Last night was a night to remember! Not what you are thinking. We had gale force winds, which rocked this
big boat all around. Up and down, side
to side and all around. Actually we have
been in worse in the North Atlantic, but last night holds second place.
Up this morning a little later than usual. Breakfast in Sabatini’s again and then back
to the cabin to watch our arrival into Ponta Delgada. I now remember what land looks like.
After docking we walked into town and strolled some of
the quaint cobble stone streets. The
drivers here are very courteous, as they will stop and let you cross the street
before continuing on their way. The
streets are narrow as are the sidewalks.
We visited the St. Sebastian Parish Church. It was very beautiful inside and quite
peaceful. After a short time in town we
headed back to the ship and up to our cabin.
The weather was nice and we took advantage of it. We sat on the deck and had lunch.
Tonight it off to dinner with our Canadian friends and
the Wymore’s. After dinner we went to
the Princess Theater to listen to a virtuoso violinist from Poland. His name is Michael Bacala and he was
outstanding.
The ship is really rocking and rolling tonight and we are
now in our stateroom. I hope we can stay
in bed without rolling on to the floor.
GEOGRAPHY/HISTORY LESSON:
The Azores are made up of 9 Islands and are located about
800 miles west of Lisbon. The Island of
Santa Maria, where Ponta Delgada is located, is a very green and beautiful
island. Like most volcanic lands the
Islands are incredibly fertile. Because
of the warm climate and ample rainfall the Azorian agriculture can sometimes expect
three or four crops per year. Pineapple
is now the primary cash crop.
They know that the Islands were known in the 12th
century as the Arabian geographers mention a group of nine Islands in the
Atlantic Ocean. They stated that they
were the home of hawks or buzzards. The
Portuguese word for hawk is “acor”, which is pronounced “assor” from which the
Island’s name is derived.
They were again discovered by a Portuguese explorer in
the 1432. Then King Alphonso V gave the
Islands to his aunt, Isabella of Burgundy in 1446. She sent so many settlers from Flanders that
for awhile the Azores were know as the “Flemish Islands”. The colonists from Portugal continued to
arrive, drawn by the wonderful, fruitful soil.
The Islands now fly the Portuguese Flag.
The style of the architecture of houses on each of the
Islands is distinct and it gives you a clue to where the earliest settlers came
from.
The Azore’s provided valuable air and naval stations for
the allies during the First and Second World Wars. Today they continue providing bases for the
NATO alliance.
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