Day 2, and our first full day in the Azores, dawned bright and cloudless. My wife awoke and went to the kitchen and made some fresh squeezed orange juice from oranges provided for us by our hosts, Paul and Natérsia. I made some coffee from the single serving machine. It was good, strong coffee.
After dining on eggs, bread, cheese, and delicious marmalade we started preparing for the day. Since we purchased bread and cheese at the restaurant the previous evening, we packed both with lunch meats provided by our wonderful hosts. The plan was to drive to Vila Franca do Campo (Townsville--that's what Google Translate says) on the south side of the island, and then to Furnas, a charming town in the center of the island. Off the coast, there is a volcanic crater called Islet of Vila Franca do Campo and we simply had to see it.
We loaded up the car, opened a map given to us after clearing customs the previous day, and headed out. Driving on Sao Miguel isn't too bad. They drive on the right side of the road from the left side of the car. I originally rented a car for our Azores stay and noted every car offered had a manual transmission. Therefore, if you plan to drive there, you must know how to drive a stick shift.
We didn’t use a GPS. The map given to us was adequate. If you know how to read a map, a GPS isn’t necessary to drive around Sao Miguel. Simply keep in mind as long as you know the major towns in the general direction of where you wish to travel, you will be able to get to your destination. If you need to find something specific within the towns, you may need to ask for directions. All locals we encountered were more than willing to help. I’ll mention one in particular later.
Due to the hilly terrain in the center of Sao Miguel, the roads are filled with twists and turns. If you like scenic drives, you won’t be disappointed driving through Sao Miguel. Coming down out of the hills into Vila Franca do Campo is beautiful. We went to the Marina area but found the free parking full. There is additional free parking two blocks away that has picnic tables.
There are many activities available in the marina area. You can go whale watching, snorkeling, scuba diving, rent various aquatic craft, and do some water tours. Also, you can visit the many shops and places to eat. We took some time to investigate our options. Whale watching was of great interest but the young man advised there was no guarantee we would see any whales. He said we had about a 70% chance of see whales and 90% chance of some type of sea life. I appreciated his honesty. It makes sense wild animals don’t show up on cue for humans to look at them. Since the fee per person was about $70 USD, we decided to explore options to visit the Islet of Vila Franca do Campo.
A short walk toward the end of the marina is a small white booth where you can purchase a seat on small boat shuttle to the islet. With hourly departures and only 6 Euros per person, we felt going to the islet with CNVCF was the right decision. We just missed a departure but decided to fill the time by going to the beach. Just a short walk away is a public beach.
With dark, course sand, Vinha da Areia (Vineyard of the Sand) is a wonderful beach. Since it was still early in day, we had the beach mostly to ourselves. The water was chilly as you would expect in early June. Once in water, it was refreshing. There are some prominent rocks that accentuate the beauty of the area. Behind the beach there is a waterpark that was closed at the time. Also, there are bathrooms and showers for beach goers.
At the appropriate time, we met the boat for our ride out to the islet. It is a short 10 minute ride to the dock on the islet. Several people were waiting to return. We explored the rocks and cliffs of this atoll and worked our way to a small beach area with a sandbar. There is one main opening and a few cracks that allow water and waves to come in. When standing on the sandbar, I found it interesting when waves from two different directions washed up to us.
Since we wanted to go to thermal pools in the town of Furnas, we only stayed on the atoll for one hour. Soon we were back at the dock for our return. By this time, I knew I was getting sunburned. We planned to buy sunscreen after arriving in the Azores and I looked in one of the shops in the marina. No luck.
Once back on land, my wife and I planned to walk to a grocery a few blocks away. The kids wanted to go to the beach again. We parted ways and my wife and I went to the street for the grocery. We received directions earlier in the day. By this time we had eaten lunch at a picnic table by the car. We hoped to buy sunscreen and things to eat and drink.
About a block up the street we saw a man walking toward us in the middle of the street. He slowly angled toward us and stopped at a door to unlock it. My wife asked him in Spanish if there was a grocery nearby. He answered in English there was and offered to walk us there. We didn’t want him to go to that trouble but he insisted. As we walked up the street, he asked where we were from. We said near Atlanta, Georgia. Surprised, he replied, “I used to live in Newnan.” Taken aback, we both blurted, “We live in Newnan!”
Of course, there was much to discuss with this common point of interest. Soon, we reached a store and we thanked him for his kindness. We parted with contented hearts. We purchased plenty of water and several other items at the store but no sunscreen. I could feel my face was hot. I imagined it would be peeling in a couple days.
After getting the kids, we returned to the car. They talked about playing volleyball with other people on the beach and how fun it was even though there was a language barrier. It goes to show people can enjoy each other and not completely understand things said. It is a matter of having an accepting spirit.
In Furnas, I stopped to top off the gas and we asked how to reach the thermal pools park. We weren't far. However, I accidentally passed the park. Here is a piece of advice when driving in the narrow street of the lovely Azores towns: If you pass a turn, stop and back up if you can. When I passed our turn for the thermal pools, I planned to just go to the next block or street and turn around. Little did I know there was no place to turn around until I got to a dead end. About 5-8 minutes later, we arrived at the park.
Poca Da Dona Beija (Little Lady Kisses) is a gorgeous little garden in Furnas. Furnas itself is a quaint town we want to explore more someday. There just wasn’t enough time on this trip. For just 4 Euros, you get full access to the park. There are bathrooms and places to change your clothes. Also, you can shower after partaking in the thermal pools. It is an idyllic setting.
Different pools have different temperatures and temps are noted for each pool. I have one word of warning. Beware of the clay colored mud or silt. I’m not sure what it is. A child started rubbing it on herself. Before we knew it, my daughter covered her face like it was facial mud. It will stain your clothes and skin if you leave it on too long. The shirt I wore that day still has stains inside the sleeves. It was a while before my daughter finally got it off her face.
After showering and purchasing something in the gift shop, we drove home. Paul and his family were sitting and eating dinner at a table they have by an outdoor grill. Paul immediately asked, “Duane, what happened to you?” I was sure he referred to my sunburn and I was correct. After putting things away, we drove to town and went to the other restaurant in Achadinha, Restaurante Poco Azul. (Small Blue Restaurant)
I felt like a bright red tomato as we sat at our table. All of us were burnt to some degree. On this night, I ordered beef with mushroom sauce and we each sampled each other’s food. After arriving home and telling our hosts about our meals, Paul recommended ordering meals that have local sauces. He said they know these sauces and put their all into them. Other additions are added to menus to satisfy tourists. I will do that from now on.
After dinner, we had a long conversation with a young lady from Switzerland. We discussed various places visited in the Azores and world. We appreciate seeing things from another point of view. Then we went to the other side of Poco Azul (when you enter, the side to the left is the restaurant, to the right has coffee, sweets, desserts and spirits) and ordered coffee and pastries. They were so good. My wife and I were tired and walked home but our son and daughter wanted to stay a bit longer. (Note: Our children are all adults.)
Walking back, we noted the number of dogs owned in many homes. I mentioned to my wife we would know when the kids were close because dogs would start barking. I was right. I sat on the balcony soaking the cool air into my burnt skin while rubbing lotion on my face and arms. Sure enough, the sound of barking dogs came from homes closer and closer to us announced the arrival of our son and daughter. Then I saw my kids walking under the streetlights as they turned the corner and started up our street.
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