This lovely shaded outdoor terrace was a great setting for our meals and drinks.
Lots of shaded walking paths, among the hotel buildings and ...
... along the cliffs overlooking the ocean ...
... to a diving and swimming area right in the North Atlantic!
Further down the trail, there was a great overlook perfect for catching some sun!
All along the trail, stone benches provided incredible views.
See the bench in the lower left? What a great spot for a plein-air painter!
At the far end of the trail, a great pool with a spectacular view anchored the property.
We couldn't resist one more stop on the way back to the hotel to just relax and take in the extraordinary vistas from this magical place.
Day 2 - A Walk to the Village
In the morning after breakfast, we walked down this lane to the nearby village of Ribeiras to get a feel for local life.
The lava-and-stucco construction of these buildings is the classic style of construction on Pico Island.
However, we quickly encountered modern homes reflecting the Azores' popularity as a weekend and vacation destination for Portuguese and other holiday-makers across Europe.
Ribeiras could be a small town anywhere in Portugal.
And the Catholic Church could have been transplanted from any of them.
As we moved through the village, the seaside of the street had a number of very nice, new homes with outstanding ocean views ...
... while traditional lava-and-stucco construction dominated on the inland side ...
... with sheep and goats happily keeping the grass cut in yards ...
... and lots of home gardeners taking advantage of the fine climate.
The prime oceanfront lots are increasingly being filled in, but ...
... for anyone looking for a fixer-upper, bargains may still be available!
All in all, Ribeiras looked like a pretty idyllic place!
Day 3 - More Pico History, Culture and Nature
Our last full day on Pico began with a visit to this local cheese factory ... a wide variety of tasty cow and sheep-cheeses!
The largest Catholic Church is in Sao Roque on the north coast.
The interior was more architecturally complex and decorated than the village church in Ribeiras.
The main altar decoration was beautiful in its simplicity ...
... as was the side chapel.
In our transit across Pico, we got many great views across huge vineyards laced with low, lava-rock walls. The vines grow low to the ground below and between the walls, which shield them from the constant trade winds.
This municipal swimming pool in Sao Roque is constructed from lava rock and is open to the sea.
Nearby, an old lava-rock mill has been converted into a distillery ... in addition to a large wine industry, the Azoreans produce their own local brands of gin, whiskey and other distilled spirits, of which they are rightly very proud.
This lava-rock sculpture of a bull's head marks the beginning of a small national park area that showcases the meeting of an ancient lava flow with the sea.
Staircases and pathways have been constructed to enable visitors to access interior areas of this fascinating spot ...
... with several opportunities to look down on tidal pools surging back and forth among the lava formations.
The Azores were a key base supporting the international whaling industry during its heyday, and this is commemorated at the Whaling Industry Museum in Sao Roque.
The Museum occupies an old waterfront warehouse advertising "vitamins, oils, flours, fertilizers, ... ... frames" and - tellingly - "whaleboats."
Inside, this mounted jawbone makes clear right away the size of the animals the whalers sought across the Seven Seas.
As we headed back up the volcanic slopes on our return to the south coast ...
... we were struck yet again by the sheer beauty of Pico.
At a small lake in a park on top of the volcanic peak in Pico's center, these visiting Muscovy Ducks evidenced the prominence of the Azores as a rest stop for many species of migratory birds.
After a busy morning touristing, it was great to have a lunch of local favorites ... blood sausage, other sausages, local cheese and great rustic bread.
We also got to wash it down with samples from among literally dozens of flavored liquers produced locally ... most from distilled wines. All in all, another great day.
Day 4 - Faial Island
On our way to catch a boat for the short ride over to neighboring Faial, we got great views of the unique Azorean vineyards with their latticework of lava rock walls to shield the vines from the ever-present tradewinds.
Shortly, we boarded the good ship Betty for the short transit. Faial can be seen in this photo in the distance beyond the harbor entrance.
The coastline of Faial on our approach was marked by high cliffs rising abruptly from the water's edge ...
... dotted with a number of caves.
Some were large enough that our small boat could easily go inside for a peek.
This formation has been aptly named "Elephant Head."
Horta is the harbor town on Faial ... the waterfront view is splendid.
Horta is a traditional stop for long-distance sailors, and Cafe Sport (better known to the international sailing sort as "Pete's") is at the heart of that tradition...
... according to which you are expected to drink here and contribute a painting, flag or similar memorabilia of your boat and your visit. Thousands of sailors have done so, covering almost every inch of the walls, ceilings and rafters!
The food at Pete's isn't elegant, but it's local and hearty ...
... and the drinks are everything you'd hope for - especially after a long haul to get here!
At dinner back on Pico after our fine outing to Faial, we discovered "Volcanic White," one of the best local wines. The tasting notes on the back label are unique:
"In the middle of the Atlantic, on the base of the volcanic mountain, the Volcanic Series are wines of pure volcanic 'terroir.' These infertile, rocky soils, defy the definition of usable soil. On the waterfront, planted on the 'mother rock,' where nothing else would grow, grapes risen as much as the brave Azorean climate allows, drawing this fresh, elegant and salty white wine."
No one can claim they are overselling! That said, it must also be noted that this wine comes from one of only 14 UNESCO World Heritage Vineyards. We liked it very much.
Day 5 - Pico Underground, Then Off to Sao Miguel
From breakfast we shuttled to Gruta das Torres, a lava cave formed 500-1500 years ago from the flow and cooling of subterranean magma rivers below the cone of Pico's volcano. This is the most known and developed of 17 lava caves identified on Pico.
All visitors are required to protect the cave environment as well as themselves.
Our excellent guide explained the different types of lava flows visible on the tunnel floors.
She also noted that the constant temperature and humidity in the cave is optimal for wine storage!
We were told the cone of the volcano is almost always shrouded in clouds, so it was great to be able to get this clear photo of it when we came out of the Gruta.
After a quick lunch, we flew from Pico to Sao Miguel - the largest and most populous of the Azores 9 islands. We checked into the Acores Atlantico Grand Hotel on the waterfront in Ponta Delgado ... the main city of the Azores.
Dinner in the Balcony Restaurant at the hotel was about the presentation as much as the excellent food. Here you see a Dumpling with a vial of balsamic ready to cascade over it.
Pam's Risotto with Mushrooms, Shaved Truffles and Poached Egg was as delicious as it was eye-catching...
... while Paul's rack of lamb was equally delicious and appealing.
Our fellow traveller Lisa loved this scrumptious fruit, cream and meringue dessert. For everybody, this dinner was a fine cap to another fun and interesting day of exploration.
Day 6 - Ponta Delgado and Beyond on Sao Miguel
On our way to Ponta Delgado, we had noticed this very impressive three-masted sailing ship.
We learned that it is a Portuguese Coast Guard training ship, and were pleased to see it docked directly in front of our hotel.
As you can see, the Portuguese Coast Guard misses no opportunity to show off its charm!
In addition to the view, our hotel also overlooked a large public salt-water swimming facility right on the harbor ...
... and shared these fine views with several other substantial hotel, residential and office buildings.
Away from the waterfront, more traditional Portuguese architecture like the Municipal Building can also be seen.
Street scenes here are indistinguishable from similar scale cities we have visited in mainland Portugal.
As we would soon learn, there is something unique about these Azorean pineapples we noticed in the shops.
Ponta Delgado's markets provide a broad range of excellent products ...
... belying the seeming isolation of these small islands.
Many of these specialty sauces, preserves, condiments and similar products are made here and exported to Portugal and more widely in Europe.
And the Azores are certainly at least self-sufficient in proteins as well.
It doesn't take long to develop an appetite after stepping into a few shops like this one and reflecting on the range of choices available here!
From Ponta Delgado, we drove across the interior of Sao Miguel and were quickly treated to a series of beautiful vistas from the highlands.
If the closer of these two continuous highland lakes looks green and the one further in the distance looks blue, your eyes are not deceiving you. The near lake is known as Lagoa Verde and the far lake as Lagos Azul. Local legends notwithstanding, their differing appearance is attributable to differences in the way they reflect sunlight within the ancient volcanic caldera that contains them. They are considered to be among the "7 Wonders of Portugal" and the entire area within the caldera is carefully regulated and protected.
As always in the Azores, one is also never far from remarkable vistas of their Atlantic coastline... some completely natural ...
... and some presenting views of beautiful seaside villages.
Our Vanderbilt Alumni tour group was very congenial. Pam and a former Navy Seal from California discovered they had the identical brand and model sun hats!
We arrived at what we anticipated would be a mile or so casual stroll along a lakeside path to our lunch. That's how it began ...
... with beautiful trees and flowering shrubs lining the path with the lake shimmering to our left.
Soon it turned uphill ...
... which did permit some beautiful views down the slope of the lake.
But, as we know, what goes up must come down, so we had a considerable stretch of challenging terrain to negotiate ...
... before we made it to lunch at the "Senhora da Rosa Tradition & Nature Hotel"!
Fortunately, the work was worth it. Here's a Beet-and-Cheese starter ...
... Tuna Tartare ...... a fine Beef entree ... and
... an excellent Peach dessert. There might have been a glass of wine along the way, too.
Day 7 - More Wonders of Sao Miguel
After breakfast, we enjoyed more broad vistas as we drove across the highlands of Sao Miguel to a very special place ...
... Cha Gorreana - the only tea plantation in all of Europe!
The headquarters/processing center is in the midst of extensive fields with row upon row of tea bushes.
The tea leaves are harvested by a machine that skims along the top of each row, shaving the leaves to a preset depth. Cha Goreanna produces three grades of tea, which vary by the depth to which the bushes are shaved, with the finest grade being produced by the shallowest cut.
From Cha Goreanna, we enjoyed our continued drive through the heavily agricultural highlands.
If the topography were not so volcanic, you might think you're in Ireland!
But soon enough, we came to an area that brought us right back to the Azores' geologic realities ... and a fascinating Azorean culinary tradition.
This large geothermal area is all sea, bubbling mud and pools ...
and the pervasive smell of sulfur.
In one special area, the ground is hot but safe ...
... and residents slow-cook traditional stew-style dishes underground in large covered pots.
Here is the wonderful lunch of seasoned beef, potatoes and vegetables our local restaurant hosts prepared for us in one of their reserved "potholes." Delicious!
After lunch, we visited the beautiful Terra Nostra Botanical Garden.
Befitting the geology of the island, a natural mineral pool is a big draw for locals at the heart of the Garden. Too "mineral-ly" for us, though!
The rest of the Garden is splendid, from lily-pad bedecked ponds ...
... to beautiful, exotic flowering specimens ...
... to majestic native trees.
Although this topiary was a bit of a work-in-progress ...
... the sunny paths past several carefully maintained water features in a private garden adjacent to Terra Nostra ...
... and down its quiet, uncrowded shady lanes made this part of our day an absolute delight!
Day 8 - One More Day of the Unique and Delightful in a Very Special Place
We began our last full day with a visit to an indoor pineapple plantation.
Cultivating pineapples in a succession of greenhouses is unique to the Azores, and the historic "A. Arruda" plantation displays the process at every stage ...
... to the emergence of tiny pineapples ...
... that soon get big enough that the plants need to be staked to bear the weight.
Finally, the pineapple fruit itself must be staked and allowed to ripen.
In this historic plantation, the Blessed Virgin Mary oversees everything ...
... and there is plenty of natural beauty to frame the greenhouses as well.
A few minutes in the fine gift shop with "all things pineapple" completed our informative and fun visit.
Next, our local guide took us on a walking tour through the center of his hometown ...
... with a picturesque brook flowing right through it.
The shade trees in the adjacent town square were huge, old and effective.
Up close, they looked even bigger!
This large historic building ...
... and the Town Hall across the square ...
... from the Main Church exemplify the traditional Portuguese architecture found throughout the historic towns and villages of the Azores.
While some of our group enjoyed a beverage in the shade of the square ...
... we took a few moments to enjoy the simple, yet elegant church interior. Here is the Main Altar ...
... and here the Side Altar.
At the "Woman in a Coat" liquor store, we took a moment to appreciate the detailed COVID protection guidance posted outside the door. We were told we were the first American tour to arrive after the Azores re-opened to visitors, and from what we could see the local authorities had managed public health concerns very diligently and professionally.
Inside, the shop offered a wide variety of locally-produced liquers.
Many were available for tasting.
Lots of highly-collectible locally-made porcelain figures were also on offer.
Next, we visited the only ceramic factory in the Azores. It is owned by the 5th generation of its founding family and has been in business for more than 160 years. Everything is produced and decorated entirely by hand.
Our tour began with a look at the local clays they use ...
... and the old, original furnace in which they fired them.
Moving inside, we watched this artisan potting.
This tile plaque is in the middle of being hand-painted.Our guide then showed us how porcelain plates are made.A display of finished plate work.
In an original section of the factory, they have taken care to preserve and display an original lava rock interior arch.
Outside, this beautiful cottage directly across the street caught our eye.
As did this historic "fixer-upper" just down the block. As of August 2021, opportunities were definitely still available in this beautiful corner of the world for the renovation-minded!
Yet another panoramic view on the way to lunch. "Scenic" is not adequate to convey the natural beauty of the islands we visited.
Lunch held some special interest. We had never before had Barracuda ... this one was really good.
As was this rustic Beef dish with roasted potatoes and other local vegetables and starches.
The bartender's wife hand-makes these dolls, and we were certainly happy to buy one.Another measure of how pastoral the Azores are ... these cows we encountered on the drive back to Porto Delgado.The highlight of our farewell dinner ... a short private concert by local Fado songstress Raquel Dutra. Hauntingly beautiful music ... well-performed.
Day 9 - Farewell to a Wonderful Place
Before heading to the airport, we had time to enjoy the streets around our hotel in Porto Delgado one final time.
The pineapple display meant more now that we understand who grew them and how!
As Portuguese and in many ways unique as the Azores are, McDonald's is simply everywhere. So, how do they sell this barbecue chicken sandwich to the Azoreans?
"Smokey Alabama - travel through the flavors of America"
Not bad.
One final Cappuccino and "Pastel da Nata" (Egg Custard Tart), and then wheels-up back to Boston after another great trip!
-THE END-
