Terceira Island Crater Walk The day started out cloudy and unpromising. I think the Oldies knew themselves that they were being overly optimistic, setting off to drive up to the top of Serra de Santa Barbara which, at 1021m, is the highest point on Terceira. ‘Ah well, the weather’s so changeable, it’ll probably be gorgeous by the time we get thereʹ they said. Half an hour later, we were sitting in the car on the summit, in impenetrable cloud and…
Around the coast of Terceira, Azores My first impression of Terceira? It’s the west of Ireland on steroids! The dry stone walls outlining tiny green fields, the dramatic coastline, the steep cliffs, the mist covered hills, the brightly coloured houses, the white horses out on the wild Atlantic, the weather for goodness sake! As His Lordship says, this rain and sunshine is a real recipe for rainbows. And sure enough, I must have spotted a half a dozen in the…
Visiting Fajãs on São Jorge, Azores São Jorge Island is full of them. Fajãs – small plains of land around the coastline that were formed by debris from either rock falls, landslides or volcanic eruptions. For piles of debris, they sure are pretty. The first one we visited is perhaps the best known, Fajã do Ouvidor. The road down was seriously steep. When His Lordship, an Austrian, says it’s steep, believe me it is steep. But it was well worth…
Pico da Esperança hike, São Jorge, Azores We really are in the land of lava. It’s everywhere! I was amused by this ATM machine on a typical steep São Jorge street. A slab of lava has been thoughtfully supplied by the bank to help you get at your money without tilting over. And although it’s not whale or dolphin watching season at the moment, I did get to see one dolphin while we were here. Made of lava, of course….
Touring São Jorge, Azores I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Travelling with a pair of Oldies is not easy. It started at Terceira airport. Now, I know it was early in the morning, but still. ‘Where are you going?’ asked the friendly girl at the check-in. ‘Eh, Err, Em’, was all the drowsy pair could manage. ‘Don’t worry, give me your passports and I’ll tell you’, she said with a grin. ‘Oh, you’re booked on the next…