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[To the first part] [Gallery I] [Gallery II]
Paúl da Serra
To understand the following I should repeat how Madeira island looks like: Mountain-like island of vulcanic origin, highest peak is about 1860m (about 5500ft) and area itself is eliptic 20km x 50km (...). So it's a paradise for hikers and manual gear shift enthusiasts, but surely not for bycicle riding. We've met bycicles only in Funchal, riding on the same one avenue from one end to the other. About two times I saw (maybe) somebody with big muscles and bicycle in mountain villages.
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Just before the return thick mist came, so we were lucky. We captured many beautiful images, especially Radka with polarizing filter has nicely saturated gree-blue pictures.
| On the way from Paúl da Serra to Encumeadu is one of picnic places, named Bica da Cana. We saw some boys playing soccer (also rarely phenomenon on this country) and around were very nice bushes covered by small yellow blossoms. Now there was noone but herd of goats, wandering here and there on pasture. Small flowers remained, moreover, mist was coming, guest always welcomed by "real photographers". We decided to penetrate pasture - I haven't seen so much poops on one place, hard to believe it's a soccer playground, we have hard times positioning tripod. Well, it's not visible on pictures, but don't trust them - what you see is mostly what is not there. You know, I don't capture poops like Toscani. |
Sunrise on Piko Areiro
Almost nobody will believe this, but I have some witnesses, moreover I can describe things like only direct participant can.
We heard about sunrise from some guide book and finally decide to take part. First trouble was of course timing. I mean timing of sunrise itself. Desk clerk was frankly entertained by our question "when sun is raising these days". He knew only that he is trying to be home before such event and he is coming work after sunrise. We haven't succeded anywhere else, so we decided just to try about half past five. Since we were not familiar with route, better woke up early -- about HALF PAST THREE in the morning and about four we depart from hotel. We reached top just before five. It was cold, dark, windy, freezing. The only light was from lamp of close lodge. So far nothing, just more and more cold. Under top, down there was a village, ocean and above thick layer of clouds, curling and waiting for the sun to come up to push them to South.
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This part of island is a cape on East and again, it's quiet different from the rest of Madeira. While most of island is covered by forests, flowers, grass etc., here you would have hard times to find a cactus. Apart of some thistles it looks like a garden for people starving by short-sightedness. Ground is covered by small flowers, really very small alpine plants, and colors of rocks are blending with their colors. From greater distance you cannot say if the ground is only a rock or rock plant carpet. Allegedly there is not the best weather, guides even recommend warm clothes, but we were lucky (and during second stay also), or just had good treking boots. Sun was shining all the way and it was a good trip (about 20km -- 12mi). Almost completely dehydrated we made it to parking lot where some good businessman was selling ice and cold water.
That region is very nice, if you are not afraid of highs, be sure to visit it.
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During the next week weather was not up to our expectations as been proper for shooting such a beauty place. We passed along several times hopelessly waiting for at least bits of mist, other than that very common in this part of island. Well, more and more films got exposed, dedicated Velvia was still waiting in a bag... At last, on Friday, the only possible day (remember, Saturday and Sunday are picnic days) we saw the light side of the moon -- err, in fact the misty weather, accurate as one can wish, with a little bit of rain and very good light. Our car was the only one on parking lot and both of us were jumping in shorts and water proof jackets with tripod and bags all over the forest. From time to time some car parked next to ours (well, nice attraction we did) and car crew was trying to figure out what those humanoids were doing. We didn't care, of course. But some time later we heard a big noise, like several kindergartens in circus competing with a bunch of elephants -- there appeared tourist bus going to park with CLOSED WINDOWS. Edge of parking lot was high and roar increased with every swing of a bus. It stayed there, only some adults drop off chating and debating (situation not possible inside). I guessed there are planning to launch children attack all over the picnic place and starting to pack things. Nice situation: two desperados in red reflexive jackets circling in forest with sime tripod, and there parking roaring buses. Maybe they were too scared of us, since after some thirty minutes retreated. Or maybe they were more scared by rain.
So we captured also the laurel forest.
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Shortly I can say we were surprised until the very end. Some surprises we prepared by ourselves. As usually on vacations, moreover so nice, none of us was checking calendar and so it happened -- is it a professional disease? -- that we were prepared with our luggage one day before the actual departure. Confused reception girl assured us we have one day more - it wasn't Monday, it was Sunday. Now we had one day as a bonus. We decided to visit Madeira market, since we didn't have time to do it so far. Well, ehm, I expected little bit different environment. Yes, it was full of flowers, but even more full with photographers. Radka did some pictures there, I gave up and left salesmen in peace. Ratio of photographers to people actually bying something was about 4:1. Some men were walking with so big lens so they could use them to copulate (penis substitution syndrome), but why old ladies were equipped in the same way, is a mystery to me up since...
Links
Madeira island web (I recommend, VERY nice)
