Quinta

Walked around our hotel (a Quinta) garden this morning  just as the sun was rising as I knew we would be departing soon.
Lovely flowers in the early sun. This Strelitzia, Bird of Paradise flower is not surprisingly Madeira’s national  flower. 
They are everywhere. There were more down by the swimming pool where I noticed for the first time the Norwegian Pine. According to our guide on Friday all Quintas have a pine tree which are usually left even if the property is redeveloped. A Quinta is a country house or estate in Portugal. They are usually on the outskirts of towns but many have been developed as the towns have grown around them but apparently they always leave their pine tree!
It can also mean a wine estate, all the estates which grow grapes for the port and other wine trade down the Douro Valley are called Quinta followed by the name of the estate. 

This bridge and lift down has been great for helping us back up the hill and we’ve taken to strolling down in a morning or evening to view what is happening in the harbour re comings and goings of cruise ships, four today!!
Waiting outside the hotel for our pick up, the gentleman from reception came out to inform us we had left something in the room. A lady came  down with my little travelling jewellery box. I’d looked for it at the beginning of the week and couldn't find it, I thought I must have left it at home. We didn’t see it when we left the room so we were extremely lucky that she spotted it. Nothing valuable in it except to me. I would have been devastated when I got home and found it not there.

Sadly we had to leave this blue sky and paradise of flowers.
No queue or issues at the airport, I collected my pre paid Madeira wine and we had a smooth flight home. Many years ago when we travelled here it was quite the thing to being back a bouquet of Strelitzia, I noticed there were some to buy in the airport but I can’t imagine they would allow you to bring them into the UK now.
Not a full plane, most rows of three seats were only occupied by two people.

We’ve had a lovely time, thank you for your kind stars, hearts and comments and for taking time to follow our travels.

A little story from last night. We went to a previously untried restaurant for dinner, Chris went for Octopus, his usual and  decided I would try the Bread soup with Shrimp - Acorda de camarao. The waiter described it as a very Portuguese dish  he seemed very concerned that I like it. He came to ask if I was happy to have coriander in it and when I said I’d enjoyed it at the end of the meal he was delighted as he said his mum had made it! I thought that was very sweet.