The Joys of Tobogganing Without Snow ? ArticleHamster.com

Madeira is a choice port of call for the large numbers of luxury cruise liners that steam the Atlantic Ocean. It is also a choice destination for young, honeymooning couples. However, for most people, it is a section of the holiday brochures that often goes unnoticed.

Unfortunately, Madeira is often considered to be an insignificant island with very few attributes to enthrall the foreign visitor.

Nothing could be more untrue.

The wicker basket sleighs of Monte are just one example of the unique attractions that Madeira has to offer.

Traditionally, the means of travel in Funchal, Madeira?s capital, did not include wheeled carriages. The uneven cobblestone roads, steep hills and sharp bends, meant that horse drawn carriages and, later, motorised vehicles were regarded as unsuitable. Rather, the locals elected for various other, more unconventional, means of transport.

Crude wooden carts, mounted on wooden runners, lubricated with grease and pulled at a demure pace by oxen were a favourite. These ?carros de bois? were said to have been introduced to Madeira by a British Army Officer who required a means of transport for his invalid wife.

Whilst riding in the carros de bois was adequate on the flat, it proved to be an extremely slow way to climb the steep hills that dominate the countryside as soon as you desert the narrow coastal plain.

Another, solely Madeiran, means of transport was the transporting hammock. Here, a quantity of cloth was slung between two long wooden poles. Two men, one at the fore and one to the back, would lift the contrivance in a manner rather akin to that of a sedan chair. The passenger reclining in the hammock, usually a woman, was thus carried in what must have been a rather incommodious fashion.

The travelling hammock was specifically popular with British society women who were resident on the island in the 1700s. Often, to the enjoyment of their fare, the hammock bearers would sing in their native Portuguese tongue as they made their way to the final destination. A gratuity for this extra service was customarily given. What the passenger did not realise was that occasionally the songs were extremely derogative of their customer. It is reported that on one occurrence the bearers of a rather rotund passenger were singing to the effect: ?The fare we are allowed to charge is fixed, but just look at the extent of this load!?

Monte, being situated high up on the mountainside above Funchal, was no exception when it came to the predominant forms of transport. Unwieldy oxen drawn carts and hammocks were the normal way to convey both people and goods.

Advancement, in more than one sense of the word, was long-drawn-out. The four kilometre passage down from Monte into Funchal would take anything up to three hours.

However, the road from Monte into Funchal was one long, abrupt, downward slope. Accordingly, it was to be expected that one day, some 160 years ago, one of the locals decided to explore a more radical means of conveyance. By mounting a fragile wicker basket on two ski-like wooden runners it was recognized that you could glide headlong down the hill and reach the city centre in a matter of just 10 minutes.

The strategy was simple. All that was needed was one thundering push to get going and someone to stand on the tailpiece to steer. In no time at all, you would soon reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.

Suddenly, there was a speedy, and inexpensive, means of transfer from the outlying mountain village into the commercial centre of the island ? the snow less, Monte toboggan sled was hence invented.

As a profitable aside, the local inhabitants soon perceived that affluent Europeans and Americans would take the journey just for entertainment ? hence, the original Madeira tourist attraction was created. Indeed, Ernest Hemingway famously described his Monte toboggan wicker basket sleigh ride as the ?most exhilarating experience? of his life.

Today, the traditional sound of wooden ski runners gliding over cobblestones persists, but they are for tourists only. Two carreiros guides, dressed in traditional white with straw hats, will thrust you down a contracted route from Monte.

There are no seat belts and the only brake you can rely on is the rubber sole of your driver?s shoe. The views can be marvelous, if short-lived and the usual souvenir photo awaits you at the end of the ride.

The ride is priced rather expensively by Madeiran standards. But, if you want to treat yourself to an experience that you are not likely to find anywhere else, then give the Monte toboggans a go.

Robert James B.Sc (Hons) created the popular Madeira Tourist Guide. He has been a freelance writer for over 30 years and has had many articles published in the trade press.

For further information, read the Monte Toboggans Guide

Source: http://articlehamster.com/the-joys-of-tobogganing-without-snow/

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