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.

Wicker basket toboggan riding

The Monte toboggan ride to Funchal downtown is perhaps one of the most famous of Madeira's tourist attractions.

Originally a fast means of transport down to Funchal for people living in Monte, these toboggan sledges appeared around 1850. Adventurous, yet safe, an ‘old-fashioned’ toboggan ride to make your way down from Monte.

It is one of those things that you simply must do when visiting Madeira. Indeed, the renown American author, Ernest Hemingway, wrote of his journey in the wicker basket toboggan sledge as the "most exhilarating experience" of his life.

And, it is true, you are unlikely to find a similar experience anywhere else on your worldly journeys.

The downhill journey to Funchal is made in about 10 minutes on a total course of 2 km, reaching at times a speed of 48 km/hour.

Still in use today, they attract thousands of tourists every year who want to make this exciting experience of sliding at high speed on narrow, winding streets down to Funchal. These two-seater wicker sledges glide on wooden runners, pushed and steered by two men traditionally dressed in white cotton clothes and a straw hat, using their rubber-soled boots as brakes.



Info from www.madeira-web.com and www.love-madeira.com

Licensed by public authorities

Sofia's Place is a Local Holidays House Rental licensed by the Municipality of Calheta and the Madeiran Tourism Office.