MADEIRA, Thursday, 6 April 2017

The ease with which this mountain of a ship was parked is astonishing.Not a bump,not a scratch.It cannot dock in shallowish waters, of curse, I cannot imagine the size of the horde of wild horses that would be needed to pull it out of trouble.But with a master sailor like the captain at the helm this would never be needed.Unless you are a vain Italian whose stupidity and any disregard for the safety of his passengers would bring the ship to its death and 30 passengers with it. I know Madeira well.I have been here several times and it used to be my favourite island in this part of the wold until several years ago purely out of a necessity the ship I was on docked on a delight of an island La Palma, where we will be spending tomorrow, in fact. The centre of the capital of Madeira,Funchal,is a walking distance from the port,some 20 minutes away,even though shuttle buses are provided,£4 one way,children £2,[ some ships offer this service free]. The capital is neat,colourful,with numerous cafes and restaurants,small shops to get lost in and flowers everywhere.Perfect place to spend a perfect day. As I write I am sitting in the Lido self-service restaurant on the 16th floor of Britannia.Porridge,fresh red melon and some pineapple.orange juice and I am ready for the day.