What a blessed, fertile, cultured and cultivated island Madeira is. This "island of eternal spring" was a "naturalists paradise," with its exoticism attracting Thomas Cook and Joseph Banks.

It is immensely fertile, everything seems to grow here, having been colonized by Henry the Navigator, who introduced the sugar cane of Sicily and the Malvesia (Malmsey) vine, mentioned by Shakespeares Falstaff in Crete. And it is an island large enough to hold different dialects, with some pronouncing the second syllable of Madeira with an E and others with a self.

 

I took myself as a respectful tourist for the capital Funchal and its Old Town, the old quarter. It is lined with photographs of menus but is gratefully adorned with small tat in the adjacent shops.

I stumbled upon the famous market, the Farmers Market. Its bustling and fragrant and acts as an active marketplace for locals who proudly and joyfully display their production in pyramid stacks amid tiled walls and mosaic floors. What a revolt of color! Ideal for a joyful souvenir photo. Even better for a puzzle box when I looked down from the first floor to the patchwork of products.

 



Flower sellers are required by law to wear their distinctive red and yellow striped skirts along with a red bolero and a red cape. They certainly stand out at their famous Flower Festival in May. It is one of the highlights of the Madeiran calendar and includes a childrens parade in which each child carries a single flower to place on a "Wall of Hope" in order to ask for peace in the world.

Beyond Funchals main promenade is the magnificent pink salmon building, known as  Belmond Reid Palace ,  where I was fortunate enough to stay. While my car rattled along the narrow sidewalk stones, I simply handed the keys to the doorman and was extremely comfortable in no time. The staff were open and approachable and it was clear that this top hotel knew how to make luxury living as everything was carefully thought out!

Along the pink walls and checkered floor are the gray grilles of the balconies that reflect the streaks of palm leaves. The leafy motif of the hotel also suggests the wallpaper of the Churchill Suite. Style is everywhere, with Prussian blue towels provided by white uniformed pool attendants presiding over two spacious pools that can be used until February.

 

Down a dirty, ugly route past the once-converted tennis court is the spa. It boasts "signature indulgences", "body rituals" and "facial therapies" as guests undo their white robes to surrender to shameless, luxurious pampering.

And cleverly utilizes the ocean view as well as the sound of crashing waves adding to the overall impact. All in refreshing contrast to the nature photos and sound recordings I find in most spas.

Stretching from the foyer is a narrow passageway to the hotels Ristorante Villa Cipriani. It has a rustic, traditional feel with red cotton towels and the seafood on the menu could not be fresher coming straight from what looked like the ocean below. The view prompted me to order a wonderful Venetian style crab with avocado lemon and horseradish sauce before my Rossini style beef filet accompanied by Canudo Red wine.

 

The other night I enjoyed the Michelin starred William restaurant, where Chef Luís Pestanas innovative creations grace my taste buds. It has panoramic views of the sparkling lights of Funchal reflected in the windows to resemble a starry sky full of magic and wonder.

After two rounds of fun snacks, I struggled to make my way between carrot cream soup with ginger, granola and honey, and curry ravioli with yellow squash and hazelnuts. My main course was sea bass with barley and spinach followed by an eclectic selection of the cheese cart. The sommelier recommended a glass of Pelmeira e Voltas, a local, light, low-acid white wine.

The entire service had a synchronized theatricality offering surprises to be revealed as present in all courses. What a magical treasure-tasting journey topped by my parting gift: a handcrafted box of exquisite chocolates. Such was the abundance of Williams delight in pleasure.

 

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