Christmas Greetings

Christmas lights in Funchal (in front of the town hall of the capital), in Madeira

Madeirans live Christmas and New Year's Eve very intensively.

For this time of the year the streets of Funchal get beautifully decorated with thousands of lights. New Year’s Eve fireworks and activities also make Madeira Island one of the most attractive ‘reveillons’ destinations in the world.

Sofia's Place wishes you a Merry Christmas.

Christmas Tree

Welcoming atmosphere

We have provided a Christmas (pine) Tree to welcome our guests that will spend the next three weeks in Sofia's Place. Christmas time is really intense in Jardim do Mar. The atmosphere is very special. The tree was placed in the living room by the big glass window.

Old Madeira (1)

Wine barrels

New picture in the surf bedroom

Tony Kitchell (photo by Andrea)

 
Tony Kitchell is a dear friend strongly connected with Jardim do Mar and Sofia's Place.

Tony helped painting some details inside eleven years ago and there is some art of his in the house.

Now, in Sofia's Place there is a picture of Tony hanging on the wall in the Surf bedroom.

Homemade Christmas cookies



Baking cookies is a way of getting into the Christmas spirit in Jardim do Mar

Today Sofia's family and friends gathered to bake traditional Christmas cookies in Jardim do Mar.

They come in many different shapes, sizes, textures and flavors and are cooked in an old stone oven in Sofia's mother house. One of our favourite cookies are the sugar cane honey cookies made with local sugar cane syrup.

Nowadays three sugar cane processing factories still exist and one (for us it is the best one) in Calheta (5 minute drive from Jardim do Mar).

In early April their machines are put to work processing the raw sugar cane and produce honey (cane syrup) molasses and rum. You may visit these factories and see their processes at Calheta, Ribeiro Seco in Funchal and Porto da Cruz.



Traditional biscuits made with local sugar cane syrup

 

Guest message 2

Very kind English couple note left in Sofia's Place, in November 2010

Key words & ideas:
"Really lovely live staying"

Please, click on for better reading

Guest message 1

Message left by very friendly Portuguese guests, in October 2010 (please, click on the picture for reading)

Basically the note is saying they (three couples) felt at home and praise Sofia's Place for being COMFORTABLE, well decorated and equipped. Above all, for Sofia's KINDNESS. These guests also say they will spread the word about Sofia's Place. They wish the house to be always full and HAPPY as it happened while their staying.

West side story: Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar



With a privileged setting facing southwest, Jardim do Mar is an area of Madeira and Calheta municipality where night time arrives later



Can you spot Sofias Place (dark yellow house)? In Jardim do Mar, the sun sets right before your eyes and offers light until the sun goes down behind the horizon

The abrupt way in which the island meets the sea is softened in few locations and Jardim do Mar is the special one

The sun sets last on the small fishing communities of Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar on Madeira's West coast says Essential Madeira magazine in the October/November 2010 issue.