Madeira | waltzing on water

Toboggan ride in Madeira

We just completed a 14-day cruise beginning in Southampton, England and ending in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The ship stopped in two European ports before sailing for 6 straight days en route to the Caribbean. Knowing a week at sea lay ahead, I tried to enjoy the first two days on land as much as possible!

View from the slopes

The last time I was in Maderia, Portugal, I joined a large group of crewmembers for steak on a stone. It was so delicious, many of us decided to go back. The owner of the restaurant recognized us and greeted us with hugs and kisses on the cheek when we arrived.

Lunch, consisting of sangria, garlic bread, steak, and french fries, was just as good as I remembered! I could’ve sat there for hours, but I had plans with a fellow dancer to ride a toboggan down a mountain. We left the restaurant and went searching for a cab. We were able to haggle with the driver, and get him down to a reasonable price for a ride up the mountain and from the bottom of the toboggan ride to the ship.

Driver #2

Our toboggan was guided down a steep, winding pavement road by two old men. Considering the weight of the basket and the speed at which we were moving, I was a bit nervous. They guided us safely down the road, even though a light rain was making it extra slippery. We slid past a few cars, which was both scary and exhilarating. The views on the way down were fantastic. The ride was short, but completely worth the price!

Slippery streets

In Tenerife, I joined my roommate and her boyfriend for a beach day. We took a city bus to the beach, and promptly claimed 3 beach chairs. A waiter from a bar on the beach delivered beers and fried chicken to us.

Beach in Tenerife

Black volcanic rock and green plants surrounded the beach. My friends said it seemed like a beach in “Jurassic Park”! Shortly after we arrived, clouds started rolling in. It started to rain, so we sought cover at the bar. We ended up sitting there for hours, chatting with the staff and local guests. It felt like we were there for days! I got a much-needed does of “normal” to prepare me for the upcoming days at sea!

Bartender at the beach

I had a fantastic time during the European season. Although I’ll miss the beautiful European ports, I’m excited for the adventures that lie in store in the Caribbean!

Ready for sea days!

One of my favorite things about traveling is trying local foods. My last day in Malaga, Spain, I went out with a few members of the art team for lunch. I’d spent time with them in a work setting when I help with registration for art auctions on board, but I hadn’t spent much time with them socially. Although we were a diverse group, consisting of 2 Americans, a Kiwi, a South African, and a Hungarian, we all were in the mood for the same thing… tapas!

Tapas in Malaga

We walked to a strip of restaurants and shops along a marina about halfway between the cruise terminal and the city center. The restaurants all had outdoor seating shaded by white umbrellas. It was a beautiful area! We stopped at a Spanish restaurant advertising free Wi-Fi. Three of us ordered a pitcher of sangria to share, and took a chance by ordering a tapas sampler. There wasn’t as much variety in the sampler as I would’ve liked, but it was very tasty. I had sardines, tortilla de patata, an octopus salad, tuna salad, and a potato and olive salad.

In Madeira

A week later, in Madeira, Portugal, I was told I had to try steak on a stone. I set out with a large group of friends to find a good restaurant. We chose a restaurant on the water about 10 minutes from the port. They served steak, steak with bacon, chicken, pork, tuna, or prawns on the stone, as well as a full menu.

On the Stone Menu

Our servers, upon learning we worked on the ship, brought us all shot sized samples of their signature cocktail. I’m not actually sure what was in it, but it tasted so good, I ordered a full sized drink. Since “steak on a stone” was what people had been raving about, I ordered just that.

Special cocktail

Our meal came with baskets of garlic bread, that may be the best bread I’ve ever tasted, and plates of fries, or “chips” as my English friends call them. The highlight of the meal, however, was the steak itself.

I was brought a platter with a hot stone and 3 pieces of raw steak. On the side, there was a sauce of garlic and olive oil, a bacon aioli, and a creamy tomato sauce. The steak was seasoned with raw sea salt. It cooked almost instantly on the hot stone, and melted in my mouth! I ate every bite I was served, because it all tasted so good!

Steak on a stone

The restaurant became the crew spot. By the time we left, there were 6 tables of people from the cruise division. We all agreed that although lunch was expensive, we’d be back next time we stop in Madeira!

Great little restaurant

I’m looking forward to trying more exciting foods in the remaining month and a half of this contract!

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