São Miguel, Azores
Today we began our Atlantic Odyssey on the island of São Miguel in the Azores. São Miguel is the largest of the Azorean islands and home to over half of the population of the archipelago. Most of the island’s population is concentrated in Ponta Delgada where we boarded Endeavour after our overnight flight from Boston. After a hearty brunch and a bit of rest, we drove out of the city to one of the most beautiful areas of the island, the site of twin crater lakes, Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul. The green and blue colors of the lakes reflect the green of the steeply forested crater walls and the blue sky above. This crater is at least 4000 years old based on age dates from pieces of wood incorporated in the lava, but it last erupted as recently as 1440 A.D. It is difficult to image that such a verdant valley was an active volcano spewing molten lava only 560 years ago. The beautiful and sleepy village on the lakeshore is Sete Cidades (Seven Cities).
After a visit to the village we walked along the lakeshore and around the “peninsula of silence” (center) as we slowed our pace to match that of the islands. Azoreans are wonderfully cordial and friendly and the islands are largely untouched by tourism. They go about their daily lives all around us as they milk their dairy cows in the field and cut silage for the winter at the deliberate but unhurried tempo of the land and the animals. At the end of our walk we were treated to a picnic of tapas served by the Endeavour Dining Room staff and refreshed by drinks from the ship’s Barmen in a lovely park on the lakeshore.
In this peaceful setting we contemplated the immensity of the forces that created these islands and which still today affect the lives of their inhabitants. Periodic earthquakes and eruptions throughout historic times bear evidence to the fact that all of the seven islands in the Eastern and Central Groups, and excepting only the Western Group of Flores and Corvo which lie west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, are active volcanos. Nonetheless, the serenity and beauty of the crater lakes of Sete Cidades are, for the present at least, ours to enjoy.
Today we began our Atlantic Odyssey on the island of São Miguel in the Azores. São Miguel is the largest of the Azorean islands and home to over half of the population of the archipelago. Most of the island’s population is concentrated in Ponta Delgada where we boarded Endeavour after our overnight flight from Boston. After a hearty brunch and a bit of rest, we drove out of the city to one of the most beautiful areas of the island, the site of twin crater lakes, Lagoa Verde and Lagoa Azul. The green and blue colors of the lakes reflect the green of the steeply forested crater walls and the blue sky above. This crater is at least 4000 years old based on age dates from pieces of wood incorporated in the lava, but it last erupted as recently as 1440 A.D. It is difficult to image that such a verdant valley was an active volcano spewing molten lava only 560 years ago. The beautiful and sleepy village on the lakeshore is Sete Cidades (Seven Cities).
After a visit to the village we walked along the lakeshore and around the “peninsula of silence” (center) as we slowed our pace to match that of the islands. Azoreans are wonderfully cordial and friendly and the islands are largely untouched by tourism. They go about their daily lives all around us as they milk their dairy cows in the field and cut silage for the winter at the deliberate but unhurried tempo of the land and the animals. At the end of our walk we were treated to a picnic of tapas served by the Endeavour Dining Room staff and refreshed by drinks from the ship’s Barmen in a lovely park on the lakeshore.
In this peaceful setting we contemplated the immensity of the forces that created these islands and which still today affect the lives of their inhabitants. Periodic earthquakes and eruptions throughout historic times bear evidence to the fact that all of the seven islands in the Eastern and Central Groups, and excepting only the Western Group of Flores and Corvo which lie west of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, are active volcanos. Nonetheless, the serenity and beauty of the crater lakes of Sete Cidades are, for the present at least, ours to enjoy.
