A swim in the indoor pool before breakfast was the plan. However we were a bit taken aback by the fact it didn't get light until 8am so we overslept and got to the pool later than planned. The pool had an outdoor area as well so we tried to get in a few lengths before the breast stroke brigade arrived and then we retired to the jacuzzi. Breakfast on the terrace was good and set us up for the day .The wind was still very strong and the sea quite rough but we went to see if open water swimming was a possibility. There are two infinity pools and steps going into the sea,but we decided the chopping conditions were not ideal.

We set off into Funchal to get the race numbers which was at a hotel near the gondola so we thought we would do the gondola trip today. However on the walk into town we got detoured into a sales pitch for a holiday company. I don't know quite how we got conned into this diversion ,but we managed to get 2 free tickets for the gondola and it didn't take the salesman long to realise the Le Goods are not the typical couple to go to Madeira and he was wasting his time and ours. So we continued our walk unhindered into the centre of Funchal with the hustle and bustle of a holiday resort, and a lot of "old " people. We got our numbers from a hotel near the old town and stopped for a coffee before heading to the gondola.

I love gondola rides, and this ride was a spectacular way to see Funchal. The poor couple we shared the gondola with sat there petrified neither of the would look outside. They were going to get a taxi down as they could not face a return trip. They had come off a cruise ship and they had chosen to spend the little time they had ashore on an experience they hated .
We arrived at the Monte with spectacular views over Funchal, an interesting walk up through cultivated terraces was of great interest to allotmenters. There won't be any banana growing in Witney though.
We arrived at a pretty little church which was in the centre of the village and climbed to the roof terrace to get some great views. The streets below was the location of the famous Madeira toboggan runs. There seem to be an abundance of men dressed in their white trousers and straw boater hats waiting for tourists to have a ride in the toboggan. The toboggan,which is basically a wicker basket on runners is pushed down the road with 2 men jumping on the back to steer. We opted to visit the Tropical gardens instead we must be getting old. The gardens were quite stunning with a palace in the middle surrounded by water features with hundred of koi carp .If you make it to the far corner of the gardens to a tea room you are rewarded with a free Madeira wine tasting. By the time we returned down in the gondola to Funchal the wind had got up and we were entertained watching laser dinghies capsizing in the harbour. The large cruise ship departed and we walked back to our hotel. We had planned to have a swim in the outdoor pools but the strong winds were quite cool and water temperature had dropped so the indoor pool for a quick dip before dinner.