February 4, 2024
I’ve been in need of a haircut and knew I wanted to get it done here in Ponta Delgada. Tried two places that were recommended by drivers and both were closed, despite it being during their posted open hours. Slightly disturbed, I started up the hill and remembered seeing a little door that suggested a barber shop. I found it and entered. An older man was getting his hair cut by an older woman whose name was Dora, or so the framed news articles hanging on the wall indicated. I determined that it had been started by her husband many years ago (whose picture was above the mirror), and she continued the business when he died some ten years ago. There was one barber chair, lots of museum pieces of barber equipment, and total silence. I greeted Dora and her customer and she replied with her head indicating that I should take a seat and wait, which is exactly what I did. Finally the man departed, again without a word, and I took the chair. I’m not a tall man - in fact according to my medical records I’m getting shorter - however I still towered over Dora, all 4’10” of her. The chair was as low as it could go and she still had to do a lot of reaching to get to the top of my scalp. After establishing the fact that she only spoke Portuguese the haircut began in total silence except for the rhythmic click, click, click of the scissors.
It was close to a Zen experience. The silence was delightful and the movement of her hands was sheer poetry. At the end she dusted me, dry shaved the back of my neck, blew the cut hairs away and with a flourish, took off my apron with the same elan that a bull fighter expresses to the bull! This was a job well done and the price was a mere ten euros ($11). I gave her a tip of three euros which provoked a magnificent smile. I then gave her a See’s lollipop using the Portuguese word for it, Chupa Chupa, and was rewarded with another smile and multiple Obrigadas. I walked home with a spring in my step, knowing that I had a great haircut as well as having had a lovely experience. Cindy approved of my cut and the next day we were walking past Dora’s shop and she was standing in the doorway and gave me another smile as I introduced Cindy. Cindy said all the right words, of course, and Dora wanted to make sure she was happy with what she had done to my scalp! As close as we’ll come to making a friend on this island!
The sun has remained a delightful companion for all of the past four days. Yesterday we were invited to join our friends who had rented a car and journey to the far Northeast of the island, about an hour's drive. Our destination was the little village of Nordeste, a picturesque, quaint place that deserved all of the thirty minutes we gave it. The 15th century church was closed as was the tourist bureau, however the public toilets were open and we did enjoy the break. Along the way we passed two tea plantations, one of which has been in the same family for six generations. Ponta Delgada is the only place in Europe that grows and sells tea. The tea itself is quite mild, a type of green tea without much flavor. (Lipton has nothing to worry about.) The island is so very green and at times reminded all of us of Ireland and New Zealand, especially the wild north coast with its deep valleys and tall cliffs.
The food in restaurants has been hit and miss, with mostly misses. The other night we returned to one, which we seldom do but this is the only one we have noticed with real linen napkins and tablecloths and where we had had a lovely lunch. Dinner was, to be charitable, a disappointment. First of all - and this has happened on this island before - the menu posted outside the restaurant is only a suggestion of things that they have served in the past, not necessarily anything you’ll be able to order that night. Outside the menu offered two types of tuna and two types of octopus. Inside, no tuna at all and only an octopus stew, which Cindy ordered while I chose the salmon knowing full well they don’t raise or catch salmon anywhere near these verdant islands. We chose poorly! Cindy’s meal was a mess of black fluid studded with roasted potatoes and various bits and bobs of chopped octopus. My salmon looked lovely and was prepared well but lacked texture and flavor. The sides were three types of potatoes and a mound of cold rice and some sort of broccoli that had been steamed just long enough to remove most of the color and flavor so it resembled a tan mystery vegetable. On the plus side, they had a marvelous lemon curd cake, which we ate with gusto since we didn’t eat much dinner, and their house wines are two euros for a very, very generous pour.
The next night our friends had invited us to meet them at Michel, a restaurant that they found very close to their hotel. None of us knew about it or what to expect but my goodness if you are going to end a two week visit to Ponta Delgada, there is absolutely no way to end it better! The food, ambience, wines and service were what you might expect in a very good French restaurant. Everything was delightful and we are so happy to have had the experience. Always best to leave on a high note!
Tomorrow we catch the morning flight to Lisbon where we’ll spend five days before heading to Marseilles for four days and then home on Valentine's Day. A long trip for sure but so far we are still happy and healthy. Ciao for now, Cindy and William
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