The weather report promised a nice sunny day and our 2-hour flight from Porto was smooth and pleasant. However, once we landed in the Azores the sky turned gray and stormy. The landing was very bumpy with zero visibility which tends to be a bit unnerving.
We were looking forward to seeing the islands from the sky but that treat would have to wait for our departure in about two weeks. At least that is what we thought.
Our stay on this island would turn out to be the adventure of a lifetime.
Unlike the weather in Hawaii which is tropical and warm the climate in Ponta Delgada was fresh, a bit chilly and damp. The taxi ride to our lodging took us through the city along the ocean. Beautiful but not spectacular… yet. We would have to wait a few days to experience the true beauty of the island.
We booked five nights at the Herdade do Ananás, a family-owned pineapple plantation and boutique hotel. The hotel was artfully decorated with a mix of modern amenities and family artifacts going back several generations, all of which were displayed with great attention to detail.
Hungry, we walked to the nearest restaurant. The Cais 20 is a well-known local favorite with three unique attributes. Sea to table seafood, it is open from 12:00pm to 5:00am and they offer rides to and from the restaurant for patrons that live nearby. Really!
By now it was raining outside. Our waiter mentioned that he could give us a ride back to the hotel and that they could also pick us up at any time. He offered us a business card. After finishing dinner, we jumped in his van and enjoyed the ride back to our hotel. Great food, extraordinary service.
Welcome to the Azores.
