The Volcanic Morning Walk
And wonder if these remote islands are what is left of Atlantis?
Have you ever thought of travelling outside of the mainstream destinations to a new and different place? Think about the Azores. You may have never heard of them. These are nine islands located in the middle of the Atlantic ocean just a few hours by plane from Lisbon, Portugal. Within minutes of distance, you can experience vast changes in scenery from cultured orchards and vineyards to wild, winding trails, a temperate climate, hundreds of years of history, festivals, inviting and friendly residents, and still vacation with all the amenities of home if you want them.
We built our cottage five years ago on the island of Pico in the Azores arquipelago. One of my favourite pastimes is getting up before my family awakens and taking a brisk walk along the coastline to the neighbouring seaside villages. Accompany me today on my daily walk.
The jagged black coastline formed from lava rock. The islands are volcanic. While there have been the occasional earthquakes over the last fifty years, a volcanic eruption on our island has not occurred for hundreds of years.
Made a UNESCO world heritage site, local government and communities are working to maintain the traditional look of the seaside dwellings on the island. Villagers spent the summers in these seaside homes and stored wine in cellars here called “adegas” where it was cooler and easier to prepare for shipping.
There are many lovely varieties of wild flowers, cactus, and trees on the island despite the rocky soil.
The abundant lava rock formed the building blocks for everything; homes, fences, gateways, and stairs. (Basaltic volcanic rock)
Every picture you take is striking.
The ocean is stunningly blue and it goes on forever interrupted only by the other beautiful green islands of the arquipelago. It sounds like a thousand birds are singing along the path in the morning.
Whale watching is a popular attraction for visitors to the island. There are a number of businesses on the island that offer excursions to view the whales by boat.
Every seaside area has a patron saint and a chapel where masses were held in the summer and religious festivals.
The air is so clean and fresh as you walk that you want to breathe deeply into your lungs and keep it there.
Azulejos are painted blue and white ceramic tiles used commonly throughout Portugal to mark the local roadways and decorate homes and buildings.
A beautiful walk comes to an end before anyone awakens.
If you have been to the Azores before and loved it, hit the recommend button below so more people can discover these islands. Pictures taken by Mary Da Rosa and Joao Rosa.