New day, new surprises. Time to see the forest that I heard so much about it. It takes about an hour to get there from the capital Funchal. We had already set off early in the morning, but we were not sure if we would be able to see this wonderful scene, because it was about 30 degrees and sunny at the coast. Since I didn't know exactly what was waiting for me, I put on shorts and a t-shirt, even though I read somewhere that it would be cold there. Yes, of course, it will be 30 degrees at the coast, but when I get to the hill the temperature drop to 15 degrees? Yeah, I didn't believe it.
The route took us through Paul da Serra, which is a very popular spot for hikers and is also the flattest part of the island. Its altitude is somewhere between 1300 and 1500 meters. And it is because of this height that you can see beautiful green forests and valleys here. If you are lucky you can even see the ocean on both the north and south coasts. This is also a very popular spot for anyone who likes stargazing. Like me for example. I saw a lot of pictures from this exact place, and when we drove by, of course, we had to stop because I wanted to see it, even if it was during the day. The intention was to go there in the evening as well, but due to bad weather forecasts, we were unable to do so. I'll do that next time. But it's also beautiful during the day.
When we set off again, after a few minutes the fog started to surround us and the temperature started to drop. When we parked the car and got out, a wave of chills came over me. And not only because it was really cold, but this view of the fog, because I couldn't see almost a meter in front of me. From 30 degrees to 15 degrees in one hour. Wow. I really didn't expect that. When we entered the forest, I wasn't able to speak, because the surroundings surprised me. First rule. Do not distance yourself from the company because you can quickly get lost. So we stuck together and hoped we wouldn't get lost. But you can still scream Marco Polo if you get lost. Maybe someone will hear you. You also have many hiking trails, but after an hour of research, we decided not to go on the hike on one of these trails, because we were not properly equipped and we were all already very cold. So, when you go to this forest, take a jacket and long pants. I recommend.
Something about Fanal forest
Madeira is almost entirely covered with forests, the most famous of which are laurisilva or laurel forests. These primeval forests are home to many plants that are constantly regenerating. Many plants that elsewhere grow only a few centimeters high, can reach the height of an adult man here. Laurisilva covers about 20 percent of the island. Ground vegetation consists mainly of mosses and ferns. This is a type of primeval forest that have a lot of moisture and stores water.This is where mountain vegetation begins. At an altitude of 1,300 meters above sea level, temperatures here are acceptable for laurisilva.
This volcanic island first received the rains that came from the west, and that's why the remains of this luxuriant forests were preserved. Here is exceptional example of this unique vegetation, which is always almost permanently shrouded in clouds and fog, and this is what gives the forest its magic and mystery. A long time ago, Laurisilva forest covered much of southern Europe. Unfortunately, there are only a few places left with these trees and the largest is here in Madeira.
Here rains almost every day, and that's why provides subtropical plants with ideal conditions for growing.The Fanal forest or also called the fog forest, is perhaps the oldest type of laurisilva and one of Madeira's natural wonders. These beautiful trees are covered in lichen and moss.
All trees here have unique shapes and it looks like they have their own personality with so many stories to tell, just amazing to look at.
Pictures really do say more than 1000 words, but you really have to see this in person. All horror movies and stories came to my mind when I saw this scene. As if I really found myself in some kind of fairytale story. Extraordinary.
On a way home, we had certain stops because of the incredible views, and we had to take pictures.
We ended the day with a great dinner and a poncho. I must say that food prices can be compared with other European countries. But I still recommend that you look at the menu and prices first because you might still find a restaurant with inflated prices.
Oh, and a little something about their traditional drink Poncho. You can find it everywhere on the island. Literally.
The drink was supposed to get on the island somewhere mid- the eighteenth century, and it should have been brought by the British during one of their explorations.
Traditional Poncha contains rum (also known as sugar cane brandy), lemon juice, and honey, and if you want you can also add sugar. Today, there are many other "poncha" versions where you add fruit juices such as passion fruit, oranges, maracuja, or tangerines. I think we tried all the flavors. 😊
If you are in Madeira you must try this drink. But don't overdo it, certain drinks contain more alcohol, especially freshly made ones. We have experienced this ourselves. It was a drunken night, and that's why a lot of card games. 😊
You can also see location - Pinmapple maps
[//]:# (!pinmapple 32.81196 lat -17.16454 long From Madeira with love - fairytale forest d3scr)
“For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
With love, @tinabrezpike ❤️
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Wow, the place looks enchanted, I love the effect of the fogs in the erea. You have nice places to to discover.
Thank you for sharing @tinabrezpike