Sitting outside on the terrace with my coffee in Velas (Sao Jorge island) I can now comment on our days in Faial (3 / 2 days ago…). Time flies and due to the schedule of ferries, plans, etc. it’s not always easy to keep track of all details.

We started to investigate the island a bit further and discovered that old lava lump which used to be the blocking part in a caldera (like the cork in a champagne bottle). So all the other lava around it is crumbled away and only the inside remains

A nesting site for birds.

Here you can see the material the surroundings are made of – looks like clay with small stones. When wet slippery like…

Steep and rough

Corrosion takes its toll

Human corrosion as well…

Many houses are left

And the pleading “Se Vende” (for sale) can be seen everywhere

Fancy a lovely country home?

As it’s usually quite cloudy higher up the forest looks magically enchanted

Like from another world

Roads to where?

Interesting why one flower is closed and the other open – might have to do with cross-pollination…

Up on the caldera – sight 0

They dug a tunnel through the mantle of the cone and this one looks rather weird

Loads of mist

Further down the slopes we investigated a restaurant run by a German we wanted to eat at…

Nice secluded atmosphere, really peaceful next to a river – wonderful

The chance to grab some fresh apples…

Yes, we are on an island and all ways lead to Horta – either clock- or anti-clockwise

But as we had some time left we opted for visiting the volcano in the top of the island and I wanted to take some images there… So Ursi went on her own up the hill

I was soon beleaguered by some nice Belgium people asking all kind of questions

Nice countryside…

Impressive views

And selfies It was really, really windy…

That’s all that is left of the eruption, 2/3 are already gone…

The remains of the lighthouse which was covered in ash

And an evening view of Pico across the channel

Plantations

As there are quite few restaurants and even fewer good ones, we had to opt for an “in-room diner” as all restaurants (we liked) were either full or closed… Regardless – the fresh cheese was good, the corn edible and, well, … tomatoes will have a long absence on our food menu in the future…

The next day (our last on Faial – bring out the champagne!) was quite windy, wet and grey, so we started slowly with a coffee in a Pousada which is a Portuguese State owned hotel chain always located in old castles or monasteries. The last time we were in Portugal (fair enough that was 15 years ago) they were quite run down (the 3 or 4 we investigated) but it seems they underwent a rather steep renovation and refurbishment program

There was a missing sign: “Thieves will be hanged by their toes”

As I said – they got better…

You cannot resist some things

Well, at least I cannot…

As we couldn’t linger there forever we had to lift our weary backs and make our way into the village. Here we discovered – to our surprise – a lot of hidden treasures, mostly in the morbid quarter

The “Bavarian” pharmacy – no just kidding… Look at the tiles and the flag of Bavaria

Hmmm… Sometimes I wonder if they really mean what they write

Loads of derelict house here

Nice street art (screen print on wall)

Sailors have the habit to leave an inscription here after making the voyage

Some are really nice… Jeu de mer = Joy of sea

That one is among the best…

As the weather improved we went to the volcanoes again and this time hiked the perimeter of the crater

So small people, such a big crater

It’s beautiful but dangerous as well…

Pieces break off all the time

Cracks and crevices everywhere

Sometimes it’s not for the fainthearted

2 m left – nothing…

The way to the lighthouse

And afterwards dinner in the garden

Nice food – perhaps the best on the island

grinding your pepper

And nice decorations

The next day it was time to get up at 06:00 for Sao Jorge by ferry…