The Azores

The Azores deserve their movie star name.  The Portuguese archipelago is a place where the dramatic natural environment demands immediate respect, but the unique culture of each isle feels playfully hidden, begging to be discovered.  We have spent three weeks visiting four of the nine in the volcanic chain, and our time in this place of decadent cheese, wine, mosaic sidewalks, tiled street signs, tilted door handles, spearfishing octopus catchers, Dr. Suess trees, and friendly people is too short.

It all started where it should, at Peter’s Sports Cafe in Faial.  We celebrated our arrival with new friends from SV Thais. 

Little did we know, we would be back to Peter’s five more times, each visit more fun than the last as stories were told and exaggerated, and the safe harbor of good friends became a reality.  Cheers to Peter and his family for keeping the tradition going!

Renting a five speed mini-car in Horta allowed for a giggly, jerky luxury ride through the winding, cobblestone city streets, and further, to the hydrangea lined country roads that led us to our favorite restaurant in the Azores, Pasquinha!

Car, or no car (clutch or no clutch), inevitably we wound up at A Padaria on Largo do Bispo, our favorite coffee and pastry shop.  It only took us twenty-ish visits to learn that a “maite laite” is an American cappuccino and a “cappuccino” is something much sweeter.  No matter, all that caffeine helped us to focus on painting the seawall alongside the hundreds of other boat murals in Horta’s famous harbor.

The only way to escape the pastries at A Padaria, was to sail to Sao Jorge in search of a less desirable nook where we could regain control of our coffee and sweets consumption.  What we found there was hords of kazoo quacking Cagarros birds!  We, along with the other sailors in the quaint marina, found it impossible not to laugh at the racket.  Click here and have a funny day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLU7UiFxMNA

We also found the Santo Cristo trail shrouded in fog and rain, which made for a mesmerizing hiking experience as we traversed in and out of the changing cloud cover.  It was wet, wild, and wonderful!

It was also soggy and sweaty.  Until we reached the Fajas, towns built in flat forelands formed by lava flowing into the ocean.  The fajas are almost always sundrenched, and they have stores that sell ice-cream!

Back in Faial, we waited patiently for the cold rain clouds to lift again.  When Mount Pico stood in the clear, we stole our chance to take the ferry over and walk the volcanic rock-walled vineyards there.  

I’m writing from Santa Maria, the fourth and final Azores Island we will visit.  It’s further south and perhaps has been warmer and sunnier because of its location.  There’s prep-work to do here for another passage, and much planning for the Mediterranean.  We turned the anchor chain end-for-end, drained and cleaned Gerty’s water tank, in addition to the usual maintenance and repair: sail cover patches, outboard service, windlass repair, and such.  Minutes have vanished into days, leaving time for only one hike along the Costa Sul Trail.

This morning the wind carried my sneaker away when I wasn’t looking.  “An orange shoe?” asked a man in an accent I couldn’t place as I ran down the dock hoping to fetch it out of the water.  “It passed one hour ago.  Now out to sea,” he said convincing me to suspend my search.

There’s a chance we’ll find it, I thought, as tomorrow we sail again. 

Obrigada Azores!

Last remarks:

• Thank you to Yuka, Francesco, and Philip SV Oroboro – for the anticipation and the reward – you!
• Thank you to Brian and Helen SV Hellacious for a fantastic day starting at Caldeira and ending in Varadouro.
• Thank you to SV Orionde, and SV Kiwi Roa, and SV Thais for sharing our table and all of your salty stories.
• Thank you to SV Blue Scarlett- Happy Birthday Ingrid!
• Our best restaurant recommendations for those visiting the Azores: Pasquinha on Faial (drive from harbor), Genuino on Faial (walk from harbor), A Capoeira on Santa Maria. Midpoint on 14 km Costa Sul Hike