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Azores

This is Gods Home

Background

The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean approximately 900 miles from the European Coast and 2300 miles from the North American coast.

Due to the geographic location of the islands, they are divided into three groups: the Eastern group including Santa Maria and Sào Miguel; the Central group including Terceira, Graciosa, Sào Jorge, Pico and Faial; and the Western group including Flores and Corvo. The distances between the island range from a minimum of 5 miles to 100 miles.

Each of the nine islands has its individualized landscape. They have one point in common; the presence of luxuriant exuberant greenery, which includes all the colors of the rainbow and is speckled with bright beautiful flowers along all of the roads.

Map of the Azores

The Azores have a temperate, maritime climate characterized by agreeable temperatures with small average annual variance. Rainfall is both regular and well distributed throughout the year with the greater abundance during the winter months. Light cloud cover is common throughout the year. The annual median air temperature is approximately 17C (63F) varying between 13C (56F) during January/February and 22C (73F) during the warmer months July/August.

Getting there

Scheduled flights are provided by TAP Air Portugal from Lisbon, Porto, and Frankfurt to Ponta Delgada also flights are provided from Lisbon to Terceira. Flights are also available between Funchal Madeira and Ponta Delgada.

Starting on December 13, 1996, TAP will again be scheduling flights from Boston to Ponta Delgada.

TAP Air Portugal

Charter service is available from the United States and Canada on SATA and Azores Express. SATA also provides flights from Ponta Delgada to the other islands in the Archipelago.

SATA Air Açores

São Miguel

Ponta Delgada

The flight seemed longer than I thought. We had been flying above the clouds ever since leaving Lisbon two hours and 15 minutes earlier. Finally my anticipation was rewarded, the TAP Air Bus 310-300 finally started it's descent into the clouds. We broke out of the clouds, my guess, at about 2,000 feet in a light mist and started a long approach into Joào Paulo II airport- the airport for Ponta Delgada. The time in the Azores is one hour earlier than mainland Portugal, but I decided not to set my watch.

No customs to go through here. You are still in Portugal even though the Azores was granted a status of an Autonomous Region. We had no trouble getting our baggage and finding a taxi for the short ride into town and the hotel.

We had chose to stay at the Hotel Acores Atlàntico, which is located near the center of town and is on Ponta Delgada's main seafront avenue - the Avendia Infante Dom Henrique. We were very please with the accommodations. The hotel also has a wonderful piano bar (with all the songs of the 1950's). A wonderful way to reacquaint you with a life style of when the world was a kinder gentler place. A time of life in which there is time to stop and appreciate living. Our room had a great view overlooking the harbor, the yacht club on the left and the town on the right.

Avendia Infante Dom Henrique

The Azorean lifestyle is wholesome and relaxed. It is still in the era, when faith, family and work were the guiding principles, before the latest scientific study, political correctness, and lawsuits started to dominate lifestyles in other parts of the world.

Our taxi driver, Jaime Manuel Furtado Telf: 23283, showed up promptly at 10:00. Jaime was a great driver. He knew the island, spoke fluent English, and corrected my bad Portuguese. So we started out, with Jaime and his Mercedes, on a tour of the island. The island is so beautiful that I don't think that my description will do it justice, but I will give it a try.

We drove eastward along the south shore. As we drove through the country side we were impressed by the lush green colors of the fields offset by the darker green boundary lines and the colorful flowers that grew along the immaculately well kept road. We passed many whitewashed houses and the white churches all outlined with dark volcanic stone. Windmills and churches dominate the skyline at various points. As we climbed higher into the mountains we were amazed by the intricate web of fields that provide the islands with their source of livelihood. There are crops of maize, tobacco, red peppers, and even tea (the only tea grown in Europe which was brought from China in the 1800's). As you proceed higher the fields become dairy pastures. You see the cows contentedly grazing and without a barn in sight. We were told that because of the islands climate barns were unnecessary. The striking scenes of the green pastures contrasting with the darker green o f the boundaries give ample reason for the nickname of São Miguel "the green island".

Island from the South Shore

We stopped many times along the way to enjoy the views. The waves meeting the cliffs or the peaceful villages serenely snuggled in the valleys below - all set in the most beautiful scenery that you can imagine. On our way to Furnas, we arrived at Furnas Lake (Lagoa das Furnas).

Furnas Lake is a beautiful place surrounded by beautiful flowered shores with picnic tables and benches. We noticed cylindrical holes in the ground from which steam was rising. There were also wooden covers nearby that could be used to cover the holes (caldeiras). We were told that this was nature's kitchen. You can place your pot of food in the ground, cover it up, and in about 5 or 6 hours nature will have cooked your food for you in the caldeiras.

Natures Kitchen

Latter when we arrived at the restaurant in Furnas for lunch they were just taking a pot of the stew off a truck for the coming meal. We were invited into the kitchen as they unwrapped the pot. There it was freshly steamed by nature, cabbage, turnip, chicken, mixed meats etc. It looked great, so we ordered it for lunch. It was the best stew that I ever tasted cozido das Furnas. We had an enjoyable meal also enjoyed with the wonderful Azorean bread, goat's cheese and, my favorite, a spicy red pepper sauce. This was topped off with the very good locally grown fresh pineapple "Ananás" and coffee. The meal for two including tip was less than $20 dollars US.

Then it was on to Furnas. In the town the Caldeiras are even more spectacular. Many openings in the earth sprout geysers of boiling hot water. The springs also produce a natural form of carbonated water. These waters are reputedly an effective cure for rheumatism, lumbago, sciatica, skin conditions and other ailments.

We continued on stopping at the Casa de Cultura for a look at the islands past. The staff was pretty busy setting up an exhibition on the Windmills of the Azores. But we walked around the other exhibits with Jaime doing the narration of the exhibits. At the end of out tour, we starting talking to the staff and they offered us a drink of the Passion fruit Liqueur "Maracujá" which we accepted.

Then it was on to the Ermida de Nossa Senhor da Paz (Our Lady of Peace Chapel). It is an authentic Marian sanctuary constructed on a mount and providing a excellent view of the village and the inlet. The chapel stands high on the hill - white and outlined in the black basalt stones. At each level leading up to the chapel are white rectangles outlined in black with beautiful blue azulejos showing various scenes.

Ermida de Nossa Senhor da Paz

Then, it was on to the north shore more wonderful view and beaches kissed by the blue Atlantic waters. Then a, quick stop at the beautiful town of Ribeira Grande with the view of the river and a visit to the Espirito Santo Church and then back to the hotel.

We finished the day by having a wonderful meal at a nice little restaurant on the North Shore of the Island My wife and I really enjoyed that meal. Especially the blood sausage "Morcela" that was served with the tasty Azorean fresh Pineapple as an appetizer and then it was on to the main dishes of fish and pork. A large variety of dishes are found in the Azorean cuisine. So to you provide you with an insight to some succulent recipes, I have provided you with the following link.

Página de Culinária de Ana Taveira

The next day we decided to explore the islands' capital of Ponta Delgada. It was a short walk along the Avendia Infante Dom Henrique into the center of town. We paused once or twice to look at the people swimming in the pools at harbors' edge and also at a few gift shops. Then we arrived at the center of the town. There was the city gates "Portas da Cidade" - three lovely white arches outlined in their volcanic black welcoming you into the city.

Portas da Cidade

The town is very clean and while it is big enough to exclude urbanity it is small enough to cover on foot. The sidewalks are mosaics of rounded black and white small stones. My wife and I have spent hours watching the workmen replace or refurbish these wonderful patterns of work. It is truly a labor of love and a sign of a bygone era.

A short distance from the city gates stands the Parish Church of Ponta Delgada. The "Igreja da Martriz" was built between the 17^th and 18^th century. The Manuelino in its main entrance and mixed with the local "Barroco" style makes it a truly impressive sight to see.

Igreja da Martriz

The religious nature of the Azorean people is in their manifestations throughout the year of the various religious holidays. Many of the islands have their own festivals and many emigrants from around the world arrive to participate in these festivals. The largest of these festivals is in Ponta Delgada, Festa do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres, which takes place the 5^th Sunday after Easter and runs for about a week.

Even thought I don't play golf, I was talking to a group of people from Boston who had come to the Islands to play. They were having such a great time that I was a little envious of what I may have been missing. The taxi driver Jaimie also pointed out one of the golf courses on out tour. So I thought that I would pass this link along to you golfers. It will give you plenty of information on golf in the Azores.

Golf on Ponta Delgada

I always hate it when people ask you what does it remind you of. Well I can truly say that it reminded me of Hawaii, but the Hawaii that I remembered from thirty years ago, before it was overdeveloped. At night when I sat on the balcony of our hotel room looking out at the harbor, I visualized that maybe Ponta da Caloura was the Diamond Head that I vaguely remembered. So if you are thinking of going to Yellowstone or Hawaii for a vacation consider the Azores and you will have the best of both.

Well all-good things have to come to an end. We had to be at the airport a 5:20 to check in so that meant getting up at 4:30. The hotel had graciously sent up breakfast, the night before - rolls, the great bread, jam and coffee in a thermos. I checked out with the sleepy desk clerk at 5:00 - he keep insisting that it was Bom Dia, I kept insisting that it was still Boa noite. The taxi arrived, it was our friend Jaime, who got us to the airport on time.

As the plane lifted off the runway and Ponta Delgada started to disappear from view all we could say was - Até a Volta (until we return).

Ponta Delgada

Activities in the Azores

• Bicycle Tours
• Deep Sea Fishing
• Discovering the Islands on foot
• Diving and underwater exploration
• Fresh water fishing
• Golfing
• Horseriding
• Hunting
• Mountaineering
• Para sailing and hang-gliding
• Rock fishing
• Sailing and wind surfing
• Surfing
• Tennis
• Volcanism
• Wale watching
• Yacht cruises
• Yachting

The Other Islands