Funchal, Madeira & Vigo, Spain

I've been to Madeira, but not Vigo - so these recommendations are for Funchal...

There's a cable-car in Funchal which has some pretty good views. Once you get to the top there's a gift shop (isn't there always?) and some gardens which you can go round. It works out cheaper to buy a combined ticket for the cable-car and gardens.

The market is quite interesting to look round - they have flower-sellers in traditional costume, and the fish-market is something else. The staple food seems to be something called Scarab fish (I think) and when you see them on the slabs in the fish market they give you a bit of a shock. They're huge, black, with big eyes and scary teeth - fugly, in fact.

If you can find one, there are a few little shops which sell traditional Madeiran embroidery. There's one on Largo Da Feira, No. 3 (I bought some and it's still wrapped up in the bag - the address is on the bag)

Do you need to know a lot of Portuguese? So far I only know 'thank you'. Or will we get by with English, French or German?

Hello is "Ola"!

Most people seemed to understand and speak English, particularly in the restaurants and tourist places.

I had a bit of a problem because after I'd been there a few days and had a bit of a tan, people kept mistaking me for a local and trying to talk to me in Portugese!

Just remembered - there's a tour of the Madeira distillery (brewery - whatever it's called) which is really interesting, and you get to try the Madeira ?