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Tuesday 1 March
This was our third visit to Madeira’s capital, Funchal, and the penultimate port of our cruise. We knew it was a beautiful city, but our walk through its busy shopping streets and not so busy side streets only confirmed our earlier impressions. Indeed, I’d put Funchal in my top ten of favourite European cities (although in the geographical sense, it isn’t actually in Europe).
Clean, friendly and full of character, with some extremely well kept parks and green spaces, Funchal has a wide busy avenue running along the front, lined with a number of bars and restaurants, and plenty of open space. A short walk up from here is another wide bustling street that is home to the city’s 15th century cathedral.
We made a number of stops for coffee in order to soak in the atmosphere, to people watch in the warm sunshine, and to connect to WiFi. Next we explored the Mercado dos Lavadores which housed a strange mix of outlets and smells, selling food, flowers and souvenirs; and we then found our way to the square dominated by the town hall.
Not being fond of heights, we ignored the cable car ride up the mountainside, although no doubt we missed out on a spectacular view. Instead we found a side street with some attractive looking restaurants and stopped for wine (of course) and something to eat.
Everywhere we went, we were greeted in English before we had even spoken. Indeed, British and other European tourists are very welcome in Funchal, and it is easy to see why so many people visit this charming place. But I am worried that just like some parts of the Belaric Islands, and costas in Spain, there is a danger of the local beauty, culture and identity becoming diluted by what I call full English breakfast syndrome.
Our own abject failure as a country to speak any other European languages, and the suspicious or sometimes sneering attitude of some of our fellow British citizens to continental Europe, is I think fuelling our failure to engage and integrate. Put another way, British tourist attitudes, tastes and lack of language skills are shaping the way local communities cater and adapt for their British visitors, steadily resulting in some tourist destinations becoming a sort of Blackpool in the sun.
Ok, maybe this is an exaggeration, but personally I don’t want to find English pubs and English breakfasts on every street in every corner of Europe. There is nothing wrong with a choice – a diverse range of cuisines for example is very welcome – but let’s keep it low key. Sure, Blackpool abroad will suit those Brits who only want a beach, a bar and some sunshine. It might also suit those British ex-pats who make no effort to integrate into the local culture. But surely it is spoils the very purpose and experience of visiting beautiful and fascinating cities like Funchal.
Indeed, in my view, drinking local wine, trying local foods, understanding local history, speaking the language (even in a limited capacity) and experiencing local customs is to me, both enriching and rewarding; and I believe it adds tremendous value to any holiday or trip abroad.
Funchal itself has not been spoilt by tourism. I sincerely hope it never is.