Madeira Bigger Than America

For the United States the ‘Fourth of July’ and fireworks go together like hamburgers and hot dogs and Americans LOVE their fireworks, but the biggest display that ever took place was in Madeira in December 2006.

In 37 launch sites spread across the island of Madeira, pyrotechnics experts set off no less than 66,326 individual fireworks.

In fact, Madeira snagged a Guinness World Record for the largest fireworks display in the world that year.

One might say that the natural beat of the island is a continuous fireworks display due to the perpetual pulsing festivities this paradise offers to natives and visitors.

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Madeira ‘Independence’ Day – 1st of July

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This Sunday is Madeira Day, the national holiday which celebrates the anniversary of the archipelago’s independence from mainland Portugal, granted in 1976 by the Portuguese Constitution.

Official ceremonies are held throughout the Autonomous Region of Madeira, while families and friends enjoy picnics and plenty of lively local events.

No celebration would be complete without a cake, and in this case, the most appropriate for the occasion is the famous Madeira cake, best enjoyed with tea or a glass of Madeira wine.

If you wonder about the recipe, here’s a peek:

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Preparation time:

15 minutes

Cooking time:

50 minutes

Oven temperature: 160 C / Gas mark 3

Makes:

1 x 450g/1lb Loaf cake

Ingredients:

150g/ 5oz Glutafin Select Multipurpose White Mix

110g/ 4oz Butter (melted)

2 Medium eggs

1 Medium egg yolk

110g/ 4oz Caster sugar

2 Lemons, grated zest and 1 x 15ml tbsp juice (reserve remainder for topping)

1 x 5ml tsp Gluten-free baking powder

Topping

2 x 15ml tbsp Remaining lemon juice from above

75g/ 3oz Caster sugar

“Bom proveito”

Last day of vintage drive in Madeira

A fleet of beautifully restored classic and vintage cars are on display at the annual Classic Rally.

It’s the XXIV Madeira “Classic Rally” Tour, which started on the 22^nd and finalizes today on the 26^th.

Visitors can admire the unique vintage vehicles along the Avenida Arriaga, before participants drive the winding roads with over 400 km through the breathtaking landscapes of the island.

The rally is held over a number of stages, from Funchal to Camara de Lobos, Santana and beautiful Machico.

It is a unique experience for participants and visitors. One of many events Madeira has to offer throughout the year.

The number of tourists, who choose the island, increases continuously, which in return incentives the organizers to outdo themselves each time.

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Son of Madeira does a double whammy

After a nerve wracking start for the Portuguese team, with several opportunities to score but not achieving the coveted objective, the Luso team's persistence pays off as Madeira’s son Christiano Ronaldo scores not one but two spectacular goals for Portugal, qualifying the team for the last eight of the Euro 2012, whilst at the same time sending the Dutch team home and out of the tournament, without winning a single game.

Fireworks and honking car convoys could be seen and heard throughout the island as celebration went on until the next day.

Final score: Ronaldo: 2; Van der Vaart: 1

Portugal, Hello. Netherlands, Best of luck next time.

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The awareness of spending money you don’t have

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With the current difficult period due to the austerity measures of the Financial Economic Adjustment Program, locals are not giving up holiday traveling and simply travel according to budget.

A conclusion drawn by several travel agencies but at the same time indicating that it is too early for final conclusions as the assessment is only based on the result of daily bookings.

 "Locals are acting according to their circumstances, preferring cheaper programs," said, Gorete Araújo, responsible for the ‘Bravatour’ agency and further points to the destinations that are below a thousand euro budget. Aimed at the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain) and the Canary Islands.

Alberto Machado, a spokesman for the 'Abreu' agency, considers it to be "very significant that, despite of the 2012 crisis having worsened, the sector is in line with the same period as in 2011" due to "a policy of inviting prices."

People are no longer, as in previous years, approaching the counter and selecting the destination without hesitation. They now ask for a destination according to budget.

Madeira itself, as the Caribbeans, remain at the same preferred destination level as last year.

Duarte Rodrigues, director of ‘Porto Santo Lines’, a company that has the concession of the shipping route between Funchal-Porto Santo, reckons, it is too early to predict how locals will stand in regards to Porto Sant in times of crisis.

"Even so, we think that Porto Santo offers competitive and affordable prices - far better than the Canaries - with accommodation and transportation for seven days, 222 euros," he says.

 "But of course, everything will depend on the available income of people, we will await with great expectation," he concludes, hoping also that the proximity - the island of Porto Santo being 45 kilometers from Madeira, the two and half hours by boat and 15 minutes by plane - "is crucial in making the decision."

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Portugal on a road to growth

Bill Rhodes today on Bloomberg:
“You got to have a plan for growth that will lead out of austerity”.

One way of growth is to invest intelligently, foreseeing a prosperous return.

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Get a taste of Madeira

You might know Barbeito Madeiras, as it has been imported into the UK by Raymond Reynolds for some time.

Now, there is a new range of wines launched by Blandy’s, the family company which just celebrated its 200 years of local existence and also owns Madeira’s most famous hotels, the all-important travel agency and the local paper.

Together with names such as Cossart Gordon, Leacock and Rutherford & Miles, Blandy’s constitutes the Madeira Wine Company, whose much-visited cellars occupy part of a 17th-century Franciscan monastery in the middle of Funchal.

So why not savor the embodied spirit of the island directly at its place of birth? Surrounded by the astonishing magic of nature, the ocean breeze and all it has to offer.

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