MADEIRA IN SEASONS...
As with Vivaldi’s violin concerto, Madeira has its
own four very distinctive seasons. Being in the Northern
hemisphere we start our seasonal year in March with
Spring. And what better way to mark this than with
a parade - Carnaval! This annual festival is held forty
days before Eas ter and ends on Shrove Tuesday - or
Fat Tuesday as it is called here, the day before Ash
Wednesday or the first day of Lent. We have two parades
- both very different from each other. The first is a more
sophisticated and thematic procession of floats and
troupes in magnificently colourful costumes dancing to
samba music - all very evocative of the Rio Carnival. The
second one is held on Fat Tuesday and, like Mardi Gras
in New Orleans, everybody can take part and can dress
up in whatever takes their fancy.
{
...a sight that can never really be
conveyed in words or captured
on film... an experience that is
never forgotten.
Other festivals celebrated in summer include
the Cherry Festival - their bounty is sold along the
roadsides throughout the island so even if one
misses the festival one can never miss the cherries
- the Jazz festival, the Banana Festival, the Apple
festival with its all important Cider and of course the
Madeira Wine festival - the festival honouring the
precious nectar that the island is famous for!
If there are Chestnuts being sold from the
street carts then it must be Autumn. The Valley of
the Nuns abounds with history and urban legend
but also with Chestnut Trees and they too have their
own festival in November.
The next big Spring event is, of course, the Flower Festival.
Madeira has been described as Europe’s greenhouse
and this festival does not disappoint. In as much as the
fireworks take ones breath away each and every float in
the Sunday parade will do the same. This is one of those
sights that should be on everyone’s bucket list!
December in Funchal is magical. It is with
almost childish impatience that the community
awaits the beginning of the month and, with it, the
turning on of the Christmas lights and thus the count
down to the New Year. Over and above the traditional
Christmas light displays, which are spectacular, all
the trees are literally wrapped in coloured lights and
tucked away in the branches here and there are little
speakers playing music which provides a wonderful
‘soundtrack’ whilst strolling through the streets.
The Atlantic Festival in June heralds the beginning
of Summer. Throughout Summer the Church in each
village or town holds their own religious celebration
which we call a Festa. You will know one has started as
each and every Saturday at 12 noon a volley of fireworks
is set off to signal the start of the festa - there seems
to be a competition to see which village can make the
loudest bang! The Church service on the Sunday ends
with the Priest walking along a predetermined route
around the church on what we call a flower carpet - a
pathway literally carpeted in flowers - the Church elders
and congregation follow. This ritual is to honour their
particular Saint.
If one arrives in Madeira at night time the
first glimpse of Funchal is literally breathtaking.
And, much like a child with an Advent Calendar, the
excitement on this little island mounts as day by day
we get closer to New Year’s Eve. The cruise liners all
start arriving early in the morning of the 31st and by
that evening the Port is overflowing with twinkling
ships and every possible vantage point on land is
taken up and as the clock ticks over to the new year
the city bowl explodes in a cacophony of colour and
sound - a sight that can never really be conveyed in
words or captured on film, but an experience that is
never forgotten.