Back to Belgium

Due to my country's strange rules it would be easier to lose my passport than to do one abroad. With that I would need a visa to go to the United States which implies more money, more paperwork and an interview where I could not make any jokes.

At the same time my tax situation in Belgium became insane and I was getting so homesick that I was considering attending a wedding. I detest weddings so that was clearly a sign.

So Belgium here I go. The paperwork should take at least 2 weeks and just hugging people another week. I'll go to the States after my hug quote is full.

So a month of paperwork and queueing, hugging people, crashing on sofas and not eating rice. Sounds ok to me.

Nha Trang small notes

Only me to get lost in a small city during the hottest hour and to pull a muscle on the same day.

Nha Trang has not inspired me so far, perhaps tomorrow once the painkillers work. It's a bit like the Algarve in Portugal: big buildings, hotels everywhere, shops for the tourists...

After the rain in Hoi An the hot sun in Nha trang is a nice surprise. I had actually forgotten how it felt to walk around with your clothes glued to you. Silly me.

Madeira: boat trip

The goal was to go and see some dolphins or whales but they wanted nothing to do with us. Can you blame them? Even before setting off the group was already misbehaving.

Since we didn't see dolphins nor whales I'll leave you with some pictures of Madeira from the sea.As you can see people in Madeira built homes thinking of the view first, practicality second. This is Câmara de Lobos.

Someone once told me that I'd go around the world with my All Stars...

The sun was shinning, the sea was calm but the wind was annoying. During most we were either sick, with ear pain or cold. It could've been nicer, however, I think everyone was happy to do the trip and see the island from a different perspective.


Well, those of us who did see something...

Madeira: bookshop

I know the Fnac and Bertrand are very popular and well, convenient but I grew up with "Livraria Esperança", literally Bookshop Hope. Sure it's dusty. Yes, they're not very nice to books even making new books look like second hand ones, but it's quite the sight isn't:

The bookshop gave new meaning to its name when I was able to find two Portuguese authors that Fnac and Bertrand didn't have (they even told me I wouldn't find it anywhere).

Madeira: 30 degrees to start the new year

To celebrate the new year and our hangover we decided to have a quiet day. We went to Praia Formosa and walked the Promenade. Basically it's a sidewalk that connects Câmara de Lobos to Lido crossing around five beaches.We didn't want to walk the whole thing so we only did the road from Praia Formosa until Lido. Sun, sea, palm trees...Perfect, hun?

Two days after the storm, the sea was still rough. On the third day we went on a calm boat trip...

Portuguese life is hard...

Some expressed their happiness about the weather more than others.

This is a house built in a cave/rock. There are people still living here in Praia Formosa. When I was a kid I was told it was because they were poor, in the meantime they managed to have gardens, colors, vegetable gardens, banana trees etc but I'm guessing they don't have running water.

Madeira welcomes 2009

Let me tell you now: I'm not a big fan of Christmas. But one thing is for sure, I love New Year's eve and fireworks. So I guess you can say that I grew up in the right place.

Madeira usually manages to amaze you on the 31st of December. Even during this year of recession it had a show of fireworks that lasted almost 10 minutes.

To celebrate Funchal's city status (500 years in 2008) some fireworks spots were added to the city center.Did I mention that in Madeira you can buy your own fireworks and have some fun with it before midnight? Our group tried to so, all except me doing it for the first time. It wasn't bad, we didn't burn the house down but let's just say that once I saw a firecracker explode centimetres away from my neighbors window, I didn't want to play anymore. Next time I'll do it with my cousin like when we were kids.Hmm, wait... I'll do it in a safer way but mostly like when we were kids.

Madeira: SouthWest side

2008 was saying goodbye with one of its warmest days ever (in Madeira, not in the rest of Europe I was told). We went to Cabo Girão, a steep sea cliff (It's about 580 metres), in order to be awed by the view. Until recent years the vineyards and farms seen below were only accessible by boat. I think it gave it more character.
Cabo Girão belongs to the district of Câmara de Lobos, we visited the center as well as stopping to see it from above:

Câmara de Lobos is now far from its days as the poorest area in Portugal. But even it all the investment and increasing number of visitors it still maintains a certain atmosphere you can't see or feel in Funchal (Madeira's capital).

It was this small town that Churchill painted happily (back then it was a fishing village) but the duration of his stay has been greatly exagerated.


Câmara de Lobos also displayed an interesting collection of Nativity scenes.

On our way to Curral das Freiras (Nun's valley) we stopped in Pico de Barcelos for a few pictures, you can see Funchal, Câmara de Lobos, the Desertas islands and more on a clear day.

Curral das Freiras/ Nun's valley is a area that receives a lot of tourists, but most stay only to take a few pictures of the view and move on.

There are km to be discovered in this valley, I was sorry we didn't have time to invest in it.

The old road is closed and the state likes people to drive in the new and fast highways (two cars honked at us when we were doing ONLY 70km/h) but I really loved the old curvy way to go into town. I understand it costs money to clear the roads every winter (the rains makes landslide a current activity) but perhaps it could be open during summer. God knows we receive enough tourists that want this sort of adventure...

Madeira: Northeast and East side

After traumatizing the Bulgarian in our group with all the curbs and ups and downs we had enough space in the car for a comfortable road trip. We first tried to go to Pico do Areeiro, the highest point of Madeira at 1818m but the clouds were coming down fast so not only did we miss out on the view and driving was very exciting. So we went closer to the sea.

It started clearing up a bit...



Until it was clear enough to see the Desertas islands (a nature reserve with sea lions, weird birds, rabits, spiders and strange wild life).

There is a little chapel on top of that. Not sure if it was to punish the priest or to give hope to the sailors arriving.

Those two little dots are people. I think.

This is in Ponta de São Lourenço. The windiest area of the whole archipelago.

This is why I love this place. Bring a jacket if you decide to come. And prepare to drive to the nearest towns in search of a road sign that says "Ponta de São Lourenço". You'd think that with all the modern highways they would think of telling people how to get to places...