of the park had a Japanese garden...and another area had the old mansion/hotel. There is also a large exhibit of African art located on the grounds.

After 12 days on the island, it was time to depart for Bangkok. During our three day stay there, we explored the massive malls with many of the stores that offered top end clothing created by local designers. We also took a walking food tour of Chinatown.

The view from our hotel room at the Holiday Inn Express.

That's me on a Tuk, Tuk...getting ready to meet up with our walking food tour of Chinatown.

We also took a tour of the Jim Thompson House, which is a museum located in Bangkok. Jim Thompson was an American business man and architect who established the Thai Silk Company Limited in 1948. He also had a huge collection of art and antiques from Southeast Asia. In 1958, he began the construction of a home in Bangkok, using parts of old houses that he dismantled and brought there from the countryside. He succeeded in constructing six Thai houses on his estate. The houses were used to display his large collection of Asian art. In 1967, Jim mysteriously disappeared while going for a walk in Malaysia's Cameron Highlands. He was never found.

Along with the houses and gardens, there is a restaurant and gift shop that sells beautiful silk clothing and purses. This tour was one of the highlights for us during our brief stay in Bangkok. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside the buildings, but if you go online you can find some beautiful photos of them.