Pat’s Postcards from Paradise

The view from our table overlooking the street below and the marina/waterfront to the left … After our unpacking and freshening up we wandered thru the neighbourhood. We chose a table on the upstairs balcony.  We all chose seafood dishes.  The winner being Susan’s shrimp curry. Next stop we easily found the supermarket « Pingo Doce » located in La Vie Shopping Center, only 200 meters from our house.  An early night in hopes we will have caught up on our sleep! 

November 11th, 2021  Today was the long anticipated day of departure or in our own terms “the Hurry Up and Wait Day”.  We had a smooth drive / ride to the Toronto airport with plenty of time to spare which worked to our advantage as we were first in line when the TAP Portugal counters finally opened (3 and a half hours before takeoff). We had checked in online however we were still required to go to the counters for another check/ confirmation of passports, vaccination certificates and baggage drop off.  Next was security which also went smoothly for us although a bit chaotic (think it was more people not understanding what was required). From there we headed to our gate, finding a comfortable area to ourselves to wait for the boarding call.  We had been cautious in all our planning so it wasn’t time to stop now. We had pre booked our seats in hopes no one else would be seated next to us and it paid off as each couple had three seats to themselves.  Then it was “Up, Up and Away” time. 

After two years with no travel, we are heading to the beautiful island of Madeira, Portugal.  The pandemic has taken its toll on our daily lives which included isolation, hibernation, many lockdowns and restrictions.  We missed many family get togethers, social events with friends and just normal day to day living. After much research and careful consideration (weighing of the risks) and both of us (actually all four of us) being  fully vaccinated we are ready to step out in to the world again.  We are travelling with our dear friends to Funchal, Madeira. After some discussion about our options ie. a hotel stay or self catering we made a conscious decision to not stay in the more touristy hotel strip.  We found a downtown villa overlooking The Municipal Gardens that is located in the historic Old Town with easy access to everything.  Msr. Honey & I spent a short stay in Funchal in November 2015.  We are excited to return for a longer stay to enjoy the mild temperatures (low to mid