Madeira - Review

Yeah, I'm still alive, the airplane didn't crash ;D

So what should I say? The island is word- and breathtaking. Especially if you - as me - have hardly ever seen the sea. I think the sea was the most beautiful I've seen through these days^^ But actually almost everything we saw was a beauty (Yes, I will upload pictures - as soon as I sorted them out). There are these high mountains and when you're up there, looking around, down the steep slopes into the valley where you see houses as small as a thumb tip, above you the endless sky mixing with the sea and around you everywhere plants you've never seen ... you must feel happy. And you discover that humans are nothing more than small, small creatures on this great earth. Around the whole island you will find places you can never dream of.

My funniest experience?
Well, on our last day, we wanted to hike on one of these great Levadas, but we didn't find the one we'd like to take. And as luck would have it, our teacher followed the signs to old ruins. And behind the ruins we found a path. By the way, close to the path's end there was a very unstable-looking bridge, which we had to cross one by one, because otherwise it probably would be broken. Ok, after all had cross we came to a natural pool out of basalt filled with seawater. There was a constant water inflow and outlet by some of the high waves, which reached over the basalt. So Maria and I went down, to touch the water and as we wanted to return, for whatever reason, she needed an eternity to climb up. I was standing there, looking at the sea and I saw the wave coming. And I thought "Hurry Maria!" But she didn't and so the wave crashed against the basalt and overflushed me. Really, I was wet up from my head down to the feet.
Ok, in fact it was very dangerous because the wave could have swept me out to sea or I could have crashed against the basalt. After both I wouldn't sit here and write journal entries. But - I'm here, safely sitting at home and so I think it was very amusing.

But as everything even Madeira has its dark sides. You will see them if you walk through Funchal and almost in every street you'll find some beggars. And I'm a person who can't walk over and don't feel something for this people. Especially when they are old or have missing arms/legs. What should they do, without having high qualifications, on an island where you find jobs only in agriculture and services? This always made me almost cry. Because I'm someone who lives in Germany, a country with a well-doing economy and help for unemployed or disabled people and yes it could always be better. But it can also always be worse. And I'm not suffering. No - I have a place to live, food, clothes and running, warm water. I don't have to complain because compared to these people I have everything I need.

So now you have an overview about my days on madeira. I would like to tell about every single day, but that would take to long. If you have questions about the hotel or some places or something general I'd be happy if you just ask me : D