SELF SERVICE ANYONE??
The American Dairy Science Association says it takes only twelve hours for grass to morph into cow's milk. So, if you have time I can get you a really fresh glass of warm milk. Last October, after springing Bob from the French hospitals, we traveled from Europe to Miami via Celebrity's "Eclipse". We hopscotched, ports along the Meditteran coast before the six day crossing. The last port was the Azores.
We spent the day touring the beautiful island of
Sao Miguel.
Today I am sharing some scenes from that fabulous day.
One of our first sights!
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| We happened upon this herd of dairy cows switching pastures. Our guide says this is common practice. It was quite a sight for this city girl. Don't get me wrong, I have seen cows in pastures, just never sauntering down the highway |
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| It made for an amusing beginning to a beautiful day. |
We then made our way to one of the highest points on the island for a view of the Sete Cildades Volcano Caldera.
The two crater lakes (Portuguese: Lagoas das Sete Cidades), 500 m (1,500 ft) within the crater, are referred to by the color of the waters: blue, reflecting the sky (Portuguese: Lagoa Azul) and green, reflecting the ground (Portuguese: Lagoa Verde). According to legend, the differently colored lakes were created when a princess and her lover, a young shepherd, had to part from each other. The tears they shed at their farewell became the two lakes, with the water colored like their eyes.
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| At the same stop we encountered the local economy. For a few coins you could take his photo. His pockets were loudly jingling when we left! |
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| What remains of a luxury hotel, that operated for about three years. With the worldwide economic downturn it failed. We made another stop at the local pineapple plantation. Unlike Hawaii and South America this pineapple is grown in greenhouses. The pineapples are grown using hydro agriculture (no soil). The pineapple is used strictly for making liqueur that is marketed primarily in Portugal. |
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| According to our standards, this would be considered a crude operation. That certainly did NOT reduce the quality of the liqueur. |
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| Mr. Bob has found the perfect spot for a smoke and comfort break! The fuschia colored flower is Bougainvillea. |
These were typical potted scenes.
We stopped at a small public garden in the center of Ponta Delgada, the largest city on the island and our port city.
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| Rugged access |
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| Not a lot of flowers, seemed strange, but plenty of places to sit and rest. |
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| This is called a paper tree. |
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| Walkway inside botanical garden |
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| Cool and lush. |
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| It's back to the ship to prepare for departure. |
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| Sun sets on a beautiful day in the Azores as we turn toward Miami. |
If you are ready, I think we might get that
glass of milk now!!
I am linking to the following gracious hostesses. Please link back to their fun parties.
