I am still daydreaming about Azores Islands, the archipelago gem in the Atlantic Ocean, where we recently went for a holiday. We landed at Ponta Delgada, the capital city of São Miguel, the largest of the nine volcanic islands. The very first thing that caught our eye, is the azure blue ocean on one side and the gentle mountains with its lush green scenery on the other. There are a few areas of rocky cliffs and rock formations alongside the slate grey beaches that are distinctive of volcanic strata.
We were lucky to enjoy some sunny days, though with its year round mild and humid climate, one can expect rain and foggy mountains every now and then. It’s climate, however, is perfect for Hydrangeas as they fill up every nook and corner of this terrain with colors of blue, pink and lilac. Although not native to the island, the iconic flower is seen paving along most of the roads and gardens, and it featured in almost every photo we took.
São Miguel has a handful of towns, which include a church or two, a town hall and colorful houses with an interesting architectural display. Its distinct black and white buildings stand out against the artistic cobblestone roads. And its houses are painted in pastel colors with iron grilled windows and balconies, each nicer than the other. The porcelain tiled plaques of various Catholic icons reflects the strong Christian belief of the local population. The people are warm and friendly, they speak English and Portuguese, which is their mother tongue.
Interestingly, there are more cows than people in Azores Islands. With dairy farming as the main source of revenue, it produces organic natural milk and some of the best cheese ever tasted. In fact, it is the volcanic soil that contributes to fine wines, including a green variety. There is also a unique single European tea plantation where the process is done entirely manually. However, it was the pineapple farm that intrigued me the most. I witnessed their greenhouse and cultivation techniques of what the locals pride themselves for, the planet’s sweetest and best “ananas”,
One of the key features of this dormant volcanic terrain is the Furnas valley. It forms part of a large crater and holds within it beautiful lakes, thermal pools, hot springs and steam holes. Make no mistake; mother Earth is ALIVE here!
Our tour guide planned the ride so that we’d reach by noon, in time for the special ‘cozido’ (stew), which is cooked in the steaming holes for over 6 hours. Thereafter, we enjoyed a quick but relaxing dip in the thermal pool of the Terra Nostra Park. Personally, I was a bit wary about stepping into warm, muddy but sulfur rich bubbling water exuding its distinct odor, but then there are many that flock to reap its medicinal benefits. Instead, I chose to spend my time in the park with its gardens and exquisite collections of plants and majestic trees.
Driving on the island is fairly pleasant, with good roads and negligible traffic if you want to rent a car. We preferred to hire a local guide as we were there for a short stay and he ensured that we got to the right view points from where we could witness the crater lakes. His enthusiasm and passion for the little island was evident in the stories he shared with us. But the strongest message I got from him, was the fragility that Azores Islands are facing with the recent tourism boom. Its environmental vulnerability to its sensitive ecosystem, requires careful management to maintain it as one of the top sustainable destinations in the world.
Some other fun facts of the Azores Archipelago:
- Azores is part of Portugal but enjoys its own autonomous system that elects its own president and parliament. Euro is their currency, yet makes for affordable spending on a day-to-day basis.
- Terceira island is home to US air force base and is the place where then President Bush, Tony Blair and Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar met to announce that they were ready to go to war in Iraq back in 2003.
- It is the whale watching capital with as many as 20 species of whales and dolphins.
- Mount Pico on the Pico island is the highest point in Azores and Portugal.
- The islands’ unique geographic location makes them valuable for monitoring space weather and conduction astronomical observations.
- Some of the islands serve as a base for air and naval operations, particularly for monitoring and protecting Atlantic shipping routes.
- ‘Turn of the Tide’, the Netflix drama shot in the main island of Sao Miguel, is based on the true story of the accidental cocaine spillage in 2001.
