Picture heavy fun review - MSC Armonia - Canary Isles and Madeira - incl. DIY trips

[floridianny]

This is what makes your reviews so fantastic..First the hike to Cais Antigua, then an amazing High Tea. You share so much wonderful information with us!:)

[spinnaker2]

Great photo of Tanya framed in the tea caddy!

How creative.

I can almost taste those cucumber sandwiches...

You will have this wonderful memory of a special royalTEA...

Now the sky walk.

This oughta be interesting. My husband walked it while i sat on a bench waiting. My hands are starting to sweat just thinking of it.

If someone invents a cure for fear of heights, I will take it.

None of this exposure therapy though.

We wait for your next installment.

[denisey]

Oooooh! I hadn't heard of the sky walk...but I suspect that is something I will experience through this review and not in person. While I don't have trouble with heights, I do have my limits! And I know I would never drag DH there!

 

I did look at the price of High Tea at the Empress Hotel in Victoria Canada, and it makes the Reid Tea Terrace seem reasonable.

 

A funny note, I just received a newsletter from Madeira tourism today...sigh!

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

:) thanks for the nice posts everybody!

 

yay, let's start with the skywalk!

 

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Cabo Girao and the sky walk

One of Madeira’s newest and most popular attractions is the glas bottom sky walk, hanging at the upper edge of an almost 600 meters !!! high cliff called Cabo Girao.

Wow!

And best of all - it’s completely free!

The only other skywalk I ever heard of is the one at the Grand Canyon … and that sucker costs around 60 Dollars to enter. So we just

had

to try it out.

But since it is

THE

tourist magnet … when would be the best, meaning the least crowdy time to visit? First we thought about going there very first thing in the morning, but discarded the idea, because I read somewhere that you can’t see perfectly too early in the day because of condensation and or mist below the glas surface of the platform.

Well … if I’ll be brave enough to step on it, I wanna see stuff …. so the morning was out for the count.

During the day it would be mega crowded with tour busses and we definitely wouldn’t enjoy ourselves … So what was left?

Yup, the evening right before sunset.

So now at approximately 6 o’ clock, after thoroughly enjoying our tea at the Reid’s, we headed towards Cabo Girao.

Tadahhhh. We parked pretty much right next to this sign …. Only two more small rental cars were present … no other cars, no busses. Looking good!

Even on the path to the sky walk, you already get to enjoy some scenic glimpses through the trees:

And there is the sky walk up ahead:

Whoohoo, and only four other people on there! The platform roughly is a half circle. Only the center stretch has the glas floor. The sides show some metal grid flooring.

Here’s the glass floor:

Gulp! Would we really dare to step on top of that?

Stay tuned!

Stef

[suekay]

I'm getting palpitations just looking at the photo😊

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Cabo Girao Sky walk continued

 

 

 

even if you don't step onto the platform what so ever, there are really breathtaking views to enjoy here:

 

 

 

 

Looking east:

 

 

 

...but the other direction was worth a glimpse too ... even more special for us...

 

looking west:

I loved the way the rays of light danced on the ocean. And by the time we enjoyed this view it was only me and Tanja left on the grounds .... VERY romantic! Here's a picture ... but it doesn't come close to the real thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

but now -- drumroll please ....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We DID it!!!!!!!!

 

But I must admit it took some moments of uhmm ... working up the necessary guts. At first we kinda clung to the handlebar for dear life and hardly dared to look down ... but after a while you weirdly got used to it... and the best thing about standing on the glas and looking over the railing is the unsurpassed view down:

 

 

 

 

 

Picture all this with the motion of the waves, the wind in the trees and birds of prey circling in the air hundreds of meters below you .... it was really breathtaking .... I can't believe they don't charge for this baby.

 

We LOVED it!!!!!!! and I mean all of it: the view, the thrill, the romance .... sigh what a great day this was (I chose to willingly blend out the car sickness episode). As it slowly got darker, we headed back to the ship. We missed the show we signed up for .... oh well --- we didn't regret it. But we got "home" in time for dinner .... so next up is the dinner menu and pics, which will finish off this first and most eventful day on Madeira.

 

But don't forget, we still have half a day tomorrow .... so there will be more Madeira stuff heading your way soon!

 

 

stay tuned!

 

 

Stef

Edited June 5, 2015 by Kreuzfahrtneuling

[spinnaker2]

WOW...

So happy you did it!

Great photos.

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Dinner day four

Baby shrimp cocktail

 

Aubergine rolls

Trout fillet with butter and sliced almonds

 

Turkey cordon bleu

 

Stay tuned!

 

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Dailies day five --- second day on Madeira

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

stay tuned!

 

Stef

[denisey]

I usually just tell the B.F. about your posts, but I had to show him the Sky Walk....we both decided that it was a good think it hadn't been built yet when we were in Madeira! He doesn't like heights, and I don't like stepping on non-solid surfaces!

 

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your time there!

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

I usually just tell the B.F. about your posts, but I had to show him the Sky Walk....we both decided that it was a good think it hadn't been built yet when we were in Madeira! He doesn't like heights, and I don't like stepping on non-solid surfaces!

 

Can't wait to hear about the rest of your time there!

 

Hey Denise,

so loving your blog ... I had absolutely no time today (stacked the new hay for the next winter --- I am sooo pooped), but managed to sneak in the moments to enjoy your new posts and upload more pictures to continue my own review. I'll write the text tomorrow and promise to be back then! Next up is Garajau and the Cristo del Rey statue:).

 

PS: I can't believe BF managed to survive those stairs in the hotel if he's scared of heights!

 

The photo with the flowers and Claudia is soooo cool.

 

Mental note: must visit Lake Como.

 

Last and only expo I ever attended was the one in Hannover in the year 2000. Was pretty cool ... but I don't remember any souvenir shops either.

Edited June 9, 2015 by Kreuzfahrtneuling

[denisey]

Aw, Thanks!

 

I have a much better appreciation of just how much darn work reviews are! And we did not do a great job of taking pictures of hotel rooms or food.

 

Wait until you see the Terraces at the Duomo...he says they didn't bother him much, but we were high up there!

 

Loading Hay, that sounds like fun!

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Cristo del Rey statue (post one of three)

Okay … let’s start day 5, our second day on Madeira. We got up painfully early, because we wanted to get the most out of our rental car until it would be picked up by the rental agency at the port at 9:00 a.m.

I think we drove off the port property around 6:30, zipped onto the freeway heading east and exited at the signs leading to Garajau. Following the (sometimes well hidden) signs towards the Cristo statue, we once again felt like the sole survivors of humanity, there really was no soul on the streets (well, except the freeway itself).

This is the quite large parking spot for the sight at Garajau. See, our rental car is the only vehicle on it and the street lights are even still on.

The red brick road leads to the statue:

And here also --- not a soul in sight!

The size of this statue is quite impressive!

It looks just like the even bigger one in Rio de Janeiro, which I’m sure you’ve all heard of …. This one is sort of the little brother. As far as I know, it serves as a monument for the ships at sea. Jesus has his arms outstretched and prays for their safe return to port … whichever port. Especially when you’re visiting the island with a cruise SHIP yourself; this is a comforting and rewarding sight to add to your explorations.

I liked the mix of the statue and the clouds in the back … a little dramatic, don’t you think?

And here’s Tanja smirking at me and saying “quit it, there’s no way you’ll get me and the whole statue in one picture “…

Wanna bet?

…okay, I didn’t get her legs in the picture … but other than that I’m quite pleased with myself. Oh, and in the back you get a glimpse of the cliff in front of the statue ... which brings me to the stunning surrounding here ... but more about that in the next post.

Stay tuned!

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Garajau continued

This is what the Christ statue looks at every day:

There is this path we could have taken to the very front of the cliff ….

But we didn’t. Why not? I seriously don’t remember …. We just didn’t.

Sorry

Another “path” we didn’t venture down on was this one to the side of the red brick road from before:

But we COULD have gone down all the way to the shore … Later on during the day they’d have an alternative way of transport - a cable car, hanging on those steel ropes.

There was definitely no path leading down this rugged cliff on the other side of the red brick road:

Yup, this IS the island of flowers. Whoohooo I can see our ship!

Mandatory proof, we were here picture:

Stay tuned!

Stef

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

last pictures of our visit at Garajau:

 

 

if you're not interested in the statue, the view of Funchal and your cruise ship from here is worth the drive already:

 

 

 

 

heck, even our car had a parking spot with a grand view:

 

 

 

the only thing that bugged me:

people suck sometimes!

 

 

 

lol -- but this ---- uhm, let's call it "creative last minute paving", made us laugh out loud hysterically:

 

 

 

oh, and one question to those readers who are knowledgable in Portuguese:

this is placed below the statue ... and I'd love to know the translation ... anybody?

 

 

next up ... our trip to Monte.

 

Stay tuned!

 

Stef

Edited June 11, 2015 by Kreuzfahrtneuling

[denisey]

My Portuguese is a little rusty, but it says something along the lines of

 

The Owners of the Morcado vowed to erect this monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 

The pavers were pretty funny, but that plant....errrrrrr!

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

My Portuguese is a little rusty, but it says something along the lines of

 

The Owners of the Morcado vowed to erect this monument to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 

:eek: :cool: :eek: Wow! I'm utterly impressed! :eek: :cool: :eek:

 

Thank you!

 

 

oh, by the way, what was the name of the little church in Milano with the pretty pictures?

 

You seriously can walk on top of the roof of the duomo there??? Oh my god, those pictures are soooo stunning! Crap, now I just HAVE to visit Milano too. Now the only thing that would increase my drooling and probably knock me unconcious would be if you told me you saw an Opera in the Milano Scala as well. You didn't, did you?

 

Stef

[notsodesperatehousewife]

The plaque commemorates a man and his wife, the fifteenth generation to hold an entailed estate (the kind of property awarded to members of the nobility). They made a sacred vow (voto) to erect this statue dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

[denisey]

The church was San Maurizio Al Monastero Maggiore on Courso Magenta. It was next to the Museo Archeologico. We didn't go through the Museum, but it looked nice.

 

Milan is an interesting city.,great for people watching. I would say you could see most of the major sights in a day or two. It could be your stop on the way to something else....

 

We did go into La Scala on our last trip, but did not see an Opera. The B.F. would rather stand on the railing at the Sky Walk than sit through an Opera. Good thing he has other good qualities! :)

[denisey]

The plaque commemorates a man and his wife, the fifteenth generation to hold an entailed estate (the kind of property awarded to members of the nobility). They made a sacred vow (voto) to erect this statue dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 

Much better translation!

[windjamming]

 

 

lol -- but this ---- uhm, let's call it "creative last minute paving", made us laugh out loud hysterically:

 

]

 

Stef!! I'm a million pages behind and not quite sure which cruise this is, but just saw this post and had to chime in. This would drive me nuts!! I'd have to stop and try to rearrange the bricks. I bet it's some kind of practical joke on OCD sufferers.

 

Looking forward to catching up on your review(s)!!

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

The plaque commemorates a man and his wife, the fifteenth generation to hold an entailed estate (the kind of property awarded to members of the nobility). They made a sacred vow (voto) to erect this statue dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

 

:p thank you !!! :p

 

Lol -- I love your screen-name:D.

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

The B.F. would rather stand on the railing at the Sky Walk than sit through an Opera. :)

 

:eek: Lol -- seriously? "ON" the railing itself? Him??? ---- :D:D:D that bad, huh?

 

Thank you for the infos ... I'll make sure to visit thoses sights once I'm there.

[Kreuzfahrtneuling]

Stef!! I'm a million pages behind and not quite sure which cruise this is, but just saw this post and had to chime in. This would drive me nuts!! I'd have to stop and try to rearrange the bricks. I bet it's some kind of practical joke on OCD sufferers.

 

Looking forward to catching up on your review(s)!!

 

:)Hey Windjamming!!! cool to have you chime in here! Good to hear from you again. Any new cruises planned for you yet ? lol -- I admit -- I'm just eager for another one of YOUR reviews too :p.