Yesterday we all rented 50cc scooters and terrorized the island. The fun thing about a 50, it’s WOT (wide open throttle), or brakes. We drove up the Caldeira, in the center of the island and hiked up to the peak. I have not climbed much more than the 4 steps up my companionway for 3 years, so was a bit of a challenge. Beautiful view. Lots of healthy looking cattle. Green, clouds, mist, wind, chilly. Then we screamed down the mountain and rode all around including checking out the new volcano. In 1957 a volcano pushed up a landmass just offshore that melded with the island, making Faial a little bigger. It’s still loaded with ash and has very little growing on it. Great sedimentary layers. A volcanologists delight I’m sure.
Then we had a great pizza with Sangria at California Pizza. The owner, Joe came over and we chatted. He lived in California for years and has a house behind Berkeley, and two kids at University there. Many of the Azoreans I’ve spoken to have spent a long time in the U.S. and even speak with near American accents. Seems like a lot of expats live here and I can see why. Very welcoming.
Today Anders and Simon flew out to Sao Miguel, for a short time, than on to Denmark and Spain. I’m on my own again.