Lisa has everything ready…now to get all this into our backpacks! \240:-)

We are sad to leave home as spring was in the air last week, however the past couple of days have been cold, windy and a bit of snow in the air. I think this was Mother Natures way of giving us the boot to get going. \240There is still ice on the bay this morning \240that we hope will be gone when we get home.

Our first stop before leaving Sault Ste Marie was a stop at Shoppers Drug Mart for our COVID Antigen test. Thankfully they are both negative so with paperwork in hand we are now good to go! Whew!

Our first task for the day was Fritter delivery! We were able to drop Jude’s off the night before, so he was a lucky guy to have Fritters for breakfast. \240I bet that doesn’t happen every day…probably a good thing.

Our next stop was off to MEC to see Brian at work and deliver his sugary treasures. \240Many of you will recognize Jay from MEC. \240We brought a special delivery for him as well to entice him to come to Batchawana for a visit (and a fritter).

Jay, enjoying his fritter!

Our last London stop was having lunch with Katelyn and her friend Sarah. Dessert was on the menu and of course it was more Apple Fritters.

We’ll maybe our first stop will be for a glass of vino to celebrate that we made it this far.

Ed checked the Web camera while we are waiting and it appears we left just in time, lots of new snow today on the ground.

Happy Easter Everyone! \240It is going to be a looong night for us. \240We fly overnight and land at 6:30 am in Ponta Delgado which is really 1:30 am EST (we will be 5 hours ahead for the next 2 weeks). We will push through the day and try to get to bed early.

We made to Sao Miguel on schedule! \240We had a great flight. It was \240turbulent at times, but the plane was only 1/2 full. We were both able to take all 3 seats, stretch out and get some sleep which was wonderful. I can’t say we felt refreshed in the morning, but we were rested and ready to go which was a bonus we weren’t expecting.

The Sun was just coming out as we entered the city limits of Ponta Delgado.

Our first official stop of course was for breakfast. \240We found a little local shop in Lagoa near our accomodations for the night (where it was too early to check in) and the special was fresh squeezed orange juice, ham and cheese croissant and coffee of choice. \240Any guesses what type of coffee Ed picked?

Solo Espresso!….Fueled and charged with caffeine we were ready to go.

After our breakfast, we decided to take a quick walk down to the shoreline. \240We headed out in one area and we then found a beautiful paved path the meanders along the ocean. \240It was such an amazing sunny morning as we wandered around the breathtaking coastline thinking we had captured the most beautiful photo only to round the corner and find another impressive angle. \240The Islands were built of lava and the shoreline is a true indication of their creation.

No snow here! \240:-)

The rugged shoreline.

The many colours of the island.

The beautiful pathway.

Portugal is known for their tile work and we could see the reflection of their talents, even on the sidewalks.

This is Lago das Furnas (Lake Furnas) in the heart of the former volcanic crater. \240Near here their is a monitoring and research center. \240It is open every day and they offer free tours, except Easter Sunday. \240I guess we will have to come again if we want to know more.

Just a beautiful old moss covered church near the research center.

Our next stop was at the Furnas Hot Springs. \240What better way to recover from a long flight than a soak in naturally hot mineral springs.

Beautiful flowers surrounded the hot springs. Ed was in awe, I think he is already planning his next hydroponic activity.

After a long night of flying it felt amazing to soak our muscles.

Just like on the Camino…ABC…Another Beautiful Church.

Lunch was at Tony’s Restaurant and they provided some local treats on the house for Easter Sunday.

Ed had the local special that you can only get in Furnas. \240It is Cozido na Caldeira or Cozido das Furnas. \240Basically, it is a stew which is geo cooked in the Furnas geiser. They put a pot in the ground and let the hot water cook it all day. \240Interesting flavours, pork, beef, chicken, black sausage, carrots, cabbage & rice.

We followed lunch with a walk down to Caldeiras da Lagoa das Furnas. \240It was a full senses experience. You could see the hot steam, hear the boiling water and smell the sulfer gas being given off. \240You can feel the mist of the water and Ed had already had the pleasure of tasting everything with his lunch.

Video: Caldeira in Action

Video: Caldeira in Action 2

We were surprised to see they must have known we were coming and named one of the streets after our beautiful homeland.

We found that the trail along the ocean that we were on earlier ran as far along as our hotel. \240At several places, people have built their own private ocean pools which made for scenic access to the water.

Environmentally friendly recycling turtles :)

We stopped in at a supermarket to pick up a few supplies. \240Found these gems for 2€.

That’s all for tonight. It is coming up to 9 pm and I am really not sure what caffeine we are still running on. Stay tuned for edits and more updates tomorrow.

Today we travelled the eastern portion of the Island. Our first exploration point was Lagoa das Fogo. On a foggy low cloud covered day (which is most days), this viewpoint is often unseen. \240We were blessed with a clear view this morning.

There were several stops along the route that had a different perspective of this volcanic caldera. It was quite windy as you will hear in the video, but an amazing day. Much better than the snow that was in the forecast at home.

Video: Trying to capture the full Lagoa do Fogo

Another vantage point. \240If you look closely you can see people hiking on the left side of the picture.

We did a quick stop in Ribeira Grande a town, in the north of San Miquel.

Ed was able to find his morning espresso and we sweetened it up by adding a Pastal de Nata (homemade Portuguese custard tart). \240We connected to wifi and had a wonderful FaceTime with Jude. \240It wasn’t until we were sitting having our lunch later in the day that we realized that we left the cafe and neither of us had paid! Yikes!!…. Now we are trying to figure out a way to send them the payment.

Our next stop was at one of several Tea plantations on the island. \240This one was Cha (Tea) Gorreana. \240It provided a free self directed tour with a tasting at the end of the tour.

I never realized before today that Green and Black tea come from the exact same plant. \240The difference is in the oxidization process. Orange Pekoe comes from the younger center leaves.

Fields of tea plants. \240They almost have the same appearance as our Boxwood plants.

Row upon row of Tea leaves.

A quick stop along our route at Nordeste. This is a town on the North Eastern section of the island. \240

If you look closely you can see the lighthouse at Ponta do Ariel along the coast. \240

Beautiful manicured gardens adorned several of the lookout spots. \240This was one that was very well maintained and a magnificent lookout spot. \240Once again the clouds stayed well above our sight line and we were blessed with stupendous views!

Magnificent!

Gardens at the lookout.

At almost every stop, it was guarded by a feline creature. \240Most tourists were in awe and Ed’s response was that they were just keeping the rodent population in check.

We made a stop at Povoacao as we rounded the southeastern part of the Island. \240I am not sure who is looking for who?

Amazing shoreline views. It was a very long day of shoreline explorations. \240We had left our hotel around 9 am and arrived back at around 6:30 pm, but a wonderful scenic filled day.

We enjoyed our evening meal at a restaurant that was on the ocean only about one block from our hotel, Ondas do Mar (Ocean Waves). The waiter didn’t speak English very well (but much better than our Portuguese) and this was his dessert recommendation. \240Not exactly sure what it was, but very tasty. \240A great day and a great way to spend our Anniversary!

Checking out a stop along the route. \240

We were following the red route to the top of Pico da Cruz, the highest peak overlooking the lakes. \240

Aquaduct system, amazing engineering from so long ago.

Of course Ed had to climb up and take a closer look at the engineering of the structure.

Our climb started out as a gentle path.

What we saw ahead was not so much of a gentle climb!

It seemed to go on and on, but really in the end it was only about 5 km there and back.

When we got to the top of the summit we realized that there were tours on ATV’s that you could hire to take you to the top, but what is the fun in that? Besides, we needed to hike to burn off some of those Pastal da Natas we have been enjoying.

Our view of the lakes from the top.

As we were making our way down we realized we could see both the north and south shores of the island at the same time from our vantage point.

As we drove down the crust wall of the volcano, we could see the town of Sete Cidadas from several different lookout spots. \240Each time we were in awe.

Down at the very bottom was the town that we would be spending our night at.

Each lake had it’s own uniqueness.

ABC - Another beauful coastline adorned with the black lava rocks.

The beaches were unique with the black sand. \240You could actually feel the heat radiating up from the sand.

This was the shoreline at Ponta da Ferraris. \240At this spot a thermal stream heats up the water at the shore. People are normally swimming in this location, but because of the high tides and the rough water, no one was crazy enough to be swimming. \240One of the challenges as we visited the coastal towns was in order to get down to sea level, the road was constant switchbacks and very narrow. \240It felt like we were on a roller coaster at times.

Arches that have been cut by the waves. into the volcanic rocks.

The view of both lakes around Sete Cidadas. When the sun shines on them, one is a magnificent blue and the other a green due to the mineral deposits. \240Each lake is separated by a causeway that leads into the smal town.

Wow!

As we hiked our final trail for the day, we were looking back and appreciating our first trail from this morning and Ed is pointing at the viewpoint that we had from there.

Amazing view of the lakes.

Enjoying a cool, windy day.

The trail to and from our final lookout was lined with unique cedar trees that made for a very magical experience.

This is an abandoned hotel at the top overlooking the lakes of Sete Cidadas. There are rumours that it has been sold and a new company is going to refurbish it and get it going again.

As we finished our hike, there was a small lake that reminded us of many of our Northern Ontario gems.

We checked into our Airbnb for the evening in the town of Sete Cidadas. \240The town is located at the bottom of the basin of the volcanos. \240In the backyard we had several cows. When we reached out to the host in the afternoon, she was unable to be there to greet us so she indicated she would just leave the keys in the door, a good sign of a safe community! \240It was a wonderful little authentic home for the night.

This was the back terrace of our Airbnb with the cows literally in our back yard.

More walking and exploring Sete Cidadas on our way to find dinner.

The local church, Sao Nicolau.

Another Beautiful Coastal view.

Video: Morning sounds as the hills come alive.

Ed has become much more comfortable navigating the narrow roads and switchbacks. \240Beautiful scenery over each hill and around every bend. \240We did have to be on alert as tractors, cows, trucks and bicycles all share the same roads.

We stopped in at Ribeira Grande to have lunch. \240We went back to the small cafe where we had accidentally “Dined and Dashed” on Monday. \240The same girl was working and we explained we had forgotten to pay the other day, but were there today to pay for Monday and order more drinks for today. \240I think she was a bit shocked, but grateful, and our consciences are now clear. :-)

The narrow streets which believe it or not are actually two way traffic, plus a parking lane.

As we entered, the waterfalls and mossy landscape had almost a mysterious look to them, I was looking around for hobbits, elves or dwarfs.

The pool at the top looked beautiful, but when we felt it the verdict was that it was actually quite cool. \240(Maybe why there was no one swimming in it?)

Bubbling (boiling)water at our feet.

When we saw how busy the pools were we felt ok about the fact we were unable to get a pool pass. \240There really wasn’t much social distancing happening. \240The interpretive center was good, lots of great information on how the islands were formed.

We took the longer but more beautiful route on the way back going past Lagoa do Fogo once again.

Once we dropped our bags, we headed out to explore the area on foot.

We soon found our bearings with the compass pointing North and the Arches. \240

Now this was unique! \240We explored the waterfront and found an outdoor community pool, in the ocean! \240There is a small enclosed area, and a larger area where anyone can come and swim. \240We might just have to see if we can find some googles and give it a try on our return trip.

You can see the smaller enclosed area in this shot.

We found several restaurants along the waterfront in a area tucked underneath the roadway. We had a beautiful view of the Marina. Tucked out of the wind and the sun warming things up it was quite a cozy spot.

Ed ordered Seafood Linquini with Black Pasta and said it was the best he had ever eaten!

When we got back to the room and had a litte more time to get settled in, we found this card in our room. We are feeling very blessed.

Now off to bed early as we have an early morning flight and a new Island ahead of us to explore.

Our little plane showed up to take us to Pico.

The beautiful landscape of San Miquel as we started our flight.

Ed admiring the architecture!

View out the front door.

This is the outdoor oven.

This one is called the Flintstone table.

Inside look at the great room.

A different angle.

Looking out the window in the kitchen you can see Mount Pico, today it was hiding behind a cloud.

From the terrace in the back, these are the ancient vineyards, yet to be explored and discovered. More to come on these.

Video: The Wine House Airbnb

Video 2: The Wine House Airbnb

The clouds appeared to be moving above Mount Pico so we set out next to explore it. \240We did a stop at Lagoa do Capitao on our way to the summit.

Brrr… We reached the Mountain House Parque Natural do Pico. \240Here climbers need to check in before continuing the journey to the top of the mountain. \240It was quite windy and cool. \240Once again the stop was filled with very good educational information on the climb to the summit, what to expect, and what was required. \240We quickly decided that it wasn’t for us, this trip anyway!

Video: Slow motion of waves crashing

Video: waves crashing

We travelled the road along the coast and soon came to this very unique village. \240As we drove through we noticed an interpretative center so we pulled over to check it out.

The first center was all about winemaking which is famous in this area. \240The center was free which we have found that many of the sites are. \240There was a large selection of panels that described the process of growing the vines on the lava rock.

The free tour even came with a complimentary wine tasting. \240It really doesn’t get much better than that. \240It had to be 12 o’clock someplace!

Just down the street was a 2nd interpretative center. This one was the Volcano House and the information focused on how the islands were formed. Ed was in his scientific glory. \240This was a mix of guided program, video presentations and self guided.

We have never seen a door this large before.

The dome in the center of the room provided a look into what the core of the earth might look like.

A 3d surround presentation in both English and Portuguese.

The next demonstration was about the earthquakes. There was a short video first and then we were provided with 3D Virtual Reality glasses that showed you first hand what a Earthquake would be like, while the platform under your feet shook to simulated it.

Our kitchen is fully stocked with most essential supplies to prepare our meals.

Lunch was soup and a sandwhich.

The tour normally ends with a wine tasting, however because all of the time slots were booked, Jose was able to get us in at the beginning of our tour. \240These are all locally made wines and the tasting took place at a co-op where many farmers bring their grapes and they are combined together to make the various wines using today’s modern technology.

Our next stop was at a Wine Museum where Jose went through the process of how they made the wines and the microclimate created by the lava rock walls.

Even through the rock rows seemed at first to be very random and a bit of a maze there was really a pattern to them.

Jose explained how there were old areas and new areas and how to identify the difference.

Looking out at the vineyards and now being able to make sense of the pattern.

We stopped just down the road from our house and this ramp was built by hand centuries ago. \240Wine barrels(delivered from the fields by donkey and carts) were rolled down this ramp and pulled up onto awaiting boats to take them across the straight to the Island of Faial from where they would be shipped around the world.

Exploring the edge of the earth…well almost.

Until a big splash came along!

Jose showing us where you can still see the groves left in the lava rock from the horse/donkey and carts that were used to transport the wine from the farmers fields to the boat launch. \240These tracks are right in front of our house.

Then back at our Wine House Jose showed us his plants and explained some of the techniques we had seen on the information at the Wine Museum.

After all of the vine and water exploration a glass of vino was definately on the menu. \240We enjoyed sitting on our back terrace, looking up at Mount Pico and absorbing all of the information from the day.

After our wine we did a walk towards town to explore the local vineyard and were rewarded with magnificent views on our return.

It took until the end of the day, but Mount Pico finally showed it’s full silhouette.

Video above:

A couple of fun facts from the day. This is a Dragon Tree. \240They are native to the Archipelagos of the North Atlantic. \240They are very large trees, but branches are somewhat like a palm tree.

Cory’s Shearwater - These are nocturnal birds, similar to a seagull, but they only come out at night. \240The owner had warned us that there was a nest of them living by the Wine House. \240After dark they come out and make the strangest noice. Almost like a small child or a squeaky toy, we are still trying to figure it out. \240Google it if you want to hear them.

The Gruto das Torres Visitors Center is run by the government and is an example of sustained use of a natural resource for entertainment purposes as well as environmental awareness. \240The Gruta is the largest lava tube in Portugal with a length of 5150 m. \240The tube was formed like a river when the hot lava was pouring down the volcano, it found a weak spot and burrowed it’s way through.

The program began with a 10 minute video talking about the formation of the Lava Tubes, and providing a safety briefing. \240Once we donned our safety equipment we were ready to go.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and provided many relatable examples of how the path of the lava had created the various formations.

This is lava glass formed when the hot lava quickly passed by certain areas.

Standing on a section of the floor you can almost image the lava oozing it’s way down the mountain through this cave.

Yes, he really was paying attention.

Looking up where a bubble of gas had burst during the eruption creating a large crater in the ceiling.

One of the local wineries is apparently experimenting with having their wine age in the tunnel. \240It is a very humid environment. \240The first experiment turned out so well, this is the 2nd with more bottles than the first. \240Unfortunately for us there is no name so we are not sure which company to trial the sample.

Above is referred to as a sky light. \240A weak spot in the roof would collapse and form the entrance into the cave.

Man made stairways lead in and out of the cave. \240In the depths of the cave however the ground is wet, slippery and very uneven. \240Thankfully, no ankles were sprained in the making of this adventure.

We only travelled about 500 meters in and out, and the tour took approximately 90 minutes in total. \240Very worthwhile and informative.

The sperm whale oil, almost entirely exported to European countries, was used mainly as a high quality lubricant but also for perfumes and cosmetics, in the pharmaceutical industry and in the production of paints and waxes. \240It was originally transported in drums and later on in barrels and tank vessels. This was the last factory to close and is now a self guided museum.

This is the ramp that the whales would be pulled up onto shore. On average, about 60 sperms whales were processed here each year.

Windmill found in Madalena.

This one was found just outside of Sao Roque do Pico.

A beautiful Nature park and trail at Ponta do Misterio. \240

ABC - Ribeira coast

Looking out at Pico Mountain over Lajes do Pico

ABC - Near Sao Roque

ABC - Near Sao Roque

The eastern most point of Ilha do Pico.

This will be our last night here at the Wine House. \240Tomorrow we are off to the Island of Terceira.

Tomorrow morning we leave the Island of Pico behind. \240We are sad to go, but looking forward to exploring the next and 3rd Island.

Behind the ocean pool is a small building with washrooms and in the summer season a bar.

The explosion of the waves against the lava rocks.

We walked out to the edge of the cliff by the water when we got back to the house, and were in awe once again at the formations of the flow. You can imagine the hot thick lava oozing down the hill and \240coming to its final resting place as it cools near the water.

As we packed our car and prepared to pull away from the Wine House for the last time, the sky over Faial Island showed us a beautiful rainbow. We have much to be greatful for.

Making the long walk on the runway out to the plane.

This time we choose our room based on location. \240We decided to take a break from driving and picked a spot in the heart of the town of Angra do Heroismo where we have the opportunity to explore on foot.

Our hotel for the next 3 nights.

We had planned to stop first at the tourist information center, but unfortunately it was closed for the Sabbath. With our street map (and Google Maps) in hand we headed off towards the ocean knowing we would discovered sites along the water for sure. If some details are missing we will add them in once we get more information.

Ed hanging out with the Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama. He was the first navigator to sail directly from Europe to India.

Beautiful Blue Church of Misericordia.

Looking out over the marina.

Castle of Sao Joa Baptista. \240Today inside this UNESCO building there is a modern day hotel. \240In keeping with the designation, nothing modern can be showing on the outside.

We explored the castle grounds taking in the scenery from all directions.

Mount Brazil in the background.

View of the historic city.

Looking back over the historic city.

Typical streets of the area, some one way, others just very narrow.

Ed looking bewildered with his empty plate. \240We often share our entree so we can enjoy an appetizer and sometimes dessert. On our way back to the hotel we came by this beautiful church. The lighting almost made it feel like it was watching us pass by in the night.

Angra had many churches. \240We could never remember the name of all of them, but when referring to them giving directions we would call them, the pink one, or the blue one, or the yellow one.

The sun was reflecting like a mirror on the ocean. \240Several pleasure boats were getting ready to head out on the water. \240I think this is the calmest we have seen the water since we arrived in the Azores.

As we passed by the information center, to our surprise they were open today even though it was the holiday. \240We were able to pick up an excellent walking map for Angra. \240So off we went to explore this beautiful city on foot.

The trail started in the magnificent gardens behind our hotel and our 2nd climb of the day began. \240The trail was a switchback system up the side of the hill. Here you can see the maze of trails up the side of the hill.

Fountains and displays were set along the way.

Ed waiting for me at the summit of the hill.

This was a great placed to start the tour with an amazing vantage point looking out over the city. \240We had 23 more stops ahead of us.

View from the top.

This was an aquaduct system that was used to bring water into the heart of the city. It was used for many years to serve as the backbone to the city’s industry (windmills, tanneries, filling mills, etc.)

This church was not one of the points of interest, but I found it very striking with the angel on top and doves adorning the front. (Later we would discover that this was actually a small chapel called an Imperio)

So much history throughout the day, called for a shoe shot of course.

Ed trying to figure out what direction to head for the next stop.

This house was built for the Purveyor (Navel Quartermaster) to the fleet of ships. \240It shows just how important of a job this was at the time, based on the grandeur of the home. He was responsible for managing the supply of food and armaments, assisting damaged vessels and coordinating the islands fleet.

This was a shot of the Fortress of Sao Sebastian that we had explored yesterday.

More university grads in capes touring the city.

The end of the pier. \240It was quite windy at the time so I was holding on as not to get blown into the water.

Remembering to always look from where you have come when we turned around on the pier this was the view.

Lots of holiday activities were going on today. \240There were boat races happening from the open water of the ocean into the shoreline. \240The participants seemed to be mid teen in age.

Also notice along the pier, we like to call these cement jacks. \240They look like the game we used to play as kids, but probably a little harder to pick up. \240We had discovered them previously when we were in the Portugal Algarve region.

City Hall was suppose to be open for an exposition about the country’s freedom according to the person at the information booth, but when we stopped in at City Hall, reception did not know what we were talking about but they did give some useful information that would come in handy later in the day.

Home of the Governor. \240A little run down compared to the Purveyor.

This is the oldest and longest street in Angra. \240It leads from town centre all the way down to the water. Rue de Directiv

As we were near the tail end of our city exploration tour, we started to hear music and followed the sound. \240There were several bands celebrating the holiday, by providing entertainment for the locals. (And of course we blended right in)

It was wonderful to see the bands filled with musicians of all ages.

Video: local sounds of the day.

The steps of the church also played double duty as the bleachers for the parade. \240The Church was definately the central location for many activities today.

Musicians young and old were participating in the festival.

A group of locals were playing a game of pick up “football” on the beach. \240Of course someone had even brought pinnies so they could identify the teams. \240I had to hold Ed back from heading out to join them.

Many locals were taking advantage of the sunshine and 20 degree temperatures to hang out at the beach. We were very surprised to see brown sand as this is not typical of the many of the islands.

In the areas that the bulls would run they were boarding up the windows and doors to avoid any injuries from glass.

Covering up the windows.

As the games began, the farmers (Identified by white shirts and black hats) brought the bulls in crates that were lifted off a pick up truck. \240When the bull was released there would be 1 signal of a firework set off.

The bull is tied to the end of a very long and strong rope. \240To control (somewhat) the direction of the bull there are farmers holding onto the rope and pulling him back as he reached the marked boundaries.

It becomes a bit of a game as mostly young eager lads tease the bull and try to get it to chase them. \240As it chases them, normally the entire crowd on the streets also moves back out of the way. The farmers would continue to direct the bull until he appeared to be getting tired (20-30 minutes) and then they would lead him back to his crate.

Video: Bull in Action

Video: Bull in action

Video: Bull in Action

Video: Bull in action

Video: Bull in Action. The young man in red with the red flag appeared to be the main Matador. He would often be the one to distract the bull and lure him to head off in another direction.

Video: Bull in Action

Video: Bull in Action

As we were leaving Ed got a little brave and wanted to get in the front line of the action. \240The bull was staring him down at this point.

Video: Ed staring down the Bull

Ed was very proud as he walked away, knowing that he had defeated the bull and scared him off to run in a different direction. (I am glad he didn’t come back with a red shirt and flag).

Video: Ed’s proud moment after staring down the bull.

All in all it was an amazing experience. \240One we won’t be able to do again in all likelihood in any other country.

When the bull get’s tired,(about 20-30 minute) they take him back to his crate. \240Once he is secure then 2 shots of fireworks are sounded. \240There are 4 bulls in total for the night.

No bulls were injured in the making of these events. \240A little tired out from being teased and chased.

As we were watching the large bus ahead of us squeeze through the opening on the old roads that were not built for today’s modern vehicles, it made us very glad we were only in a small bus today. Apparently only some drivers are skilled enough to take the larger buses up to the top of the mountain.

This is the first of many Caldeira’s we would see today. The bowl of a former volcano. This one looking out over the ocean on our way up to the top.

This was a young municipal leader who was appointed when he was just a kid. \240We were told that one of the things that Terceira tries to do is to make all of their statues to be life size.

Looking out over the harbour and city from the top of Mount Brazil.

The cross marks the highest point in our climb.

Statue at the center of the city roads. Representing bulls running, jumping and goring.

This statue was in front of the actual bull fighting stadium.

Lookout spot over Goat Islands. The goats were removed from the islands several years ago as they were an invasive species and they were not allowing the native sea birds to live there and survive. Since they were removed, the island that were previously brown and barren looking, are now green and lush and the native birds are thriving there.

We have eaten many of the local bananas which are much smaller and sweeter than the ones we have at home, but we hadn’t seen any plants. \240Today we learned that they are hidden behind these large “hedges” to shelter the plants from the salt air and winds.

A photo bomber! \240At this stop our guide explained how the Portuguese had used there bulls to help to defend the island from Spain during an invasion attempt.

This was one of many ocean swimming pools we would see along our travels today. \240In the summer they are very busy and many also provide a bar.

This stop was at Serra do Cume. \240It was very windy at the top of this Caldeira. \240One of the largest craters on the island, it is 7 km across and today only farmland exists at the bottom as building has been restricted in this area.

It appears to be a much younger and more modern city. \240A few older churches sprinkled amongst the more modern architecture.

We found this sign in the center square…Love it!

Video: \240This was similar to our pot roast, but all meat and no vegetables. \240It was a served with wine and roast potatoes.

On our travels we came across an Azorean traffic jam while trying to get to our next destination. The cows had taken over the road moving on to their next pasture. \240

Winding staircase leading the way down.

Ed getting an explanation from one of the guides on site.

Mossy top near the entrance.

Many colours down below due to the mineral deposits.

At the bottom there was a lagoon of teal water. Unfortunately the photos we took, do not do it justice.

110 steps down, and 110 steps up!

Beautiful roadways line with Plananus trees.

Our guide Chris next to Ed explains how the microclimates worked to grow grapes. (We didn’t divulge that we had already had an amazing tour by Jose on this subject matter).

ABC - Loved seeing all of the patchwork fields and lava rock formations.

Patchwork fields could be found blanketing the island.

This was one of ocean beach locations we visited. \240

Margaret, one of the people on our tour wanted to put her feet in the water and Chris was making sure no one had to go in swimming for her.

Chris providing an explanation of the various cheese flavours and also providing history on Elisa the bull.

Famous Elisa!

One of the flowers that the Island is famous for is Hydrangeas. \240Many were not in bloom yet, but we found these and really liked their unique colouring.

Interesting broom of a city worker.

Back in our room for final departure preparations. Enjoying one of the local bananas we had grabbed with breakfast. They almost have the taste of a banana popsicle. More creamy and sweet than ours are.

We had a lovely view of the gardens from our room.

Fun fact: I always thought that Portugues people just naturally had full curly hair. I have discovered that the salty air, and lots of wind may play a factor. Ed does not have the same issue.

The Azoreans say they can experience 4 seasons in one day, we have heard this from several people on different islands. Today the air was foggy, misty and damp in Angra. On our 15 minute drive to the airport it completely changed and this area is sunny and warm. The hills and caldiera create microclimates. Layering of clothing and jackets is a must here.

After landing we located a lovely little cafe on a side street to enjoy some wine and I was able to order a salad. \240On the smaller island they don’t seem to know what a salad is. Our guide said yesterday that vegetables are for the animals. It would definately be hard to be vegan here!

Ed enjoying his meat sandwich!

It was a self guided tour in the greenhouses.

Ed taking notes to figure out how he can make it hydroponic.

A pineapple pathway.

There were signs in the greenhouse that had QR codes readable with our phone that provided a detailed explanaton of the planting and growing process.

It takes 2 years from the start before they have pineapples ready to be harvested.

Gardens of the pineapple plantation.

At the end of the self guided tour we were given pineapple liquor and a piece of Melba toast with pineapple jam to taste.

On our way back we stopped to check out the Azores University.

The City Library.

We always seem to be drawn to the water and today was the same. \240We headed to the pier and took the path along the water. There was a large cruise ship in port today which made the cafe’s in this area busier than normal. We were able to head off the main road and find a small cafe on a side street filled with locals.

Along the waterfront there were many crabs sunning themselves on the hot lava rocks. \240They are quite skittish as soon as you get close to they they will quickly scurry between the cracks.

They were working on this street the last time we were in Ponta Delgado and it appeared today that they were putting the finishing touches on it. \240The art of laying skillfully designed roads seems to be a trade that is still carried on today. \240

Very different machines are used to keep the streets clean here in the city compared with what we had seen in Terceira.

Another beautiful church in the main square area.

Signs at the start of the trail.

Following the dirt path.

Beautiful lava rock formations.

You could feel the heat coming off the rocks. \240

Some areas of the trail had a mixture of lava stones and concrete which helped with your footing.

There were a few sections that were windy, but we were lucky to not lose anyone along the trail.

We finally came to the 2nd house along the trail and our restaurant for the afternoon.

It was a beautiful oasis in the middle of nowhere.

Behind us were the beautiful terraced gardens. \240Everything that was being prepared for us for lunch had come from the garden of the owners.

We have been blessed with wonderful weather during our stay here. \240It was a bit drizzly, but we didn’t let that dampen our spirits.

It really felt like we were on the Camino again today and having a community meal. \240We met two other couples who also were brave enough to to follow the dirt path. \240A couple (Justin/Jessica) from New Hampshire, and a couple from England/Belgium (Mark/Sabrina).

It did start to rain a little harder so we moved inside to enjoy our dessert and coffee.

Everything was delicious and beautifully presented.

We sat down initially as strangers and went away from the table as friends. \240It is always amazing the 6 degrees of separation and the connections you can find between others.

On our hike out it was raining a bit harder, but still manageable. \240It definately reminded us of our last few rainy days walking into Santiago.

What a wonderful afternoon and an amazing unique experience. \240Definately not your typical restaurant!

I had to include this photo of us with Sarah the day we walked into Camino de Santiago in 2019, 42 days after we originally met her and our paths intertwined and crossed many times throughout the journey. \240There has been lots of Camino reminiscing over the past couple of days.

It was a unique ride with a cute bell that rang as we travelled through the streets.

Ed looking pretty cozy in his seat.

Beautiful gardens at the Anthony Borges park. \240Ironically I had gone to school with a Tony Borges, I wonder if they are related?

Very strange roots on this tree.

Narrow streets that we could barely fit down.

My “espresso with milk”.

Our original plan was to visit the Marine Museum in the fort, but unfortunately, it was closed today for a private event. \240Not sure why we hadn’t received an invitation.

A beautiful statue and fountain.

We walked down to the end of the pier. \240The water inside the marina was quite calm, but past the pier it was very wavy on the water as we watched a few boats head out.

It might be a while before we can do this at home!

It was actually a very peaceful spot. \240The sound of the birds singing, a light breeze, warm sunshine and a nap. \240Life is good!

The young couple we had met the other day from New Hampshire had suggested this restaurant Rotas da Ilha Verde. \240It is a vegetarian restaurant and certainly did not disappoint. We had crunchy vegan sausage balls with honey & mustard sauce along with rice bread bruschetta with beetroot hummus and chickpea as our appetizer.

For our main, Ed and I shared the Vegetable Paella with shiitake mushrooms so we would have room for dessert.

It was wonderful to connect with Sarah on a totally different Camino journey.

There was a very large Norwegian cruise ship in the port this morning. Many people were around getting ready to head out on various water tours.

The ocean was relatively calm this morning and the sun was heating up the day. \240If we were staying the entire day, I think I would be digging out our shorts that we had brought and hadn’t had an opportunity to wear yet.

A well maintained bike path took us out of Ponta Delgado towards Sao Roque.

Several large vessels were waiting out side the pier we believe for guiding vessels (Tug Boats) to bring them in.

This point is called “The Old Man in the sea”, or at least that is what we are calling it!

It was magnificent scenery as the path wound along the shore.

This spot was unusual as water was flowing in from two directions.

Video: Water from multi directions

Climbing up a lookout to take the opportunity to look back from where we had come.

Our turn around point was at the Chapel of Sao Roque.

Many unique panels were painted, or created from tiles along the way.

Our total distance was around 11 km, now back in the room for a quick shower before doing final packing preparations for check out.

We walked down the pier one last time. Today with the warm weather the beach area was bustling with activity. We are blessed to have the beautiful sand beaches that we do at home.