My short stay in Madeira

[Colin Wonfor]

The break was great,apart from having wallet stolen and bank accounts emptied and credit card taken to the max. And then my friend Les died whilst we were trying to get the Natwest bank to help and what a waste of time that was, thank goodness for friend here and there for there support. Les left a disabled wife and the bank would not let me have any money to get a quick flight home, right shit heads.

New friends.
https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/36365849_2442601739391509_1162711633449975808_n.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=8c1e9f1b0e1252be81cd522cca7c1f60&oe=5BE4542F


Some wonderful plants.
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Winston's paint box.

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My adopted sis and old friend.

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Flowers

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My mate Ramilo

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[Bigman80]

[emoji50] wow, didn't start well then. Sorry about your friend.

[Colin Wonfor]

Yes Les was a great kind friend, his wife Dawn is struggling to get her life together, she was 16 yrs old when they got hitched he died at 75 yrs old a long time together. No kids sadly but lots of folk who love them including Maria and I.

[Barry]

How did the thieves know the PIN for your cards? Did you inform the bank and credit card companies of your travel plans?

Unfortunately NatWest are becoming unsympathetic and unhelpful to victims such incidents. The British Embassy (is there one in Madera?) will always make a (secured) loan of money to get you home.

[Colin Wonfor]

The Police said it was a group of Romanians that are doing it all over the Island. And they have a PC which generates random numbers in there card machine thing to test numbers before using the card.
We were visiting a sugar cane factory and I was pushed over by a young man as I was going to the loo on my walking sticks.
I get knocked over easily and this happen in April at Waterloo Station and the guy stepped on me and walked away. The staff there were great and helped me up and checked me out. I am on a high dose of Warfarin and have a INR level set to 4.5 - 6.0 very high this causes me to bleed a lot inside and out, and is not funny. So I must take care, bruises and minor cut to most folk would be no problem but to me, it another hospital visit for check ups. Not nice or fun.

Not sure if or were the Embassy is and I have been 12 time to the Island and love it and the people, this however was a downer for me.

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[Colin Wonfor]

The driving standard is fantastic including parking.

https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/36691088_2446819505636399_2375825373838442496_o.jp g?_nc_cat=0&oh=06c85a860f9701fd077132658dc3caf6&oe=5BEC2C10

More pics.

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My sister in law he he.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RghKdGn8h5A

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[prestonchipfryer]

Madeira is a truly beautiful island with fantastic flora and fauna. Thank you for showing the lovely pictures. Sorry about your ordeal and the loss of your friend.

[Colin Wonfor]

I love it there up at the Monte in the garden 3 times and all days, just peace and smelling flowers

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[Bigman80]

Yes Les was a great kind friend, his wife Dawn is struggling to get her life together, she was 16 yrs old when they got hitched he died at 75 yrs old a long time together. No kids sadly but lots of folk who love them including Maria and I.Heartbreaking. That amount of time with each other in the bank too. Outstanding achievement.

[prestonchipfryer]

You seem to have a high vantage point with the toboggans. Where they coming past where you stayed? :)

[Colin Wonfor]

You seem to have a high vantage point with the toboggans. Where they coming past where you stayed? :)

Yes we were in the bottom half of the garden at the Monte, the noise was interesting mixed with giggles and screams of joy.

[prestonchipfryer]

Yes we were in the bottom half of the garden at the Monte, the noise was interesting mixed with giggles and screams of joy.

It's been a few years since myself and wife had the pleasure of the toboggan ride. We now just go and watch them as my bones don't want to know. :) Thanks again for the views.

[Clive197]

Looks fabulous. The wife and I love Madeira and go every year for two weeks at our timeshare in Funchal.

[Colin Wonfor]

Hi Clive,

We stay in Funchal and with friends near the Lido.

Lovely place and kind people.

[Lawrence001]

I recall my visit there with great fondness, we stayed to the west of Funchal, had some great visits to fishing villages, a great day out on the pirate ship and my favourite trip was up the cable car to the Monte. For some reason my visit to the cafe in a little wooded area below the church up there will always stick in my mind. The waiter was very traditional (almost subservient) and it felt like I could have been a tourist there decades ago. The setting outside that cafe was sublime. Some of these photos bring the memories flooding back so thanks for that.

I read quite recently there had been some sort of disaster at a religious festival there, it may have been fireworks related.

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

[GrahamS]

So sorry to hear of your misfortune, Colin. I live in Hertfordshire and recently travelled to Ipswich for a weekend, and used my bank card to draw cash from a hole-in-the-wall there. I immediately received a text message from my bank informing me that my card had been used "in a foreign location" and asking me to confirm that it was me! Madeira has always been on my bucket list. Thank you for the terrific tour and the superb photos. Condolences on the loss of your friend.

[Audio Al]

Colin that is really sad / bad news , life should be about good things

I now carry my wallet in my front trouser pocket , Pick pocket crime is rife everywhere now

Thanks for the photos it does look like a lovely country , Spoilt by scumbags :steam: