Azores are islands 230 miles off the coast of Portugal They are a semi autonomous region meaning they’re part of Portugal but able to make many of their own decisions about their island. Located about halfway between North America and the Meditterean they provide a mid ocean stop useful in WWII and for some cruise ships.
But say the name and people go ‘huh’. Is it in the Caribbean? Maybe somewhere in Africa? But no! It is one of those few countries (2 by last count) that speak Portuguese. All those explorers sent out to take possession of already occupied lands centuries ago and they’re now down to one big massive country – Brazil, and a little one – Portugal. Maybe someplace in Africa still speaks Portuguese.
Islands mean coral atolls or volcanoes. Here the old remnants of volcanoes take center stage. Last volcanic activity was in 1761 so evidence here is of very old eroded cones and gorgeous crater lakes. There is a volcanic plug down which you can climb stairs, 382 to be exact. I didn’t. And the geological history interestingly goes from the east of the island westward in age. So there are nubs at one end and cones at the other, to put it in very simple terms. In actuality it means a varied landscape.
Tourists here by far are Portuguese from the mainland. Occasionally I heard English spoken and twice German. Granted really spent most time with the people of our group on the trails but there was free time to explore the city or sit at a trailhead and listen. No Chinese groups touring, thank goodness didn’t have to get elbowed away by them. Best place to gauge the visitor origins was Terra Nostra gardens and thermal pools, major tourist draw. It was nice to see families interact with their toddlers. gentle and loving; there was no screaming, yanking by the arm, yelling even if the toddler was whining and misbehaving. How shocked they would be to the what happens in America.
On the island of Terceira, we visited the ocean pools at Biscoitos. Both at the ocean and thermal pools got a good overview of the health of the population. Even though there is an abundance of middle-aged weight readjustment (bellies and midriffs) they looked fit. (Think a tan makes fat look better.) Lots of bikinis on the women of all ages; no tangas on the men. And they do plunge into the Atlantic. I don’t like ocean water – very cold and salty. I’m a Great Lakes fresh water babe; wait I need to restate that – I don’t go to the beach, all that sand is annoying, but if I really wanted a dip my preference is fresh water if there is no pool available.
The two islands visited were Sao Miguel and Terceira; there are 9 in the archipelago. The former has the largest city of Punta Delgada; large, bustling, the major port for the islands with cruise ship visits and initial point of entry for most tourists who come by airplane. Terceira has Angra do Heroisimo, more picturesque, easier to walk around, cafes in the squares. The lava rocks that I’m familiar with in Iceland are really only obvious along the beaches. The landscape doesn’t have that moonscape type feel that I get in Iceland. Here the fields are farmed and largely used for pasturing the Holstein cows. Unique are the multitude of basalt stone fences marking field ownership creating a very scenic landscape somewhat reminiscent of Ireland. So I have to think that better soil is under the rocks which were removed over the 400 years of settlement, and also climate more conducive to growing anything thus differences between here and Iceland. Could be wrong.
So tourism is low and the islands struggle with ongoing emigration, trying to increase tourist numbers and stay with their sustainability program. U.S. has the largest population of Azoreans outside the islands, hence the direct flight from Boston. Several sites on the island have World Heritage Site designation, which has proven kiss of death to so many places. They receive a designation intended to highlight the significance and value of a place but end up increasing tourism to a hitherto unknown location that endangers the place, and can make it unlivable for locals. So I hesitate that I even spread the word about this relatively undiscovered treasure. Hope the New York Times doesn’t put it on the list of 52 places when it starts up again; on maybe it’s already been covered.
I had difficulty finding books about the Azores, fiction or non fiction. Partly this is due to the limitations in the Michigan interlibrary system, but also as there is just very little out there. Oh if only I could find an Azorean crime noir author! Great atmospheric settings with bubbling muddy looking thermal pools, high cliff overlooks, narrow city passages and countless lightly traveled roads. Is there drug trade here with boats from Africa or the multi country sex trade, both prime themes for crime novels. Speaking of which, no Russians nor any reference to them buying up oceanfront homes with the illegally gotten millions.
Probably the most distinguishing feature of the islands are the striking remnants of volcanic activity – lakes, craters, cones, plugs. I haven’t been anywhere else with so much variety in such a lush setting.
There is an American airbase, Lajes Field, very much abandoned except for some 100 soldiers stationed there. It was vital in WWII, a Cold War asset and even held on lease for years after with lots of new housing built. But with base closures increasing all over the world as well as in the U.S. the place is very much locked and secured, whole housing sections empty. Our guides emphasized how the local economy was dependent on the base for employment, how many jobs lost. I know the flip side of how much money the U.S. spends on defensive, especially all the overseas bases that no longer have any strategic value. Back home I did my usual research on topics I noted in the little notebook I carry with me. I discovered an aspect to this base that our local expert guides did not touch on. This base has become a hot spot in the U.S. China increasing tensions. The Chinese have been diligently visiting the Azores for capital investment wanting to get a presence in the European Union stronghold. They want to purchase a portion of the base for development; they also want to work with Azores to increase the deep water port capabilities. Let your imagination take this info and run. At any rate the U.S. is hanging on to the base. Dealing with the Chinese is worse than trying to get a negotiation with the Russians. (No I am not a paranoid sino-ruskie xenophobe. But I do encourage the cat to venture under my mattress.)
Oh and don’t underestimate the humidity. Typically near 90% every day and that’s with no rain. I am genetically not agreeable to that. But they have lots of air conditioning and think of all that sweat as a cleaning process for your body.
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