Horta and Ponta Delagada, São Miguel, Açores, Portugal April 26- 27, 2017
One night and six days at sea after departing from Ft. Lauderdale, the Zuiderdam reached the city of Horta on Faial Island in the Azores. The ship anchored off the entrance to the harbor for about an hour and the Captain decided that the sea was too rough to put the tenders into to water to take us into the town. Therefore, we proceeded on to Ponta Delgada that evening and arrived around 9 p.m.. The next morning, I took an island tour and still had time to walk in the city in the afternoon. It was a lovely day on a beautiful green island.
Reaching Horta
You can immediately see the Portuguese influence in the architecture
The face of the city
The cathedral seems to be the most impressive building in town
The sun breaks through the clouds briefly as we reach Ponta Delgada in the evening
Arriving in Ponta Delgada
Portuguese style facade of the city along Avenida Infante Dom Henrique
The German Ship Aida is at the dock inside the breakwater
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The Clock Tower of the City Hall
Enterting the harbor
Residential area near the entrance to the harbor
The night lights of Ponta Delgada from the top of the Zuiderdam as we dock
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Early morning view of the yacht harbor from the top of the Zuiderdam
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Tour buses are ready to take us to island destinations
As our bus leaves the city, the old walls marking the bounds of the fields are noticed
Everyone has to wait for tractors on the rural roads
Dairy is the main industry of the Azores
The island is so green because it rains every day
Azaleas in bloom along side the road
Our first view of the village of Sete Ciudades
At the overlook. The Blue Lake (Upper) and the Green Lake (Lower)
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Wildflowers growing near the view point
In town our bus parked near church and city park and we had an hour to explore the village
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Church of São Nicolau
The gazebo in the smal park
Walking through the neighborhoods toward the lake
Several homes had tiles depicting Jesus or the Virgin Mary
A public fountain for both people and animals
Residential area
The Blue Lake
You can see that this lake was formed in a crater
Walking back a different way
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Azaleas
Curious calf
Contented cows grazing on the hillside near the center of town
The highway out of town
Leaving Sete Ciudades, we passed this fine estate. In former times, someone who lived in a house like this would own the whole village
As the bus climbed the hill, I was able to get a photo of the estate in the picture above and the surrounding area
One last view
Lagoa de Santiago—another lake in the caldera of a volcano
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Small boat marina and a view of the Zuiderdam at the dock
Zooming in
St. Joseph Parish Church (left) and San Francisco Square
Church of São Jose and Convent of Our Lady of Hope
Statue of the Portuguese explorer Cabral and the Town Gates
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Town Hall Square
Town Hall
St. Sebastian Main Parish Church
The clock tower
The West end of the harbor
Forte de São Brás
War Memorial Fountain at the Fort
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Stone street
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São Pedro Church near the port
Returning to the ship
The cruise port dock
Looking toward the end of the harbor