Shadow

Here we are
in the cable car:
can you see us waving?
No? Oh!
that's cos the cable car's
swallowed us whole -
we're a shadow
of our former selves!

Today we bought bus tickets and went up to Monte again, using the second half of our cable car return ticket to come back down to Funchal. Always a lovely experience, with fabulous views. The sunshine turned rather hazy today, but not too hazy to cast a shadow.

I've also been on the exercise bike in the hotel's gym, as well as swimming in the pool, so I'm hoping that'll help strengthen the muscles around my knees and improve their state. They're still clicking away, locking and hurting, but at least they're keeping pace with Mr PP's arthritic hip. A right old pair we make! But what the heck? We're loving the sunshine and warmth, the colourful flora and the sparkling sea. We feel very lucky to be here.

We stood on the steps of Monte's Church of Our Lady just as the bell struck one. Inside the bell tower, and with one actually standing on the bell, the pigeons didn't turn a feather, let alone fly away. They must be used to the noise by now - maybe they're even, literally, deaf to it? Wish I'd been there at noon to see if the bird would have stayed put throughout a dozen dongs!