Achadas da Cruz on Madeira island is the ancestral home of my mother’s family. I grew up hearing stories of the tiny little parish town and the steep cliffs my grandparents had to hike up to bring produce back and forth from the even smaller village of Fajã da Quebrada Nova. It was like a pilgrimage for Alex and I to walk in the footsteps of my ancestors. When we came to the parish cemetery and I saw so many gravestones with my mother’s maiden name emblazoned across them it really hit home.
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Local Parish Church – Nossa Senhora Livramento
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Caldeira – My mothers family name
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Local businesses include a post office and general store
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At the top of the cable car terminal is the Calhau Snack Bar
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The steepest cable car in Europe
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Tiny village of Fajã da Quebrada Nova at the bottom of the cable car ride
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Nearby are hikes along the levadas