- taking-a-break
Taking a break We strolled about Angra and had a break at this fresh-air restaurant. - here-come-the-cooks
Here Come The Cooks Local restaurants use these hot springs to cook food. CLICK HERE - to see them retrieve the food from these slow cookers. - thermal-tank
Thermal Tank This pool is about 125' x 225' and is about 104F. - this-doesnt-look-good
This Doesn't Look Good Yeah, dropped some euros here! I knew it was a mistake to let her enter, but I didn't want to cause a scene. - out-for-a-stroll
Out For A Stroll In search of rest rooms we ended up high above a rare Azorean beach in Angra which is seen in the next photo. - visiting-with-vasco-da-gama
Visiting With Vasco da Gama Angra was presented with this statue of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in 2016. It was commissioned and gifted by Vitor Baptista, a Portuguese immigrant in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who was born in Terceira. - limestone-street-repair
Limestone Street Repair A man was doing repair work and this is what his wheelbarrow looked like. - local-swimming-pool
Local Swimming Pool This is a "beach" and swimming pool when the weather is warmer. - Grape Plant Walls
Grape Plant Walls This vineyard was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2004. - carbonated-mineral-water
Carbonated Mineral Water This is mineral water that is naturally carbonated. - meal-cooked-in-hot-springs
Meal Cooked In Hot Springs It is very much like a New England boiled dinner. - bull-stalls
Bull Stalls These are stalls connected to a practice ring. They are designed so they can move bulls around from above. This practice area belongs to the man who supplies most of the fighting bulls. - imperio-of-so-sebastio
Imperio of São Sebastião Each community has a chuch; each church has an imperio associated with it, but not connected to it. Imperios are small temple-like structures integral to the doctrines of the Cult of the Empire of the Holy Spirit. In some areas the buildings can be simple but in the Azores they tend to be ornate. From Wikipedia - - "...the cult of the Empire of the Holy Spirit is a religious sub-culture, inspired by Christian millenarian mystics, associated with Azorean Catholic identity." This sub-culture is alive and very active in the islands and also in diasporas in the US and elsewhere. - Grape crop
Grape Crop The walls were dry constructed and the tallest would be about 5 feet. - One of many vineyards
One of Many Vineyards Pico's main industries over the years have been wine and whaling and now of course tourism. Because the island is essentially a pile of basalt (lava rock) growing anything was a real task. They used the basalt stones to create barriers to protect the growing plants from the wind as seen here and these walls go on for miles. Some of the walls are hundreds of years old. The plants are a low growing vine. Verdelho, one of three traditional plants grown there and the most famous was wiped out by powdery mildew around 1850. It was replaced with resistant hybrids from America but other plant diseases in the late 1800s nearly wiped out the industry. Today Pico makes some of the best Portuguese wine Verdelho is making a comeback. - bull-ring
Bull Ring In the center is the newest bull ring. The bull statue in the rotary can be seen a little north west of the ring. - alcatra
Alcatra Very, very yummy. - more-hydrangeas
More Hydrangeas - 2nd-floor-parachute-platform
2nd Floor Parachute Platform I'm thinking this wouldn't meet code in the US. - hotel-caracol
Hotel Caracol The hotel is located in Angra do Heroismo, one of the three Azorean capital cities which is located on the southern shore. Angra, as it is commonly called, has been the center of a number of historical events since its founding in 1478. It was once Portugal's capital. - Vineyard Windmill
Windmill In Vineyard Our first stop on the island was at a vineyard and this windmill was there. It was one of the few functional ones left on the island having been rebuilt in the early 2000s. Many of the other windmills have fallen into disrepair due to age and lack of maintenance. - limestone-and-basalt-surface-material
Limestone And Basalt Surface Material The black and white paving designs seen all over the island are created piece by piece and laid by hand as seen in the next photo. The basalt which we would call lava is locally sourced but the limestone needs to be imported. - lava-beach
Lava Beach Luis, our guide, is giving Debby the scoop. - ceramic-tile-church-wall
Ceramic Tile Church Wall - hydrangeas
Hydrangeas The hydrangea season was a couple weeks away but here and there would be examples of what the island would look like shortly. - debby-ate-squid
Debby Ate Squid Debby had baby squid which were served in a cream sauce. Both of our meals were very good. Those are potatoes and shrimp in the middle. - holey-mustard
Holey Mustard Can't think of a logical reason for this hole. - elephant-ear-plants
Elephant Ear Plants - one-of-many-churches
One of Many Churches We stopped at the Bandeiras church in Madalena and the inside is quite spectacular. - downtown
Downtown The overhead structures were erected for some celebration. - overlook
Overlook The island has many beautiful overlooks but they are best visited when the lighting is in your favor. Unfortunately, we had no choice in this matter. CLICK HERE - to see a short video of the natural wind barriers along the coast protecting the fields. - river-flowers
River Flowers - deans-breakfast
Deans Breakfast You won't find many free range, orange-yoked eggs in Maine. - meal-cooked-in-hot-springs (2)
Meal Cooked In Hot Springs The 2 ladies at the far end are from MA. The man and woman across from Debby are from continental Portugal and were there on holiday. Paolo, our guide, is on the end. - blue-church-at-angra-do-heroismo
Blue church at Angra do Heroismo Igreja da Misericordia, which translates to church of mercy, is located near the marina in Angra. - ceramic-tile-street-signs
Ceramic Tile Street Signs - algar-do-carvo
Algar do Carvão She made it to the the bottom and as you can see it looks exactly like I envisioned it. - walking-down-the-sidewalk
Walking Down The Sidewalk - 9-passenger-van-with-room-for-luggage
9-Passenger Van With Room For Luggage This is sort of the standard tourist transporter. - whaling-tools
Whaling Tools The inscription reads "There are three types of men: the living, the dead, and those who walk in the sea." The third tool down was used for butchering. - tea-milling-machines
Tea Milling Machines Much of the equipment used here has been here since the beginning. These machines are run with a flat belt pulley system. CLICK HERE - to see them in action. - gorreana-tea-plantation
Gorreana Tea Plantation These are the tea plants of Europe's only tea plantation. You can't see it from this prospective but you can walk between these rows. Click for Drone Video - found online which shows the size of this plantation. - angra-beach
Angra Beach There weren't a lot of sunbathers on this day. - purdy-nice-orchid
Purdy Nice Orchid - okay-views
Okay Views The island has several overlooks. This was a nice one. - debbys-breakfast
Debbys Breakfast CLICK HERE - to see the buffet. - hydrangea
Hydrangea - okay-flora
Okay Flora - bubbling-hot-springs
Bubbling Hot Springs CLICK HERE - to see the springs. - ancient-tree
Ancient Tree Near the entrance to the Terra Nostra Garden in Furnas is this tree.