Blogs from Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal, Europe

Ponta Delgada est une ville à taille humaine, qui se parcourt à pied d’est en ouest. La particularité vite remarquée dans cette charmante petite ville insulaire tout en noir et blanc, est que la pierre volcanique est utilisée partout, de la rue aux toitures des bâtiments. Ici la pierre noire fait contraste avec les azulejos colorés des maisons du continent. Les trottoirs de mosaïque donnent à l’ensemble une unité fort agréable et chaque maison comporte aussi son lot de briques de lave s’harmonisant au reste du décor. Les seuls artifices demeurent les magnifiques rambardes de dentelle de fer forgé ornant fenêtres et balcons. La ville s’étend en plusieurs artères parallèles recoupées par une multitude de petites rues étroites qui donnent sur la mer. En point central, une grande place surplombée de la superbe église gothique São ... read more

Les Açores, vous connaissez? Oui, sûrement grâce à l’exploit du Commandant Piché, il y a plusieurs années! C’est sur l’île principale de l’archipel, au milieu de l’Atlantique, que je continue ma série de découvertes insulaires estivales. J’y atterrirai sans encombres, espérons-le..., durant le mois de juillet, entre deux courts séjours à Lisbonne et à Porto. Au plaisir de partager avec vous ces nouveaux plaisirs!... read more

Ponta Delgada is the capital and largest city of this Portuguese island. It is a common stop for ships traveling from Europe en route to the Americas. Since Barb and I have been here 3 times already, we decided to enjoy a nearly empty ship while everyone else went on shore excursions. The last time we were here we did travel to the Volcano, the Tea Farms, and the Botanical Gardens, so if any of you stop at the Azores, be sure to check these out!... read more

Six days at sea without sight of land is nearly at an end. There has been plenty of entertainment in the evenings to keep most people entertained. There is usually at least one game show/trivia in the evening for those who haven't had enough of the three trivia sessions during the day. One such game show that Roisin and I played was based on the TV show Jeopardy. Each team is given a grid with subjects along the top and a value ($100, $200, $300 etc..) down the side. The quiz master will say 'Food and drink for $300'. The question is read out and each team write their answer in the appropriate space. One nominated team member then runs down to the front of the stage and, if the question is right, receives the equivalent ... read more

Geo: 37.7463, -25.6668After five days at sea it is strange to awaken and look out of the cabin window to see land. The nine islands of the Azores are dotted across the Atlantic Ocean some 900 miles west of mainland Portugal. Even though they are officially part of Portugal they are completely autonomous, a fact the Azoreans seem quite proud of.We dock in Ponta Delgada, the biggest town, on the largest of the Azoreans Islands, São Miguel, at around 7am. Our breakfast we ordered the previous evening is delivered to our room shortly afterwards and we enjoy this on the balcony as we watch small fishing boats set out from the harbour into the open seas.Just before 8am we head down to the Lyric Theatre on Deck 4 so that we can hand in our tour ... read more