Getting up at 06:00 might be usual for some people, for us it is nothing we like and therefore there has to be a very good reason to do so… For us this was the ferry to Sao Miguel which only leaves in the morning or evening so morning it was… Waiting at the harbour for the ferry to arrive and finally – there she comes

This camper company (which we used in Catalunya as well) seems to make new bases on the Azores – yet if I do like camping here? In a tent I could imagine, but a camper car???

Our surprise was quite big – a Greek registration of the boat. Sure, the crisis bears many interesting fruit. Greek ship-owners having the boat registered there and en route here – perhaps good for both sides.

Being on a bigger ferry is always a nice feeling. Everything is somehow bluer

Chilly was it… Brrrr… And sleeping – no way. Far too many people which always have to bring their children to exactly that place where you are – even if there are 50 other benches empty around…

Anyhow we decided to do a small hike after getting the rental car and checking in just to move our bones. The rental car was quite some surprise as well… The smallest category, which we always have, had no air-con here on the island. Black car with black interior and no cooling… Lovely  

As it was rather humid and dense down we thought to go up into the mountains (between 700 – 1000 m altitude) and chill out a bit there. As the track is always alongside the road it didn’t really matter where we started and how long we did. So we just kept it going… A small relaxation before the hike starts

And a quite nice view of Pico

Volcanic lakes are always quite nice

The view towards the eastern tip of the Island and Pico in the back

What a beautiful weather we had! Wonderful

The inland (ok, the island is not big – some 56 * 8 km) routes are mainly lava tracks, but the contrast from black to green is so beautiful.

Evening from the bathroom. Bavaria?

Tomorrow will be another hike – just the other way towards the mountain.