Further exploration on the island of Madeira!…Photos!…

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It was surprising how much cactus there is on Miradouro referred to as a promontory.

Yesterday, while Judite was cleaning the house, we decided to get out of her way. We’ve never liked hanging around when the cleaning person is there when it feels that we’re in the way. Needing to purchase more meat from the little market with the expert butcher, we decided to tour the more remote areas of the island we’d yet to see, finishing up our day at the market.

When we first saw this jutting promontory, we knew we had to make our way to the top.

We left cash for Judite’s services, US $27.23, EU $20 for four hours of housecleaning, explaining with hand signals that she locks the door when she was done. Off we went on our way, not to return until she’d be long gone.

When we saw this sign, we knew we for in for a treat.

As time marches on, Tom’s become a less jerky stick shift driver on these steep hills and I’ve acclimated to the remaining jerkiness, no longer feeling queasy. As a result, driving on these steep, winding roads with frequent hairpin turns and cliffs with no guardrail has become easy, rarely feeling fearful or anxious.

Unfortunately, it was cloudy and rainy.  We hope to return on a clear day.

It’s funny how it was only a year ago in Italy when I cringed every time we drove anywhere. I think back to my pointless angst over the four hour road in Belize, flying in the little plane to and from the Maasai Mara while going on safari and the steep roads in Italy. I chuckle to myself over how much I’ve changed!

Miradouro is a promontory, a piece of high elevation land that juts out into the sea.

Finding one’s way around the island, as I’ve mentioned is challenging when  searching for a specific address.  Driving for pleasure with no destination in mind is easy. If we can see the ocean, we’re never too far from the main motorway that surrounds the island.

We walked out to the end of the promontory.

Each time we take such a drive, we choose a new road to follow. Tom’s great sense of direction and our combined good sense of remembering where we’ve already traveled, enables us to make new discoveries each time we’re exploring.

This is the end of the point of Miradouro. There was no guard rail and the terrain was uneven and rocky. We stayed as far away as we could from the edges but did move in closer a few times for photos.

Whether it’s scenery, goats, chickens, birds or dogs, our eyes are always peeled for the next photo worthy scene. It’s ironic how our desire to post interesting (we hope) and appealing photos here each day, has made both of us more in tune with checking out our surroundings with an intense eagle eye.

This was the view from the right side of Miradouro. We laughed when we realized after all the time we’d been driving, that below us was the village in Riberira Brava where we go to dinner and  shop at the supermarket. 

With both of us constantly on the visual prowl for fodder, we revel in each other’s discoveries, stopping when possible to take photos. At times, stopping is impossible, although Tom always offers to either back up or return on the same road. Often, I’ve taken advantage of his offers, never wanting to miss what we perceive as interesting and noteworthy.

The view from the left side of Miradouro.

Of course, each person’s perspective of what is interesting is different. As we walked a popular tourist spot we stumbled upon yesterday, I mentioned to Tom how ironic it is that he expresses considerable interest in vegetation, which he ignored in our old lives. 

I didn’t intend to include this cactus paddle in this photo.

Over these past 20 months since leaving Minnesota, the acuity with which we observe our surroundings has changed dramatically. In a large part, we credit writing here each day. Its a huge motivator. If we were traveling with the same intent as most tourists, we’d take our zillions of photos and leave it at that, hoping one day to bore our family and friends with our thousands of photos.

The above flowers were growing on this tree.

Instead, we can bore our family, friends, and readers from all over the world, one day at a time, or for some, we can brighten their day in a small way as we share the treasures of this magical world in which all of us live, in photos and stories.

These unusual flowers hung from the above short tree.

Once again, dear readers, we say thank you for sharing this journey with us, for your willingness in reading our frequent mindless drivel of the mundane aspects of daily life and for making us feel that you are always at our side.

At the moment, the excitement escalates for as we continue with bookings in the South Pacific, aka Oceania, all the way to May 16, 2016. Photos coming out this weekend.

Be well. Be happy. 
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Photo from one year ago today, June 27, 2013:

This was the road that we walked in our neighborhood in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy in order to go to the popular local bar, Bar Ferrari. Not quite as steep as the hills in Madeira but it certainly was good exercise as our the streets in Madeira, steep, steep, steep. For details of that day, please click here.

The US vs Portugal, Soccer World Cup…The town was hopping..Today’s our Madeira halfway point….A year ago…history of a village…

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Shortly after 11:00 pm, I took this photo of the TV during the World Cup game between Portugal and the US.

Yesterday, while on my walk up the torturous steep hill I could sense the enthusiasm over the upcoming night’s soccer/football game, Portugal verses the US.

One of many flags of Portugal on display in our neighborhood.

With the Portugal flags displayed and waving from homes in the area, the excitement was palpable. From time to time, cars zoomed along the steep road, honking their horns.

The strong winds over the weekend made it hard to see some of the flags.

It was ironic that we are in Portugal when this World Cup game was being played against the US. Tom stayed up to watch the game on TV, broadcast in Portuguese from Brazil, which didn’t start until 11:00 pm. 

While on my walk I was close enough to see this flag hanging out the window of this house in Campanario.

Shortly after 1:00 am, he came to bed explaining to me in my somewhat of a sleepy stupor that the two teams tied at the end.  In a way I was glad.  At least with a tie as opposed to a loss for Portugal, as US citizens, we won’t be fodder for ridicule when the locals detect our clearly American accents, at times oddly mistaken for British.  (I guess it’s the “English” we speak).

As we stood on the veranda, we spotted this flag at quite a distance. It was so windy I had a difficult time holding the camera steady for the shot.  Thus, the blurry image.

The day was spent in a determined effort to find a place to live in the northern part of Australia a year from now with little luck.  Prices are twice as high as we’ve seen in other countries/continents, getting so little for the money.

We’ve seldom seen children in the neighborhood until yesterday during a birthday party a few doors down. There were several children playing in this blow-up structure but I made an effort to keep them out of the photo.

It’s been the toughest search we’ve experienced in all of our travels. We inquired to no less than a dozen properties to no avail. The prime cooler season of June through September provides little, if any, room for negotiation. 

More Christmas holly growing in the neighborhood.

In the next few weeks, we’ll either decide to bite the bullet and pay more than we’ve budgeted or, go to a different less popular location than that of Cairns, Darwin, and all the surrounding beach towns.

At this point, we’re trying for ocean views. That may be the next criteria we are forced to forgo. Perhaps, “walking distance to the beach” will be an alternative. Neither of us can see the charm of living on the interior of Australia in a condo overlooking nothing of particular interest.  

The season for roses is rapidly fading away.  Only a few remain much to my disappointment.

We’re not looking for a “place to crash.” We need a view, something to watch nature surrounding us. 

Later today, after a much-needed trip to the supermarket in Ribeira Brava, a few household and financial tasks, we’ll be back at it…on the search once again.  Sure, if we lightened our requirements, settled for less, accepted a less appealing property, this wouldn’t be such a daunting task. 

I posted this solitary photo on my Facebook page a few days ago receiving a number of “likes.”  So perfect and beautiful.

We never fail to remember why we’re doing this. It’s not for a “place to live.” It’s for a “place to love.” We’re especially reminded of that particular “feeling” as we spend this special time overlooking the sea in Madeira.

The view, the persona of this enchanting village, the bells ringing, the goats baaing, the rooster crowing, the flowers and greenery, the farms, the musical food trucks, the complexity of the terrain and of course, the people…we love it all. We need this sense of wonder and awe in order to fulfill our dreams of traveling the world. 

Another rose, whose beauty is fading with time. Isn’t that how it goes?  We all wither in time. But, who we really are, our hearts, our souls remain with us long after the petals have fallen. 

The search continues on until we accomplish our goal. It may not have a view of the majestic sea. However, whatever we ultimately choose must make us happy and excited. That, dear readers, we know for sure. 

And we promise whatever it may be, we’ll share it here with you the next morning when we grab our coffee, position ourselves on this comfy sofa with the view of the ocean a mere glance to the floor to ceiling glass walls. Get it? We do. We will.
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Photo from one year ago today, June 23, 2013:

Getting used to the steep winding roads in Boveglio, Italy was challenging. Plus, we had problems with the internet signal at our house resulting in difficulty in posting, often with editing impossible. The story we wrote that day may be of interest to history buffs. Please click here for details.

Facebook…Photo editing…How much do we do?…A year ago, a favorite video posted below…

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A drive into the hills offers appealing scenery.

This morning, Tom sent me a video that he received in an email which I promptly posted on Facebook. After posting it, I thought I’d share it here with our readers. Please click on this link to see this amazing video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PnSQiMTo4I

Nothing like a clear sunny morning in Madeira.

Speaking of Facebook, please feel free to friend me on Facebook, if you are a user and would like to see some photos that we may not post here. Also, we’d love to see the photos that our readers post on Facebook. 

You can find me on Facebook by searching my name as follows: “Jessica Lyman, Campanario, Madeira, Portugal.” (Each time we move I update our location on Facebook. If you send a friend request I will accept it promptly.

When we smelled smoke, we ran to the veranda and found a neighboring garden burning.

Mostly, I post photos from our travels. I don’t post political views or negative comments, that I prefer not to see. Overall, for me, Facebook is a happy place. 

Occasionally, I may re-post comments about dangerous products and chemicals in the environment. Other than that, my Facebook page is cheerful. I post a lot of wildlife, scenery, and vegetation photos.

The smoke billowed all over the neighborhood and soon the fire went out.

Recently I joined two Facebook photo groups: Flower Photography-Just for Fun and Weekly Photo Challenge.  You are free to join these also. Many of the photographers do some fancy editing and/or have professional skills but simple everyday photos, such as ours, are certainly worthy of posting. Expert skills are not required.

With little time to edit photos or interest in fancy editing, I simply submit my raw photos exactly as I’ve taken them. The exception is that on occasion I may use an app, INPAINT, for which I paid US $20, EU $14.68. 

The owner and architect of our house, Carlos, lives next door with his family. I took this photo from the door in my bathroom into their backyard.

I use the INPAINT app to remove the smudge on my lens that only appears in some photos in the sky or the background. (Friends and readers, Bob and Vikki, sent us the link to the app, illustrating how suggestions from our readers are welcomed and appreciated).

Plus, on a few occasions I’ve used INPAINT to remove utility lines. Here in Madeira, utility lines are everywhere.  How else would they get the huge quality of services to property owners in these mountains?

Wow! The flowers will soon be gone but for now, I’m still searching for shots.

In many cases, I’ve looked at Facebook friend’s beautifully enhanced flower photos and feel a tinge of interest in learning these skills. Alas, I already spend half of each day posting here and the other half looking for photo ops in order to post here. 

I have little interest in spending more time on my computer than I have to, especially now that we’re on a mission to find places to live in the South Pacific in 2015, a daunting task with the high prices in Australia.

I found this rose in a neighbor’s yard.  Not wanting to disturb the neighbor’s garden I shot this without moving the vine in front of what appears to be an almost perfect rose.

Once we arrive on US soil or if we’re lucky at a duty-free shop in our upcoming travels, we’ll be purchasing a new camera. This camera has taken over 10,000 photos in its one year life under some tough weather conditions and is actually wearing out as well as having the spot on the lens.

As for the beautiful skilled photos posted on Facebook, I enjoy seeing them almost as much as if I took them myself. There’s so much beauty in the world to share and through amazing technology and the commitment of others, we are gifted with the opportunity to see what others have been fortunate to see through the eyes of their lenses.

This flower shot was taken when we drove past Gina’s aunt’s home when we drove up the mountain a few days ago.

I must admit that I do repost some of my own favorite photos. Each time I do, new FB friends “like” them who may have missed them in the past. I try not to be redundant but there are some favorites that make me smile and laugh giving me a rush from the memory. It is this “rush” that’s my drug of choice. 

Ah, would that such a rush could fill the hearts of those with sorrow and angst. That is why the power of everlasting photos means so much as we age. We find great comfort in seeing the faces of those we’ve lost, remembering their love.

Can you spot the smudge from our camera lens in the upper left quarter of this photo?

Also, the photos we see on Facebook of our grandchildren, our kids, and their significant others, their pets, and our friends give us a glimpse of their lives which is rewarding and precious. Good grief, they certainly get a huge dose of our lives through this site and Facebook!

Many people are opposed to using Facebook. I understand this. For some, it may end up taking too much time.  On most days, I spend no more than 30 minutes excitedly checking out photos and videos from family, friends, and FB friends old and new. I suppose with us being far from those we love certainly contributes to our interest in it. What an easy way to stay in touch.

Overlooking rooftops from high above our area. Clothes dryers are unheard of in Madeira with the temperature climate. 

For personal matters, we either private message or chat on FB, Skype, or email, all of which are free and easy to do. The power of the Internet has made our travels possible. 

I doubt that we’d have been able to travel for so long 40 years ago without having the tools at our fingertips to aid us in planning and communication. Also, not staying in hotels more than necessary has made our travels affordable.

An interesting cloud cover at dusk.

That’s it for today, dear readers. Can I thank you all, one more time, for reading our daily posts?  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We never feel alone with all of you at our side.  

In essence, you are traveling with us, seeing the world through our eyes, through the lens of our camera, through our words. Knowing this gives us both the “rush” of sheer joy in knowing others share in this journey with us. Obrigado! 
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Photo and video from one year ago, June 20, 2013:

View from the veranda of the 300-year-old vacation rental in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. The bell tower in the church rang to the most beautiful sounds as indicated in this video below. For details from the story and more photos of this date, please click here.
This is the video of the church bells ringing in Boveglio, Italy, sounds from another area that we loved hearing. This was the first video I posted which clearly illustrates my lack of expertise.

Moving around has a double meaning…A year ago…Inside of the 300-year-old stone house in Boveglio, Italy…

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The sky changes minute by minute with the strong winds coming in from the sea.

The walk up the steep hill outside of our house is excruciating. Each time I go it’s a little easier, making it further. Yesterday, I traveled the furthest.

This new discovery from yesterday baffles me.  Any comments?

After sitting so much while in Morocco I’m working hard to get back into shape. Although we walked a lot while in Marrakech, it was never enough when the remainder of the time we were sitting doing no cooking, household tasks, or laundry.

The vine-covered wall across from our house on the steep road.

Now busy doing everything for ourselves, I find myself feeling lighter on the feet and energized. For me, it illustrates that moving around frequently has therapeutic benefits that seniors (and younger) definitely need when it’s easy to get lost in a book or online as the hours whiz past us.

This white cat hangs out by the “snack bar” at the top of the hill.

Without a doubt, I’m deriving the most benefit from the steep walk on the road not only from a physical perspective, but also from the beauty I discover along the way. I happily take photos on the way down to avoid disturbing the beneficial flow of endorphins on the painful way up.

The season for roses is nearing its end.

From what I can tell, this neighborhood is mostly occupied by over 40’s working people. There are few children. A few of the homes are owned, managed, and maintained by Gina and her family as vacation rentals most of which are occasionally rented for one week or two, seldom longer as Gina explained. We are the rare exception, staying for two and a half months.

Are these red lilies? The flower season is soon ending from what appears on the walks.

When I walk up and down the road, I walk past several locals, mostly men, working on houses along the way, some being remodeled, others being maintained. There are a few garages where cabinets and woodworking is occurring, a seeming common occupation of the local men, not so much the women.

Judite, our cleaning person, told me this morning that this is “pera abacata” which translates to avocado.

The only time I see women is when an older woman wearing a conservative flower printed dress and a headscarf also walking on the road carrying something from here to there. They look at me more out of curiosity than as a result of my invasion into their neighborhood. I always smile. They don’t always smile back but, from the glimmer in their eyes, I feel they mean to.

Not a clue.

The garbage truck guys always wave and smile as do the other small service truck drivers seeing to the needs of the area. As I walk past the little “snack bar” which is actually a bar serving alcohol during the day and night, there are always two or three guys standing outside, throwing some comments my way.

These must be bleeding hearts. 

I have no idea what they’re saying. I smile while continuing the trek up the hill, never turning my head to look.  Good grief, I’m not delusional enough to assume they’re flirting with me. After all, I’m too old to assume that.  For whatever reasons, they always look and comment which I take in my stride staying determined to stay focused on my mission…getting up the darned hill!

These blue, sometimes purple flowers grow wild in Madeira.

Overall, the people of Madeira are friendly. But, the language barrier always prevents one from determining as to their degree of friendliness. Nothing will ever compare to the people in South Africa with whom one can become close friends in a single night in the bar or over food.  We did our share.  We miss those people.

Grapes growing in a private garden.

After the walk each day, which takes only 25 minutes round trip and feeds into my passion for HIIT (high-intensity interval training), I feel energized and refreshed. 

These appear to be hydrangeas.

Once we leave here on July 31st, we’ll be staying in hotels with health clubs for a month so I can return to my former routine. Then, we’re on to two cruises with workout rooms for another month. When we live on the four islands in Hawaii there are workout rooms at the condos.  

Variations in color of the greenery.

I can’t explain how excited I am to return to the fitness routine that I’ve dearly missed over the past year, instead, doing makeshift at-home exercises with which I have trouble disciplining myself. Sound familiar?

Tom thinks this is a water tank atop this roof.

Five years older than Tom, I realize that staying strong and fit will determine how long we can continue to travel. That motivation alone drives me on, knowing that we still have so much more world to see. As much as we’ve done over the past year and a half, it’s only the tip of the iceberg.

Poppies growing in a pile of vines and rubble.

Speaking of icebergs, we’ll be in Iceland in less than three months hoping to see the Northern Lights. Gosh, I’d better keep walking up that hill with vigor. There’s so much ahead of us.

By the way, we managed to stop the produce guy a few minutes ago, buying two full shopping bags of fresh produce. Need I say that we’re thrilled?
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Photo from one year ago today, June 19, 2013:

This was the larger of two bathrooms in our 300-year-old stone house in Boveglio, Tuscany, Italy. Although we had many modern conveniences, the old house required adjusting to with its many steep steps and uneven halls and walkways which was definitely not appropriate for anyone who wasn’t surefooted. We paid special attention each time we walked from one room to another due to the uneven steps in doorways. For details of the date, please click here.

Peacefulness and tranquility…A small price to pay for inconsistencies…One year ago…Traffic jam on the canals of Venice

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Another gorgeous day.

Not everyone needs peace and tranquility. As we’ve traveled we’ve discovered how important it really is for us.  Soon, when we’ll spend two weeks in Paris and two more weeks in London, we realize that for those four weeks we’ll relinquish the peace and tranquility that we usually desire for the experience of visiting these two big cities.

Vegetables growing in our yard.

How could we possibly have traveled the world and not seen Paris and London? As for London, our cruise on August 31st sails out of Harwich, a two and a half-hour drive to the pier. It was necessary to travel to London anyway with no airport in Harwich.

Not much of a gardener, I believe this is cabbage. That will work!

If one does visit London, Paris offers a great starting point with relatively easy access via the Eurostar (formerly known as the Chunnel), another interesting experience. How exciting it will be to take a train in a tunnel under the English Channel from Paris to London!  How could we not?

The hills of Madeira produce a wide array of colors.

Throwing peace and tranquility out the window, we brace ourselves for the hustle and bustle of the upcoming two months from the time we leave Madeira on July 31st until we arrive in Hawaii on October 5th, where again in Oahu and Maui we’ll be among crowds when out and about, less so when we live on the Big Island and Kauai.

Cabbage, up close?

But here, in Madeira, we find ourselves entrenched in the peace and tranquility of a low-stress life in a sleepy little village, mostly occupied by homeowners, generations deep. It’s easy to lose oneself in the easy pace of tranquil living, caught up in the “small things” that bring us a sense of belonging, coupled with a profound sense of comfort.

Wildflowers growing in our side yard.

This morning, both of us up and dressed early, we’ve left the sliding glass door ajar letting in the chilly morning air, again waiting to hear the loud music of the vegetable guy whom we very much desire to see this morning, on Tuesday, his occasional day in our neighborhood.  His arrival is not consistent.

Every time I walk, I find something new.

This life of tranquility is not always consistent. That’s part of the magic of tranquility. No rush. No urgency. No stress. The local markets have a particular product one week but not the next, or the next. One doesn’t complain to the manager.

At dusk, the look of the ocean changes.

I recall in my old life that the local Cub Foods usually carried a favorite organic butter that I used. One week, they were out of stock. Rousting up the dairy manager, I kindly asked when it would be in. Nervously, he said, “Oh, I’ll get it here for you tomorrow.” The next day, I returned and it was there. 

Lots of steps with no handrail, common throughout these steep hills.

I remember thinking to myself that the poor guy was stressed when he was out of a product that a regular customer such as I, was unable to purchase. For those of us who have worked with the public, we recall the angst we’ve felt when we couldn’t quickly fulfill the expectations of a customer. I don’t miss those days…on either end.

When I was growing up in California, we called these “shrimp” trees.

The little market here in Campanario and the bigger supermarket in Ribeira Brava have unsweetened full-fat Greek yogurt one week but not the next. I don’t mention it. It’s all a part of life here. Peacefulness breeds inconsistency. It’s a small price to pay.

Overlooking the road while on my walk.

The produce guy may not show today. And when he does on another day, we may have already gone to the little market to buy the farm-fresh produce we needed. But, neither he nor us gives it a second thought when he drives by on another day and we aren’t waiting for him on the side of the road.

In Minnesota, these were called begonias, a flower that grew well in shady areas.

One thing we do know for sure. We’ll love Paris and London. We’ll see the sites, take endless photos, and dine in fabulous restaurants. Perhaps, at times, we’ll even be in awe of the crowds, their passion, and enthusiasm for these big cities and their treasures.

The temperate climate is ideal for flowers.

In our hearts, wherever we may travel, we’ll always recall the tranquility of Campanario, Madeira; Marloth Park, South Africa; the Maasai Mara, Kenya; Boveglo, Italy and Placencia, Belize where the simplicity of daily life and its curious inconsistencies, ultimately have brought us the most joy.
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Photo from one year ago today, June 17, 2013:

We’d hoped to ride in a gondola but when there were lined up like this, bumper to bumper hardly moving in the canals, we opted against getting into this “traffic jam.” Instead, we walked for several hours. For details from that date, please click here.

Reflections on this pair of vagabonds…One year ago…Istanbul, Turkey…Political unrest…

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Christmas holly grows wild on a hillside.

On many occasions, deep in thought, our eyes locked, knowing that we’re thinking the same thoughts. How did we get here? How were we able to leave our family to live this dream that we didn’t know we had until 11 months before Tom retired?

At the end of this month it will be 20 months since we left Minnesota; for Tom, a lifelong resident; for me, 42 years. For both of us, we loved our state with it’s long frozen snowy winters and fleeting stormy summers. 

It’s not easy to explain. We grasp for answers from time to time; the cold winters, the growing traffic rates, the unstable politics (where isn’t that an issue?), high state taxes zapping our retirement income. These seem to be logical answers. 

Two baby goats that live next door. Look at those cute white ears! 

Many retired Minnesotans leave for warmer climates heading to Florida, Arizona or Texas, buying a condo in a retirement community, making new friends and finding a degree of contentment that fulfills their goals for their golden years. We appreciate this perspective.  It just couldn’t have been us.

Perhaps, this wanderlust has something to do with the fact that we each had our first child when we were still children ourselves, Tom at 17, me at 19. Our 20’s zoomed past us with rampant responsibility. I was divorced at 26.  Tom, at 36. 

Mom of the two above kids.

When we met in 1991, Tom was 38, I was 43. Where did the years go? Four years later we were married, so happy that we rarely took a vacation over the next 22 years, with only a desire for the “staycation” to be close to family and friends when we had time off. 

We loved our home, our neighbors, our friends and visits from our kids, grandkids and other family members.  And then, in January 2012, as we sat in our comfy chairs on a crisp sunny Sunday morning drinking coffee, I asked Tom, who’s retirement was 11 months away at that point, “What do you want us to do when you retire?”

A vine covered wall near our house.

He paused thinking of an answer, suddenly blurting out, “Let’s travel the world!”

I laughed. “You don’t mean that,” I replied looking at him quizzically, wondering what had gotten into him. Did he, who seldom drinks alcohol at home, spike his morning coffee with Courvoisier?

At dusk the lights illuminate the island.

“I do,” he replied. “Let’s do it!”

“Let me research this for a week. Do the math. See if we can make it work.” I responded tempering my enthusiasm, thinking it was more of a whim than a possibility. I’d retired a few years earlier. I had all the time in the world.

Tom got excited about this 1947 Chevy parked at the local market.

The following weekend my well prepared spreadsheet was completed with the assumption that if we sold and unloaded everything that we owned; house, cars, furnishings and all household goods leaving no monthly storage bill behind, we could do it. We decided that day. For how long? We didn’t know.

The remaining months of putting our plan into action is now a blur of the sorrowful letting go of those we love and of all the “things” we so treasured and held close to our hearts. (If you’re interested in reading about the disposition of all of our world goods during that painful process, you can go the “PREVIOUS POSTS” and scroll down and click on 2012 to begin reading there).

What a view!

Our grown kids and their families had built their own traditions and lifestyles. They would do fine without us. With face time on Skype, daily photos and interactions on Facebook it wouldn’t feel as if we were so far away. And yes, of course we would miss them all. 

But, somehow, we wanted to do this, we needed to do this for ourselves, whom we’d pampered so little over the years while wrapped around the concept of “doing for others” as opposed to ourselves. The time had come.

Although we can’t see the sun when its setting, we always get a glimpse of the colors over the ocean.

Selfish? Sure. Could a lifetime of responsibility beginning at such an early age, have contributed to our decision? Sure. Is selfishness dishonorable when the clock seems to be ticking faster than ever and one merely want to “live life to its fullest?” 

We bear no guilt or regret. In a mere six months, our children and grandchildren will be in Hawaii with us. It will have been 26 months since we’ve seen them but only a few days since we’ve been in touch. 

Tom’s photos as dusk.

It will be all be OK. In fact, we expect it will be wonderful as it always was when we were all together, our blended family, all laughing and talking at the same time with fun kid noises wafting through the air.

And for us, we’re happy. A few nights ago, my sister asked if we were lonely with no English speaking people with whom to interact. We’re not. Not at all. We laugh, we talk, we tease and we’re playful. We finish each others thoughts and statements as long time couples often do.

Unusual plant we found while driving in the hills.

At times, we’re even romantic, standing on the veranda arms wrapped around each other, gazing at the sea, the colors in the sky at sunset, the developing moon and the breathtaking beauty surrounding us. 

Most of all, wherever we may be, on this journey with no end in mind, we are home. And that, dear readers, is exactly where we want to be.

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Photo from one year ago today, June 11, 2013:

Our ship docked in Istanbul ,Turkey for the day. At that time there were riots and political unrest in Istanbul so we decided to stay on the ship, taking photo from afar. The next day we were headed to Izmir, Turkey for an excursion to Ephasus leaving us content to stay onboard for the day, as many other cruisers chose to do as well.  For details of that date, please click here.

Venturing out to another village on the steep and winding roads…A year ago…A photo from Mykonos, Greece…

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This fenced garden we passed on a steep road.

Yesterday, we drove up to a few other villages to gain perspective of the views from another vantage point. At times, we were within a foot, .3 meters, of an unprotected edge that a slight wrong move could result in falling off a steep cliff.

We drove the steep, winding roads to Barreiro yesterday.

Luckily, I stayed preoccupied taking photos and not looking over the edge. There was a haze of fog in the air preventing a clear view in some of our photos, although the sky was blue and clear. We’re constantly looking for changes in the weather that can occur in a matter of minutes.

Cactus growing out of a stone wall.  With the temperate weather in Madeira, it’s surprising to see cactus growing wild. One expects cactus to grow in desert climates.

As we drove through the steep winding roads, we realized that the roads that appear risky to us is everyday driving to the locals. They zip around the curves, hairpin turns, and up and down steep inclines at full speed, never giving it a thought.

Looking out at this view, we notice the point in the upper left.

There aren’t any police cars in Campanario and few in other areas. The locals don’t worry about getting a ticket, only about getting around quickly and hopefully safely.

Zooming in we got a better view of the craggy point.

Without a doubt, Madeira feels like the safest place in which we’ve lived in our travels. Of course, we’re still cautious in locking doors at night and when leaving, more out of habit than fear.  t’s a far cry from living in Kenya with gun-toting guards everywhere. How far we’ve come.

Homeowners often have to walk up or down elaborate stairways to get to or from their homes that are built on the steep hills.

Speaking of Kenya, last night we went through many of our photos from our travels that are stored in Google+.  So far, since January 3, 2013, we have almost 10,000 photos stored. Considering that we seldom took photos in our old lives, we sure have made up for the lost time.

I have an app that allows me to remove wires such as these shown here.  But, Madeira has wires everywhere in an effort to provide great service to its residents. We have the best WiFi connection here included in the rental, that we’ve had since we were in Minnesota, 20 months ago. Who’s to complain?

Looking back, had we known we’d be traveling, I wish I’d have learned to take photos on a decent camera instead of my phone. As a person with reasonable digital skills, the camera alluded me, intimidated me and I struggled along. Now, the ease and enjoyment of taking photos remind me of how many magic moments we missed that could have been documented in photos.

There we are in the sunshine one minute and then the fluffy clouds roll in. The wonders of this gorgeous island continue to astound us.

Oh, well. One can only go forward as to wasting time with what “could have” or “should have” been. Although I love taking photos, I don’t take it seriously enough to want to let it turn into an obsession or to try to present more professional-looking photos with editing and enhancements. Most often, we take only one shot of each sighting unless it’s a classic shot of a special location or moving target. If it comes out, great. If not, we delete it.

View over the rooftops.

The only editing I ever do on a photo we present here is to remove the spots that appear in some of the photos from dirt or lint located on the lens of our camera. I haven’t removed those spots today, as we hope to head out the door soon.

Whatever the angle or the view, the beauty of the ocean is worthy of a shot.

When we arrive in Boston in three months, we’ll purchase a new camera or will pick one out online and have it shipped to Boston. Our Sony Cyber-shot is showing signs of wear and tear after 10,000 photos especially when held in my sweaty palms over many miles with hot and humid climates. 

The car was moving when we took this blurry shot. We were on a dangerous curve and couldn’t stop.

Today, we’re waiting for the produce guy’s musical truck to appear before we head to the supermarket to shop for the week. We’d rather buy produce from him as opposed to the grocery store. 

The dedication to farming and gardening is evident everywhere on the island.

He doesn’t always have everything we need making it tricky to go to the grocery store without buying produce, hoping to catch up with him later. We’ll wait for him until noon and then we’re off, having no choice but to purchase some of the items we need, filling in with him later in the week.

The blue sky makes for a blue sea.

Oh, we love the mindless drivel in our lives at times, the simple decisions, the time spent observing a flower, a passing bird, or a wafting cloud. Then, when the hard parts are imminent we know that soon they too will pass and we’re back to the joyful ease of living this pleasing life we’ve chosen.

Few homeowners miss the opportunity to grow gardens on the hills.

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Photo from one year ago, June 9, 2013:

The island of Mykonos, Greece was beyond our expectations. So beautiful. Due to a poor WiFi connection, we were unable to post photos from the ship. The next day, the 10th, we were in Mykonos Greece where we took many photos of the exquisite island. Here is a photo from the 10th. For more please check back tomorrow for more. For the link to the post on the 9th, please click here.

A crazy, funny, busy day…A new lesson learned…A year ago, Naples, Italy…

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These are the roses Gina picked for us last night from the massive rose bushes growing outside her aunt’s house.
Yesterday, was a fun day, unplanned and unexpected.  In essence, those are often the most memorable occasions, laced with humor and warm feelings.


I must preface this by starting with my terrible faux pas…twice in one day, I left the house without the camera, something I hope never to do again.  On both occasions I was distracted by the events on hand.



All over the mountains there are long steep steps as such as shown in photo, most without handrails.

Although, there are other unrelated photos I’ve saved for today, we’ll kindly ask our readers to use their imagination for these few stories.

In the morning, I reminded Tom that we are in need of fresh vegetables.  We always keep a few bags of frozen veggies in case of such an emergency but, fresh is our preference. 


Another steep set of steps without handrails.

Most nights, I roast a pan of fresh, cut-into-chunks veggies in the oven tossed with olive oil and seasonings, cooking them on high heat for 35 minutes tossing them a few times.  They tend to caramelize and are nothing short of amazing.

With enough veggies left for last night, I was more concerned about Sunday’s dinner.  The obvious solution was to listen for the produce guy’s musical truck.  There’s a trick to catching him when usually he and the other trucks seem to zoom past our house not giving us ample time to get out the door.  We wear our shoes in the house with Tom’s wallet nearby so we can dash outside on a dime.


This old unoccupied house is buried under vines and vegetation.

At around 10:00 am, we heard the music.  Quickly, we jumped up going though our little routine of getting out the door, Tom grabbing the wallet, me dashing to the street.

Alas, the musical truck had already passed us.  Tom said, “Let’s drive after him!”  I agree as he grabbed the car keys and off we went.  Luckily, we can see up the steep road that winds from our house and we saw the truck had stopped for another customer a half mile up the hill.


This photo does no justice to how steep this road actually is. 

Quickly maneuvering the winding road, we made our way to the truck in no time, excited to know we’d be able to restock our vegetable supply.  I was the first to jump out of the car and run to the open back of the truck.  The driver was engaged in a conversation with another man on the side of the road, paying no attention to us.

Approaching the open back of the truck, a sinking feeling came over me when I realized there were no vegetables.  As I looked further, I gasped, as Tom approached the truck.  “It’s not vegetables,”  I said as I began to laugh, “It’s live chickens!”


These are mailboxes in our neighborhood.

Peering into the back of the truck, we saw a cage filled with live chickens ready for purchase by an ambitious cook.  My first thought was that I didn’t have the camera.  My second thought was that I’m definitely not that ambitious a cook. Tom agreed that neither was he.  We giggled, waved to the chicken truck guy and returned home, hoping the vegetable truck guy would soon appear. 

He never did.  The fish truck guy drove passed once again but, we had no room in the freezer for more fish after our recent purchase of the “catch of the day.”


This old run down house is out of place in the charming area.

It was a windy day and we’d decided to stay in.  I was cooking two different dinners; grilled tuna for me (the second night) and meatballs with sauce and grated cheese for Tom, salad and the remaining roasted vegetables.  Plus, I had a few loads of laundry to do which we’d have to dry indoors in the high winds.

The remainder of the day was relatively quiet.  I spent time posting for the day.  Tom worked on our future travels.  We paid the final payment on the upcoming cruise from London to Boston leaving on August 31st, a mere 74 days from today.


The colors of flowers on the island is breathtaking.

Dinner was delightful as always. We watched an episode of “Last Comic Standing” laughing all the while, content to be healthy, together and loving our home in Madeira, now three weeks into our stay.

After dinner, we heard a knock at the door, jumping up wondering who it may be.  Of course, it was none other than our dear friend Gina, stopping by to see if we needed anything.  I had wanted to give her some of the “atum,” (tuna) anyway so her timing was perfect.  She was especially thrilled when she told us that the fish truck doesn’t come to Funchal, where she, her husband and daughter live.


Are these gardenias?  The smell was lovely!

The only request we had was for her to describe where we could find the two local restaurants here in Campanario.  Immediately, her eyes lit up and she announced, “Come, let’s go. I show you!”

We all jumped into the blue rental car and took off up the hill as Gina directed us.  As soon as we were on our way, once again, I realized I’d forgotten the camera.  It was getting dark and it wouldn’t matter anyway, I justified to myself.  How sorry I was. 


A yellow rose we found on a walk.

Gina’s bubbly enthusiasm is contagious. We love being with her.  She directed us to her aunt’s house first so she could pick roses for me.  The sprawling house was charming surrounded by flowers in full bloom.  Oh, camera.  Her aunt who has been ill for some time, waved to us from the rooftop.  Her uncle bantered on cheerfully in Portuguese and we were instantly charmed.

Roses picked and in my hands, we were back on the hilly, curvy roads to the restaurants. Three times I asked Tom, “Are you sure you’ll remember how to find these?”  Three times he smiled assuring me he would.  He’s so patient with me when I ask the same question several times, getting the same answer each time.

As darkness fell, we arrived at the restaurants, close to one another by no more than a few long blocks on winding roads.  Over the next few weeks we’ll try them both.  One of them has a very unusual theme which we’ll go to first and share here with photos and details.  We can hardly wait!

Tourists walking on the “levada” the path above our house.

Gina had Tom return over a different route showing us the “levada” a long walking path in the mountains which we’ll soon explore.  As we returned to our street, we let her off at her sister’s house, another gorgeous vacation rental she insisted we come inside and see. 


It was beautiful. Her husband had designed and built the house as he has many of the houses in the area. Gina had been busy cleaning getting ready for the next arriving guests.  As it turns out most of the homeowners in this area are Gina’s relatives, as she pointed out one house after another on the beautiful street.

She asked if we liked “our” house more than the sister’s and if we’d have preferred it.  We confirmed that we love our house as she smiled from ear to ear, happy that we’re happy.  She’s asked this question several times in the past three weeks and each time we’ve assured her that we are very happy.  (Perhaps, Gina has the same question asking syndrome that I do).


These tangled vines are at the base of a palm type tree.

After the house tour, now fully dark, we decided to head home.  It was 10:00 pm. We hugged Gina and her husband goodbye and made the drive down the hill to our house. 

Tom couldn’t find the keys to the house.  He thought he’d brought them with us when we headed out realizing that he’d locked them inside.  Hurriedly, we drove back up the hill hoping Gina would still be there.  Thank goodness, she was still there but, didn’t have an extra set of keys.  She called her father who lives nearby and keeps an extra set of keys. We waited for him to arrive and he appeared a short time later.


Terraced gardens are seen everywhere on the island.

We were thrilled to finally meet Antonio.  We’ve waved at him several times when we’ve seen him working in his massive gardens.  Shaking his hand, calloused from years of hard work, brought back memories of my grandfather who’s large calloused hands never hesitated to hold a hand or gently pat a cheek.

Soon, we were back home after Gina’s daughter insisted on running the keys back to Antonio after we were safely inside. Our keys were on the inside of the door where we’d left them.  Had Gina left, we’d have been in quite the predicament.  Once again, we dodged a bullet or, in other words…safari luck.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back with more new photos from today’s outing. I  promised I won’t forget to bring the camera! And, Tom won’t forget the keys!
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Here is the photo from one year ago today, June 8, 2013:


Our ship docked in Naples, Italy.  With the few excursions available and at this point, having seen so many historical buildings, we decided against going on a crowded bus tour. For details for this date when we had issues with our rented MiFi which continued for the next three months when we lived in Tuscany, please click here.
 

Harmonious cohabitation…Sharing the load…

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This is our house in Campanario, high on a hill, as are most homes here. We took this photo as we walked down the steep road in front of it.  Here’s the link to the listing on HomeAway.com: http://www.homeaway.co.uk/p6596390

Every Thursday morning Judite, Gina’s sister-in-law, arrives to clean the house for three hours at a rate of US $20.40, EU $15. This rate is comparable to what we’ve paid in other countries. In the US, the cost was three to four times more for the same amount of work and hours.

This rose is growing in front of our house on a narrow stone planter box.

We’ve had cleaning help since the beginning of our travels, as we did back in the US. For me, having the weekly help keeps me from feeling as if I have to be cleaning constantly. Instead, we are able to enjoy our lives as we maintain a relatively tidy household each day.

A neighborhood walk resulted in seeing many gorgeous flowers including this pink rose in full bloom.

The odd part of having a weekly cleaner is the necessity to prepare for their visit. What? Clean for the cleaning help? Yes, it’s true. Each Thursday morning before Judite arrives, we take the sheets and pillowcases off of the bed to be replaced by last week’s clean and folded batch which we’d prepared.

There are four goats living on the hill next door appearing to be a mom, dad, and two babies. Every morning we step outside and do a loud “baa” to which she responds in a louder “baa” as she looks our way. 

Then, we run around the house gathering dirty towels to be washed, empty trashes, and clear away all of our computer and equipment clutter that accumulated over the week. In essence, we clean in preparation for the arrival of the cleaning lady.

The look at it like this: If we do these smaller tasks, it frees up her time to do the heavy work such as the scrubbing and cleaning floors and bathrooms (there are three here, all of which we use) window washing, etc. It has always made sense to me.

Even imperfection has a certain beauty.

Tom laughed at me years ago, when he watched me run around preparing for the arrival of the weekly helper for many years, our dear Teresa in Minnesota. Now, he gets it. Then again, don’t newly retired people come to many new understandings once they are home together all day in the throes of daily household upkeep?

I practically had to get on my knees and shoot upward when this flower was drooping toward the ground.

A few days ago, I complimented Tom on handling 50% of the daily household tasks. I suppose I shouldn’t be complimenting him on a task that is to be expected in a household of two who “should” be sharing equally in the responsibilities.

Although we’re quite a distance from the ocean, its fun to watch the boats from afar.

He compliments me on the work that I do including the cooking of the meals after which he cleans up and does all of the dishes. The rest we share, never a part of any spoken “to do” list but more as we’ve fallen into step in a natural way over these almost 20 months since he retired. 

Do our bird enthusiasts from Jersey, UK know what type of bird this is? 

I do the laundry hanging the small stuff.  He hangs the big items with me. He handles the trash,  the recyclables, and makes the bed while I do the restocking of toilet paper, paper towels, and putting laundry away. The natural separation of tasks took this spontaneous evolution that literally never requires one of us to ask the other to “do their part.” 

The end result of never having to ask or remind is simple: harmony. Without it, life could be frustrating ultimately resulting in resentment and anger which we avoid like the plague.

Red is a predominant color in flowers on the island of Madeira.

Recently, someone mentioned we should write a book about our travels. Perhaps, someday, we may. My retort to that comment was that instead of writing a book about traveling, we could write a book entitled, “How a retired couple can harmoniously and happily travel the world.”

There are many topics upon which we could disagree. We don’t. We choose harmony. We may not always agree. We’ve learned to listen and hear out each other’s objections, rationalizations and valid arguments on a point.  We reconsider. We coalesce. We unite.

Water flows down this hill but not every day.

The only way in which the complexity of traveling the world can work lies in the willingness to let go of one’s ego always striving for the best solution for the couple and for the ultimate happiness and joy in all of our experiences. 

We are excited to share tomorrow’s post when as we writing today, a situation occurred in our area that sent us reeling with delight! Please stop back!
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Photo from one year ago today, June 5, 2013:

This is the outdoor spot on the Norwegian Spirit where we sat every morning after breakfast as we posted for the day. We were on our way on a Mediterranean cruise. The ship wasn’t our favorite but we met a lot of wonderful people and had a great time. For the ship’s itinerary and our boarding procedures, please click here.

Memorial Day for all of you…A year ago…An unusual photo of us…See below…

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Wild flowers growing in our garden

As most Americans celebrate Memorial Day today remembering our fallen heroes, families and friends gather together to enjoy the outdoors, cook on the grill and perhaps celebrate their first outdoor spring activity. 

The remembrance of those lost in defending our country is forefront in the hearts and minds of those who not only lost a loved one and for all the men and women who gave their lives with honor and dignity. 

Today’s view welcoming us to another glorious day in Madeira.

Once again, it feels peculiar for us to be so far removed from the observation of yet another holiday. However, with US news (English speaking) playing on the TV all day today, we can observe the holiday in our own way, watching stories and noting various gatherings throughout the country.

In our old lives, we too would have gathered with family and friends, cooking up an array of delectable foods to hopefully be enjoyed outdoors on a lovely day. 

More wildflowers in our yard.

Instead, it’s another lovely Monday here in Campanario, Madeira. We have laundry going in the front-loading washer and we’re showered and dressed for the day, looking forward to dining out tonight.  

Still under the weather, having decided not to use any antibiotics, I’m unable to do any serious walking yet leaving us staying close to home for now. 

Colors in nature never cease to amaze us.

It’s always surprising to us that we don’t get bored with a few household tasks to keep us busy each day other than laundry, cooking, dishes, making the bed, and picking up after ourselves. 

The garden in our yard has a way to go. It will be fun to watch it progress and to partake of its treasures.

Now that we’re doing all of these household tasks again after the two and a half month reprieve in Marrakech, Morocco, we’ve found that we actually enjoy being in charge of running our household, each of us sharing an equal load. 

Several times each day we walk out onto the veranda to breathe in the fresh ocean air, swoon over the view of the sea and the hills, and to embrace the ease and comfort we feel here on this beautiful island.

Terraces in the hills planted and ready for the season.

Have a safe, enjoyable, and meaningful day together with family and friends!
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Photo from one year ago today, May 26, 2013:
With a story without photos posted on this date a year ago, we have included a photo from the next day, May 27, 2013. Coincidentally, I was ill then with the same illness I have now and we had no choice but to cancel our plans to go sightseeing. However, a few days later, we did go sightseeing in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Here is a photo taken at that time with more to follow in the days to come.

OK, have a chuckle on me. My sister Julie and I laughed so hard on Skype over how goofy I looked in my abaya.  Tom looked rather handsome in his thobe.  It was 108F, 42.2C. I was still sick from the virus I got on the ship and was miserable wearing the hot silky black fabric while we toured the largest mosque in the world Sheikh Zayed Mosque located in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the richest city in the world. See this article for a list of the richest cities on earth. For the story from one year ago today, please click here.  Some amazing photos will follow over the next several days from our tour of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.