Day 1 - arriving in Ponta Delgada on São Miguel, Azores

Monday February 11

Of course there is a time difference. So when we landed at 2:15 am it was actually 6:15 am local time.

After we were through immigration (no big deal since this is Europe) and had our luggage we were met by a driver. He was very friendly, talked like a waterfall (of which we don't remember much) but dropped us off at the hotel. Yes, our room was ready but breakfast was not included for this day since the room occupation technically starts in the afternoon.

The sun coming up at 7:40 am from our room. We do have a little balcony and can see the harbor.

After getting situated in our room with our stuff (it is a very small room and hardly any drawers but we made do) we decided to investigate. James slept a little over an hour in the plane and I can do sleepless nights. No problem. Walking in the fresh air is lovely.

Our hotel is called "Antillia" and is on one of the streets which changes names several times. But we walk past the Farmer's Market all the time where it is Rua do Mercado and then its Rua do Peru where the hotel is. When you are at town center you can't miss the street and just have to keep going straight.

There are lots of little places where you can get a coffee and something. They called this "English breakfast" and it was quite nice. The beans were huge and definitely not baked beans. I am not a friend of bacon, especially not if it is not very crisp but there was no way I could eat all of it anyway.

We found that people everywhere are very friendly and helpful. When we walk along the streets we noticed that all have sidewalks but the sidewalks are mostly extremely narrow. If you meet a local head on and it's too narrow to pass, they always step into the street. The cars are wizzing past so fast but they are used to it. And they always smile at you. Of course I am always smiling too so there is no change for me. Sometimes the sidewalks get to a point and totally disappear because a house is jotting out too far. You change to the other side of the street for a while until that one disappears and the first one is back. The sidewalks are mostly little cobble stones in a black and white pattern. Incredible.

This seems to be the main plaza with the three arches.

Back at the hotel opening to the tunnel.

The door to the lobby is on the right. The way to our room is funny. We take the elevator to the 5th floor, get out, turn left and over an enclosed bridge into another building, left again a long corridor and left to another elevator. This time we are going to the 8th floor but on the elevator it's called 3rd.

After having had a good walk in the town in the morning and then having a rest in the room (falling asleep) we headed out again. James kept asking what we might want to do. You have to have a bit of a purpose if you walk somewhere so I suggested to go to that shopping mall we where shown when we had been given a map and see whether we can get a walking stick for me. I had forgotten mine at home. I generally don't need one any more but I don't walk like this at home either.

It was a bit further than I had thought but it was a good walk which also passed a botanical garden and the Governor's mansion. When we arrived at the mall we didn't know how to get in. Everything just like a parking house. This little pond with a whale's tail showing was also the entry to a parking house. But as I had said, people are so nice and helpful and we were shown.

First thing we did though was to find a coffee. We got little papers/packs given with it with sugar etc. One contained a cinnamon stick you are supposed to put into your coffee. I tried it. Not bad.

We commented to each other that Azorians have a lot of imagination. Cafe Fox has cute lights. I liked these giant bulbs.

We went to several shops including a hypermarket but no walking sticks. A pharmacist told us to try the sport shop upstairs. That helpful person told us that she usually has them but is all out. We would definitely find one at the sport shop Decathlon though. James knew all about it because his Camino friends keep raving about it. It was not in the mall though but just a little further to walk.

So we went. We found we could get out through the parking house passed the whale. Up the hill and past the hospital. It started to drizzle but it didn't matter. And then there the Decathlon shop was in the middle of green pastures with happy cows grazing. As soon as we walked through the door James spied the walking sticks hanging all in a row. For 13 Euros I found the perfect one. As soon as I had walked half a block down the road with it I had to comment what a difference it made to having it. I enjoyed the walk back.

Back at the room we stretched out our legs on the bed. No other sitting opportunity really. We relaxed and I did a little writing on blogs if possible.

And then we thought it was time to think of dinner. We had earlier eyed this restaurant close to the opera house. It was supposed to open at 7 pm and we were there but there was no sign of life anywhere. James even knocked at the glass door. So we gave up on it.

We walked a little further. Love these narrow streets. So much character. Anyway, we didn't have to go far. Don't have a picture from the outside and don't remember the name, but it was nice.

This is the bottle of local red wine we had. It was great!

The proprietor lady recommended limpets as appetizers. It's very Azores food. James remembered the  family trying to scrape them from the stones in Bude on vacation for his mom to cook them. 

We were told to eat them like oysters because she had squeezed a lemon across the whole lot and the juice should end up with it in the mouth. A bit chewy but quite delicious.

As main course I had squid. James had beef cooked the Azores way.

The bill came in this box. She says she likes to present it like that.

The walk through the narrow streets to the hotel was quite fun. And it always feels good after a meal like this.

After having missed the previous night you can imagine how we fell into our beds and were fast asleep soon. 

FitBit tells me I have done 23,155 steps.