For our last dinner together in Funchal on Madeira Island, we walked to the Mozart Restaurant, located on Rua de Santa Maria. This is one of the oldest streets in Funchal.
On our way down Rua de Santa Maria to the Mozart Restaurant.
It is a pedestrian-friendly cobblestone street, with some car traffic. It is lined with small restaurants, cafes and a small art gallery or two. It is also known for its painted doors.
The Painted Doors Project began in 2010 with the idea of revitalizing the Zona Velha (Old Town) area, specifically Rua de Santa Maria.
It invited artists to transform old doors into unique works of art. The project was successful and continues today. It features a diverse range of artistic styles on painted doors, creating a vibrant outdoor art gallery.
This public art form continues today, so the street art is ever-changing.
It seems to me that public art does promote community, and I personally, always like to see art in the public.
These photos are a sampling of the many painted doors along Rua de Santa Maria.
It was an entertaining walk to one of the quaint restaurants along this historical street.
The last island we visited on our two-week trip to “islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean” was Madeira, a separate archipelago consisting of four islands. Madeira island is southeast of the Azores and about 600 miles west of mainland Portugal.
The view over the infinity pool looking towards the Atlantic Ocean, on the roof top of our hotel in Funchal.
Funchal, the capital of Madeira, where we stayed in a lovely boutique hotel with a rooftop pool and fabulous view of the city and ocean, was winding down from a Flower Festival on the island…beautiful carpets made of flowers along the sidewalks, and stunning flower arrangements everywhere.
A carpet of flowers found on sidewalks and in hotel lobbies.
It was the last days of the festival.
One of many stunning flower arrangements.
We went on a grand driving tour to: Camara de Lobos, a fishing Village, Cabo Girão, a striking overlook of the sea (the cliff is 589 meters above sea level or 1,932 feet), and Serrado da Eira, a picturesque mountainous region of Madeira.
Interior views on Madeira Island.
Serrado da Eira Viewpoint.
Looking straight down from cliff overlook, 589 meters (1,932 feet) above sea level. photo gb
Another view looking down from the high cliff to the shoreline. photo gb
We went to a rum factory and a farmer’s market, walked down a historic street with unique painted doors, and went on a cetaceans-watching tour. We didn’t see any whales but we did see dolphins and a beautiful coastline. (I have no photos from our boat tour because I do not bring my camera/phone near any bodies of water after having lost electronics in lakes a couple of times!)
Camara de Lobos fishing village.
We ate at several fantastic restaurants on Madeira Island. A huge European breakfast buffet was offered at all our hotels, on all the islands, each morning. Lunch and dinners were a mixture of eating as a group in small, local restaurants, or visiting a quaint sidewalk café when dinner was “on our own.”
We ate lunch at Quinta do Furão, part of this lovely hotel complex.
In Madeira we ate together at several special restaurants but three stand out…lunch at Quinta do Furão on the outdoor patio with lovely views of the ocean,
The lunch view. photo gb
il Vildali, a Mediterranean Cuisine restaurant that was eloquently set for us at a huge table with luxury tablecloth and candelabras,
il Vivaldi Mediterranean Cuisine Restaurant.
and on our last night together we ate at Mozart Restaurant; with a fun wait staff and interesting bathrooms.
The Mozart restaurant was on the Rua de Santa Maria, one of the oldest streets in Madeira. It is a pedestrian-friendly cobblestone street, with some car traffic. It is lined with small restaurants, cafes and a small art gallery or two. It is also known for its painted doors.
Funny to say, but bathrooms can be very interesting. I have always liked to check out bathrooms in different places, but in the Mozart Restaurant we all checked out the bathrooms. The room was all mirrors, including floors and ceilings. It was unique!
The room of mirrors…the separate room with the toilet was the same; all mirrors.
It is here where we had to say good-bye to our new friends whom we shared so many wonderful adventures together over two weeks. We were so happy to have had our paths cross with these fine folks. It was sad to bid farewell.
These peace lilies were growing wild all over the islands.
São Miguel Island is the poster child for the Azores. When you see brochures for the Azores, you see a picture of a caldera on San Miguel Island. A caldera is a large, bowl-shaped depression formed by the inner collapse of a volcano’s summit. It’s distinct from a crater, which is a much smaller, depression typically formed by outward explosion of material during an eruption.
This is photo of a photo in an ad promoting the Azores, taken on Såo Miguel.
This is our photo of the famous caldera the day we saw it…still beautiful even with the cloud cover. photo gb
One of the jeeps in our caravan.
For this discovery adventure with OAT, we were divided into small groups, and rode over rough terrain in jeeps to the western part of the island to see this caldera. Although it was overcast, we enjoyed seeing the stunning landscapes along the way.
Mata Jardim José do Canto – one of the botanical gardens on São Miguel.
Also, on this island we went to a botanical garden (Mata Jardim José do Canto) with a thermal pool. The hot springs look muddy, but its minerals in the water that make it look that way.
The thermal pool, in the botanical garden. photo gb
We were told to bring an old swimsuit since they would get stained from the water. It felt good to be in the hot pools.
Inside one of the greenhouses on the pineapple plantation. photo gb
We visited a tea plantation (Henrique -our tour guide- worked there when he was younger), and we visited a pineapple plantation.
Cascada (Portuguese) = Cascade (English).
Full and lush and green. photo gb
We stopped at Ribeira dos Caldeirões Park, with beautiful waterfalls and more lush, green plants…São Miguel…aptly nicknamed the green island…Ihla Verde.
The green island.
On this island we experienced a local dairy farm, milking about 25 cows. It is run by a Gena and João, a couple dedicated to a small, self-sufficent, organic farming operation.
Gena and João, in the barn on their dairy farm. photo gb
As we stood out in the field with the dairy cows, one cow in particular kept nudging everyone. Later, back in the barn (which was connected to electricity just last year) we gathered around the milking stalls and took turns milking a cow by hand.
Gary milking a cow by hand.
Henrique at the head of the farm table. photo by Gena
Back in the soon-to-be remodeled stone outbuilding, a wonderful dinner was set for us and we ate their home-grown food. This type of farming reminded Gary of his grandparent’s farm…with their old-fashioned ways of doing things.
At the grocery store, with our assignments.
Earlier that morning Henrique divided us into groups and gave us some Euros and a short shopping list, in Portuguese, to buy a few items to bring to dinner at the farm later that day.
The local grocery store. (Decked out for the upcoming festival. Most store fronts are decorated for the special festival.)
He showed us which store to shop for local fare, and asked us to try and not speak English. That was a fun outing. We succeeded in finding the food…not sure about the not speaking English.
The lighting ceremony on the plaza in Ponta Delgado, on São Miguel Island. The ceremony marks the beginning of the festival “Festas do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres” (Lord Holy Christ of the Miracles).
On our last night on this island there was an opening ceremony for a huge annual religious festival. We were leaving the island the next day, but were able to walk to the main plaza after dinner to watch the lighting ceremony. It was a festive atmosphere and a pretty sight to see.
As I was walking in the cobblestone plaza, I tripped and fell into two women in the crowd. They kept me from falling…I said “Obrigada (thank you)”, and they replied, “that’s what we’re here for – to hold each other up!” Another fun interaction with strangers!
A very small village along the coast of São Miguel. photo gb
We enjoyed the natural wonders and beauty of São Miguel.
We arrived on the island of Terceira a day before our official tour with OAT began.
Overlooking the city of Angra do Heroismo on Terceira.
A lilac-color hydrangea in bloom.
We wanted to acclimate our body clocks, plus we wanted to get a hike in with our friends we travel with.
A stop along our hike up Mount Brasil.
We had a good weather, a sunny day and an interesting hike up Mount Brasil.
An inviting trail on Mount Brasil.
Looking over a caldera, to the Atlantic Ocean.
Looking to the ocean from Mount Brasil.
The next day we met our OAT tour group. OAT promotes discoveries and experiences, so they bring the groups to small, local businesses and out of the way places, and even make unscheduled stops. One day we stopped at a farmer’s market and a fishing dock to talk with a local fisherman, neither one on the schedule for that day.
At the fishing dock, a local fisherman shows us the bait that has been assembled for the next round of fishing. These are fish heads/parts secured on a hook for a fishing line.
A few of the many experiences on the island of Terceira was a small winery tour, an organic coffee/banana plantation tour, seeing the dramatic tide pools, and having dinner with a local family. All were remarkable in their own way.
Buildings for the winery built from lava rock.
Several volcanic rock walls create an amazing vineyard.
The Materramenta Winery was interesting. The vineyards were enclosed, and divided, by volcanic rock walls making it picturesque,
Some grapevines were planted in rows in a small area.
Other vines were planted in deep volcanic rock holes – a special planting method. photo gb
An interesting vineyard.
plus adding a unique and great flavor to the wines apparently.
The olive tree in the corner is to detract birds from eating the grapes. photo gb
The lava rock walls were strategically put together to allow air flow.
After a tour of the vineyard, we were invited into a tasting room with a long, welcoming table.
Setting for our wine tasting at this small winery.
The coffee/banana plantation was so different from the winery, yet beautiful in a different way. It was very lush.
José, the owner of an organic coffee and banana plantation gives us a tour.
A bucket full of organic coffee beans.
José, has expanded his small business into eco lodging and built a few small camping cabins in the midst of the plantation.
A nice camping cabin on the coffee plantation, complete with indoor plumbing!
The a-line cabins were inviting, and are creating more income for this family.
One of my favorite pictures at one of my favorite spots on our trip.
One of my two favorite activities on Terceira was going to the Biscoitos tide pools to watch the waves crash over the volcanic boulders along the shore.
Making a big splash!
Mini waterfalls created by waves crashing in.
It was mesmerizing. A fellow traveler commented with waterfalls the water flows down, but along the shore when the waves hit the rocks the water bursts up into the air.
Beautiful colorful water.
Aqua colored water coming in.
Biscoitos tide pools.
Another favorite activity was a local home visit. One evening our big group was divided into three small groups and folks on the island invited us into their houses for a home-cooked dinner, and for a peek at how the islanders live. It was wonderful.
We were invited into this beautiful home for dinner. photo gb
Due to different circumstances, our host was on his own with all six of us, but his wife had the meal mostly prepared and he pulled it off flawlessly. He was a great host and his 17-year-old and 6-year-old joined us near the end of dinner. We had a delightful evening.
Roger, our home host, adding the final touches to dessert.
And that was not all (that we did on Terceira)…But it is enough…(for now).
We just returned from an adventure to the Azores, an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, with an added hop to the island of Madeira, all governed by Portugal.
The first morning after we arrived on the island of Terceira, one of the nine islands in the Azores archipelago, I greeted a woman in the hallway of our hotel and she enthusiastically replied, “We’re on a small island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!” And off we went on our separate ways. But, those twelve words became my mantra throughout the trip. Many times I would remind myself, and those around me, by saying out loud, “we’re on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!” It was kind of crazy, but very beautiful, and definitely wonderful.
Angra do Heroísmo, the capitol city of Terceira, with Mt. Brazil in the background.
Our adventures started in Terceira (nicknamed the lilac island because of the many lilac-colored hydrangeas there – which only a few were in bloom at this time). After five nights we flew to São Miguel (the green island) our second of the nine islands in the archipelago, and ended up in Madeira, an island between the Azores and Portugal.
The harbor at Angra do Heroísmo, Terceira.
We were traveling with a tour group (Overseas Adventure Travel) for the first time. There were 16 of us in the group, all from different areas of the US. The tour guide was a local man who lived on the island of São Miguel. He was knowledgeable, very personable, and took good care of us. He spoke great English with a wonderful accent. We were together with these same folks for twelve days. We traveled well together. Our group had some very interesting people, and it was fun to get to know them. Everyone has a story.
Henrique, our wonderful OAT tour guide, from São Miguel.
I’m finding the longer one is on tour the more pictures one takes… and then all those photos have to be gone through. It is a time-consuming job, but a fun one. I will be share more stories and photos in the coming weeks.
We had a nice trip to California, to visit our son and his family.
A bright, red California Poppy.
We took walks along the ocean and to parks, the grandkids rode their bikes, we went to the harbor, and enjoyed the ocean scenes.
Pacific Ocean
We made home-made cards and lemonade (from the lemons off their tree) with the grandkids. Later the grandkids had fun setting up a lemonade stand on their driveway in front of their house.
A lemon tree.
And, we took the grandchildren to a carnival. That’s where we watched the pig races. At the carnival we went on a few rides (including a pony ride) looked at animals in the animal barn, ate a picnic lunch and finished just in time for the Pig Races.
I am on the roller coaster with our granddaughter.
There was a race track set up for the pig race, and the show began. Eight adorable pigs (I don’t know what kind they were) were trained to run this horseshoe-shaped track. Four pigs at a time were let out to run from one end to the other where their reward of food awaited them. Spectators, young and old, gather all along the racetrack to watch and “squeal” with delight! There is a second race with four more pigs. The first-place winner and runner-up of the two races competed in the final race for the championship title. The spectators were broken into four cheering sections for the final race. I’m sad to say our pig, Strawberry, did not win.
Children loved to watch and cheer the pigs on, but I think adults enjoyed it too. Just maybe…we might enjoy the races most because we’re with the grandkids.
(Unfortunately, I was not in a good spot to take photos of the pig races.)
I have never been to the National Cathedral, but have always wanted to see it. Since we were going to be in the Washington D.C. area during holy week, I checked out the cathedral’s schedule. There was a lot going on. I settled on buying tickets to see the Cathedral in Bloom.
Washington National Cathedral
The magnificent cathedral is lavishly decorated with flowers for Easter and they keep the bouquets fresh throughout the following week for people to enjoy, adding more beauty to the already impressive architecture.
Spectacular!
So once again, we took off with the grandchildren to go exploring.
Grandma & Grandpa with the kiddos.
Such beauty.
The Episcopal cathedral was chartered by congress in 1893 and established on Mount St. Alban (the highest point in the city). In 1907 the cornerstone was laid by President Theodore Roosevelt. The construction slowed during periods of economic hardship, so the building wasn’t completed until 1990.
The High Altar.
“Our” National Cathedral is for all people. “This Cathedral holds a unique place at the intersection of sacred and civic life. …we strive to serve God and our neighbors as agents of reconciliation; as a trusted voice of moral leadership; and as a sacred space where the country gathers during moments of national significance.”*
Looking up to the rose window on the outside.
Looking out the rose window from the inside.
“In a city of monuments and memorials, this Cathedral stands apart as a vibrant community of people called together to serve and renew the world around us. Our founders envisioned this Cathedral as a sacred space where the nation could gather in good times and in bad.”*
This amazing Easter Lily bouquet had a matching bouquet flanked on the other side of this entryway.
Stunning beauty.
We used a self-guided tour brochure to find our way around the massive building.
I enjoyed this space stained-glass window so I took a photo. I learned later that the small eye in the large red circle is a piece of moon rock brought back by the astronauts of Apollo 11 and given to the Cathedral by NASA
I enjoyed the gothic architecture, stained-glass windows and myriads of flowers.
The Pilgrim Observation Gallery on the 7th floor.
There was a striking observation gallery on the 7th floor, offering great views of the city.
The Children’s Chapel.
There were several smaller chapels throughout the cathedral.
Resurrection Chapel: the walls were floor to ceiling Mosaics depicting stories of Jesus.
I have noticed the choir section on television, when I’ve watched special events at the cathedral. Although there were no flowers on the choir seats, the dark, rich, carved wooden benches were stunning.
The Great Choir area.
This Cathedral took on much more meaning after seeing it and touring it. I want to think of it as our National Cathedral from now on.
On the High Altar.
A candelabra.
My enjoyment of flowers along with my enjoyment of exploring churches made this a special outing for me.
The Canterbury Pulpit is made from stone from Canterbury and was carved in England in 1929.
I had a hard time choosing which photos to include on this blog post.
Beauty invites you to enter under the arch.
Enjoy.
A baptismal fount.
Up close.
This lovely arrangement was tucked in the corner of a stairwell!
A very sweet piece on a window sill.
*Both quotes taken from the Washington National Cathedral brochure.
We took a second trip down to the Mall a few days later to complete the circle…to see the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.
Thomas Jefferson Memorial, April 2025.
All were impressive. The last time Gary and I were in Washington D.C., in 2019, we saw the Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jefferson memorials.
Side view of Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, April 2025.
I was happy to see them again. And, we were glad we could see the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial this time. We decided it was our favorite.
Among many wise, sensible, and profound FDR quotes etched into the granite (that I wish our current administration would read, believe, and act on) the monument itself was well designed with four series of waterfalls representing different periods of FDR’s life and presidency.
One of the falls created for the FDR Memorial, April 2025.
Apparently, water was a major part of FDR’s life…from his childhood upbringing on the Hudson River to using water as a therapy during his illnesses (polio). Franklin Delano Roosevelt was 32nd president of the US and served from 1933 to 1945. In 1921 he was paralyzed at 39 years old.
The bronze statues of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (in a wheelchair) and his dog, Fala. April 2025.
The first waterfall is a simple waterfall symbolizing the fresh energy FDR brought to the presidency. The second falls are a series of steps to represent the Tennessee Valley Authority project FDR founded. The TVA Act was part of Roosevelt’s broader “new Deal” initiative to address the Great Depression. The third falls has chaotic falls to represent the destruction from World War II. The fourth falls includes a still pool that symbolizes his death.
The bronze statue of Eleanor Roosevelt, April 2025.
The FDR memorial is the largest memorial on the Mall. A couple more unique features include it’s the only memorial that includes a sculpture of a First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, and the only one to include a sculpture of a dog, FDR’s dog named Fala. Because of FDR’s disabilities, the memorial was intentionally designed to be accessible to people of all abilities.
The Washington Monument, April 2025.
Once again we walked back to the Metro station and past the Washington Monument, which I remember climbing steps to the top, as a kid, when I was in Washington D.C. with my parents.
This was another fun day with the grandkids, walking several miles everyday, for each of our adventures.
We visited the exciting city of Washington, D.C. where there is an unlimited number of interesting things to see. We saw a fraction of them, yet we saw a lot.
First, we were visiting our son and his wife and their two children. That was the best part, and the reason for our visit to the area. They moved in January for our son’s training to become a Foreign Service Officer. It was great to see all of them. The kids were on spring break from school so, while the parents went to work during the week, we took the kids exploring.
The U. S. Capitol, April 2025.
We took two days to walk around the National Mall; the area with the reflecting pool surrounded by the domed U.S. Capital, the Whitehouse and many monuments and Smithsonian museums. We missed the peak of the famous cherry blossoms which were in full bloom one week prior to our visit. However, there were a few lingering trees in bloom near our son’s apartment.
Cherry Blossoms, April 2025.
Our first day on the Mall we began our walk past the Whitehouse.
The Whitehouse, April 2025.
The reflecting pool and the Washington Monument, April 2025.
Next, we walked towards the reflecting pool and the World War II Memorial, and on to the Vietnam War memorial.
Walking towards the long black marble Vietnam War Memorial, April 2025.
The Vietnam War memorial is an impressive, black marble wall with the names carved into it of all who died in the war, or from causes directly related to the war.
The Vietnam Women’s Memorial, April 2025.
Next to this memorial was the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, created to commemorate the 265,000 women that served in the Vietnam War, many of whom worked as nurses. It was significant to see because I had just finished reading Kristin Hannah’s book, The Women, a story about three nurses who served in Vietnam (a recommended read).
The Lincoln Memorial, April 2025.
After a snack lunch, we walked up the steps to the Lincoln Memorial. This is a very impressive monument that brought tears to my eyes. We stood in awe at the looming sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, with some of his quotes carved in the marble walls that surrounded his figure. And though there were many people crowding the area, it was a very poignant moment.
The Korean War Memorial, April 2025.
We made a quick stop at the Korean War Memorial, but by now, we were tired and started our walk back to the metro station. We passed the Washington monument on our way, which we could see throughout the day, towering above us from every angle on the Mall.
These monuments and memorials are a tribute to great men and women who served in leadership positions and the United States military service. It was good to see them.
