After the rain …

Last night - including the evening not covered by my blip - was incredible. We walked through the garden to the Manor House under a large umbrella off which the rain was stotting; we dined on seven exquisite courses with paired wines; we rounded it off in conversation with a French couple who turned out to have come from Benodet in Brittany. We’ve stayed In Benodet. And the conversation was in French. Smug? Moi?

During the night out big sliding glass door creaked in the wind, and we were rained on when we went for breakfast. But… in the time it took us to eat and leave, the clouds had vanished and the morning was the hottest we’ve had so far. I sat reading on the sunlounger till almost noon, when we felt we really needed … you got it. A walk.

The collage comes from that walk, heading along the coast away from Funchal until the constant up-and-down got us worn out. We found ourselves sitting on the same bench we’d sat on two years ago, and on our way back we had coffees and fizzy water in the same cafe. The sea crashed dramatically below us; the vegetation was vibrant and colourful; the horizon glittered and dazzled. A good walk.

Now I’m sitting on the (slightly damp) grass with the sinking sun on my back to blip this. We spoke to the waiter outside the Parrots restaurant as we trudged up the hill - he says we’ll have a table tonight whatever happens.

And by the time we’ve staggered back up the hill, the day and my energy will be done..