Skates visit Machico, New Hotel … cheap & Easy, Naughty sailors, & other snippets
TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Helen … our first shot of one of the tall ships, here as part of the Funchal 500 celebrations.
Front Page News : source : Diário de Notícias 29/9/2008
With both local teams playing on Sunday, of course most the front page is football. Nacional blew their 100% winning record with a 2-1 home defeat to Amadora, whilst Marítimo got their first win of the season, 2-0 against Académica.
A young man was found dead in the Ribeira dos Socorridos (Câmara de Lobos). As well as recovering the body from the river bed, firemen found an abandoned car near to the bridge around 140 metres above.
The day before the official inauguration of the new yellow sandy beach at Machico, a flutter of excitement hit the beach goers, when a number of ‘Skates’ were spotted near to the west pontoon. Movement in the water caught the attention of a number of people near to the new sand, and through the not so clear water it was possible to distinguish the shapes of the creatures. Skates do not normally come in so close, and there is a slight danger of injury to the public if the animal panics. It is thought that the yellow sand made them more visible when they would normally go unnoticed against the natural sea bed colours.
‘Easyhotels arrive on Madeira – a modern, comfortable, and simple hotel will open in the center of Funchal.’ I guess it won’t be a huge shock that the Easygroup (owners of Easyjet), have decided to expand their interests in Madeira by announcing the opening of a hotel, probably in 2010. The hotel will have 60 rooms, and will charge around €30 per night, regardless of whether there are one or two occupants. A spokesman for the group believes it will serve people on short breaks (less than 4 days).
Other News :
A group of Spanish soldiers, here on manoeuvres, were spotted by police vandalising the ship ‘Santa Maria’ in Funchal, and stealing the Portuguese flag. The yobs were on their way out of a discotheque early on Sunday morning, when they decided to make the detour. The flag was returned by the commander of one of the ships after the incident was reported. The matter is considered very serious as an ‘offence to the national emblem’ and can result in imprisonment of up to 2 years. In a similar incident in February, a Spanish sailor was arrested after pinching the flag of Madeira from the Regional Assembly building.
The ‘Lobo Marinho’, or Porto Santo Ferry, was delayed 4 hours on Sunday due to a mechanical breakdown.
A ‘snatch and grab’ robbery took place in Pingo Doce in Ribeira Brava on Sunday afternoon, when a thief dipped into the cash till when the cashier briefly turned away to help a customer. €1,800 was taken, in what is believed to be the second hit on Pingo’s stores in a week, by some men known to be from Camacha. The two men inside the store even had a getaway driver parked outside.
Porto Santo makes finances a bit of a burden when it comes to council tax, with average bills of €613 in 2007, compared to the average for Portugal of €235. The rise was 67.1% on the previous year, and that puts it number 10 in the highest council tax league table for the whole of Portugal.
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Now, as promised, a bit of rare but relevant entertainment found on youtube. Put your sound on and click the 3 links. Probably not so good for those with a fear of flying :
1. A real plane landing at Madeira Airport … the pilots view, landing from a north-easterly direction
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=Ld4RageIzg8&feature=related
2. A computer simulation landing from the south westerly end of Madeira Airport.
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=NFYdT5Fi0jc&feature=related
3. A real landing from the north-east again, but this is old footage in a turboprop plane, before the runway was extended. Watch right to the end if you dare.
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=kIuS4qx9WE4&feature=related
The 3 videos last about 12 minutes in total. Thanks to Ado for sending them.
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The ‘contact us’ form and the excursion and car hire booking forms on the main website have developed a fault which I only found out about yesterday. Nothing is coming through to me. If you have to send anything or have made a booking, or wish to, please email me. Very sorry for the inconvenience, I am trying to fix it asap.
Aside from your valued blog responses (you can reply direct using the form at the bottom of each blog comments page), please send any unreported Madeira news, photos, events information, or snippets for the madeira4u blog to blog@madeira4u.com – anyone can join in! Thank you!
I just had to watch that last video again, its just so amazing. I wonder if they drew 'short straws' for pilot duty!
OK Tobi, I made my posting as requested.
1–Der
NATIONAL LETS POST A COMMENT DAY, please, please post.
Blimey that last one was good, its suprising, they havent lost loads of planes off the edge…, Im glad i have never landed here before the runway was extended.
2–Tobi.
I flew in with Easyjet Sunday morning and noticed for the first time how much we had to bank to land on the North East runway, must be luck enough to come in the other way normally!
3Those Spanish are really quite disrespective of the Portuguese, it goes back centuries apparently!
–Elaine
welcome back Elaine, hope you didn't bring any nasty germs back with you?
On the Machico beach story, bathers who turned up to use it were rather surprised to find they had not built any showers or changing facilities. Apparently the €3 million would stretch that far, despite being able to afford to import sand from north Africa.
4–Der
Have flown to the island a couple of times before they extended the runway and really enjoyed it, although have to say I enjoy the take off and landing far more than the actual flight!! On nearly every flight I have been on the atmosphere in the plane when passengers see the runway for the first time is one of astonishment and fear and there is nearly always a round of applause when the pilot touches down! I have witnessed a few instances when watching incoming flights from the viewing gallery at the airport of planes trying to touch down and they having to take off again as going to fast to land safely – that's quite a sight! I think the airport as a whole has come on in leaps and bounds over the past 15 years – and must have one of the best views from a departure lounge of any airport in the world (the view over the sea).
5–Emily
Continuing on a plane theme, have a look at this thompson take off on youtube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOWtNCaIO1U, copy and paste it into your browser, this would scare the life out of me, and hope it doesnt happen often…
6–Tobi
I thought clapping for the landing was a general thing with the Portuguese Emily, I didn't realise it was reserved for Madeira landings only. It is a nice easy airport, usually quick to get through both ways. Everything has got expensive there now. I remember my first coffee there 5 years ago was only 60 cents, probably double or more now.
If anyone is interested Arsenal v FC Porto in the champions league is on RTP1 tonight at 7.45.
7–Der
We landed several times on the old runway,touching down right on the edge, then being forced back in our seats with the tremendous reverse thrust of the engines. We found it exciting at the time but looking back,think it was quite hairy. We had one awful landing with TAP, very windy and we seemed to drop a great distance at the last minute. I was sure I was meeting my end but we reached terra firma in one piece!! and we aren't put off. I love listening to the comments of the first timers on the Santa Cruz approach and we don't tire of visiting the little town on a Monday to watch the planes coming in..
8–Eiryl
The airport is very expensive – last return journey from the canteen place on the top floor of departure lounge, we had 2 x sandwiches, 2 x packets of crisps and 2 x soft drinks and the price was over 15 euros! We thought they had made a mistake!
9–Emily
Watching the video Tobi suggested, the Madeira landing seems a piece of cake.
wow Emily, it would have been cheaper to eat on the plane almost. Glad you are all enjoying the videos.
10–Der
Posting as requested. This is my first post but I read and really enjoy your blog everyday.
11Heres the programme of events for the tall ships. http://www.funchal500anos.com/tallshipsrace/en/programa.asp
12–Tobi
3. video ("old footage") – it's not Madeira. They are landing on rwy 12 (and the other end is "30"), but runway directions of Madeira airport are 05/23 (04/22 before extension) – see http://www.anam.pt/1983-a-1986-319.aspx.
13–Maris
Not Madeira Maris! I am not 100% convinced, but I never saw it in the old days. Anyone else any thoughts.
Thanks to Anon for posting and the kind feedback. And many thanks to Tobi and the regular posters for trying to break the record number of posts on the 'post per person' day … I just checked yesterdays statistics for visitor numbers, and we were short just 225 posts … so close and yet so far
14–Der
Lucky Madeira.
Don't the tall ships look wonderful?
Can you visit on board?
15–Martin
Emily.
16The airport canteen must be run by the staff of the Mercardo and that would account for the high prices.
Mark my words "you havn't seen anything yet!"
Would have thought socialist government rushed tohave regulated these prices down to a minimum.
Let the tourist minister know your unhappy!
–Martin
the third video is not in Madeira
17–Ricardo
you can visit the tall ships Martin, but I am not sure when. I sent my email, but nothing back yet. Last time I sent one to her, it was a couple of weeks before I got a reply.
18–Der