It's not what you fort.

Tuesday is all blue skies and sunshine but with a strong easterly wind. Amid yesterday's euphoria over completing our walk we overlooked provisioning requirements for today. The breakfast cupboard is almost bare so we have to make do with a modest repast of banana and yoghurt.
The view from our balcony is dominated by the Fortaleza de Sao Joao Baptista do Pico which looks good in this morning's sunshine. We decide to visit and see if we can find a more substantial breakfast en route. Once we are outside the breeze proves to be pleasantly warm. Our route up to the fort takes us up a street steep enough to require steps on the pavement. We get great views of our hotel, which occupies a dominating position on the western fringe of the city centre, and even manage to pin point our room.
At the top of the hill we find a snack bar attached to a children's playground which is just opening for business. We opt for a table on the outdoor deck and order epanadas misto with black coffee. These are delicious flaky pastry pasties filled with cheese and ham, ideal for the Scottish palate but somehow overlooked back home. The wind is so strong that it is moving chairs about on the deck.
From the cafe we find our way in to the Fort. The custodian is most concerned that we have vaccination certificates, which we can show on our phones. Admission is free, which bumps the place up in D's estimation, and we appear to be the only visitors. Built in the 17th century to discourage pirates and corsaires the place still has a military feel, with a drawbridge entrance, parade ground and battlements. We looked over the edge to see a kestrel hunting , so R was happy. 
For most of the 20th Century the fort was used as a communications centre by the Portuguese navy and was known as Pico-Radio. These days it is a municipal facility and you can tell. But boy was it windy. 
The cats in these parts are not hidebound by convention.
We head down towards the city centre and pass the gates of the Museu da Quinta das Cruzes as we descend. When we visited a week or so back there was a notice that said "Closed for Maintenance until 8th February." We didn't imagine this. We have photographic proof. As we pass the gates are thrown open so we try our luck. The ticket office relieve us of three euros each and we are admitted. It looks like they are in the throes of a soft opening of some sort as there are staff everywhere fretting over nothing obvious.
The Quinta das Cruzes is described in the guidebook as " a quintessential old Madeiran manor house" that presents "an aptly aristocratic environment". Nevertheless they seem happy to accommodate plebs and we get to see art, furniture, glyptics and the last Emperor of Austria's pocket watch. There is an extensive collection of silverware (no, not cutlery!) in a climate controlled room in the basement.
The gardens are interesting although the wind has made things a bit untidy.
We are now ready for lunch and think of heading to the market for a sandwich. On the way we spot a place offering sardines, one of R's favourites, and are seduced. It seems like a no nonsense place with shady pavement tables and a cheerful lady in charge of things. As R is having something a bit special D opts for Espetada,  beef grilled on a laurel stick, not to be confused with uncultured fish.

This extravagant lùnch provokes an early close to proceedings for the day. 




Comments

  1. knownunknown1 February 2022 at 18:37

    Lunch seems to have become the highlight of the day ! Like it should be on a vacation!

    ReplyDelete

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