I would like to wish all of the readers of this blog a very very Merry Christmas (not too merry, though……….. – this is an age of austerity!). Reader numbers and “Comments” traditionally climb at this time of year, but once again numbers are increasing compared to previous years – approaching 500 “authentic” visitors to the blog each day. The Comment Counter on the right hand column of the page is currently “broken” but the numbers of contributions has now well exceeded 10,000 – THANK YOU ALL – it really does make it all worth while.
Christmas Lights
Somebody in the Funchal “Street Decorations” Department (AJJ’s great-grand-nephew’s sister-in-law twice-removed I believe!) commissioned these (charged to the EU of course) without checking all the viewing angles – photographed a couple of days ago on the seafront just west of the Lido. Either they have a good sense of humour or a deep sense of irony:
Finally……………………..
Just had to replicate this from the Telegraph this week! More from the brilliant cartoonist at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/matt/
from yesterday Dnoticias Tourists damage Mayan temple in Guatemala on the ‘World’s End’
Tourists headed to Guatemala for the festivities of the ‘World’s End’, damaged a temple in Tikal, the largest Mayan archaeological site, today reported a local technician.
“Unfortunately, many tourists went up to the Temple II and caused havoc,” he lamented, quoted by AFP, Osvaldo Gomez, coach of the archaeological site, located about 550 kilometers north of the Guatemalan capital, Guatemala City.
The source did not specify damages, which evaluated as irreparable, but noted that it is forbidden to climb the stairs of the temple, which is about 38 meters high and faces the central plaza of Tikal.
On Friday, the day of the announced ‘World’s End’, the end of a cycle of the Mayan calendar, over seven thousand people visited Tikal to attend the festivities.
Critics complained that the event was made for tourists and that had little to do with the Mayan culture.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1979 Tikal declared as World Heritage
Merry Christmas Everyone – apart from EasyJet Pax!?!
Merry Christmas Jon and readers.
Merry Christmas all… am I being really thick? (probably) I can’t work out the significance of the Christmas lights photos… I’ve tried to look for rude things, initials, I still can’t work it out. It’s quite a Christmas puzzle. Oh, I just looked again and I think I’ve finally worked it out… a mosquito?
Merry Christmas to all. See you soon Madeira!
Likewise Becky ……………Yes, I think mosquito is correct!
Well, hopefully EasyJet won’t find any more excuses not to fly here (see previous post for details) today. We will see our (ex) guest’s again in Santa Cruz before their belated Christmas Eve flight later this p.m……..
Nearly time to walk of yesterdays excess – Lucy, Walkies!
Enjoy everyone, not long to go Anneke!
chilly day here in madeira. Shall i complian to the tourist office?
Re BBC News – shame on Easy jet saying Funchal airport closed on Xmas Eve. This is not correct, there were lots of flights landing ok.
EVERY OTHER flight arrived/departed O.K. ONLY EASYJET lied and leftx4 plane loads of pax stuck here/in the U.K. over Christmas. I will e-mail the BBC accordingly, as I have already done so with Sky news and the Daily Mail – Funchal Airport was only out of (wind) limits, to certain aircraft/crew types, for approx x1.5 hrs! It was NEVER CLOSED! Furious….JON!
from Dnoticias Government decides Republic today privatization of ANA
After suspending the privatization of TAP, the Government of the Republic decides today the sale of ANA. Four proposals are the contest, among them the French Vinci, the Lusoponte Lusoponte shareholder, to acquire the company that manages airports in the continent and who participates in the capital of ANAM, the concessionaire of airports in Madeira.
With privatization, has already been announced by the Government of Passos Coelho, airport charges rise at Lisbon Airport and practiced in Madeira, “the highest in Europe,” as has been said, come down
Looks like the pound still on the way down.
from yesterday Dnoticias Entertainment and Circus lead many to Praia Formosa
Long lines of cars and parking lot. By early evening was so were the accesses to Praia Formosa, where they are installed the amusement park Luna Park and Circus World.
The Circus World brings this year a new show to Madeira, with the flying trapeze, the rubber-man (contortionist) and the human cannonball, which two years ago was a hit among the locals.
The sessions take place every day. From Monday to Friday at 21.45. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays at 15 hours, 17.30 and 21.45. After December 26, there is another session on weekdays. Besides performing at 21.45, there matinee to 16 hours.
The circus is integrated into the playground installed at Praia Formosa, Luna Park, opening at 15 pm and end at one in the morning
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From yesterday Dnoticias Chaotic at Estrada Monumental
It is the chaotic traffic in Estrada Monumental, especially on the axis between the roundabout and the junction of ASSICOM access path Arieiro because of motorists looking to get as close as possible to the amusement park located in Praia Formosa.
Besides stops rips the ‘dropper’ that exists in ‘Monumental’, the sidewalks are literally occupied by parked vehicles, as well as the surrounding streets, particularly in the area of Piornais where there are traffic jams caused by drivers trying ‘ escape ‘the epicenter of confusion.
The situation is causing major delays on public transport, that ‘caught’ by the large turnout of cars, are ‘stuck’ in traffic too slow.
For those who just want to keep going to other destinations, the situation is very complicated. Many motorists risking even make a U-turn in prohibited areas – continuous line – such is the desperation in wanting to get out of this pandemonium.
Arrived home on Christmas eve after a month’s stay. Took loads of insect repellent
stuff because of press reports & hardly saw a mosquito, I’m sure that the hype added to the lack of visitors which is a great shame as the weather was absolutely glorious for the whole of my holiday.
from Dnoticias Cloudiness and precipitation temporary weak in the last year
According to the Portuguese Institute for Ocean and Atmosphere in the archipelago of Madeira, on the last day of the year, there may be a temporary increase of cloudiness, with weak precipitation events. The temperature values will not have changed significantly.
Since the weather between Friday and the second day of 2013 will be influenced by an anticyclone, with a predominance of heaven fine and Wind.
A reader has contacted me to ask if I can help with establishing the whereabouts of the anticoagulant clinic in Canico.
“We are staying in Canico Jan/13 and my husband requires to visit an I.N.R. Clinic
An early reply would be greatly appreciated Thank You”.
Can anybody help on this?
The Policlinico in Canico, just down the road from the Farmacia does blood tests and they may well be able to help.
Viewed a side by side before & after the floods video recently on this site & now can’t find it again can you help
Quite a few friends and acquaintances taken queer with ‘flu like symptoms in and around Funchal during the last 3 weeks.
Could be dengue.
from Dnoticias Outbreak of dengue also led to cancellations, but hotel occupancy in Madeira is above 90%
Hoteliers Madeira occupations recorded between 90 and a hundred percent on the night of New Year’s, a result higher than expected, after the initial reservation cancellations because of the outbreak of dengue.
“I was a little afraid that there were more cancellations because of the dengue problem, because in November we had cancellations considerable, but fortunately the problem blurred up a bit and we are full”, told Lusa the Director of Reid’s Hotel, a the most important of five-star Funchal, with 120 years of existence.
According Marreiros Ulysses, “The year 2012 started well, then there was a break in March, especially in the English market, but since November there was a pretty healthy increase,” the prospect that “a good first quarter in 2013.”
“We have an occupancy rate of 100 percent this year and closed until early reservations,” he said, stating that this hotel will keep the “tradition and is open to everyone, the local population” in what is considered the most important poster tourism in the region and has its high point with the spectacle of fireworks, fireworks in the bay of Funchal.
Ulysses Marreiros emphasizes that the animation in the hotel intensifies from today and “the last three years the night of day 30 has been on the rise for Reid’se three restaurants are full.”
It states that although this hotel is connoted with older guests, this is one of the times of year where there is “a mixture of generations, gathering grandparents, children and grandchildren” and that there are cases of “guests coming this year for the third consecutive time for the holidays. ”
Also António Trindade, head of the Porto Bay Group, believes that “the alarm caused by the dengue outbreak in Madeira caused some cancellations, but the situation has to be made up and alarmism has decreased.”
“Despite all the constraints, the group reached this year about the same final results of last year and on December 31 we have an occupancy rate of 93 percent, which is slightly below that of 2011,” he said.
The hotel claims to be convinced that “if not for this problem the group would have exceeded the figures of 2011 and to reach 95% occupancy”, stating that the program year-end the group intended “customers only” and keeps the costume previous years and shows how the inclusion of the new “street entertainers who play in Funchal to integrate the animation of ‘New Year’s Eve.'”
According to the latest figures from the regional secretariat of Culture, Tourism and Transport, the occupancy at the end of the year will be 78 percent, 12 percentage points more than in 2011, which stood at 66%.
The fireworks New Year’s Eve in Funchal Bay, which was once considered “the best in the world” and appears in the Book of Records, has this year by theme ‘The Madeiran Feast’ and lasts eight minutes, being fired from 35 fire stations, five fewer than in 2011.
How is the situation with the denque now? When I come soon to Madeira do I have to make precautions ?
Barbie look at the blog of may 31 2010. You can also look at Youtube by looking for floods or mau tempo and february 2010.