Have Some Madeira M'dear? (2)

Ups and Downs of Funchal Fun
But, first; here is a puzzle picture:-

Strange "things" lined up beside the road. But that's for later.

The upper terminal of the Teleférico is, as you would expect, perched on the side of a steep hill. But if you walk a little further uphill from the station you can find the terminus of a local bus, service 22.

The shelter does have a frame with information in it but the frequency of this service is mystifying to those of used to "and then every 30 minutes". Here is Monday to Friday:-

Frequencies are much lower on Saturday (left) and Sunday ...

... but you are left wondering why the first departure from "Centro" is 5 minutes later on the Sabbath but the rest of the day has an identical schedule.  But that is all you get, timetable-wise.

No intermediate times are shown and, according to correspondent Andrew, that is all you get a bus stops as well - if you are lucky! The 22 runs approximately half hourly (Monday to Friday) when it feels like it and smaller buses are used.

The web site provides an excellent network map with an extract for the 22 shown here.

At the Babosas terminus you will find another Teleférico ...

... which leads down to the Jardim Botâmico - no real translation problems here.

The only picture on-line of route 22 itself that fbb could find is on Trip Advisor and it suggests that you might need to be prepared to stand!

That's because there are touristy things as well as the Teleférico terminus. Walk back down the hill, for example and you reach the magnificent Tropical Gardens ...

... that surround Monte Palace.

These have a Port Merion feel about them.

The Monte Palace Tropical Garden occupies an area of 70.000 square meters and houses an huge exotic plant’s collection, coming from all over the world, together with swans and duck’s, that populates the central lake, peacocks and chickens, that walk free in the main areas of the property. In the central lake, the visitor may also admire the beauty and majesty of the swans. The Monte Palace Museum is an ideal exhibition space nestled within the beautiful surroundings of a tropical garden. There are three floors, two of which are dedicated to sculptures ...

... and the third houses a unique mineral collection gathered from the four corners of the world.

But we need to be back at the foot of the Teleférico and there are many ways to descend, including ...

... a variety of buses from Monte, not far away ...

... all very wiggly and exciting.

 Next Madeira blog : Thursday 20th April