Sao Miguel
September 21, 2023
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On Day 6, Andy, Donna and I enjoyed breakfast together in Ponta Delgada. We then hopped into their rented car, a lamborghini if I remember
correctly, to tour the west side of Sao Miguel Island. We first stopped at Minadouro do Caminho Novo, a lighthouse with a good view of the
Atlantic Ocean and Pico da Cruz (an ancient volcano containing Sete Cidades). We then arrived at the ancient caldera that is now
a quite picturesque group of lakes, village and farming valley called Sete Cidades, meaning seven cities.
We enjoyed a just over 8 km hike along the west and north ridge of the caldera.
Sete Cidades is the name of an island in Portuguese legend. The first document that refers to it was written in Porto around the year 750
by a Christian cleric. The legend states that the archbishop of Porto, wanting to avoid Muslim domination, decided to leave for the great land of
Sete Cidades that seafarers assured him existed in the middle of the western ocean. In the year 734, the archbishop, accompanied by other prelates,
was joined by five thousand faithful, and embarked on a fleet of twenty sailing ships. The chronicle says that the fleet reached its destination,
but it is unknown if they ever really existed.
Using a tip from Flavio, our breakfast waiter in Ponta Delgada, we went for the most tender Octopus I've ever had at O Americo in Mosteiros,
a little village
on the northwest of the island. Then, we ended at the Ferraria Thermal Pools on the north coast. It is recommended to be there at low tide, so there
are little pools of warm water to relax in, but of course, we showed up at high tide where the water was, as Andy said, a washing machine of people.
I went in, got out, and didn't die, so a success.
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Above: Southeast view from the Minadouro do Caminho Novo, a lighthouse on the Atlantic Ocean.
1 to 4 show the harbour just south of my hotel, and the Banco Montepio building near the Portas da Cidade.
5 and 6 show Royal breakfast, and Flavio our helpful waiter.
7 to 10 show views around the Minadouro do Caminho Novo, including the final two towards Pico da Cruz.
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