Steel City Snapper photography
35mm, medium format and large format film photography (with the odd bit of digital every now and then…)
A couple of days ago I posted a picture of the stature of Empress Sisi of Austria, which stands outside a casino and hotel.
Today’s picture shows the casino building itself. I’m not sure how old it is, but it has that retro-futuristic vibe that shouts 1970s to me. It has a distinct feel of a flying saucer that has set down and been surrounded by curios visitors.
Olympus Trip 35 & Fujifilm Across II. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Taken 2 July 2026.
Olympus Trip 35 & Fujifilm Across II. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Taken 2 July 2026.
Most years, during the summer months, I will attend a steam rally – usually the Sheffield Steam Rally. This year I missed it as I was on holiday in Madeira when it took place.
I needn’t have been concerned though as it seems someone took the time to ship a single traction engine (manufactured by John Fowler & Co of Leeds, England) to Funchal. I’m sure it was done especially for me…
Olympus Trip 35 & Fujifilm Across II. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Taken 2 July 2026.
Empress Elisabeth of Austria, also know by her nickname Sisi (or Sissi – it seems to be spelt both ways) was Empress of Austria and, then, Queen of Hungary from her marriage to Franz Joseph I on 24 April 1854 until her assassination in 1898.
So why is there a statue of her outside a casino hotel in Funchal? Well, it’s because she visited twice, first in 1860 to 1861 to seek a reprieve from respiratory illness. The villa in which she stayed was eventually demolished, and the casino stands on the same site.
She visited again in 1893-94, but this time stayed at Reid’s Palace Hotel (which still exists and was just down the road from the hotel in which we stayed).
People leave flowers in the hands of the statue in remebrance.
Olympus Trip 35 & Fujifilm Across II. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Taken 2 July 2026.
As mentioned briefly yesterday, another draw for visitors in Funchal is the Christiano Ronaldo museum, or – perhaps more specifically – the bronze statue of the man standing outside.
I’m not a big football fan and mostly pay little attention to the game outside of major tournaments, so I can’t really say how good a likeness the statue is. It’s probably closer in resemblance when compared with the much-commented-upon bust of his head that was on display at Funchal airport.
A good likeness or not, the statue is afflicted by the same trend that many such pieces are, namely the need for people to touch them, particularly in places that might be seen as a little risque were it and actual living person (or, indeed animal – the bull in New York’s Wall Street has been similarly fondled), resulting in considerable amounts of brassing. 😀
Apart from walking past a couple of times just to say I’d “been there”, I didn’t venture into the museum (or touch up the statue, for that matter). There were a number of people present having their photos taken with it on each occasion I was there though.
Here he is in all his glory…
Olympus Trip 35 & Fujifilm Across II. Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 9mins @ 20°
Colour shot: Nikon F70, Nikkor 28-80mm f.3.5-5.6 AF-D & Kodak Portra 160 . Lab developed. Home scanned and converted with Negative Lab Pro
Taken 2 July 2026.
Steel City Snapper photography 