Sail Eagle'sWings - Punta Gorda Life: Terceira

1972 - Richard was stationed at Lajes Field, Terceira. Terceira is one the islands that makeup the Azores, 600 miles off the coast of Portugal. We flew in from Porto in the late afternoon to Lajes Field. The terminal is now located where the Navy based their P-3 Orien sub hunter planes across the flight line from the what was the main airbase. As we taxied to the terminal, Joanne mentioned to the stewardess that I had been here 50+ years ago. She responded that nothing had changed. Was she ever wrong. Fifty years ago, old women wearing all black were a common sight as widows were required to do so for life. Not any more. Grain traveled by oxcarts to threshing machines right out of a Thomas Hardy novel. The white houses looked old and worn. Now they look bright trimmed in blue. Cars were a rare sight; now they are everywhere! The tourists have come with money.

In this Google Earth view of Terceira, one can see the islands of São Jorge, Pico and Faial in the distance. I sailed on a ketch from Terceira to São Jorge and on to Faial where I drank a lot of beer before flying back to Terceira.

After A thirty minute slow drive along the coast followed by an uphill climb through narrow streets, we arrived at Caparica Eco Lodge, our lodging for the next three nights. .

A pretty lap pool at the lodge.

Cars are small; they need to be to negotiate narrow city and village streets. If a parking space isn't available in a village, locals just park in the street.

The stone path on the right leads to steps that lead to our cabin. Climbing the stones steps to our cabin was more than Joanne had expected but with the aid of our hiking sticks we did fine.

By the time we checked in light was fading. We made our way down more narrow streets to Ponta dos Biscoitos for an expensive dinner at the Por Do Sal restaurant. After dinner and arriving back up hill at Biscoitos in the dark, we found the main road blocked. Behind the barrier, beds of flowers flowed down the center of the road for a religious festival. Thanks goodness for Google Maps that provided us with an alternative route back the lodge.

The next day started out bright and sunny. We had a nice breakfast at the lodge before heading across the island again following Google Maps to get us through Angra do Heroismo's maze of narrow streets to the waterfront for all day tour of the island.

The following day was a wet one. We drove again across the island in the morning following a different route before the change in weather socked in the higher elevations. The photos below are a mix from both days.

Local traffic near Angra do Heroismo

Joanne with Vasco de Gamma

Our Ride for the Tour.

Our tour took us round and about Angrado do Heroismo up to Mount Brasil, an extinct volcano that overlooks the city. From Mount Brasil, we circled the island counter clockwise to Altares where we turned inland to make our way back to the other coast.

Angra do Heroismo from Mount Brasil

Mount Brasil from Sao Sebastia Fortress

Mount Brasil's Caldera

A tight fit for the Van Monumento Ao Toiro

Coming Down from Mount Brasil

On our wet day, we finally found parking place just downhill from the fort. Google Maps indicated that a walk to the cathedral was mostly flat. It was a lie; it was all up and down.

Sao Sebastia Fortress, now a hotel

Igreja de Misericordia, dating back to 1728 was on our way so we stepped inside.

Cathedral

Jardeim Deque da Terceira

By the time we left the cathedral in the center of town, the occasional sprinkles turned to light rain and we got wet despite having raincoats as we walked to the park and then back to our car. Because the center of the island looked socked in, we took coastal rods back to our lodging. Now back to our sunny day.

Ponta dos Biscoitos - I Remember swimming here.

Split Rock

Battle of Salga

I snorkeled here. I don't remember the concrete; just the lava.

View from Miradouro Serra do Cume. Even saw a tour bus up here!

A small church, well groomed.

Japanese cedars cover the western side of the island.

In a bar, a video of bull fighting Azorean style plays on the TV.

Cows share the road on our way across the island to visit Angra. On the way back along the coast a tractor pulling a grape harvest keeps us in low gear.

In Praia da Vitoria we had a very good lunch at small restaurant across the street from the beach. I bought a tee shirt for eight euros. We also bought a coffee cup and spatula as the cost was very resonable.