AZORES

We traveled to the archipelago of Azores and arrived at the city of Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel.  What was established as a fishing village in the mid-15^th century was later elevated to city status in 1545 after the island’s original capital was devastated by an earthquake.  Architecture enthusiasts will want to make sure to visit the city’s three major churches: Matriz de Sao Sebastio (St Sebastian’s), Sao Pedro (St Peter’s) and Sao Jose (St Joseph), all dating from the 17^th and 18^th centuries. 

We saw the Sete Cidades “Seven Cities” region. It is dominated by an impressive five-mile wide caldera from a volcano.  Within the crater lie two volcanic lakes, one green and the other blue. There has not been a volcanic eruption since the early 1800’s. There is a settlement of about 800 people that live around the lake. They primarily are farmers. They do not own the land because the original people who owned it pass it down and never sell it. This Region is on the western end of the island and it is at the island’s highest elevation. This settlement is very isolated.