August 18, 2004
Our 1� month stay in the Azorean archipelago has definitely been one of the highlights of this cruise. We continually were enchanted by the beauty of the islands and hospitality of its people. The people were pleasant, laid-back, and proud of their heritage and deep-rooted traditions dating back some 300 to 500 years. The Azorean cheese, bread, and wine were delicious and made a delightful addition to any meal. While in the Azores, we enjoyed some of their festivals or �festas� and visited four of the nine volcanic islands: Faial, Pico, Terceira, and Sao Miguel. Being at the crossroads of the Atlantic, the Azores also displayed much seafaring and maritime history. If it weren�t for the sailing seasons, we could easily have lingered longer.
We spent four relaxing, peaceful weeks in Horta on the island of Faial. This �downtime� was much needed by us both, and the time passed by so quickly. We enjoyed walking around the quaint, charming town with its narrow cobblestone streets and mosaic designed sidewalks. Almost each street had a different design. Families ate late and so often we would hear from our boat late into the evenings ( almost until 11:30 pm) the sounds of children playing in the small park nearby as their families lingered along the waterfront socializing with neighbors. As there were only about 15,000 people on the island, it was evident that almost every family knew every other family. It also made us feel quite safe to be in such surroundings. |
