How did we end up in Arkansas?

  A few years ago, Dawn came home from Costco all bright-eyed with visions of e-bikes, so we rushed to the store and bought two bikes which were notable mainly by their low price and great guaranty.  They were simple and fun to ride.  They encouraged us to go further and steeper when bicycling than we had done previously (we had previously only experienced rather inexpensive bikes, <$200).  Then we took a trip to Montana this summer.  There we experienced trails that significantly exceeded the capability of our simple little e-bikes; in fact, one of our e-bikes stopped working (returned for a full refund).  Additionally, when we visited Eric Eggen he showed us his two e-bikes which were much more capable and confidence-inspiring than what we were riding.

When we got home from the trip, I immediately went into research mode to discover what features a real offroad e-bike should have.  Then I went online to check the inventory of bicycle stores in the area.  Bicycles have become very popular in our COVID-influenced culture.  I was able to find two proper e-bikes, one in Colorado Springs and one in Denver: different brands but similar specifications.  I also had to buy a new receiver hitch bike carrier due to the heavier weight and longer wheelbase of the e-bikes.

These new mountain bikes have full suspension, mid-drive motors, hydraulic brakes, sufficient battery life for about 60 miles, and plenty of gears while keeping the weight to about 50 pounds.  Tremendous fun with measured exercise.  Our goal is not to see what challenging courses and obstacles we can conquer, but to go further and steeper, on what may be rough trails, to enjoy the scenery and chosen level of exercise.

The first Walmart in the town square of Bentonville, Arkansas.  Today, Walmart has taken over the area. very few grocery stores except Walmart.  Walmart has also required their suppliers to have local offices which has caused an influx of business; then other businesses have been attracted by the affluence of the area and the attractive community that the Waltons have created.

It was Saturday morning and a farmer's market and crafts fair were also taking place in the town square.  Still T-shirt and shorts weather; a great day to be out.  Many bicycling trails emanate from this central point.

The view along a bicycle trail just north of Bentonville.  You can choose the difficulty of ride.  We chose rather sedate paths, but other trails included high speeds and "big air" jumps.  Our longest day ride was about 26 miles.

Then we heard about the great bicycling in Northwestern Arkansas.  The Walton family, of Walmart fame, has invested millions of dollars in making their headquarters, Bentonville, into a beautiful and enjoyable community.  The area is in the Ozark Mountains with rugged, forested terrain, large lakes, clear-running streams, and now great biking paths, both paved and single track: with man-made features or through the heavily-wooded slopes of forest ravines.

Why not take our e-bikes on a road trip to this scenic area, not previously visited, and take advantage of mild Fall weather there with the heat of summer gone?  It didn't take much planning to reserve a week in the Bentonville-to-Fayetteville area.  Dawn was able to rent an entire house for about the same as a hotel room: a beautifully-restored 123 y.o. cottage in Springdale near the major bicycle Greenway.

The cottage entry way was too small for our bikes, but the kitchen had plenty of space.

Our cottage was actually quite spacious.  This was in an old, well-kept, central neighborhood of Springdale.  The Greenway, a paved and well-marked bicycle path, connects Bentonville with Fayetteville (about 30 miles apart), and Springdale is at the halfway point.  Did you know that cellphone GPS has a bicycle mode as well as driving and walking instructions?

Flowers from the garden next to our house.  Fall had not yet reached as far south as Arkansas.

Pea Ridge National Battlefield is nearby.  We are at a lookout point overseeing the battlefield.  Here in the wintery weather of early March, 1862, a Union army, 10,500 strong, met with a Confederate army of some 16,000 men.  Both armies had been marching hard (60 miles in 3 days) for days to reach this location.  Although only 400 died in the initial skirmishes, the eventual toll in lives was about 3,400..... a sad commentary on the state of medical care in those times.

Today a six-mile long paved path (perfect for bikes) allows people to tour the battlefield with ten stops with descriptions of the events of the battle.  Much of the expense for these displays was underwritten by the Walton family.

The trip lived up to our expectations, and the weather cooperated.  With Walmart success, the area has continuing new growth and many nice neighborhoods.  Amenities are excellent, scenery is good; people were friendly; and our schedule was relaxed.  Most everyone living there is originally from somewhere else; thus, they are open to newcomers.  A large Hispanic community with other minorities also represented.

Now I only have two states that I have not visited:  North Dakota and Delaware.   

 

Time for a Road Trip

 With international travel at a stand still, we settled for a road trip this summer.  Nothing amazing; just a visit to Montana.  We took our SUV with its receiver hitch bike rack to carry our two e-bikes.  We tried to limit the driving time; then each day we would hop on our e-bikes and explore a park, trail, or neighborhood: a combination of exercise, relaxation, and sightseeing.

First stop, Rawlins WYO, to see Jay & Connie, brother and wife.  We were supposed to meet in the Snowy Range mountains, but incoming rain spoiled that.

Those clouds turned into rain later, but the area is beautiful.

  Instead, the four of us rode the golf course near their home before enjoying a great dinner.  Sheridan, WYO, was our next stop.  Cute town; not too big, and yet the downtown was filled with interesting shops and eateries.  We found a well-delineated bicycle trail to follow through town, dinner at a nice Asian restaurant; then breakfast outdoors on main street, traffic not being a problem.  Then over the border into Montana.

On the bike trail in Sheridan, WYO.

We had brought a large ice chest to facilitate organizing some meals around grocery shopping.  We had lunch on a ridge overlooking Billings, MT, and also took our bikes for a ride.

We are looking down on Billings which is in the "banana belt" of Montana.

  Overnight was in the town of Bozeman.  Our Montana friends call the town "Bozangles" because of all the growth fueled by West Coast newcomers.  The town appears to have a great layout of bicycle paths which lead us through some parks and a cemetery.

We met up with our friends near Helena the following day.  A shared picnic lunch followed by a short bike ride and then we continued on to Missoula.  Missoula is the largest town in Montana; more than 100,000 people.  We, of course, found a bicycle trail to follow in a forested park with a stream before evening came.  Next day we headed for Kalispell; along the way we had great views of Flathead lake; I had never realized how big that lake is.

Five nights in Kalispell allowed us to spend one day each exploring Glacier National Park, the town of Whitefish and the nearby lake, Flathead Lake, and visiting friends near Libby.  Of course, each day also involved exploring on our e-bikes.  Glacier Park was full of visiting vehicles, but our bikes allowed us to avoid crowds on almost-vacant paths along Lake MacDonald.  The town of Whitefish is one of those very scenic, but touristy destinations, full of visitors and interesting shops.  We rode our bikes out of town to the resort hotel on Whitefish Lake where we had lunch overlooking the lake with nearby mountains and ski slopes visible.  Even from our hotel in Kalispell we found a nearby county park encompassing miles of bike trails- single track and forest access trails.

  Woodland Park in central Kalispell.

Going-to-the-Sun highway view in Glacier N.P.  Not really a highway; instead a narrow, curvy road with cliffs on one side- average speed about 20 mph.

Dawn on Lake MacDonald in Glacier N.P.  We rode our bikes along a shore trail and found our own beach.

Now the long drive began.  We planned to drive from Kalispell to McCall, ID; however, a large rockslide on the major highway connecting northern and southern Idaho, ruined our plans and delayed us.  A one-lane, alternating detour with limited hours, forced us to stop in Grangeville; short of our destination.  We were fortunate to find a decent motel room for the night.  Thus, the following day was also a long haul driving all the way to Pocatello.  We still were able to find a nice bike trail along a shaded creek in Pocatello. 

The next day, we "rocketed" back to Rawlins, WYO.  I say rocketed because the speed limit was 80 mph for much of the way (and we improved on that).  Finally the weather cooperated, and we were able to stop at the Snowy Range and walk the trails; view glaciers and small lakes/ponds from the ice melt.  The park was absolutely full of visitors; probably a combination of a beautiful summer day, the weekend, and COVID-19 effects.

Back at the Snowy Range in Wyoming with better weather.  We saw a moose cross the road ahead of us.

Late July in the mountains and the flowers are blooming.

Then it was back driving through the congestion of Denver to reach our home in the Black Forest near Colorado Springs.  Makes me want to move to a less-congested area, but Dawn says we are too old for that, and home is pretty comfortable.

We did enjoy the e-bike-themed trip sufficiently that we have purchased new full-suspension mountain e-bikes now that we are home.  We look forward to more such trips in coming months.  Wondering when we can resume travels overseas?

       

The Lost Vacation (and now found)

With the current viral pandemic, we have had to cancel our next vacation.  All flight reservations were made; all accommodations and a cruise were reserved.  Looks like we will be able to cancel the cruise and one accommodation with no penalties.  The other accommodations are allowing credit toward a future stays within a time limit.  Other flight refunds or credits are questionable.  We would love to take this trip at a future time with healthier conditions.  We expect no refund from the other airlines; they may stop the flights or even end up bankrupt.

The outline of the trip was to fly United (canceled with future credit) to DC to visit our son's family.  Then fly SAS to Copenhagen and SwissAir to Zurich.  At Zurich we would buy Swiss Rail passes and take the train to Luzern.  We had an apartment in central Luzern reserved for five days and planned to do day trips from there.  Next we would take the train to Wengen where we had hotel reservations for five days.  Wengen is a mountain village served only by train, no cars allowed, which overlooks the beautiful valley of Interlaken.  Again, we would do day trips using our rail passes or go hiking.

From Wengen, we would return to Zurich by train for an overnight hotel stay to catch a flight the following day; Swiss Air to Copenhagen.  We had an overnight reservation at the Marriot AC Hotel there (canceled with no penalty), and would then meet our Royal Caribbean cruise (canceled no penalty) the following day.  The eleven-day cruise heads north to the Arctic Circle with stops along the Norwegian coast.  Returning to Copenhagen, we then board Norwegian Air flights to London and onward returning to Denver and home.

It still seems like a great plan for a trip, but one that is best done in mid-summer.  We would have been visiting the Arctic Circle in mid-June; a time of year when the sun never sets.  On a previous trip (on our way to Croatia), a fellow traveler at Copenhagen told us how beautiful and unique the scenery is along the coast of Norway.  How cool would that be!

A recent email from our new acquaintance, Fabricio, at Madeira stated that all tourists had left the island by mid-March, the island is under lockdown, and he is out of a job.  The overwhelming majority of tourists to Madeira come from Europe, which gives us some idea of the situation in Europe.  I really doubt that the situation will be safe for travel by late May.  

NOTE:  It is now June 2021, and we are re-assembling our trip to Switzerland for this Fall.  We first fly to Omaha for my mother's 103rd birthday and to see some HS friends.  A quick flight to Chicago sets us up for first class flights to Zurich with a stop in Keflavik.  We have Switzerland stops arranged in Interlaken, Lausanne, and Luzern as well as Zurich; sixteen days total.  Much of our hotel cost has already been paid due to deposits from our previous canceled 6/20 trip.

We will buy Swiss Travel Passes which cover almost all public transport including boats.  The Passes also cover some museums and lifts.  In one village where we are staying, no cars are allowed.  We looked at adding some southern destinations to this trip (Istanbul, Malta), but couldn't find any that really interested us; the trip will be 27 days long as is.  Then it is first class Icelandair to Washington, DC, to visit our son and family.  Finally, we fly first class Delta Airlines back to Denver.

Can we justify first class air due to COVID concerns?  Regardless, we have found that we arrive more rested and don't pick up illnesses.  Such flight prices are reasonable right now. 

  

Headed home, an Azores stop.

Reviewing our stay in Madeira, I wish I had packed more shorts and less long pants. The predicted weather forecast was highs in the upper 60's, but for several days, a strong wind off the Sahara desert blew westward to Madeira raising the temperatures to the mid 70's.  I thought that we would encounter cooler temperatures at altitude, but with the sun shining above the clouds (4500'+), it was often warmer at altitude than near the coast. We had one day of rain; we used that day to visit the old town part of Funchal.

View from our hotel balcony in Ponta Delgada.  Go one block, turn right, and you are at a yummy ice cream shop.

After a long walk, we are at the east end of the harbor promenade.  A gray volcanic sand beach is in the distance.

Now we are at Ponta Delgada, the Azores, only a two-hour flight on our first hop homeward. We are staying in a boutique hotel we enjoyed previously, and, after a long walk along the harbor front, we found our way to a restaurant for dinner and an ice cream shop (sorbet for me) both of which we had previously enjoyed here. We like to break our flights up into shorter segments and avoid long days on an aircraft when we can.  Will we come again?.... This is our third time stopping at Ponta Delgada. This visit we discovered that beautiful parks Jardim Antonio Borges, the Presidential Residence, and Jardim Botanico are not far from where we are staying; discovered while we were on our almost daily long walk.

Lush vegetation with many very large trees; this tree is only notable for the tree moss; size-wise not notable.

An armed guard and security check were present at the entrance to the presidential grounds.  We were also required to stay on a designated path while walking the area.

Look at the size of that bamboo.  Tiny little Dawn (in comparison) is walking the path on the right side.

We invited our new friend, Fabricio, to visit us in Colorado; with he and his wife saving for a house, the travel expense for them may be excessive.  He did say that he will invite us to dinner at their apartment if we visit Madeira again.  The people we have met are so enjoyable!  We flew out of Madeira on February 29; March 1st they started quarantine for incoming tourists and then completely closed the airport.  Tourism is expected to be suspended until at least July.
Now we go home to shoveling snow, doing income taxes, and renovating our master bathroom. Ugh! Also time to renew our passports ASAP!

Hiking Madeira mountains

Dawn and I enjoy hiking; I like climbing upward, and she likes level ground.  Here in Madeira are the "levadas" used to conserve and utilize all water resources, but also very popular with the tourists.  Wherever a road crosses a levada, you will find a parking lot full of vehicles left by people out hiking.  For the longer walks, people hire taxis to drop them off at one end of a hike and pick them up at the other end.

We (really me) have climbed two of the tallest mountains here.  Today, we (Dawn does what is comfortable and I race ahead to the top) did Pico Ruivo; just over 6100 feet.  I only had to walk the last two miles from a parking lot, with about 1500 feet vertical. Passed many German speakers; some French, a few Brits; Eastern Europeans, but no Americans. We talked to one very friendly couple from Lithuania. Driving on the way here it was cool and cloudy; Dawn was worried that it might be a bad day for hiking, but as our vehicle climbed higher, we broke through the clouds to a beautiful sunny day.  The mountain tops were surrounded below by a seemingly endless ocean of clouds.  Absolutely beautiful sight!  We had experienced this once before, when we were living in Oregon: only those peaks that were above approximately 4500 feet stood above the sea of clouds, breaking like waves on the higher mountain slopes.

The trail to Pico Ruivo, about two miles long with a 1500' altitude gain.  Notice the endless layer of clouds at about 4000-4500' altitude.  it was 53 degrees just below the clouds and 68 degrees above (with intense sunshine).

Looking west from Pico Ruivo.  The western plateau can be seen in the distance.

The very top of Pico Ruivo.  Some tourists climb in groups and bring a picnic lunch.  You can see the peak of Pico Arieiro on the right side with its radar dome.

The village of Porto da Cruz on the northeast coast of Madeira.

Tomorrow will be our last full day here; ten days total and about what I would recommend.  We have ignored the downtown Funchal attractions; skipped a visit to the nearby island of Porto Santo; and failed to explore the western island coasts. Dawn asked if I thought we would ever return: "NO" was my answer based on our previous habits, but it could be quite enjoyable. I had expected that we might spend a few days just relaxing at the hotel; that has not happened, but our daily excursions have only been about five hours each, a relaxed schedule.

Encountered while hiking a levada, this little bird was unafraid and would eat seeds out of your hand.


Last night was a relaxed evening at the restaurant; our server, Fabricio, stopped at our table to talk.  He told us of Madeiran history, culture, and his family.  One interesting story was of his grandparents.  His grandfather met his future wife one day before their marriage. At that time, Portugal was very poor and ruled by a dictator.  His grandfather at that time was 35 y.o. and told a fellow fisherman that he was ready to get married. The fisherman went home and asked his daughters (he had ten children) if any of them were interested in marriage.  The twenty-year-old was eager to get out of their small house and volunteered. That afternoon she met her future husband for the first time, and they agreed on a wedding time for the following day.  They enjoyed a long and happy marriage of 51 years and produced three children.

The Tallest Peaks

We have now been at Madeira for six days, which is as long as we have ever stayed in one place, and we have further activities planned.  I doubt if we will make it to the far west end of the island or spend much time in downtown Funchal. Dawn calls this "another undiscovered gem" which means she really likes it.  But it is only undiscovered to Americans; many Europeans come here on vacation.  Very safe; scenic; good weather; moderately priced with excellent food; English spoken widely; what is there not to like?  We are used to European driving conditions, but, if not, plenty of organized tours are available.  Our hotel may be part of the attraction for us; a boutique hotel, five-star personal service, in a very relaxed atmosphere without the congestion of downtown Funchal.

Today we visited the Jardim Botanico, extensive gardens located in the heights overlooking Funchal. Nice, but not as large as I was expecting.  Then we went onto Pico Arieiro, at about 6000 feet above the surrounding ocean, one of the tallest mountains on the island.  An amazing trail connects it with two similar peaks.  Given that these are part of ancient volcanoes, the trail is over very rugged terrain.    I only walked a small section of the trail; it would be an all-day one-way trip.  The weather was perfect, upper 60's with light breeze.

Looking NW from Pico Arieiro to Pico das Torres.

Just a sample of this long, narrow and rugged trail between peaks.  I only walked a portion.  To walk the entire length and back in one day would take an early start and a high level of fitness.

This is where I stopped.  Enlarge this photo to where you can see the narrow path along that cliff.  The section after that was steep upward along a narrow ridge.  The trail also includes several tunnels through solid rock.

Tomorrow, we intend to tackle some additional levadas in the western part of the island.  It should be much easier than this.

The western end of Madeira is dominated by a 4000+' high plateau.  Few trees here, more bushes and flowers.  A row of wind turbines suggests significant wind.  We found levadas here, but with few trees present, we found the hiking to be boring.

An almost unbroken layer of clouds flows in over the north portion of the island; when it pushes through this mountain pass, it dissipates on the warmer, dryer southern slopes.

The village of Serra de Agua lies far below us in the deep valley.  You need to enlarge this photo to see that distant village.

Hiking the Levadas

When you think of Madeira, think mountainous and lush with rich volcanic soil. When driving here, you will either be going uphill or downhill. Curves are almost constant, and you will spend much of your time crossing bridges across ravines or passing through tunnels under ridges.  The longest tunnel we passed through is two miles long. A large section of the airport runway is supported by a massive bridge structure to make the runway long enough for normal jet aircraft.  There is a YouTube site dedicated to aircraft landing on this runway because the frequent winds make landing scenic (tricky). We have found ourselves driving on some single lane roads, narrower, rougher, and steeper than our driveway at home.  In fact, these roads are so narrow that the vehicle's proximity sensors are sounding continuously as we drive down the center of the lane. And these are roads leading to significant public locations, not back alleys.

Hundreds of feet of airport runway are supported by pilings due to the steep and uneven terrain.  The space below is used for boat storage, tennis courts, parking, and a go-kart track.

After driving a long single-lane road to get here, Queimadas has a nice facility for hikers and a large parking lot; it is the start of one of the most scenic levadas.

Typical levada.  With lush vegetation, the levadas were shaded by thick overhanging growth.  Even on a warm day, the shade can provide comfortable hiking.

In places, the levada is chipped out of a vertical cliff; below may be a vertical drop for hundreds of feet.

At some points, the levada is tunneled through solid rock.  Dawn declined to go through one tunnel because it was so long, dark, wet, and was only about 4 feet high.  I went through, but had my hat knocked off in the mud at one low point in the tunnel.

This waterfall, Caldeiras Verde, is 110 meters high, but space was too limited to photograph the entire height of the falls.  My camera lens was not wide angle enough to capture it.

Typical north coast terrain.  Without the levadas, this area would be almost impenetrable.

One of the attractions of coming here is to hike the "levadas". These are small irrigation channels, often hewn out of solid rock, which bring water from remote ravines to villages and gentler fields.  Some levadas are hundreds of years old; others are new, still being completed.  Narrow paths accompany the levadas. Thus, you are walking through almost impenetrable vegetation, crossing vertical cliffs, yet following comfortable shaded paths except when that levada is tunneled through the solid rock of a ridge. Then you are stooped over to avoid the low ceiling, stumbling along the rocky/muddy floor, and hopefully getting enough light from your cell phone screen to see the next step in the otherwise pitch dark.  All great fun!
Today we went 13 kilometers total to a waterfall 110 meters high while also passing by several other waterfalls along the way.  Very rugged and wild scenery. We noticed trout living in the levada; thus, the flow must be rather reliable.  Most of our fellow hikers were German; perhaps experienced volksmarchers. With a trail only 2-3 feet wide, a tall rock wall facing uphill on one side, and an abrupt cliff dropping off hundreds of feet on the other side, hopefully you remember to use the bathroom before setting out!  No stepping out in the woods!

On a subsequent day we hiked levadas near Ribeira Frio.  These sites have easier access and less challenging terrain.  Ribeira Frio is a small village with a nice restaurant (good toilets) and some tourist shops.  The parking can be crowded.

Introduction to Madeira

Our visit coincides exactly with Carnival here in Madeira.  There will be a big parade Saturday night in Funchal with almost two thousand participants. Friday it rained most of the day; a day to relax.  Then we went into the city for dinner and a look at the "old town" section of town.  We found a cobbler's shop where you could order custom-made boots, but the look was somewhat crude.  A wide selection of restaurants, all eager to please.  Dinner was fine, but not much different than our hotel.  Parking was congested and hard to find.

Our hotel is outside the city, near the airport, and is a very quiet, comfortable, and secure accommodation: two pools, tennis court, gardens, gym, and library; all right on the ocean.  Madeira is a relative bargain price-wise; at least at this season.  The vast majority of tourists are from Europe.  We have encountered mostly Germans; although we have a French family and British couple at our hotel.

We had dinner in the old town section of Funchal only one evening.  Our hotel owner also owned several restaurants; he would schedule various chefs from his restaurants to provide service at the Albatroz hotel; thus, the meals at our accommodation were varied and excellent.

 The western approaches to Fuchal.  The city includes a cable car from the harbor to Monte- a neighborhood overlooking the city.

Jardim Botanico, overlooking Funchal with many beautiful flowers, but the garden was smaller than I had hoped for.

A glass-floored platform extending out over a 1900' cliff on the south coast.  The day we were there, local winds were 50-60 mph.

We have already sampled the local drink specialty, poncha, a fruity drink with strong but tasteless cane sugar rum.  Madeira wine is good, but not distinctive from other locations.  Also tried the local fish, the scabbard fish- an ugly black fish with mild, delicate, white flesh. With jet lag we arose late today, then took an afternoon hike to Casa do Sardinha on the slender, eastern peninsula of the island. Good exercise on the rocky, uneven four-mile trail out and back.

 Looking out at Praia Prainha, uninhabited islets on the right.

We walked about four miles along this rough trail, but did not go to the end of the path on Ponta de Sao Lourenco.

Looking northeast to Porto Santo.  Porto Santo is about six miles long and has nice sand beaches.  Enlarge this photo to see the island better.  We didn't go there; it is a long, once-a-day ferry boat ride.  We don't like to get up that early when on vacation.

One of the pleasures of travel is meeting with people from other countries and comparing the similarities and contrasts in lifestyles.  One of our hosts here at the hotel is a young man, Fabricio, we have taken a liking to.  His English is very understandable; he tells us not to bother with Portuguese; it is a needlessly complicated language, but English is the world's easiest language to learn. He speaks American English (learned by watching TV); his wife (they recently married) speaks British English (learned at school).  Fabricio was pursuing a language degree at university, but felt like he was learning more by himself than through the courses he was taking.  He also speaks German. They plan to speak only English at home when they have children, because the children need to learn English as the predominant international language. He brought up politics in conversation..... Euthanasia was just approved by their parliament. They have socialized health care, and he is on the list to get a deviated septum corrected.  He thinks he will get to the head of the list by age 50; he is now 24 y.o.  He also discussed guns.... he has never actually seen one.

The Joy of Travel

Yesterday was a long day of travel: Washington to Boston to Ponta Delgado to Lisbon to Madeira, about twenty-four hours on the move. We needed to leave our apartment in Columbia Heights early enough to miss the rush hour getting to Reagan National. Waiting to board our flight, we got the message of a 55-minute delay from Delta; that left us with 25 minutes in Boston to collect our luggage and get from terminal A to terminal E for check-in.  Previously in Boston, we had spent that much time just waiting for luggage. We plotted our route from A to E and were fortunate that our bags were first out; we made our check-in deadline.

Then it was onto our Azores flight and our 10:30pm dinner.  Three hours later and a four-hour time zone change, we arrived in the pre-dawn at Azores.  After a 1.5-hour layover and sunrise, we flew onto Lisbon. At Lisbon our aircraft parked on the far side of the airport complex (along with most other flights). Down the mobile staircase, into a bus, and around the periphery of the airport to the terminal. Following a long hall into the terminal, we entered a large room with at least 500 people waiting in a snaked, single-file line for passport control. By the time our passports were checked, our flight to Madeira had already departed.

Welcome to Albatroz Beach and Yacht Club, no beach, no yachts, but a beautiful, quiet, and secure location.

The view from our balcony.

The saltwater pool could also provide a shower.  The freshwater pool was more isolated.

Our Jeep Renegade SUV, a 6-speed manual diesel.  I really like the small European-style cars, very fuel efficient and space efficient for their size.

   Time to find the SATA airline desk to get rescheduled.  Four hours later, our new flight lifted off for Madeira. Arriving in Madeira, we needed to contact our car rental company.  Our ten-minute wait turned into 45 minutes before we were taken to their office.  After renting a nice Jeep Renegade (a diesel, six-speed manual) with GPS, we finally found our way to our hotel, Albatroz Beach & Yacht Club, in time for a 7pm dinner.  There is no beach nor yacht club, but the boutique hotel is very nice. We sleep with our room open, with a view and the sound of ocean waves.