Underwear made from banana fibers
(Thanks mom, for sending me the link ..)

Well … we just created a Facebook page for all curious and underground things that can be found in Funchal (capital of Madeira). It is called Secret Funchal (on Facebook)

Secret Funchal invites everyone to share the hidden, and also “not-so-hidden”, gems of the city. The objective is that all Funchalenses that are active in Facebook joins and share their knowledge of the city. However … FB-ers from outside the city are also most welcome.

Lots of people that are visiting Madeira are looking for new things to do in Funchal. Experience is that they are always searching online for different things … that normally one would not find out about.

Join Secret Funchal …. but don’t forget to keep it a secret ….

 
 
 
** ISLAND OF MADEIRA ….. HORRIFYING BEAUTIFUL!

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about learning to dance in the rain.

There is a real sense of unity and dedication as the community here on Madeira works together to overcome the recent events. The rate at which this being achieved is quite phenomenal.

All these people are the real heroes of Madeira

Click on the image to go to the photo gallery.

Since the authorities objective is to make sure that the Flower Festival will take place this year …. I would suggest to dedicate the 2010 festival to all victims of 20-2.

Also to honor all the rescue teams, police, firemen, army, navy, emergency personnel, civilian workers and all others who helped to restore the areas affected by flooding. The real Heroes of Madeira. Honoring all of them in this year Flower Festival.

What do you think?

As I am only an individual … I am not the one that makes the decisions … but I hope that someone can take this suggestion to make it happen.

All roads on Madeira are accessible, with the exception of those that are listed as closed on the site of “Serviço Regional de Protecção Civil” (Regional Civil Protection Service).

However these days drivers should be extra careful. A few points to pay attention when driving on Madeira:

- Drive carefully. Not too fast, but also not too slow.

- At the moment part of roads and highway are covered with a thin layer of mud, that was spread by vehicles and trucks from the affected areas. When it rains these layers will make the roads very slippery. In that case you need to be extra careful. If possible, avoid driving.

- Island visitors that have rented a car and are driving through the areas such as Funchal, Ribeira Brava, and other by flood affected areas, … please keep your eyes on the road! The driver should not try to deviate his/her sight from the road in order to get a glimpse of what happened. We do not need another victim!

Enjoy your stay!

The circumstances here in Madeira were disastrous Saturday but the dramatic flash floods that have feature in the news headlines were limited to specific areas, so fortunately the majority of Madeira is functioning normally and the airport is fully operational. In the north part of the island nothing remarkable happened.

Some of the Levadas are closed, due to landslides. But before Saturday some of them were already closed. Clients can ask at hotel reception which ones are closed.

Except in the center of Funchal, all around the island, restaurants, shops, places to visit, hotels everything is working normal.

The main problem was Funchal and the downtown, also Ribeira Brava. In the center of Funchal and Ribeira Brava, the rivers just didn’t hold the all water from the rains and the situation if few hours become horrible. The water cross to the roads and took everything with it. The result was floods in the basements of many buildings, specially the shoppings and the underground parking places.

Also in some small country places in Funchal, and Ribeira Brava some landslides occur, destroying some houses and roads, but that’s not a touristic area or even a place to visit.

In only 8 hours it rained more than in the whole month in Funchal.

Records of such a scenario, only in the year 1803. This was a very uncharacteristic rainy day.

Clean up crews are in the streets 24h/day. Some zones will need a few more days to clean up, but by the end of the week in Funchal almost everything will be working under normal conditions.

In the rest of the island, some landslides occur, closing some roads, but nothing very severe. The freeway and the highway are 100% drivable and normal, except in the village of Ribeira Brava the roads are with some mud and dirty, but it’s possible to pass. I think tomorrow it will not be totally clean, but Wednesday it will be operational.

Authorities already informed that are starting to work on Flower Festival for April. No cancellations of touristic programs were made. Every efforts are being made to recover the city to is normal life. Tourist who will visit us in the second week of March will not recognize any difference in the city.

Dioceses Cáritas of Funchal is collecting clothing and other goods to help those most affected by floods in Madeira. They will also inform the local population where the donations can be delivered. However, monetary donations can now be made.

Cáritas Funchal

Address: Calçada do Pico,59 9000-206 – Funchal
Phone:(+351) 291743331
Fax: (+351) 291745714 *
E-mail: caritasfunchal@netmadeira.com
URL: www.caritas.pt/funchal/seccao2.asp?caritaid=14&seccaoid=221

Needs: Clothes, Diapers and baby food needed, Appliances, School Material, Furniture

Donations:
Financial Institution: Banif
Account Number: 1626371377 or NIB nº 003800011626371377113
BIC: BNIFPTPL
IBAN: PT50003800011626371377113

* By sending a fax to the number above a receipt will be sent out to you.

There was no tropical storm … no hurricane …. no cyclone … no devastating hard winds … no tsunami-like waves. Just lots of rain …. plus the fact that …. Madeira is an island!

So how could this happen?

But first …. I am only looking for scientific or climatological explanation … and not political reactions. I do not want to hear/read politics …

My thoughts are the following:
Madeira was plagued by bad weather during the week before. On Saturday 20th of February the combination of heavy rainfall and winds over 60mph saturated the higher mountain regions, plus the fact that there was also snow in that area and the sudden increase of temperature, … caused an immediate swelling of the mountain streams, … resulting in walls of water and mud cascading down the slopes towards the southern coast. The abundance of water could not be handled by the drains and catch basins.

What do you think?