The Festival of the Atlantic is an important event in Madeira island, where Funchal is the capital.

Is an relevant event that combines entertainment and culture. It has three components: the Madeira Music Festival, the International Fireworks Competition and performances by philharmonic bands in the city centre.

These photo is from last saturday when the fireworks competition started with Italy and it's company Parente Fireworks.

Next saturday will be Russia, with it's company Pyrotechnic Yards of Peterholf, and, in next, on 20th will be Germany, with it'sm company IP Innovate Pyrotechnick.

Finnaly, on 27th Portugal, with it's company Macedos Pirotecnia, close the festival.

However, Portugal, as an organizer, not to enter the competition.

See calmly through the window to the beauty of a lush garden of a hotel of reference in Funchal, The Cliff Bay.

The Pullmantur cruise ship "Pacific Dream" began yesterday to make weekly cruises in the Atlantic, with passages in Funchal on Friday. Replaces the "Atlantic Star" that has been positioned to make travel in Brazil. Was planned to make more connections to Madeira, but the H1N1 virus that emerged in Mexico unfortunately, at this stage, chase tourism away and the company decided to withdraw the ship from Acapulco and put it on this side of the Atlantic, with stops in Gibraltar, Morocco, Lanzarote, in Canary islands and Madeira. I was on board the ship and left me very good impression with crew friendly, starting with the capitan Antonio Alonso, a native of Bilbao, the Basque Country, in Spain.

Creativity is increasingly a key differentiator, even in companies that engage in trade of antiques, like this in front of San Peter church.