Have some Madeira, m'dear

A short break in Madeira, a volcanic island off the coast of northern Africa.  We were only there for a few days, to get some warmer weather and sunshine before our working season starts. The locals were friendly, and welcoming.  If you look like a tourist (the camera slung over the shoulder was a giveaway) they will greet you in English first, followed by other languages if necessary.  The restaurant menus are in at least 4 languages.  This is in marked contrast to other tourist destinations where, if you don't at least attempt the native tongue, reception can be surly and grudging.

So we will be back for a longer stay when we can.

Being in the Atlantic, the climate is warm with realtively stable temperatures; little change between day and night, and a variation from 16°C Winter average to 23°C Summer average.   First impressions were of a warm climate, with Banana, Opuntia cactus, Bougainvillia and Aloe plants growing wild.  Narrow, steep-sided valleys with tiny rivulets at the bottom but great big concrete fingers standing up in them, presumably to calm the torrents that sometimes flow.

The island has an indigenous population of about 250,000, and gets about 20 million tourists per year.  I think it would be a bit crowded in high season, but in February it was not, and yet every tourist attraction that we wanted to visit was none the less open.

Meanwhile in France, a cold snap.