| The next day we left early in the rental car to explore some of the eastern sights of Sao Miguel. Beautiful scenery surrounded us as we traveled along the island�s northern roads. Sao Miguel had many beautiful lakes formed in its craters, and hot springs were quite prevalent. After leaving Ribeira Grande, we passed a geothermal electric generating plant, enjoyed a short hike to the Caldeira Velha with its hot springs and warm waterfall and pool, took in the breathtaking view of Lagoa do Fogo (Fire Lake), and visited a small tea factory near Porto Formoso. Afterwards, we continued along the road toward Furnas stopping at the viewpoint overlooking both Lagoa das Furnas (Furnas Lake) and the village of Furnas before descending down into the picturesque valley. In Furnas we enjoyed the Terra Nostra Garden and visited the hot springs where food (called Cozido nas Caldeiras) was being cooked in holes about 3 feet deep. |
