The Golden Island. Holiday trip to Madeira archipelago, Portugal

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End of October 2007. Leafing through a catalog in the agency travel close to home a few sentences attract my curiosity, just shoot the tam tam with the usual group of friends (we are in 4 pairs) and away we go. Destination Isle of Porto Santo in the Madeira archipelago 500 km from the coast of Morocco, a Portuguese colony in the Atlantic Ocean.
Flight Verona, Porto Santo and after 4 hours we landed on this island have not yet blessed with golden hordes of tourists. Awaiting us is a dear friend, Conrad, who for a week you're basking in the sun. Temperature 29 ° C, is the confirmation of our friend the roast. With a van in a few minutes we are at the Hotel, (also because there are no tourist resorts, for the moment).

The Hotel Vila Balera is a large 8-storey building overlooking the sea, with an adjoining a thalassotherapy center, full of regret resorts palm of other exotic locations, but it will go, time will confirm that the service, cleanliness and the food is sufficiently curati.A that help them on the island there is vandalism and theft nor anyone at any price you want to sell something. The roads, gardens and beach are clean. Was talking about, 7 km long with fine golden sand that this season with few tourists it's really beautiful, surrounded by low dunes and a few large rock formation at the outer limits being of volcanic origin, where they're going to break the powerful waves of ' ocean.

The bathroom can be done easily, the bottom drops gently and the water temperature throughout the year ranging from 19 to 24 ° C. Sadly this week the clouds and the wind gave us company for most of the day, sometimes making us remove and replace the shirt, only towards evening the wind dropped and everything became more pleasant.
The long sandy beach invites you to walk to the discovery of small angles still seldom visited, where some three years surely will arise new hotels and tourist centers. For the visitor there are all the amenities, the swimming pool with heated sea water, fitness center, rental of cars, scooters and quad bikes to explore the interior in total autonomy. We have preferred to rent a jeep with driver also acting as guide, who after having been to see the items most characteristic of the island suggested us to have dinner at a churrascaria, where we were more than satisfied. The water that flows from the taps is desalinizata and comes from the sea, but good, about 15% of electricity comes from wind, the remainder is supplied by power plants combustibile.Il Golf Club with its 18 holes is a flower to 'eye for the island communities, there is a small botanical garden and a military airport for emergencies.

The main reason that attracted me here was tied to my passion for diving, I can assure you that the diving center within the structure of Thalassotherapy, led by Miguel Matos and Alberto Miranda is highly professional. Friendly people, expert, excellent ratings and available even after hours, both speak Italian and ready to introduce you to the wonderful world of silenzio.Questo is the first dive where I take 3 separate tubs for washing specific detergents for cleaning equipment Sub.Ita 2 compressors Coltri load quickly both air nitrox cylinder 12 and 15 lt.

Equipment rental (worth) are new and you may also have DVP or scooter divers to descend down to 30 meters. A van with 9 new posts will take a few minutes to the port where a comfortable raft of 6 mt anda powerful engine with 150 hp is ready to take on the verge of immersione.Per speed things up is recommended to bring the medical certificate and patent.
The dives ranging from 12m-Paretin to the cemetery of anchors, the Bay of barracuda, the wreck of the freighter Madeirense which lies at a depth of 34 meters, with about 65 meters in length and in sailing trim populated by groupers and a lot other fish, the cave very scenic and many altre.La water clarity is 20 to 40 meters, there is no thermocline, the little Posidonia and sand of the bottom being a little 'heavy suspension does not create, barrier reef just there is steep but the console will close these stesso.Vorrei my impressions of travel with a special greeting that goes to Miguel and Alberto in the hope that they could be reunited soon and together seek some new site.

I wish you a happy holiday. Giancarlo Camillo Jesolo Venice