Funchal - Madeira Island - Portugal - Page 11 - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

luckybluesman · 08-01-2009, 02:18 AM

What a special weekend. Everyone must be proud and excited. Wish we were there. Lee

biaria · 08-01-2009, 07:01 AM

You're right, it's such a big honour for us, to be visited by such famous people.

biaria · 08-03-2009, 03:30 PM

Hi everybody! A good week to all of you.

This last weekend, apart from the Royal visit, we also had the 50 Years' edition of the Madeira Wine Rally.

On June the 20th 1959 the “First Madeira Roundtrip”, as it was then called, went to the roads with the big sum of 89 drivers.

Everybody was so enthusiastic about the event, that it sent out good roots, strong enough to keep it going until today.

Seven years after its beginning, a Madeiran pilot won the rally for the first time, sending the previous year’s winner to the second place.

In 1967 the organizers, wanting to give a bigger dimension to the event, brought one of the biggest names in the automobilist world at the time, Jean Pierre Nicolas who, as was expected, won that year’s race.

Ari Vatanen entered and won in 1978 the, by then already called, Madeira Wine Rally and was responsible for spreading Madeira's name to the entire world.

This year, it all started downtown Funchal, on Thursday evening, with the opening “Superspecial”, in front of lots of public, all eager to have a look at the 71 machines and with the pilots and co-pilots.

On Friday and Saturday the real rally took place, covering several of Madeira’s roads, first to the east side and then to the west side.

After an emotional fight, Ginandomenico Basso was the big winner.

canarymoon · 08-03-2009, 07:26 PM

Nice reporting on the Royal visit, biaria!
I relaly enjoyed reading about it.
Thank you.

biaria · 08-04-2009, 12:07 PM

Hi Canarymoon,

Everybody was so pleased with the simplicity Juan Carlos and Sofia showed towards the people.

nealberk · 08-04-2009, 11:45 PM

That is the sign of a good ruler. Obama has that same effect on people.

biaria · 08-05-2009, 11:22 AM

Hi Neal,

You're right. It shows they have down to earth minds and are capable of understanding the people.

nealberk · 08-06-2009, 09:50 PM

Looked at your site again. Looking good! (I clicked on your personal link, nice writeup)

Question, are those prices for the taxi rides per person or total? I was not sure from the description.

I was looking at the Transatlantic sailings for the North Atlantic, those that go to the south are much cheaper right now. I may actually get to see you someday....

biaria · 08-09-2009, 02:10 PM

Hi Neal,

Thanks for the compliment!

The prices are per 4 passenger taxi. We're still going to make some changes on the prices description, because it's too basic and, as you noticed, leads to confusion. We're also going to add prices for bigger vans.

My son was in Porto Santo for a few days, so the website has been on stand-by lately. It's also our intention to make some pages a bit more attractive. I must start hurrying him up, before he goes back to school again.

Nice to know Transatlantics are offering better prices right now. And excellent to know that you may come this way someday.

nealberk · 08-09-2009, 03:13 PM

Not a bad price, even if you only have 2 people in the taxi! We paid $100 for a two and a half hour tour in Aruba last year for two of us.