Renewed Aquaintance

Today's weather forecast is not too promising although things are looking better for the rest of the week. We have a lie in followed by a leisurely breakfast. This place gets a bonus point as the toaster actually works, unlike most other self catering spots we have stayed in.

We also discover our first catering faux pas of this trip. Our kitchenette has a very smart coffee maker. We bought this yesterday imagining it to be coffee.
Wrong!  It turns out to be roasted and ground barley, drunk as a caffeine free substitute for coffee. Not sure who thought that was a good idea. We certainly don't.

The rain abates around 10.00 and we set out to reacquaint ourselves with the centre of Funchal. We don't get lost, find the market first time and it's adjacent pastellaria. Bica coffees and custard tarts. What more could we want.

The rain persists intermittently but we shrug it off and stride out along the promenade to buy multi trip bus tickets for our forthcoming explorations. This is accomplished without problem and we even get a bonus free gratis network map.
Further along the promenade we find a magnificently converted auto. This provokes a conversation that results in a decision, weather permitting, to dine at an Indian restaurant tonight.
We only get a little damp returning to the hotel.

The highlight of the afternoon is the meeting with Carolina, the representative of Jet2.com. We are the only guests present and avoid asking too many difficult questions. She runs through the local Covid rules and the requirements for our return to the UK. One helpful thing that she does explain is that we can get a weekly test at one of the official testing spots to keep our status up to date. Amazingly there is no attempt to sell us excursions, pub crawls, foam parties or even cream teas. 


The weather has cleared up while we have been in the hotel so we set out for a refreshment and an evening meal. The India Gate does not disappoint, providing amusing typos on the menu as well as cold beer and tasty food. The authentic Indian experience is rendered complete by the man on the next table who noisily clears his sinuses about every twenty seconds. 


Comments

  1. chouxdle18 January 2022 at 18:49

    Even with a 17C unearthly hour in the morning - the chicken tikka looks perfect. Bite sized. Red in colour. Hole in centre. Muito bem!

    What it is will happen with that miniature packet of ground roasted barley now?
    KHICHDI !! :D bhery, bhery healthy.
    You're welcome.

    ReplyDelete
  2. chouxdle18 January 2022 at 19:13

    P.S.
    'Everybody Loves A Good Drought' ...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown19 January 2022 at 00:29

    An excellent and delicious looking curry but without the heat of India?

    ReplyDelete
  4. knownunknown19 January 2022 at 00:57

    Had to have your fix of Bangladeshi cuisine.. 😩

    ReplyDelete

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