In the first of a series of articles…inspired by an 18 day stream of visitors (family and friends)….I discovered the lost sense of what Madeira is all about. As someone who lives here, we take it for granted. When family and friends come over to visit, the car gets a much needed run and I become a tourist again, along with my companions.
At first, the decision of what is on the (long) list of the MUST see……to someone who has never been here before it is simply EVERYTHING…..in my case with family, it is what did you enjoy last time and want to do again?
My last batch of visitors were my parents and youngest sister who came over from the States….my daughter and future son in law who came over from Scotland. So the first ports of call, were the trips down memory lane, when the kids were all viagra pas cher younger. Trips to bars and eateries took up the first few days, then my daughter and sister wanted to get extreme and relive their Paragliding experiences.
So, in this first batch of articles on what to do in Madeira, I will take you down the path of what is considered an ‘extreme sport’ and a very popular thrill for all ages…who wants to whiz down a mountain in a wicker basket when you can fly with the birds and see the island and all its glory from above, with a sheet of nylon and the wind to experience some spectacular scenery!
Not content in letting my tribe have all the fun, I indulged in it myself this week. My second flight and definately not my last!
Paragliding is a sport that has become very popular in the last few years. Hartmut Peters operates ‘Madeira Paragliding’ from Arco da Calheta and is one of a few liscenced pilots who can take passengers (tandem flights). He arrived on the island around the same time as me and his business has grown over the years, as more ‘younger’ visitors seek out new ways to see the island! Madeira has become a favourite destination for proffessional and competition pilots, due to its mini micro climates and fantastic scenery. Flying in Madeira is a challenge, as well as fun and because our weather is good all year round, those guys in the biz get a lot of flying time when they visit!
My daughter was the first out of us to go. She did this 2 years ago with her fiance and pleaded with me to arrange it for their visit last week. The weather was over cast on land and blue clear skies out to sea. A few days before there had been a back wind, so we had to wait for that cloudy day…perfect for good thermals.
This year promised a top landing, which meant touch down on take off. Hartmut’s takeoff site is situated not far from the Miradouro and restaurant Costa Verde on the highest point of Arco…..standing on the takeoff offers spectacular views of the plateau of Paul de Serra from the rear and Calheta and the Marina over the edge.
Written By: aromasammy