We started our morning at Caldeira Velha this is a natural hot spring located on the Pico do Fogo mountain. The hot spring has created its own micro-climate creating a unique surrounding forest of native vegetation and exotic species.
A small pond bubbling with small geysers of hot water
We stopped at a viewpoint overlooking Logoa do Fogo (Lagoon of Fire). This is a crater lake located in the central part of the island.
View from Miradouro do Pisao looking down on the pretty fishing village of Caloura.
In Vila Franca Do Campo we stopped the Our Lady of Peace Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is a tiny chapel at the top of a narrow and winding street. The stairway leading up to the Sanctuary is a series of platforms, each of which depicts a station of the cross in traditionally painted blue and white tiles.
A little spider we came upon...
Our next stop was the hot springs at Furnas Lake.
The Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias is located on the shore of Furnas Lake. It is a funerary chapel which was constructed by José do Canto a gentlemen-farmer and botanist of São Miguel, to serve as a mausoleum for him and his wife.
Locals have created a specialty dish which entails cooking their food by burying it in the thermal soil surrounding the lake. Cozido das Furnas is a stew made of several meats and vegetables, including a local version of taro root. The geothermal slow-cooking process at lower temperatures than a regular oven enhances the various flavours, making it possible for us to essentially eat food cooked inside a volcano.This would be our lunch for today...
Our next stop was the town of Furnas. They have several thermal hot springs within the town.
'Muddy' dry hot springs
A large active spring
Local delicacy of corn cooked in the hot springs
Hot spring named after the man who fell in and died...a very unpleasant way to die!
After soaking our feet by alternating between a hot spring pool and the cool river running next to it until our feet were bright red (or orange for some of us who had sunscreen on our feet and had a funky chemical reaction to the highly mineralized water) we went to a local tea factory. The Gorreana Tea factory gave us the opportunity to see how the Azoreans make green and black tea.
Freshly cut tea bushes
Flowering tea bushes
Leaf drying racks
Drying machine
Tea leaf size (quality) sorting machine
We finally arrived back 'home' after a long day to find the delicious meal that Estrela had left us...a fish and clam stew.
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