Ponta Delgada Part Four

 January 30, 2024 Ponta Delgada Part Four

On Sunday we woke up and noticed it wasn’t raining. Cindy checked the weather app, which is not always reliable, but it said that we would have partial sun and only a small chance of rain.  We decided we needed to get out of Dodge for the day and headed downtown to the taxi stand and arranged a pickup at the house at 10 am. We noticed lots of clumps of young kids obviously just getting out of the discos, which close at 7 am! Kids as young as fourteen are allowed in and can drink and it was evident from these clumps that they can’t handle their booze (who can at age fourteen?). Sad to see. 

At 10:00 we were on the street with our backpack filled with raincoats, a bottle of water, and hats - and our driver, Jose João Ferreira, was waiting (for what it's worth, Jose in Portuguese sounds more like Joseph). I got in the front seat and Cindy had the backseat to herself and off we went.  He followed the same route we had walked for the violin and we were both amazed at how long it took us to get there by cab (not to mention it was even steeper than we had remembered). Once out of the city limits the scenery changes fast, mostly rolling green hills dotted with lots and lots of cows. Seems that almost all of the dairy products in the Azores are produced here. We passed industrial dairies which were processing milk as well as making cheese, for which this island is justifiably well known.  (Odd fact:  Fresh milk is almost unheard-of; they only drink UHT milk.)

We marveled at a lovely rainbow on the horizon until we remembered that you need rain for a rainbow and sure enough it started to rain, but we were cozy in the van and just happy to be out of town and looking at green grass.  We climbed higher and higher and you could see the changes in the trees, the higher we went the taller the trees, almost all were conifers, some from Japan, others from the US, all brought here for the wood which they use for flooring and buildings. At one point we pulled over and got out of the car and we could see both sides of the island, which was kinda cool. The island is 78 km long but only about 15 km wide at its widest; here it was only about 8 km wide and the weather cleared just enough for great views. 

Our destination was Sete Cidades on the far west of the island and home to two lakes formed from volcanic calderas. They are unique in that despite the fact that the two of them are only separated by a causeway, one is blue and the other green. There are two other smaller lakes formed the same way, Canary Lake the Lake Santiago. We stopped at the Aqueduct of Nine Windows which used to carry water from the lakes to the town of Ponta Delgada. Certainly they copied the Romans' style but these are only two hundred years old. Lovely to look at and we did walk up to them just before the rain started again, forcing us to rush back to the van. We continued our journey uphill and stopped at a spot to see the Northern Shore, which is rugged and wild and is where the surfers come for big waves in the winter and sunbathers for the great beaches in the summer. We got out of the car and noticed that the temperature had dropped by ten degrees since we were at about fifteen hundred feet altitude, so the rain that came as soon as we got out of the van felt that much cooler!!

Onwards to Canary Lake where Jose parked and directed us to the paths through the forest. We headed out and followed the crowds and ambled down a steep set of steps to view this marvel. We got there and both of us just looked at each other and shrugged. It is obvious that no one on the island has ever been to Minnesota!  This was, in reality, just a large pond surrounded by a magnificent pine and fern forest, very pretty but hardly worth the effort. As we schlepped back uphill the rains came with a fury and we ducked under some huge trees to wait it out. 

Finally the main event as we headed to the ‘big lakes’. Just as we made the turn which was supposed to expose the two lakes down in the valley, the Fogo, fog, came roaring in and obscured everything below us. We just laughed, of course there would be fog, we’re the Embees!  We drove down and down and down towards the lakes and the fog was far less dense at the bottom so we could see the lakes up close and personal but without the sun they were just dull grey bodies of water. Jose kept asking if he should pull over so we could take pictures and we politely declined. It would be easier to take a picture of a bathroom mirror after a hot shower and just tell people it was a picture of the lakes. As we headed back up the hill we saw there was a huge cantilevered hotel made from concrete that was abandoned. Seems it was built in 1989 hoping to attract overnight guests but the guests never came because there were only two flights a day to the island, not enough to keep in business. Jose said that now that there are so many more flights, the Chinese have expressed an interest in reopening the hotel. There goes the neighborhood!

On the way back we stopped at a Pineapple Plantation where we received a private tour; Jose knows the owner. It was fascinating to say the least. They decided to grow pineapples despite not having the same weather conditions as they do in Venezuela where they got the first plants.  Therefore they built greenhouses to mimic the exact conditions needed to produce these sweet delights. Most amazing to us was the fact that it takes almost three years to produce one pineapple!

That’s it for now, off to lunch!

Ponta Delgada Part Two

 Ponta Delgada Part Two

We are lucky that we have a large apartment since we would go bonkers in a small hotel room with all of this rain. We have not seen the sun for many a day and it has rained every day we have been here. You can tell that there is a lot of moisture on this island just by looking at the buildings because all of them have black and green mold everywhere. Inside this apartment there are patches of blistered stucco and some of the beautiful woodwork is showing signs of rot. I assume when the apartment is not rented it is also not heated so the moisture has lots of time to do its dirty work.

We have been reflecting as to why we decided to come to an island we knew nothing about for two weeks. So far we have narrowed it down to wanting to escape winter, wanting to be near water, and wanting to learn more about Portugal. We are sure that when the rains disappear and the sun comes out we will congratulate ourselves on this wise decision, but for now we are worried about our judgment!

Cindy was concerned about not having her violin here for practicing. Since we were gone for ten days on a cruise earlier this month and only had three days to repack to come here, her time with her music has been very limited. We found a music shop here in town on the internet before leaving home and arranged to have Cindy buy a cheap violin to use while here and then donate it to a school (they don't rent instruments at that store).  On the map, it looked like an easy, albeit long, walk to the shop so we set out between squalls to fetch the violin. Flat maps are funny, everything looks like an easy walk. In reality this walk was straight up hill for two miles on slick narrow cobblestone sidewalks where we had to walk in single file to avoid being hit by buses, trucks, cars, and garbage wagons, all traveling at a rapid rate of speed.  Since we had a time crunch because the shop was to close at one for lunch, we walked as fast as possible. My injury from September prevented me from keeping up with Cindy so I sent her ahead so as to not to miss them and have to wait until after their lunch break. Gracious, that gal can move when motivated!  The shop is NOT in town, in fact it is so far out of town I don’t know how they can call it Ponta Delgada. Cindy did get there in time and by the time I rolled in she was trying out the violin. Ruben, the owner, could not have been nicer and I know he really appreciated that Cindy was so dedicated to her music that she would buy a violin to give away just so she could practice. 

The purchase was made and we decide to head to the largest mall in town to get some lunch and to figure out why my phone did not work despite my having an eSim for Portugal. Roads here are funny, one street will have four different names in only three blocks, so we felt we were justified in missing our turn as we walked back down the hill. Sure enough it started to rain and we were near a bar and popped in to stay dry. Three guys - all drinking hard booze and smoking near the door - and one barmaid also smoking but happy to get us two coffees. So the rain ended and with the help of the barmaid we backtracked to the correct street. To our credit it is only labeled on one side of the road, not the side we were facing when we left the shop. We got to the mall just as it started raining again and were happy to get dry and looked for the NOS shop, the local ATT.  Turns out my eSim was a bummer and could not be used so I purchased a new hard Sim from them. Talk about cheap!  One thousand minutes of calls and fifty GB of text all for ten Euros. He installed it, tested it and we were on our way to lunch.

If I had dropped you in the food mall with ear plugs so you could not hear the language, you would have thought you were in any mall in America. All of the same fast food available at cheap prices for the masses, KFC, Burger King, various pizza and taco joints, etc. After searching we found a local organic sandwich shop and split a rather delicious tuna sandwich. In the middle of the mall was a replica of one of the whaling boats they used in the 1800s. It was a narrow sailboat maybe 20 feet long that might be nice for a picnic sail in a quiet bay, not something you would think could kill whales and haul them back to land, but that is what they did and they are quite proud of it. Azorian whalers get great play in Moby Dick and every fourth bar, cafe and restaurant along the waterfront has some reference to the novel. Finally, we had no rain as we made the last leg of the journey home, which thankfully was all down hill!!

Despite any whining we are having a wonderful vacation, just not quite what we expected. We have a washer, and most importantly, a dryer so we can dry our wet clothes and towels so as to prevent mold from growing on our bodies!

Ponta Delgada Part Three

 January 29, 2024

Saturday provided me with the antidote for dour, as in the people and weather.  There was a break in the weather so to take advantage of that while Cindy was running I got our little backpack and two plastic shopping bags and headed to the Farmer’s Market. There was only a light drizzle and it was a bit cool so the walk was most refreshing. The market is underground, meaning DRY, and it is quite large although in the winter most of the space is unused. I wandered around looking at all of the stalls and all of their wares trying to decide what I wanted to cook. We knew the weather was going to be lousy for a few days so I wanted to create some comfort food that would last a while, without our having to leave the house.  I finally decided on making two dishes, one a roasted chicken with roasted veggies and the other a ratatouille.  I selected the best stall and filled a basket with fresh vegetables and presented it to the owner. It was a big buy that filled my backpack and the bill came to only nine euros!!  I was very pleased with my purchase and with the fact that the entire transaction was conducted only in Portuguese. Overflowing with confidence, I then went to the pineapple section which is huge since they grow them on the island.  I looked for the ripest and largest I could find and with the help of the owner we selected two and they only cost five euros. Again, all in Portuguese. Now, secure in the knowledge that I was fluent, I approached two dour looking ladies of a certain age manning a small flower stall. The minute I approached them and gave them my best Bom Día and big smile they melted, not so much because of my smile but because they knew they had a sale!  One helped me decide on a lovely bouquet of multicolored Astors, a decision which gave her almost as much pleasure as the two Euros I spent.

I was on cloud nine walking home and decided to see if the little bakery I had passed a few days before was open.  It had been closed that day but this day the unmistakable aroma of fresh bread was spilling out onto the street. To my great surprise it was open and I went in and waited my turn. I was looking at what could have been a German bakery, dense looking loaves filling the racks and the aroma had me weak in the knees. My turn came and using my newfound knowledge of Portuguese I started to ask questions. The young owner asked me where I was from and in a minute of stupidity I answered in Spanish and there went my cover! We continued in Spanish and I found out that he and his wife had started this small bakery only two years ago in an effort to establish a place that only used natural ingredients from this island (San Miguel). All of the breads are sourdough made from an old starter and that is the name of the bakery, Massa Mãe. As I spoke, I kept throwing in English and we soon found that it was better to continue the conversation in English.  Since I was the only person in the store he took his time explaining how they proof the breads on Wednesdays - rye, corn, and wheat - and are only open for business on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. I ordered a dense whole grain loaf and a cinnamon roll. Both were still warm and he told me not to try to slice the bread for at least an hour so as to allow it to cool and settle. I paid the bill and was about to leave when he invited me to have coffee with him. He had a little espresso maker in the shop and made us each a short espresso which was delightful and we continued talking about the island, the exports, the problems, and the delights. Too soon others came in to purchase bread and we said our goodbyes.  I walked out of there and into a rain squall that didn’t bother me at all since I was sky high with my morning experiences.

Cindy was home when I arrived and I regaled her with all of my adventures while showing her the fruits of my labors.  I made coffee and we tried the cinnamon roll, which was fantastic. I don’t think I have ever had a sourdough cinnamon roll before but I shall certainly have one again before we leave this island (from Cindy: make that 3 more, one on each day they're open while we're still here!).  After breakfast we decided to take advantage of the brief window of no rain and walked over to the bakery since I had told him that I would bring Cindy back to see his shop. He was ever so pleased to see us and brought his wife out from the back to talk with us. We gave them some See’s lollipops and asked questions about their breads. To my amazement she told us that even the corn bread was sourdough since she put just enough wheat flour in the mix to make it rise. They are a delightful couple and we were so impressed with the work they are doing to introduce products with local ingredients. Judging from the depleted shelves since I had been there, I would hazard to guess they are doing well.

We continued our walk and timed everything just right since it started to pour just as Cindy put the key into our entry door. We were so thankful to be indoors for the duration since it was a constant rain and quite windy, which is always nice if you are inside looking out.  As additional preparation for being stuck indoors for a day or two, we had purchased two liter cartons of white wine for one euro each, as well as a bottle of Grant’s Scotch, the only Scotch that was available when we lived in Bahrain and one that I came, out of necessity, to enjoy.

Cheers!

PONTA DELGADA Part One

 January 25, 2024

I like islands. I was born on an island, I cruise to islands, and I gravitate to islands, so coming to Ponta Delgada for two weeks to avoid the snow and cold in January seemed like a good idea; after all this is an island. Ponta Delgada is the main city on the island of Sao Miguel which is one of nine small islands in the middle of the Atlantic that make up the Azores, almost halfway between Lisbon and Maine. The good news is that we have escaped the cold and snow, however we have only seen the sun a few times in the past four days. When it makes its cameo appearance the island sparkles, when it is gone, the inland is dull, shrouded in fog and mist with periodic rain squalls, most of which last for only a short time, but they are plentiful.

It would appear that the main export of the Azores is its people. The nine islands have a total population of under 200,000 while the number of Azoreans in North America exceeds one million. The motto seems to be,”If you can, leave!” This has resulted in, from what I have observed, a weakened gene pool!  I have never seen so many optical stores and pharmacies in such a small town. The town is very hilly and every road and what passes as a sidewalk is paved with volcanic cobblestones, the most accessible building material. The cobblestones are used for garden walls, churches, houses, in fact they are used for almost all building on the island. Some of the roads are quite steep which in combination with the lack of sidewalks makes this the most unfriendly city for pedestrians we have ever visited.  

We were told that to truly see all that the island has to offer - and there is plenty - you need to rent a car since there is no public transportation. The problem for us is that to rent a car here you must be between the ages of 26 and 68!  Just missed the cut by ten years! So, when and if the weather clears we shall be hiring small vans with drivers to take us on half-day trips to some of the magnificent hot water springs, geysers, sparkling lakes and rugged sea shore. Will be much less stressful than driving for sure and we are told that the drivers have an in-depth knowledge of the island, its history and its culture, which will be a plus.

The apartment that Cindy found for us is just lovely and quite spacious. We have three bedrooms and two baths, not terribly up-to-date, but serviceable. We have eaten well in every restaurant, bar, and cafe that we have visited. We learned a lesson some forty plus years ago on our first visit to Portugal when we crossed from Spain and spent the night in a Pousada, the Portuguese version of a Parador.  The dinner, which was included with the room, consisted of a lovely appetizer of cheeses and meats, lots of breads, and for the main course a fresh whole trout served with  lots of potatoes and vegetables.  We struggled to finish the delicious meal and were quite proud of ourselves when the waiter came by and served us another whole trout and all the trimmings! So, we now know that one of us will order an appetizer and the other a main and there will be more than enough for three!

We have not had a bad mouthful of food in Portugal. The Intercontinental in Lisbon has upped its game in the culinary department and offered up innovative and well prepared meals. Here in Ponta Delgada the food is solid and at times really creative. Yesterday at lunch Cindy ordered local blood sausage that was grilled to perfection and served with slices of fresh pineapple, which is locally grown.  It was a stunning dish with only two ingredients that played off of each other beautifully.  I had the local tuna, which is quite different than what we are used to. It is a very dark fish and there isn’t any pink or red even when raw. It would make a very unattractive sushi but my goodness it is delicious. Of course it was served with plenty of cauliflower, potatoes, sweet potatoes and rice, yes, they serve potatoes and rice together! Again, even with Cindy’s help I ended up taking a large piece of tuna home. 

One night we were searching for a restaurant when the skies opened up just as we were passing a Churrascaria, so we dashed in. Normally we avoid these places since they feature lots of meat cooked on an open fire, but we found two dishes that were appealing to us, grilled octopus and a half of a grilled local chicken. My goodness, such marvelous food with fantastic wait staff and the best grilled garlic bread ever. The wine was four euros a glass for a very healthy pour; we were in heaven!

Enough for now, more later after we have done some touring!  Ciao, Cindy and William