Home away from home

 I walked out of the hotel yesterday morning, into the sunshine and warmth, and my heart literally sang.  We had flown into Ponta Delgada on Friday afternoon and after checking in, had walked around to some of the familiar places on the waterfront, but it was as the sun was rising yesterday, and I was on the oceanfront walk going east, that I felt the full impact of being back here.  Yes, it feels like home away from home.  

The 2 km walk beside the surf is not just my favourite.  There were a number of people that I met both today and yesterday, that started their day in the same peace and calm inspiring way.  There were also the early cyclists taking advantage of the separate cycle path and then the really ambitious ones who were running.  It is a glorious space for anyone who wants to be outside.

Even with just 48 hours, I have made it all my usual haunts -- checking out what is new, seeing what is on sale, lamenting some changes and being delighted by others:  two of the grocery stores have been completely remodeled, one of our favourite cafes is gone, a new cafe has appeared on the waterfront, the australian Banyan tree lost a huge limb a month ago and it looks like a giant wound, 

 Decaf coffee is now available in many more places and in lattes.  A nata tart and an espresso will still only cost you 1.19 euros.  There are e bikes and e scooters available on the Bolt rental system for everyone. 

 Fanceshinas are available at the cafe just below the apartment that we are renting in February.  There was a fun circus show for big and little kids at the theater yesterday afternoon, 

and we didn't make a wine tasting at the square by the Fort.  The big city has lots more going on than the smaller, less populated islands and will keep us happy for a whole month.  Looking forward to February!

Moooove along

 I remember a joke:  What did one cow say to the other cow in the line?  MOOOve along!  Well, that certainly is the sentiment among the bovine ladies in the field.  

The tour was "Follow the milk from the farm to cheese".  We were picked up at our guesthouse (amazing place with a view over the water to Pico) and then it was up the mountains to the central plateau where Manuel has his dairy farm.  He has 36 cows, mostly Holsteins bred with semen from Semex in Canada, which he is in the process of drying off for the winter.  The cows are rotated through high pastures every two days so they don't destroy the field which is always wet as it rains at some point almost every day. 

 The portable milking station gets pulled by tractor to whichever field is currently in use.  It is accompanied by a little pickup with the tank on the back.  The girls are eager to come as they are fed a tasty, pelleted supplement while being milked.  There is a definite hierarchy for order, but each one gets her turn.  The pastures are so clean that no udder washing is necessary, and there is just a conditioning dip afterwards -- bright green to identify those done. Ian remarked that it was the closest he had ever been to cows and was successful in his attempt at milking.  However, the "city" in him came through when he tried the fresh milk -- not for him.

There are 20,000 cows on St. Jorge (compared with 8,000 humans) and all the milk goes to making St. Jorge cheese, the most famous of all the Azorean cheeses.  Twice a day the milk is driven to the collection station within a half hour of milking.  From there it goes to one of the three cheese factories on the island. No pictures were allowed inside, but we followed the milk to the making of the cheese, the waxing and aging, then the scraping off of the wax before the cutting and packaging.  We were decked out in full sanitary gear for our tour.

Of course, there was a cheese tasting, 3 month, 7 month and 24 months.  Since the first settlers were Flemish, there is a definite resemblance to some of the Dutch cheeses, especially in the younger ones.

Our guesthouse here on the south side of this island (the brown island because of the cliffs) overlooks the strait to Pico.  We have a compact room with access to a full kitchen.  The place is kept immaculate and is very peaceful, especially since there is only one other person here currently.  

The garden is lovely, particularly the succulent garden which, I was told, came from little bits all over the world.  No wonder I had never seen some of those varieties before.  But the natural landscape is impressive also.  The invasive morning glory climbs over everything giving a blanket effect.  Even rocks seem to sprout greenery. 

And today we fly back to San Miguel -- the green island.

Taste this!

 Taste this!

One of the reason I love to travel is to try new foods.  It may be familiar ingredients put together in a whole new way, or it may be a totally different item.  Our time on Pico provided both.

The sandwich called Francesinha was developed in Porto, and is now available in many Portuguese locations -- one of which is in Madalena, the main city of Pico.  Now Pico only has 14,000 inhabitants, so the main 'city' is really just a town, but it is the 'big' place there.  The buffet restaurant which I had checked out at lunch time, decided to take the evening off, so we were left scouting around for a spot.  Down a side street was an open door with music and a bunch of people.  Always go where there are lots of people!  Ian got his grilled squid, and I decided to explore the Francesinha.  It is layered from the bottom:  bread, cheese, sausage, ham, a thin steak, more cheese, another bread, another slice of cheese and then a hot beer and tomato sauce is poured over.  Finally a fried egg is perched on top and it is served like a castle with a moat.  HIghly recommended!

On Tuesday we went for a wine tour.  Now Pico is the youngest of the Azorean islands and therefore is known as the black island, thanks to the volcanic basalt rock.  It is also a very poor island and has been so since settled in the early 1500s.  A Friar brought vines to the island, but the only place to plant them was in crevasses between the volcanic rock.  They even had to import soil to dribble in the crevasse to get the vine started.  Walls, about 1 m high, were built around the vines to protect them from the very strong winds and maintain warm temperatures thanks to the thermal mass.  As you can imagine the mineral content of the terroir is totally different from the European source and has, over the years, changed the vines to a now established different variety.  It made for a very interesting tasting of something totally new.

Don't worry, there is also a new pastry.  The hotel in Pico had a lovely breakfast including some unusual pies.  The standard custard pie comes au natural, but also with chocolate chunks or cookies baked in on top.  this one had palmiers!

Tomorrow is our cheese tour on St. Jorge.  Can't wait!

Novelty in details

We first came to the Azores in October of 2014 -- one of those "here it says there is a great deal to Ponta Delgada -- I wonder where that is" vacations.  This is our 9th trip but the first time that we have visited other Azorian islands.  The common theory about the origin of the name is that it was named after the goshawk (acor).  The bird was misidentified, but the name stuck.

This trip we are island hopping -- landing first on San Miguel and then immediately flying to Faial -- known as the blue island.  Evidently when one stands in summer, at the top of the mountain and looks down to the sea, there are so many blooming blue hydrangeas that the whole landscape is blue.  The main area is the Horta port where the governing body of the Autonomous Region of the Azores meets in a lovely pink building.  About 70% of the workforce on the island is employed in government jobs.  It is an incredibly clean island -- we saw no garbage and very few boarded-up buildings.

Not having previously booked an activity on the island, we had a free day and decided to rent a taxi for 3.5 hours to take us around the island, particularly to the area where in 1957-58, a new volcano erupted just off the western edge of the island and proceeded to spew out gravel and rocks, merging with the island and setting the lighthouse of that coast, far inland and stuck in meters of ash.  Even now, it still looks like a moonscape.  If you look up Faial eruption 1957, there are videos and lots of fascinating information.

This is in direct contrast with the rest of the island which is lush and green.  I think it must rain somewhere on the island every day.  Plantings of the fast-growing Japanese Red Pine are numerous.  The forest floors are covered in ferns and even tree ferns are common.  There is a park where families often spend free afternoons with activities for kids, lots of picnic facilities and even a historic building to illustrate all the farming which was pursued  on the island. 

The beaches are black sand -- the sand being much coarser than the sand I am familiar with from Canada or the Caribbean.  

"For people sailing the Atlantic, Café Peter is more of an institution than a café. With its bright blue facade and orange sign, it serves as a place for currency exchange, yachting club, hobby, post office, tourist attraction and even as a charity on many occasions. "  

This quote from a world travel magazine in 1982 indicated the popularity of Cafe Peter since 1918.  Today, the bar/cafe features sailing flags from all over the world as well as a scrimshaw museum on the upper floor.  They sell a Super Bock Stout, which I haven't been able to find in a store, but which Ian very much enjoyed.

Then yesterday it was off to the next island -- 5 km away -- by ferry.  Ian took a Gravol and despite waves that sometimes crashed over the boat and showered everything (everyone) exposed, he made the journey feeling OK!  

Pico is the island with the tallest mountain in Portugal and the youngest of the Azorian archipelago -- only 300,000 years.  Sometimes it has snow on it, but not now.  Mostly it is shrouded in clouds.  Today is a free day on our tour, so it is about walking around and seeing the town.  The whole island only has 13,000 inhabitants, so the town is not that big -- and all the museums are closed on Monday.  But just outside the town on the north west coast, is a natural picnic and swim area.  However, since it is winter, I was the only one around.

Lovely to explore!!

  

Evaluation

 It must be the teacher in me that needs a summation and evaluation of an activity.  So here are the ratings of this adventure, in no particular order.

Best hugs: Rowan and Tova, without a doubt!

Best indoor plants:  I have to go with Inge's orchids.  She has so many different ones and they live so beautifully in the little sun alcove off the dining area.  I added this one to her collection.

Best outdoor garden:  Rhonda and Robert take that honour.  They spend hours with the flowers and vegetables, respectively.  Plus, they live in a micro climate that puts them ahead of most.

Best city tour guide:  Franz in Vaihingen.  I learned about the old walled town, the former and soon-to-be occupants of the castle, the mill on the river Enz, the new kids' play park at the old train station, the local vineyard and historic flooding.

Most amazing plant:  When I first visited Johanna and her Mom back in 1984, I remember a lovely red spreading cutleaf Japanese maple by the front door.  Look at it now!

Best fruit:  There was nothing fresh from any of the gardens I visited, so it is a choice of the store bought stuff --Conference pears. They were available everywhere!

Worst airport experience:  Schipol.  Not because it isn't clean or spacious, nor is it poorly laid out without good shops and facilities.  It's because I had to RUN to make the connection.  I don't run anymore (thanks to my feet having been broken, not that I liked running ever), and particularly don't run with a heavy backpack.

Best creature experience:  The stork in Rhonda's yard and then on its nest.  OK, Morris has always been a friendly cat, but I'm sorry girls, a chicken is still just a chicken.

Best bread:  Sorry French baguette and German pretzel, but it is the sunflower seed, sourdough rye bread from Epi in Gavle.

Best pastry:  mmmm  the fruit cheesecake from the bakery on the market square in Vaihingen.

Best restaurant meal:  That's really hard.  I can't decide between the Iberian pork at the golf club or the beef roast in the house from the 1400s.

Best item I am bringing home:  The gifts are appropriate, the clothes that I bought are very nice (and practical -- 11 pairs of socks, long story), the wine will be very tasty as will the duck, the two marzipan topping sheets for Princess Cakes will make spectacular desserts, I may even be able to make super bread with the sourdough starter, but the number one choice has to be the reusable baking mats from Clas Olson. Haven't found anything like them at home. 

Best bike ride:  as it was the only ride of significance -- from Gavle to the Valbo shopping center on the trusty blue Monark commuter.

Best water walk:  Along Lake Constance -- even with the tourists.  For a number of years I have considered a cycling holiday around this lake, and now having seen it (for the first time in 70 years), it's a definite wish.

Most productive gardening activity:  yes I pulled weeds in Gavle, Habsheim and Vaihingen, but we all know that's just a temporary measure as they all grow back.  However, when I dug worms for fishing on the island and for the hens in the garden, that was a positive activity and much appreciated.

Best train trip:  Emotionally, it has to be the one that took me to the people I love, but in terms of comfort, relaxation and scenery, it was the trip from Konstanz to the Zurich airport yesterday.  It was early and one actually had time to get settled.  There were lots of spaces and no standing was required.  No one griped at the bicycles or removed them from the train -- DB cancelled a train and then the next one was so crowded that bikes had to be taken off.  I did not have to run to get it -- you think you have lots of time to make the connection, but then the train is late and the track you need is down the steps and then back up again.  The scenery was amazing -- the Swiss do 'picture perfect' perfectly.  I have to recommend Trainline from the UK.  They are an amazing booking site for all the trains in Europe.

Best music:  That has to be a tie between the lunch-time organ concert at the church in Gavle or the "Across the Fields" vocal ensemble in St. Louis.  (The after-concert snacks were better in France.  I got a recipe for a fabulous version of Linzer torte)

Best garden center:  I didn't fully explore any of the locations, but the one Rhonda took me to in Germany was spectacular -- and the only place we could get the climbing zucchini plant that Robert wanted.  Note the new variety of hydrangea! (Oh, the birds of paradise aren't bad either.)

Surprises:  -getting on the train in Germany and understanding the conversation around me (+)

                  -the layout of the ICA MAXI after renovation (-)

                  -Inge's oven which is called a baking box and opens like a straight out drawer

                  -Robert's peach trees that he grew from seeds

                  -climbing zucchini plants

                  -Rhonda's vintage egg flipper

                  

Ideas to copy - a garden privacy structure

                      - a snail shaped pollinator house

                      - glass flowers for the garden

Time to go home, but already looking forward to coming back.