Wet, wet, wet

It has poured non-stop all day.

A pity, as we were on an all-day tour to some of the highest points of the island to enjoy the views.

We started at a place from which you can look over all Funchal. Ok. But a lot of cloud gathering higher up. We could see Cristiano Ronaldo's local church and his academy.

We went on up to Eira do Serrado, the viewpoint overlooking The Nun's Valley. Total cloud and teeming rain. You actually couldn't see a thing.

We climbed up to Pico de Arreiro, the second highest point. Even more teeming rain and total cloud.

Down to Ribeiro Frio. Too wet to do the short levada walk, so we just had lunch.

Back down to the North Eastern coast - cloud and rain. No trip to the dramatic Peninsula as we would have seen nothing. Higher than the airport approach over Machico. Still total rain.

Carlos added a visit to Madeira's Cristo Rei (statue of Christ the King). It pre dates both the Rio and Lisbon versions.

And the sun came out. A rainbow over the Garajau Reserve and blue sky behind Christ.

It had stopped raining by the time we got back to Funchal.

But it had still been a lovely day.