Azores: Pico Island September 13-17

The looming peak of Pico Mountain can be seen from most points in the "Triangle" islands of the Azores, and at nearly 8000 ft, is the highest point in Portugal. A volcanic mountain, it is frequently shrouded in clouds and a favorite of hikers. 

"Pico Island, in the Azores archipelago of Portugal, had me at hello. Before hello, actually. A couple years ago, I went to the neighboring island of Faial and heard again and again how magical Pico is. However, it was shrouded in fog the whole time. And it became shrouded in mystery and appeal to me."   ----Ann Abel, Forbes magazine

Pico has the highest mountain in Portugal, an intriguing wine scene, and some truly stunning topography. It’s the youngest island among the nine volcanic specks that make up the Azores—only 300,000 years old, compared to millions for the others—and notably more rugged. It has more than 200 volcanoes, all of them dormant except for one that last erupted in the 18th century.

Some of the land is only 1,000 years old. There is striking black lava everywhere. It’s in the walls of the vineyards, in the construction of the homes, and along the coastline, where it takes the place of beaches.

A typical "natural swimming pool" formed between the lava rocks of Pico. These are abundant on ALL of the islands and where you will find the locals on the weekend. 

This is a closeup of a lava wall of a house.

Typical house, made of lava stones, but there are plenty of BIG ones, often owned by foreign nationals living on Azores. 

Not as many cows on Pico---but it still has more cows than people. 

Panoramic view of the look back at San Jorge

Lagoa do Capitao, an important fresh water reserve on Pico Island. 

 Whatever isn't black on Pico (known as the Black Island by locals) is an impossible shade of green. Wild hydrangeas grow alongside all the roads just as they have done on all the islands we visited. We are told the flowers put on quite the show in May, but there were plenty still in bloom in September. The architecture is typical and charming. There’s usually a shimmering sea view in the distance.

Hardly anyone lives here---some 15,000 people on a this relatively large, second biggest island of the Azores. In fact, some locals say there are only 12 restaurants on the island. I'm sure that is an underestimate, but if you are looking for a place to eat, especially on a Sunday, that is a pretty accurate estimate of what is available. (HINT: They don't take reservations online, but if you CALL the restaurant, they speak English and they will keep a table for you.. Otherwise, you might go to bed without your supper!  They will be busy. The service will be VERY slow, but food is good and no one leaves an Azorean restaurant hungry. Portions are generally enough to feed an entire soccer team.  Try the tuna! Skip the limpets. 

Overall, there are three main reasons people visit Pico. 

Two fantastic reasons to come to Pico: Climb the mountain and whale/dolphin watching These are Atlantic spotted dolphin. We ran into a large school that were even more fun to watch than the sperm whales. 

We did our share of hiking on Pico, but we did not attempt the mountain which was nearly 8000 feet from sea level and required a licensed guide with a group of 20. I can assure you I would have slowed everyone down. Oh to be young again. Volcanic pebbles are a real problem as you get near the top where other hikers described losing several inches for every step up they took due to the character of the terrain. There is no real path.  I experienced something similar on Cierra Negra, a much smaller volcano in Nicaragua and didn't think I could last through 8000 feet in those conditions.  Companies all over the island take hikers up Pico, both as day hikes and as camping experiences with a night in the crater. 

The vineyards of Pico are literally within cubicles made of lava. Instead of vines growing in rows, the grapes mature along the lava strewn ground. 

Paul hiking down a narrow path that is used in theory to provide water in the vineyard. 

Our hiking group at an observatory point in the vineyards. 

Another main reason to visit Pico is to sample some unusual and delectable white wines. They’re produced with grapes that grow only here, verdelho, arinto dos Açores and terrantez do Pico. Most wines are a blend and just called WHITE, not by the grape. The extreme climate, mother-stone volcanic soil and proximity to the ocean—back in the day, the winemakers chose land where they could “hear the crabs singing”—create a flavor profile that’s mineral, slightly salty and always interesting. Azorean wines, particularly Pico wines, are lately getting more and more notice on the international stage, but winemaking is an old tradition here. Before the double whammy of a fungus and phylloxera in the 19th century, wine was the main business. Pico had some 40,000 acres of vineyards and exported wine all over the world—during the Bolshevik Revolution, they found a bottle of Pico wine in the cellar of a Russian tsar. That all but died after the disease, but in recent decades, some winemakers are bringing it back. (They’re up to about 2,500 acres.) UNESCO declared the island’s traditional lava-walled corrals a World Heritage Site. They’re unique in the world, but necessary here, to protect the vines—which lie flat on the ground—and keep them warm. Locals say if you put all the stones from these walls in a line, it would double the equator. Just for the vineyards of the Azores Wine Company, they rebuilt about 500 miles’ worth of walls—that’s the entire length of continental Portugal.

Vineyards in Pico

The sight of the vineyards is striking enough, but tasting is even better.  It remains a cooperative in spirit as well as name, with some 250 grape producers and winemakers involved, producing known labels like Frei Gigante, Terras da Lava and Terroir Vulcánico. We were treated to a really nice wine tasting at the latter. 

No sad faces here!

The building for Terroir Volcanico is a converted nobleman's house. 

It’s a good place for a crash-course education in the wines of the island, especially given its location in the capital city of Madalena.

If architecture is more your thing, there’s Cella Bar, a project from Porto architects Fernando Coelho and Paulo Lobo that’s somehow equal parts futuristic and naturalistic. The tasting room inside the groovy domed structure offers tastes of many of the island’s best bottles, but Paul and I sat that location out. 

Cella Bar--the world famous bar of the island was visited by most of our group!

 We really enjoyed Pico Island and even if you don't want to walk up the mountain, there are plenty of other hikes and such to keep you amused for at least a few days. 

A view across the vineyard to the ocean. 

These succulents were growing onto the bare lava walls. I've only ever seen them in a pot.

The Azores people are VERY religious and they place a lot of emphasis on the Holy Spirit. In my own experiences, the Holy Spirit doesn't get a lot of press. But here, they build separate facilities adjacent to the churches just for this oft neglected member of the Trinity and they hold elaborate festivals throughout the summer months to celebrate the H.S. They even crown a "Miss Holy Spirit."  

We did see some small windfarms in the Azores, a place that is really into renewable energy. But mostly we saw these old decommissioned ones once used to provide flour. It is also an attestation to the Dutch, who were on the seas early like the Portuguese. 

Random harbor. Lots of sailboats around from all over the planet. 

Pico also makes a port. We tried it and it was good, but you probably won't spot it outside of Azores.

EU has provided a lot of good roads, but old cobblestone streets in smaller villages still rule. 

Natural swimming pools abound. 

We also visited an old whaling factory. Nantucket and New Bedford seem to roll easily off the tongues of the locals here. New England whaler used the Azores as a restocking location and they often recruited sailors from these islands.  People were poor and looking for a way out or adventure---and sometimes they were hoodwinked or kidnapped as well and put into service on a whaling ship. Eventually, Azoreans learned whaling themselves and there are old factories once used for capturing, dissembling and processing whales in numerous Azorean harbors, including on Pico.  We toured a historical factory and found out a lot about whaling. I can't recommend the video showing the processing of a whale though. The last whaling took place here in 1987. 

Whaling was very lucrative back in the 19th and early 20th century. They used all parts of the whale including grinding the bones to create fertilizer. However, I don't recommend watching the informative video. Messy work and also, poor whale.  :(

My friend and colleague, Blaine Enderson, gives a perspective on the size of a sperm whale's head. 

I would certainly recommend Pico to folks who are into hiking, wine and watching whales. It was a very enjoyable location. There isn't much else though, so if none of this appeals to you, you may wish to try other Azores islands instead. 

“We live well here. It’s safe, it’s beautiful. If you enjoy nature, you can do everything in a day: You can be in the sea, in a hot spring, on a volcano. The biodiversity isn’t huge, but what we have is so special.”  ---Maria Ines Nunes, native Azorean

Paul's Ponderings:   Pico was an interesting island.   We did not even think about climbing the main peak, as the general consensus seems to be "it's really hard".   We are often up for hard, but not volcanic pebbles coupled with rock climbing at the end, then a tough descent, taking several hours.   That said, we had some great walking along the coast and in the interior as well.   For the wine-heads out there, Pico makes some of the best white wines in the Azores.  We've noticed the red wines are a lot less interesting -- I would call them more like those from the Canaries.   We've been blessed with great weather so far, verging on hot a few days.   Next up, we move on to the island of Faial as we near the end of our trip.  

Azores: San Jorge September 10-13

The city building of Velas, the main city of Sao Jorge Island. Velas, other than being close to the airport, didn't have that much going on. 

Our House is made of stone, sea and people, of the brightness of stars and of boats that bring us closer to each other, of hope that illuminates the nights and of the memory that inhabits the everyday silence. Our House smells like seagrass, willows, grandparents. On it cagarros, the winds, the violas da terra and the saudade sing. In our House we don’t close the doors because nature doesn’t allow it. Inside it lives the beauty, the humility and the courage of those who know themselves to be small in the middle of the sea. 

A ilha, Rui Vieira

  Sao Jorge is part of the central "triangle" of islands that include Pico and Faial. It is thought to look like a crocodile or a dragon and measures 33 miles long and 5 miles wide.  Theoretically, it was named for St. George, the legendary dragon slayer. It is oblong, characterized by the long stretch of rocky seaside cliffs, the most notable being the 656 feet high Ponta dos Rosais on the island’s northern end. Although volcanic cliffs and rock formations are common among the nine islands, they seem to be the most prominent feature of São Jorge, in addition to seventy-one fajãs (geological flat platforms along the  rocky and elevated volcanic coast that resulted from lava flows and are really the only land suitable for buildings in general). It is these cliffs and fajãs that give São Jorge its nickname “the Brown island”. The geomorphology of the island (its high cliffs, rough central plateaus and scattered fajãs) resulted in the concentration of human settlements along the coast. Historically these communities were linked by coastal ports since the trails in the interior were barely transitable. Around 9,000 people inhabit this island and around 36,000 cows (not a joke.)

Sao Jorge is the skinny one in pink. 

A view of Velas, the main city of Sao Jorge,  on the way from the airport. This gives a good idea of what a faja is. 

São Jorge is said to have been discovered in the 1400s, but the exact date remains a mystery. Genovese and Catalan maps of the 14th century originally designated the long, slender island "São Jorge", a designation that was maintained  when settlers from northern Europe began to colonize the island (around 1460, or twenty years after it was first sighted by Europeans keeping records). During the 16th and 17th centuries, São Jorge’s limited ports and isolated location left it vulnerable to attacks. English and French privateers, along with Turkish and Algerian corsairs, frequently raided the island. Notable incidents included a raid in Calheta, the second largest village,  led by the Earl of Essex, where the locals bravely defended the town by throwing stones. The French privateer Du Guay-Trouin also pillaged São Jorge, and in 1816, an Algerian pirate was driven off by shots from Calheta.  Periods of local prosperity or misery occurred; there were several bad growing seasons and natural catastrophes (such as the earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tornados in 1580, 1757, 1808 and 1899) that created famines and hardships. The most famous of these eruptions began in the early morning of May 1, 1808. Suffocating gases, as well as carboxylic acid, were emitted from a vent along the Manadas ridge and thick greenish vaporous clouds (of chloric and sulfuric acids) rapidly spread to the plants. Eight major tremors were recorded per hour that caused widespread panic. Many of the homes, buildings and cultivatable lands were destroyed. Between 1580 and 1907, at least six significant eruptions occurred. The last terrestrial volcanic eruption on the island of São Jorge was the eruption of “Vulcão da Urzelina” in 1808. Sao Jorge, since 2024, is believed to be in a pre-eruptive phase. 

This tower is the remains of a church that stood in Urzelina prior to the volcano of 1808. It's considered "miraculous" as the priests placed precious items in the tower and they survived, although obviously the rest of the building fared less well.

Walkway up to the church tower is well-kept with flowers and trees (including figs!)

Nearby is the Igreja Santa Barbara. 

If the locals have this right, someone found this Santa Barbara statue in a box off the coast of the town of Manadas and saw it as a sign to build the church. Santa Barbara is the patron saint of fisherman. Our guide believes the box probably was lost from a fishing boat during high seas. 

Interior of the church of Santa Barbara. Quite elaborate for a small church in the middle of nowhere. 

Mandas is still a fishing village,  recovered over time from the 1808 volcano, and each fisherman colorfully paints his boathouse.

Another historical site we visited was in the forest where there was plenty of running water for people to go and wash their clothing. 

Tiles that show the washerwomen of Sao Jorge bringing their laundry to the forest

These were the "troughs" for laundry. It was misty up there. 

In addition to historically significant places in Sao Jorge, they are known for two culinary delights. (1) Cheese. 

Cheese cooperative factory of Sao Jorge

One thing we can tell you. If by luck you see cheese from the Azores, the land of more cows than people, by all means BUY IT!

Queijo São Jorge is produced exclusively with raw dairy milk, produced on the island of São Jorge. The milk is coagulated into curd. The curd is left to stand until it  has reached the desired consistency,  good quality salt is added, at the ratio of 2.8% by weight. The curd is formed into circular wheels, numbered consecutively and a code assigned to each producer, which allows you to determine the age, manufacturer and other elements required for final quality control of the cheese. The cheese is then dried in chambers to cure at ambient temperature over the following months, then on to acclimatized chambers, where they remain for the 90 days. Special editions of the cheese have been produced with cures of up to 36 months. The cheeses after this process are selected for their quality and respect for the certification requirements, passing through a chamber of tasters, and then warehoused at low temperatures until sold to the market. We sampled three different durations of curing and found the older ones to be more mellow and the 7 month to be especially pungent. 

The second culinary delight was coffee. The easternmost coffee plantation of Europe is on Sao Jorge. (There's almost no coffee production in Europe save Azores and Gran Canaria.)

A ripe coffee bean in Sao Jorge

This is a family business run completely by hand. They use the volcanic stone to crush the coffee fruit and extract the bean on this hard surface.   The coffee drinkers agreed that the coffee was tasty. 

Along the way to the coffee plantation, we noticed quite a few windmills. Mostly these are historical, although renewable energy and recycling is MAJOR on these islands and they do have more modern windfarms as well. 

Windmills up the coast of Sao Jorge. 

All that aside, our main reason for visiting Sao Jorge was hiking and we were treated to a long but enjoyable hike from the volcanic top of the island down to Faja Cubres, a flat area that can only be accessed on foot. 

This route about 10 km length, includes 3000 feet of descent and  begins in the Eolic Park of Serra do Topo, passing by Caldeira de Santo Cristo and finishing at Fajã dos Cubres. 

Happy but probably TIRED hikers after descending 3000 feet on rocks and roots.

A well deserved refreshment to celebrate not falling down too often or hurting oneself. 

Igreja Santo Cristo is a church at the bottom of this hike...no way to get there by car, only by sea or on foot or by (unfortunately) ATV track. 

Waterfall along the way

Fantastic views around every turn in the trail. 

All in all, in lovely hike with great vistas.

Overall, we found this small island charming with great historical and hiking attractions and feel like you could see it pretty well in about three days--which is how long we spent. A car is helpful to see all the best sites, but we hired a private guide to take us around the entire place in a full day which worked just as well as the car trips down the fajas were pretty steep. The hikes were with a group using the British modestly-priced company, Explore Worldwide!

“He pulled a battered red photo album from his truck’s glove compartment and showed me pictures of green Azorean fields divided by hedges of lilac-colored hydrangeas. He showed me waves crashing against black volcanic rock and his ancient stone house next to the sea, the home where he returned every summer. “Over there the air is so clean, so nice. The ocean is right there. The fish are fresh, you catch and eat them, and the potatoes are so good, you won’t believe it. “We make wine. Put on shorts and get in there and smash grapes, and when you drink right away is sweet like juice. Every year when we get back from there, we’re fat,” Morais said. He loved his island house in the Azores so much that at the end of each summer, when he left, he had to have someone else close the door for him. “I’m a guy that came from the old country. I never go to school five minutes in this country, and still I work and I do good. I love my money. God bless this country,” he said. “But when I leave to close my door over there, I cry like a baby. I try so hard not to, but I cry.”
― Diana Marcum, The Tenth Island: Finding Joy, Beauty, and Unexpected Love in the Azores

Paul's Ponderings:  We had a great time on this island.   The most challenging part was a huge hike with nearly 1000 meters of descent to the sea on rocky/root-filled path that was often slick.   No injuries but a few of us took a soft fall!   We continued to enjoy local wines and fresh food, both hiking and near our lodging.   So far, the Azores are quite a treat for food, wine, and walking.   Weather has varied from pleasant to quite warm and humid.   And cheese....oh boy, if you like great cheese, this island is the bomb.   We still have an island or two to go, so looking forward to still more adventures here.

Azores: Sao Miguel Island 9/4-9/10

 

Sao Miguel is known as the Green Island

“My dear, I've found 'em!
They're here, every one of these nine Azores. Little islands full of prayers and shrines and vesper chimes, strung on a thread of water, like the decades in the windings of a Rosary of the Sea.”
― Jean Chamblin, Lady Bobs, Her Brother, and I

I don't know exactly when I became aware of the Azores, but probably pretty early on as my dad was in the Air Force and us brats knew there was a airbase here. But beyond that, except for some romantic thoughts about visiting remote-ish islands worldwide, I didn't give them a lot of thought until last year when two things happened: We visited the Algarve and nearly every native said, "Well, if you think this is good, visit the Azores!" In close proximity to this, our friends, the Endersons said, "We're thinking about taking a hiking trip to the Azores in September, and you all might want to join in." Since September is Paul's birthday month, it made a great birthday gift for him. 

A map of the Azores Island., basically in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean

To give you a brief history, the exact date of the discovery of the Atlantic islands is not clear, though historical accounts indicate that the islands of Santa Maria and Sao Miguel were the first to be discovered by navigator Diogo da Silves around 1427. There is significant evidence that Vikings and Amerindians were here at least briefly prior to that, but no written records. The "official" settlement of the archipelago began in Santa Maria, where the first settlement was constructed in the area of Baía dos Anjos (in the north of the island), and quickly moved to the southern coast. Settlers quickly arrived from the provinces of Algarve and Alentejo. In the following centuries settlers from other European countries would arrive, most notably from France and Flanders.

By 1440, other settlements had developed along the river-valleys and coastal inlets of São Miguel, Terceira, Faial, and Pico, supported by game animals and fishing. An abundance of potable water sources, along with fertile volcanic soils, made the islands attractive and easy to colonize, and the growing wheat market supported an export economy (along with various plant species that allowed the development of the dye industry in the colonies).

Christopher Columbus made an unplanned stop on Santa Maria while returning to Spain after his first voyage to America. His ship Niña was forced there by a storm. During the storm, all hands had vowed, if they were spared, to make a pilgrimage to the nearest church of Our Lady wherever they first made land. Anchoring at Santa Maria, the travelers were told by people onshore that a small shrine dedicated to Our Lady was nearby. Columbus sent half the crew ashore to fulfill their vow; he and the rest would go when the first group returned. But while the first crew members were saying their prayers at the shrine, they were taken prisoner by the island's captain, João de Castanheira, ostensibly out of fear that they were pirates. Castanheira commandeered their boat and rowed to Niña with several armed men, in an attempt to arrest Columbus. Columbus did not allow Castanheira to come aboard, and Castanheira announced that he did not believe or care who Columbus said he was, especially if he was indeed from Spain. After two days, Castanheira released the prisoners, having been unable to get confessions from them, and having been unable to capture his real target, Columbus. There are later claims that Columbus was also captured, but this is not backed up by Columbus's log book.

The island of São Miguel was apparently populated by 1444.The colonists spread themselves along the coastline in areas where conditions of accessibility and farming were best. The fertility of the Azores contributed to its population expansion, as the islands were soon exporting wheat to the Portuguese garrison in North Africa and of sugar cane and dyes to Flanders. Later oranges were grown and exported to Britain.  The area was also frequently subjected to pirate attacks.

During these times, Ponta Delgada became the capital. The first capital was Villa Franca do Campo, but when it was destroyed in a massive landslide caused by a powerful earthquake in 1522, Ponta Delgada assumed the position. It became the first city on the island in 1546. It remains the capital today and is the gateway to the Azores. The Azores have approximately 250,000 people, about a quarter of whom live in Ponta Delgada. By comparison, there are 125,000 cows, mostly dairy (producing yummy cheese) and some islands definitely have more cows than people. 

A view across the modern city from our Airbnb

Forte Sao Bras: Once there to protect the harbor, a hospital during WWII and now a military museum

Gates of the city and the main church of Ponta Delgada, Igreja Matriz de Sao Sebastiao

Port area of Punta Delgado. In addition to sailboats, it's a maritime weigh point for container ships and any type of boat. 

There is so much to do on Sao Miguel, but I will start with an overview of what to do in the main city. 

In addition to the above pictured Military Museum in the fort (great to visit to get a look at how the harbor was defended or if you just really like looking at weapons and uniforms), there are two very nice gardens.  One is Antonio Borges (free)  and just a block or two over is Jose do Canto (5 euros at the moment.) Both are easily accessible on foot. These gardens are really pretty and mostly full of exotic trees (from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, North and South American) ... and chickens. There are some flowers about but this is all about the trees. And these two guys look to have been competing with one another as well. Bringing in exotic trees in the 19th and early 20th century was a sign of wealth and altruism and you find exotics all over these islands. Borges was a "gentleman farmer," naturalist and the Governor of the Azores. Do Canto was a "landowner" (euphemism for having wealthy ancestors) and botanist.

Colorful Azorean chickens abound in Borges garden.

Bamboo garden (Roger Carico...this is for you)

Canarian palm tree and so many more in Antonio Borges garden.

do Canto had the biggest tree, a monumental sequoia...as you can see it dwarfing Paul

He also had a nice house on the property

I even think his chicken is bigger. The garden is larger than Borges as well, but they contain many of the same species of trees. 

Another feature in Ponta Delgada are museums. The only one we went to so far is the one in an old convent, Museu Carlos Machado. This one has some art work and also historical pieces as well as a large collection of taxidermy of various animals near and far. It is part of a museum complex that includes a museum of sacred art. 

The chapel of Convento do Santo Andre. The windows are all high so the nuns couldn't look out and the outside couldn't look in.

Taxidermy specimen of a great white shark

There are a few other museums, but we didn't visit them. 

Apparently the best way to approach Sao Miguel is to explore the East or West Side. This would take a car to do it well. There are buses, but it would be challenging. We were on an organized tour, so... we had transport. 

This is the largest island of the Azores measuring 40 miles in length but only 10 miles across.

Our first area of exploration was the Western Side of the Island. 

View back to Ponta Delgada. There is NO END to gorgeous vistas.

En route to the Lake of Fire

Azores are famous for their flowers, particularly hydrangeas in many colors and camelias (not in season). If you want to see the islands in full bloom of everything, come in May. 

We travelled to lake areas today. The first was Lagoa do Fogo--Fire Lake! This was created by volcanic activity about 15,000 years ago. 

Who wants to go to Fire Lake? 

Then it was onto the Lake of Sete Cidades. These crater lakes (the blue one and the green one, as known locally, and attributed to the tears of star-crossed lovers. Of course, one was a princess and the other a pauper....) are in a hilly hiking area with sweeping views.  It can be crowded in tourist season. 

Not sure which lake was created by the princess tears, but they do appear as different colors with the ocean and clouds in the background. 

On the way, we also visit the Nine Windows.

This was an aqueduct of importance during the 17th and 18th century when there was a water shortage in Ponta Delgada.

The water was channeled from a nearby lake, which I could not see. There was only a nearby stream. It has been in somewhat a state of ruin, but there are current efforts to preserve it. 

There was no end to scenery around every corner on the West Side which is probably the most visited area. 

Always something to take a picture of....

Or admire in the distance

And plenty of local wines to get googly-eyed about!

The following day, we were off to the middle and eastern side of Sao Miguel to explore. Probably the most or second most (second most is VERY big here) visited area is Furnas. And if you know the word "furnace," it's a hint about what there is to see: boiling mud pots, fumaroles, smoking ground and hot mineral pools. 

 

There is a local tradition of cooking food in these smoking holes and it does have a smoked and slightly sulphury smell and taste...

Smoking ground

Boiling mud pot

A miniature version of Yellowstone on a rock in the middle of the ocean. 

The meal they served us that was cooked in the smoking ground. 

We did a nice walk around a public park area that contained this amazing NEOGOTHIC church. But it's not open to the public. 

This church was built for the wife of Jose do Canto and is the Senhora do Vitoria (Our Lady of Victory) and was really an offering for her to recover from an illness. 

Unfortunately, that prayer didn't get answered the way Jose wanted it (God said, "No way, Jose!") and do Canto converted this church into a funerary chapel where both he and his wife are interred. Public not allowed. 

Nearby the mini-Yellowstone, is  Parque Terra Nostra which has a public hot mineral springs and a well laid out garden. The garden's inception dates back to 1780, when the then United States Consul on the island of São Miguel, Thomas Hickling, in 1775 built his summer residence here, which later became known as Yankee Hall. He was apparently a bit of a playboy and produced 22 children here in Azores in addition to the ones he left back in the USA. He had to eventually sell the property to a local, but in the meantime, he did also produce a really nice tourist attraction.

The waters were yellowish in color, so don't bring a white swimsuit. It was nonetheless relaxing.

There are multiple areas in the garden including ones devoted to bromeliads and camelias as well as this one featuring Azorean flowers.

Water lily garden. 

Not to be missed on the way, is Cha Gorreana--- a tea plantation since 1883 and the only one in Europe. It has been owned by the same family for 5 generations. Gorreana produces predominantly organic green and black tea, but with "modern tastes" is also delving into other varieties such as mint and jasmine. Currently, Gorreana's plantations cover an area of ​​32 hectares, from which about 40 tons are produced per year. A small part of the production is destined for the Azorean market and the rest is exported to many countries such as mainland Portugal, Germany, USA, Canada, Austria, France, Italy, Brazil, Angola, Japan, among many other countries. You can visit the factory while the tea is being processed and it is lots of fun to watch.

The welcome sign

We had a very nice tea tasting.

The dryer for the tea leaves

These folks are bagging up the tea after it has been processed.

Green tea in large burlap sacks.

These tea plants are harvested by a team of workers who ONLY take the very top three leaves. Some of their tea products are picked through by hand.

The irrigation pond

The levada that brings the water into the tea plantation. 

Last but not least for that day===this is a dessert! It's coconut yogurt with passionfruit sorbet, but looks like====EGGS in a skillet. 

The next morning, we were off for a waterfall hike that ended at a beach. Great views again everywhere!

Every hike has amazing views. 

Paul admiring the coastline

From the water, we hiked into the cornfields

It's not often you see corn growing with an ocean in the background

Morning glory

Finally we reached the Cascadas do Limbo.

We were lucky to be hiking with our Knoxville friends, Blaine and Jean Enderson

This hike ended in Praia Dos Minhos

Our hiking group leader, Tania, decided to dip a toe in the Atlantic. 

We made our way back to Ponta Delgada and Paul and I went whale watching at Villa do Campo, the original capital city of Sao Miguel which was destroyed by earthquake in 1522 after which the capital was moved. This area is best known for Islote Villa do Campo which is a "ring islet." It is home to seabirds nesting. Tour boats cannot go inside the ring, but snorkelers are allowed. There are naturalist hikes but only during some months and NOT September. The islet is close to shore and kayakers enjoy paddling out to it.  Whale watching is also popular in this area of Sao Miguel. 

We were lucky enough to see Sei Whales. This one was lone. They don't jump out of the water like humpbacks but you can see their dorsal fins. 

We saw three sperm whales. A lone juvenile and female with her baby. They usually stay on the surface moving slowly and resting for about half an hour before they dive again to search for squid by echolocation. The mother will hunt food for the baby for about a year. 

An aerial view of Islote Villa do Campo. 

We would encourage people who like to travel and enjoy islands and scenery to travel to Sao Miguel and see the beauty of this island. 

"My bones rattle like a bag of quarters left on a spinning dryer as I roll down a steep dirt hill, the mountain bike’s back-wheel skidding across wet, loose gravel at each touch of the brake. Visibility is limited by the fact that I am, it would appear, in a cloud, a thousand feet above sea level. The slope shows no sign of leveling off; teeth clenched, eyes wide, I careen past two Holstein cows who turn lazily my way, unperturbed by my approach or their perch on what looks like the edge of the world."     ----Sebastian Modak

Paul's Ponderings:  This was our first trip to the Azores and Sao Miguel was a great start.   Ponta Delgada has a lot going on, including restaurants and historical sites.    We had a great Airbnb in the center of town, which is very walkable.   We also spent time out in the rest of the island, which is quite lovely with a lot of great coastline and towns scattered along it, plus some nice hiking in the overall area.   We are used to volcanic islands with great coastline that is not very inhabitable, but Sao Miguel is not quite as steep overall down to the coast.    Great dining in Ponta Delgada is on offer, along with some excellent gardens.   Our next stop is Sao Jorge, so we'll see how that contrasts with this island.  

like a bag of quarters left on a spinning dryer as I roll down a steep dirt hill, the mountain bike’s back-wheel skidding across wet, loose gravel at each touch of the brake. Visibility is limited by the fact that I am, it would appear, in a cloud, a thousand feet above sea level. The slope shows no sign of leveling off; teeth clenched, eyes wide, I careen past two Holstein cows who turn lazily my way, unperturbed by my approach or their perch on what looks like the edge of the world.