When I travel, I often hope to get away from an urban center. And, though Ponte Delgada, the capital of the Azores archipelago on the island of Sao Miguel, certainly has its share of shopping malls and fast food restaurants, that would never be a reason for me to visit. When I took ferries and planes to five of the nine islands, including Sao Miguel, I was seeking a connection with nature as well as the ability to step into another era. That's what I found on each of the islands, but especially on the island of
Sao Jorge.
This island is most known for its flavorful, piquant
cheese. And, though I walked to several cheese factories to see how it's processed the old-fashioned way and to sample several slices, I was more interested in getting up close with the riot of native plant life on this isle.
You'll see what I found on Sao Jorge in an article I recently wrote for
National Geographic Traveler's Intelligent Travel blog. If you want to feel like you're alone on the edge of the earth, then hiking on this island is a must.
This island is most known for its flavorful, piquant cheese. And, though I walked to several cheese factories to see how it's processed the old-fashioned way and to sample several slices, I was more interested in getting up close with the riot of native plant life on this isle.
3 comments:
The Azores have always fascinated me because my hometown area of Mill Valley and Sausalito, California, was originally populated by Portuguese fishermen from the Azores, and our cemeteries are full of graves with references to the homeland on the headstones. Thanks for letting me learn a bit about this seafaring culture!
HI Melanie, I didn't know about Mill Valley and Sausalito and their connection to the Azores. Thanks for that.
Hope I can see this beautiful place for real one day!
Post a Comment