Saturday 2nd October 1954

It was the hottest every today. One of our party reported that the thermometer in the centre of town was registering 100ºF, (in the sun) and we were told that heat such as this was quite unusual. In fact the whole week I was in Madeira was an exceptionally hot spell. In the morning Diana and I went along to the Lido, and had a lovely lazy time sipping cold drinks at the umbrella covered tables, and watching the bathers. It was delightful there.

There is a big seawater bath, and plenty of facilities for bathing and diving in the deep water of the open sea alongside, with diving boards, chutes, ropes etc. All very attractive.

Needless to say I didn’t bathe, but kept in the shade as much as possible. Diana wailed at not having brought her swim suit. She is very dark, and quickly acquired a lovely tan. I, who never tan at all, go about looking like a ghost among all the beautiful brown skins. All our Venus crowd were turning a richer colour every time I met them, whereas the heat, not to mention Madeira fever, made me more pallid even than my usual.

On the way back from the Lido we stopped at an enchanting shop opposite Rieds Hotel, and spent a long time looking at embroideries, baskets, hats etc. Eventually I bought a really exquisite blouse for the equivalent of only 35/- and a table runner, and Diana made several purchases as well.

I rested all the afternoon as the heat was terrific. Janet came round after dinner and half a dozen of us hired a car and went out to the fishing village of Camara de Lobos.

There we went to a little inn which was in the pure native style; the only illumination was from candles on the tables stuck in holders made from the jaw bones of cat fish. The little bar was made of part of a fishing boat, and the walls were festooned with nets. There was a quaint little plunky-tunky orchestra, and a fisher boy sang and danced between the tables, with a little girl of about twelve. The lad sang Portuguese songs in the same queer rather raucous, but fascinating type of voice we had heard singing in La Paloma, in Mollendo, Peru. It was packed out with English visitors, but the atmosphere was so homely and free and easy that it was really delightful. They passed round the most fantastic straw hat for everyone to wear, and the air got thicker and thicker with cigarette smoke and candle fumes, and more and more people kept crowding in, till there was barely a square yard for the boy and girl to dance. They both danced barefoot, and eventually one of our honeymoon brides kicked off her shoes and danced with the boy amid great applause. It was good fun, as no one got tight, but everyone was absolutely full of joie de vivre and bonhomie etc.!

It was very late before we got home.