28th September 2021. Crater wandering.

For the first time on this trip, we awoke to a bright, sunny day instead of the usual heavy rain. After breakfast, we were soon on our way to explore the highlands. The surrounding mountains and volcanoes were free of cloud, promising good visibility for those willing to risk the unpredictability of Azorean weather.

Our destination was the wonder of Sete Cidades, a small town nestled within the crater of a vast volcano, home to two lakes: the beautiful Lagoa Azul and the smaller, vividly green Lagoa Verde. Perched on the rim of the crater stands an abandoned hotel. I had been intrigued by this sad, concrete monolith during an earlier visit, so, after parking nearby, I intended to explore its interior. First, we took photographs from the tourist viewpoint, capturing the panoramic sweep of the town, crater, and lakes, before clambering up one of the walls to gain access to one of the hotel’s rooms.

We were not alone. Several other curious visitors were also exploring the building, using the added height of the structure to photograph Sete Cidades from a unique perspective. Although the hotel had been stripped bare, its former splendour was still evident as we splashed through dark, rubble-strewn corridors, investigated once-palatial rooms, and posed for selfies on the rooftop terrace. It was a shame that the original owners had not considered the impact that the near-permanent cloud cover would have had on their guests, an expensive mistake!

The drive into the crater is steep and winding, with plenty of viewpoints along the way for yet more photographs. Upon reaching the causeway that separates the two lakes, we paused once more to take pictures before continuing into the settlement itself. Parking next to the little church, we gave it a brief look before crossing the road to enjoy a coffee at a small café, the same one Sue and I had visited quite a few years ago.

Thirst quenched, we drove to the lake and followed the cobbled causeway towards a tunnel that we had discovered on a previous visit. It had been cut through the base of the crater rim to connect to the outside world, visible as a single dot of light far in the distance through its darkness. You can walk through it, but not today! The heavy rain we experienced upon our arrival had been far worse than we had imagined. Although we had already encountered several mudslides that had since been cleared by the authorities, here, along the little road skirting the lake, trees and mounds of brown earth still blocked the way.

Abandoning the car, we set off on foot, passing several workmen with a small digger, labouring to clear the road. I fear they will be there for several more days.

After much scrambling and muddy-footed progress, we finally reached the tunnel, peered inside, and with rumbling tummies set off back towards the car. A very pleasant lunch followed at the Green Love restaurant, situated beside the lake and shared with some very choosy cats.

Our plan was then to circumnavigate the top of the volcano’s rim along a road built for that purpose. However, as we began our adventure, we encountered yet more workmen and several diggers, not a promising sign. After bouncing and careering along a recently scraped surface for several miles, we were eventually forced to admit defeat and return to the main road.

Heading back towards Ponta Delgada, we made our way down the coast, stopping along the way to explore several rocky harbours and viewpoints. Plan B was to visit the Gruta do Carvão caves on the outskirts of the capital, but when we attempted to buy tickets, we were informed that bookings could only be made online, and the next available slots were not for another two days.

We parked the car at the hotel and made our way on foot to the Jardim José do Canto, a large nearby botanical garden. Sadly, it is now just a shadow of what it once was. The trees, pathways, and borders are very unkempt, and I don’t think Covid can be blamed for that. Just two years ago, when Sue and I visited, it had been a real joy to walk around.

Continuing into town, we found a couple of seats in the sunshine outside a bar and passed the time chatting and people-watching. Jamie noticed a very poorly pigeon slumped on the pavement and kindly picked it up, placing it in the sun in a large flower tub near our table. Miraculously, some twenty minutes later, its limp little body twitched, and it attempted to peck at the surrounding flowers. Over the next few minutes, it became increasingly animated until it took off, flying in a circle around the square before landing beside Jamie’s chair. For the next half hour, it strutted around our table, pecking for dropped scraps, until it eventually flew off to a nearby water fountain to drink with others of its kind.

Over drinks, we discussed at length whether Jamie might have healing hands. As a test, I got him to hold my wrist for a while. I had injured it during an earlier, unplanned dive into a stream, and remarkably, the pain disappeared! Another miracle!

To celebrate, we had our evening meal at a rather exclusive harbourside restaurant before returning to the bar from our first night to watch Liverpool thrash Porto 5–1.

29th September – A Brush with the Police

Once again, we awoke to a bright morning. The plan today was to drive to Nordeste, at the far end of the island, and under a scorching sun, we set off with the side windows fully wound down.

All went well until we reached the township of Lagoa, where we took a wrong turn. In attempting a U-turn, Jamie hadn’t noticed the police van behind us. Unsurprisingly, we were pulled over. After checking his licence and questioning why he didn’t have his passport with him, the officer eventually let us go with a warning to ‘follow the road signs more carefully’.

We arrived in Nordeste without further incident but only stayed long enough to walk over and under its picturesque bridge. There was little else of interest to detain us.

We moved on to the Ponta do Arnel lighthouse, a precariously situated building reached via an equally steep and treacherous road. We spent some time at the tiny harbour directly below, where we were entertained by one of the locals fishing. It seemed that every time he dropped his lure into the choppy waters, he caught something.

Our next stop was Praia do Lombo Gordo beach. We had thought the road down to the lighthouse was hazardous, but the descent to this stretch of sand and rocky coastline easily outshone it, with near-vertical turns and terrifying drops. After a brief clamber across the rocks, where we encountered just one other soul foolhardy enough to risk life, limb, and hire car, we left him to his solitude and retraced our steps.

Heading for Povoação, we came across yet more mudslides, which had unfortunately taken the road with them. We were forced to take a long diversion via the pretty fishing village of Faial da Terra. On arrival, we ordered drinks at one of the bars but were disappointed to find they didn’t serve food. Once suitably refreshed, we made our way to a small restaurant across the river, followed by a friendly little dog that looked more like the head of a mop than ‘man’s best friend’. He stayed with us throughout our meal, and yes, he did manage to charm some of my tuna from me.

Leaving the village, we spotted a sign for a waterfall and, parking up, set off to find it. It was a strenuous two-kilometre climb along a trail that wound its way through dense forest vegetation. We were not alone: besides passing several pairs of descending, ‘serious’ German hikers, we came across small flocks of wild chickens. They showed no fear of us and seemed entirely unconcerned by the passing human traffic.

The waterfall was worth the effort, just. We could hear the thunder of the falling water from quite a distance; I shudder to think what it must have been like during the downpour that had torn away trees and ground so violently.

Returning, exhausted, to the car, it was hardly surprising that on reaching Povoação, we sank drinks in the first bar we found off the town square before heading back to Ponta Delgada. That evening, we had our meal in a small café just down the road from the hotel and watched Benfica beat Barcelona 3–1.