The majestic volcano on the island of Pico can often be seen from Faial and the marina at Horta.
TUESDAY JUNE 15 2200
Oh, that felt good! By skipping an Azores tourism ministry reception, I managed to get away for a walk/run of close to 8 miles along the road that runs along the south coast of Faial.
The heat had gone out of the sun and there was slight breeze from the east, refreshingly in my face on the return leg. On one side, I had the deep green of Faial, on the other, the dark blue of the Atlantic.
The bonus was that on the way back to Horta, the majestic volcano on the nearby island of Pico revealed its head above a necklace of clouds. At 2,351 metres, it is the highest mountain in Portugal. (The Azores are Portuguese territories.) The volcano is almost a perfect cone, reminiscent of Mount Fuji in Japan--without the crown of snow.
Tomorrow, we will take a ferry in the morning to Pico, the second largest island in the archipelago one third of the way between Lisbon and New York. Fifty of us have signed up for a tour of Pico.
Although some folks in the fleet are already bored with Horta and Faial, many of us are enjoying its quaint charms, plentiful seafood, tangy cheeses, and red wine--all bargain-priced. I am somewhat sorry that we will depart on Thursday, and I[base ']m dreaming up magazine assignments that could bring me back.
The Azores are the westernmost part of Europe, first discovered in 1427.
12:00:45 AM 
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