Yesterday was moving day.  After three fun and hectic days in the bustling city of Lisbon, it was time to get our island on.  We were up promptly and, after a decent breakfast, walked five minutes uphill to the terminal.  Check-in was a little odd as we had checked in online and then checked in again and got our baggage tags at a machine in the departure area.  We were next directed to go around a wall with all our bags to the oversize baggage counter (because of the golf bag) where a nice lady blessed our bags at a counter with a conveyor belt that went unused because she next walked with us across the room to yet another counter where she weighed the bags, blessed them again and put them finally onto a conveyor belt -- except not our golf bag which still did not have a home.  We had to take our golf bag about 50 yards to another oversize bag area where it was checked once again by a guy who seemed to curse it more than bless it and then it finally disappeared from view into a machine.  From there it was a simple matter to pass security, find the gate, and be off.

After the short hour-and-a-half flight, luggage retrieval went well and the Madpoint rental car guy met us and sent us on our way.  Finding the apartment was a little challenging in that Google Maps sent us to a building about 100 yards away and across a four-lane divided street from the location of our actual destination.  Eventually we connected with our host and were guided to the right place.  We picked up some groceries at a store conveniently located across the road in the Madeira Forum shopping center at the location where Google wanted us to go in the first place, and settled in for the night.

After our hectic time in Lisbon punctuated by our eight-mile walk on Friday, we agreed that today would be a rest day.  Our new place in western Funchal is on a hill along the ocean just above a promenade that wanders along the cliffs and small beaches above the Atlantic on an agreeably level contour.  However, the sun and light winds got to Phyllis and our short walk on the ocean front Promenade de Lido ended up as a rigorous five-mile walk up and down steep hills.  This is not all Phyllis' fault.  As it turns out, a half-mile or so from where we join the promenade there are cliffs which are usually circumvented by a pedestrian tunnel through the rock.  However the tunnel is under repair until May, necessitating a detour a long way up the hill, along a road and then back down the hill and, obviously, in both directions.  It appears that even the coastal areas are hilly on Madeira.

Relying on yesterday's cold wind, we were significantly overdressed for the walk which only added to Craig's whining.  The ultimate insult to injury was that nowhere along the promenade did we find a place selling gelato.  There are a few cafes with cold beer but that will wait for a later day.  To placate Craig, he was promised ice cream upon our return and so we combined a grocery store trip for a few additional items with the purchase of a pint of chocolate brownie fudge.  Sitting out on the balcony and eating our ice cream made everyone happy and the day a great success.  We promised ourselves that tomorrow will be a rest day.