Madeira, Funchal, and the 'Doors Project’
First off, let me tell you, it was so amazing to finally get to see Madeira! I'm still in awe of the whole island. It's an autonomous region of Portugal, off the coast of Africa. Which is pretty cool. We spent a lot of time in the capital city of Madeira, Funchal, and Funchal's old town, the Zona Velha. I was absolutely stunned by the "Doors Art" project. This incredible initiative, Arte de Portas Abertas, was started by local artist José Maria Montero Zyberchema back in 2010 to bring new life to the area by turning all the old, forgotten doors into works of art. It's such a beautiful idea and really transformed the whole neighborhood.
A bit more about Madeira …
A fascinating piece of history is how the island was initially discovered by Portuguese navigators João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira in 1419. When they arrived, the island was completely covered in a dense forest, leading them to name it "Madeira," the Portuguese word for wood. To clear land for cultivation and settlement, they set a large part of the forest on fire. Legend has it that the fire burned for seven years straight, an incredible testament to the island's lush, wild nature at the time.