Home / Azores - May/June 2019 / Terceira 48
The "Lilac Island" is the third largest with a population of about 56,000.
- 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. - street-sweeping-with-unique-broom
Street Sweeping With Unique Broom Living on an island necessitates the occasional creative solution. This one works. - taking-a-break
Taking a break We strolled about Angra and had a break at this fresh-air restaurant. - 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. - 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. - downtown
Downtown The overhead structures were erected for some celebration. - downtown-restaurant
Downtown Restaurant At lunch time we decided to eat locally and this was the restaurant we chose. They looked like they could use the business and we were hungry. - lunch-downtown
Lunch Downtown Each meal is served with farmer's cheese and bread, - boiled-dinner
Boiled Dinner I had tuna steak and the veggies from a New England boiled dinner. - 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. - 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. - limestone-and-basalt-paving
Limestone And Basalt Paving I didn't have a photo of this work so I appropriated this one from the web (it was legal to copy and use this one). - limestone-street-repair
Limestone Street Repair A man was doing repair work and this is what his wheelbarrow looked like. - 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. - what-do-you-do-with-a-5-foot-candle
What Do You Do With A 5 Foot Candle - 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. - angra-beach
Angra Beach There weren't a lot of sunbathers on this day. - luis
Luis Our Terceira guide, Luis Marques, was extremely knowledgeable, passionate about his island, friendly, and was able to answer all our questions with ease. If we returned to Terceira we would absolutely pursue his services. Additionally, he knows where to eat! CLICK HERE - to see a short video of Luis and the village of Praia da Vitória. - crater
Crater This is one of several volcanic craters on the island. If you look carefully, you will see Azorean soldiers at a rifle range on the left on the crater floor and as seen in the next photo. - rifle-range
Rifle Range While not a huge presence, there are military personnel on the island. - praia-da-vitria-city
Praia da Vitória City Praia da Vitória translates to "Beach of the Victory". From Wikipedia - The Battle of Praia Bay was fought by the coast of Terceira Island on August 11, 1829, between Portuguese loyalists and a Miguelite fleet as part of the Portuguese civil war. The Miguelites under command of José António Azevedo e Lemos attempted to disembark troops on Terceira island, but were defeated by the loyalist troops under command of the Duke of Terceira who controlled a dozen small forts and artillery batteries along five kilometers of the coast. The defeat of the absolutists in this battle was decisive for the affirmation and posterior victory of the liberal ideas in Portugal. - patchwork-quilt
Patchwork Quilt One large crater today is called a patchwork quilt. We were on the crater ridge which you will see in the next photo. - patchwork-quilt-aerial
Patchwork Quilt Aerial I forgot to take my drone so I have "borrowed" this photo to better illustrate the topography. - 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. - split-rock-goat-island
Split Rock (Goat Island) This is a well known landmark associated with many stories from the past. Among them is the story that a German submarine used to hide between the outgrowths during the war, and another, that a young lad was exiled here for seven years by the father of the young lady he loved. - whale-boats
Whale Boats We visited a whaling museum and the whale boats were inside. - whale-boat-rudders
Whale Boat Rudders After harpooning a whale the line was run through a slot in the bow and then tied around that post on the stern. The rudders are in the boat transport position. - 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. - looking-up-the-chimney
Looking Up The Chimney One of the dormant volcanoes has a lava tube with a small pond at its base 300 feet down. This is looking up the chimney to the outside. - algar-do-carvo-steps-300-ft-down
Algar do Carvão Steps to 300 Ft Down Debby decided to go down while I saw no need. - 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. - basalt-playground
Basalt Playground Swimming areas are a premium on volcanic islands so they make do with what they have. This is an example. - lava-beach
Lava Beach Luis, our guide, is giving Debby the scoop. - old-swimmin-hole
Old Swimmin' Hole These are the brave ones. - 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. - mother-church-of-st-sebastian-from-1455
Mother Church of St. Sebastian From 1455 This is the oldest church on the island and while it has changed some as a result of modifications and a fire it is used to this day. Not long ago it was discovered that beautiful frescos on the side walls had been painted over so restoration work is now in process. - frescos-uncovered
Frescos Uncovered Why would someone cover such beauty? - 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. - church-of-santssimo-salvador
Church of Santíssimo Salvador The construction of the Cathedral of Angra do Heroísmo began in 1568. The last of the exterior work was completed around 1618. - church-in-doze-ribeiras
Church In Doze Ribeiras - imperio
Imperio Empire of the Holy Spirit of the Twelve Rivers or Império do Espírito Santo das Doze Ribeiras CLICK HERE - to see a short video of an Imperio. - bulls-statue
Bulls Statue Not far from the local bull ring is a rotary with this statue in the middle. Bull fighting and running of the bulls are major activities on the island. CLICK HERE - to see a short video of a typical village street. - 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. - bullfight-practice--ring
Bullfight Practice Ring - 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. - angra-do-herosmo
Angra do Heroísmo Settled in the 1400's, more than half of the island's population lives here. - bota-que-tem-vieira-restaurant
Bota Que Tem Vieira Restaurant Every place has at least one dish for which they are famous and Terceira's is Alcatra, a beef dish, usually a rump roast cooked with onions, bacon, butter, spices and wine. It is always cooked a long time, maybe 7-8 hours in a special unglazed pot that looks like an upside down lamp-shade which over time becomes seasoned (pot in front of us). The owner of this restaurant has one of the best alcatras that is very much in demand for local celebrations. But the restaurant, located in Posto Santo village, also has a great buffet with local foods as well as foods eaten in America. Should you go to Terceira, don't miss this restaurant. - alcatra
Alcatra Very, very yummy.