Paul do Mar is a small fishermen village with less than 1000 habitats on the southwest coast of Madeira. Sunny weather and big waves of the Atlantic Ocean decided what to do best in Paul do Mar – ride big waves in surfer’s paradise, have some ice-cold mojito, and relax! In case you do not surf, drink mojito cocktail and watch the sunset then. One more occasional activity in Paul do Mar is music festival Maktub Soundsgood.
Work is for those who don’t surf”
– Ben Marcus
Red sunsets, blue waves, relaxed people having fun around. Did you just imagine this? This is a typical portrait of Paul do Mar. The waves break large here and if you are experienced surfer, be welcome!
In 2001 Paul do Mar was one of the venues for the World Surfing Championships. You have to be very careful there.
The waves break very close to the shoreline and the rocky bed. Surfing those big waves and their constant “tubes” requires a lot of skill and perfect sea conditions.
“Surfing is very much like making love. It always feels good, no matter how many times you’ve done it”
– Paul Strauch
If you think, you are able to ride those waves, consider finding an apartment or house to rent in Paul do Mar village.
You can do a small walk along the ocean shore. In the city centre, there are plenty of cafes and bars to have a beer or two with seashells, wait for the sunset and watch rhythmic waves hitting the ground.
Close to the marina you can find a dry dock with old rusty boats (my true passion actually) and a waterfall.
One of our favourite places to meet a sunset in surfers’ paradise is Maktub bar at the end of the promenade.
They have a very atmospheric place with a huge parrot, open view terrace to the ocean, and the best ice-cold fresh mojito on the island!
One time in a year Paul do Mar hosts Maktub Soundsgood music festival. Once I was lucky to have 2 tickets. Unfortunately, I was not able to enter it. All I managed to do right that night was to sell those 2 tickets to people who wanted to go in. Somehow, I became drunk and stoned just in front of an entrance.
I won’t illustrate this part of the post with related photos or videos. There is no sense of beauty in photos with me completely wasted. Instead, I would like to tell you a short story of my epic fails. Epic fails to enter a festival and enjoy great music. But let’s start from the very beginning.
If in doubt, paddle out”
– Nat Young
My wife and I heard a lot about the music festival in Paul do Mar. We had a great company of friends to join us. In the very last moment, my wife could not make it. Maybe I did not want to lose money of 1 ticket. I do not remember what was the reason why I decided to go there. I met all the guys in Funchal and we went to Maktub Soundsgood in one car.
It was supposed to start at 21-00. We came there at 20-00. One hour to warm up/to have a few beers, meet the sunset and prepare for the sound party. I remember the first four beers and a huge joint of an unfamiliar neighbour. Usually, I do not smoke, but after four beers I was brave enough to try. We talked about music.
What was next is just a mixture of video frames in my mind. Here I sell my tickets because cannot understand where I am. There I walk down the promenade looking for our car to sleep. Here I am going back to the festival because I did not find our car. I remembered neither the colour of it nor a model. There I try to enter the party but understand that I do not have a ticket with me anymore. I spent half of the night going between the festival and parking lot.
Later I remember myself sleeping near the car of my friend (one girl from our company was too kind to show me it). And boom! I am in Funchal at 5 am the next day!
What a great Maktub Soundsgood music festival! Wait for me next year! I am coming!!! 🙂
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