Convento de Santa Clara

One of the Funchal areas I had never visited was the San Pedro area and the streets up above there where you find the Quinta de Cruzes (the home built by their famous explorer, Zarco, who discovered and claimed Madeira for Portugal in 1419)

I was rather less impressed by the weird garden and unfriendly guides. It is a rather a ramshackle museum with assorted things including a room full of Chippendales (no, ladies.........)

Just down the hill is the Convent of Santa Clara which is a wonderful place to visit. Zarco's two grand-daughters joined this order of nuns and he did make many gifts of artwork.

We were shown round by a very old nun who just radiated happiness with her smile and her eyes. She had enough English to bring it all alive as she shared the history and the life of the order and this enclosed convent. Fascinating and uplifting.

The photo is of a group of the children in their nursery (200 aged from 1 to 6). They were sitting in the cloisters waiting for their teacher.