Molhe

Our first full day is spent relaxing and wandering rather aimlessly around Funchal. It’s the first time for several years that we’re spending a whole week in one place - and I must admit it’s a joy to actually unpack cases! 

Next week we will be exploring, hiring a car and heading off around the island. But for now there will be few - if any - adventures, so writing and photography is likely to be fairly humdrum.  

Having said that, we do have an adventure of sorts tonight - one of the culinary variety as we make our way down to the harbour area to The Design Centre Nini Andrade Silva. Nina is apparently ‘one of the most prestigious interior designers in the world’, and the building itself is fascinating - a minimalist conversion/ development of an old fort known locally as “Molhe” – Fortaleza da Nossa Senhora da Conceição, which was once the home of Gonçalves Zarco, an old Portuguese sea navigator and colonizer of the Archipelago of Madeira.

I love the harsh exterior of this building, old stone walls rising from bleak rock, with industrial stairways and railings adding to the feeling of austerity. Even the newer façade of the Design Centre is a simple white, stark against the darkness of the fort. 

Once inside, accessed via lifts, the interior is predictably the work of a designer - and the views across to Funchal are stunning. 

Of course, we’re here for the food and it doesn’t disappoint - all in all, a wonderful evening. 

I only have my iPhone - but I may well return later in the week as I feel this building has far more to offer! 

For now, my main’s a view of Funchal harbour from the restaurant with the top of the old fort in the foreground (not sure why I’ve gone for mono yet again - but it seems to work for this) with collages of the Design Centre and of our meal - yes, I’m afraid I’m one of those annoying people who insists on photographing food! 

My visits to your journals may be cursory this week - I know you’ll all forgive the lack of comments. 

More on the Design Centre below, if you’re interested. 

http://www.niniandradesilva.com/en/design-centre/