I spent over a week leisurely exploring and relaxing in, the sub-tropical paradise known as Madeira. The island of Madeira is quite far removed from Portugal itself, yet it is a Portuguese owned island. It is extremely difficult to take any of life's pleasures for granted, after living in Paradise proper for a short time. Surely, as long as I live, I will never forget the sheer, unadulterated wild beauty that is the island of Madeira.

Working as long and as hard as I do at my job, sometimes the need to get away becomes literally unbearable. There is no place quite as perfect as Madeira to compensate for endless hours spent at the office, with only a computer screen for company and entertainment. If I had specifically mail-ordered the ideal vacation get-away, chances are Madeira would have been the first chosen destination.

I am posting some photos I eagerly snapped while languishing in a Maderian Paradise. Even to my untrained photographers eye, the photos appear to be pure magic, heavenly. Credit the Island... not my photography skills!

If there was one enchanting characteristic of Madeira that stood out for me, besides any other, it would be the hypnotic beauty and exuberant amount of wild flora, flourishing in amazing abundance throughout the entire Island. It is hard to imagine such profound beauty if one does not get to experience it first hand. I hope my whimsical attempt at artistic photography does justice somewhat to such a natural Shangri-la. Please take your time browsing through the photos. It is my pleasure to post them, so everyone can appreciate this tiny corner of our vast globe that drips with such a measure of natural beauty and charm. Madeiras' God-given delights will not be found any where else on earth. Magical.

As long as I live and breath, the island of Madeira will continue to haunt my memories. Yes, there IS such a place as 'Heaven on Earth'. I stayed there for a few days......

Our planet is something to be revered and treated with a gracious respect. It is something we should never ever take for granted. Gods work is miraculous and spellbinding, to be sure.

Torben Laurberg
September 22, 2006