Voyager of the Seas: Ponta Delgada PT 2
Leaving the port for our afternoon adventure, we turned opposite (R) from the way I walked in the morning. Away from the Old Town area, we headed to a more industrial, business and residential part of the island. Pulling onto the street, straight ahead were a couple of graffiti covered buildings. This type of thing always catches my eye… Though unfortunate when historical buildings are covered in painted drawings, there is a time and place for everything… and in the right place, I truly enjoy and appreciate the artwork.
Adding to the color before us… a series of painted silos. This was a quick (and crooked) shot taken out the window…
Sitting side by side, in stark contrast… a prison watch tower and a home with laundry drying in the breeze. My eyes were first drawn to the rockwork on the wall. Until, that is, the guide mentioned that the inhabitants behind the wall were on unplanned vacations and would return home when their “tour director” said they could go. Being a little slow at times, a slow understanding finally reached my brain! Oddly, right next to the wall, a natural and comfortable setting. Hanging laundry and curtains created a contrast to the white buildings. Clearly, the “vacation resort” isn’t for hardened “vacationers” or I doubt they would have mere rock dividing locked up life from a domesticated life. Either way, it was interesting, to be sure!
Honestly, this little spot did not catch my attention at all… until its purpose was pointed out. The building, and the man working in the building have an unusual paid position. This guy communicates with the boats on the water to let them know of whale and dolphin sightings. Apparently, it is an active area for these mammals. It was true, he had a clear view, from an elevation just high enough to allow him to spot whale’s spouting or dolphins playing. What a fun job. Although, day after day, it probably gets a tad bit monotonous!
One thing about visiting island towns in foreign countries is that they ordinarily colorfully painted. Ponta Delgada was no exception. These homes were similar in style but unique in color. What stood out to me as we drove around, the owners of these homes took care of their property. Well manicured, most had a variety of flowers blooming in the yard!
Apparently, there are nonstop flights to Ponta Delgada from the United States. That’s good to know. An extended island vacation can be added to our future plans! With the idea of mixing land and cruise stays at least three quarters of the year, Barry better hurry up and retire… sell the house and get this party started. Though reality understands that he has a five-year plan that still has four years left… so for the meantime, travel will be as much with him as possible and with friends the rest of the time.
Gaining a slight elevation, the landscape changes dramatically. Unlike Kauai, this island uses rock and cement for homes and structures. Along our travels, there were large vacant hotels, abandoned homes. It would be fun to get a little spot like this, bring it back to life and call it home! Something about a rock house… gets me every time!
Green, green, green! Along with tourism, cows are one of the most important parts of the Azorean economy. Specifically, milking cows, can be found on hillsides at every turn. From what I understand, there is even a tour one can take and get the “cow milking” experience. There’s a little something for everyone here! Much of the 290 square mile island is hilly green.
Due to the humid climate, moss and mold grow in abundance. Rocks, lava and boulders on the mountainside can be found covered in a variety of moss species. A serious issue Sao Miguel has is the same as on Kauai… Kahili Ginger. Mountains completely taken over by this invasive species, have caused problems for the 56 endemic species. In total, there are 1200 plant species on the island. Many gifts from visiting countries. Some botanists have brought plants/flowers to see if they are compatible with the climate. Kahili ginger is a threat to many varieties because it takes over so aggressively. During my years in education on Kauai, we would take classes up to Kokee and work at eradicating the area of the beautiful but harmful plant. Of course, it grew faster than we could ever keep up with. The goal was more to bring awareness to the problem…
Now the prize! Make sure, as always, to click on the photos to see a larger version. Just a warning… I have a dozen photos (well, actually a hundred, but I’ll only bore you with a dozen). We arrive at Sete Cidades, the most visited and photographed spot on the island… in all of the Azores, for that matter. Located in a crater, this is actually broken up into two lakes.
Dividing Lagoa Azul from Lagoa Verde is this road entering the village of Sete Cidades. There were a few cars driving across this section while we were there. Seems a little narrow for my liking, but maybe it appears that way from our vantage point.
Despite this looking like one large lake with a road crossing over it. The twin lakes are actually ecologically different and connected by a strait (which the road is on). We stand at “King’s View” officially named Vista do Rei. It is a popular viewing spot.
In the foreground, you see green foliage. If we arrived at the right time of year (we were slightly early), we would be able to see these hills covered in blue hydrangeas! On our journey up the hill, I noticed the early bloomers of this species. Apparently, like the tulip season in Amsterdam, hydrangeas draw tourists during its bloom season.
Legend has it… there was once a King who lost his Queen… she died, leaving him to with a daughter. With many of the childrearing duties left to a nurse, the King lived solely for his daughter. He allowed no one to talk to this young girl. As Antilia grew into a beautiful woman and drew the attention of all the boys in the kingdom. The King guarded the castle and gardens closely, so Antilia was rarely seen. With the help of her nurse and undeterred by her father’s demands, the girl ventured off property and out onto the hills and valleys. On one outing, as her father slept off his lunch, Antilia hear music. She followed the sound, hiding out of sight. Playing the flute, was a young shepherd. For weeks, the girl returned to the same spot to hear the music. This went on for quite awhile… until she was discovered. The boy fell in love with the beautiful girl immediately. Day after day, the met to enjoy each other’s company… until the boy realized he was in love with Antilia and decided to ask for her hand in marriage.
Early one morning, the two gathered enough courage to approach the King and ask for permission to marry. This angered the King… he sternly expelled the boy from the castle with the orders he never return. They were never to see each other again. Not wanting to cause any additional anger, Antilia agreed to stay away from the boy. She secretly met with him one more time to let him know. The two held each other and cried all afternoon. So many tears fell, that two lakes formed. One green with the tears of the Princess and one blue with the tears of the shepherd.
By the way, we weren’t fortunate enough to see the lakes in their two colors. On our visit, we had a little too much cloud cover. The far lake turns a beautiful shade of blue by reflecting off of the skies. The closer lake remains green. Slightly disappointed, but thankful that we got to see the lakes clearly at all. Many days, this area is engulfed in thick fog, leaving neither lake viewable. So, we were lucky in that way.
One last note… in this photo, you see the village of Sete Cidades. The most recent census reports the population as 701. This calculates to just over 36 people per square kilometer. Small, yes… but the largest parish in the area. What a treat it was to visit! As I mentioned before, I’d like to get back to renting a car and exploring on my own (with my camera!), this is definitely on my list to dig in a little deeper and explore more thoroughly!
