Island of Pico, Azores, Portugal
Deep into the North Atlantic float a series of islands, part of the Macaronesia, known to whalers as the Azores. There are nine volcanic islands, each one with its own volcano and a series of cinder cones. Bathed by the pure waters of the Atlantic with an inexhaustible supply of fresh air and loaded with humidity, these islands have a high rainfall, which translates into incredible greenery. Pico (point) is an island with a Fujijama-type volcano, and is the highest point of Portugal (2351 m). Water-laden clouds, pushed by the wind, climb the mountain and dump a great amount of their water on the slopes. If you look at the history of this island, sperm whales are always mentioned, as the islanders hunted these behemoths for many years. On small 11 m (36 ft) boats, the whalers set off following a sperm whale after it had been spied by observers high on a hill. Rowing these boats into the fray, fighting an animal double their size, these men risked their lives for a small industry, family-style. It was really a fair fight.
As we disembarked unto the dock in Lajes do Pico, we were received with a performance of an interesting folkloric dance group, the girls dressed in colorful costumes, and all in woolen socks and leather sandals! At the same time, four whaling boats, unused for their original whaling job for the last 20 years, were launched by youngsters, and pretty soon a regatta was under way, in the bay of Lajes do Pico. These are perfectly conserved boats, colorfully painted and used once a year for these local races. An interesting whaling museum was visited, where a boat is preserved, as well as scrimshaw and different mementos of a time gone. Others of us visited a small wine factory, and tasted the delicious wines produced there.
A lovely day among these islands discovered so long ago by the Portuguese, but already known to the Phoenicians and to the Arabs.
Deep into the North Atlantic float a series of islands, part of the Macaronesia, known to whalers as the Azores. There are nine volcanic islands, each one with its own volcano and a series of cinder cones. Bathed by the pure waters of the Atlantic with an inexhaustible supply of fresh air and loaded with humidity, these islands have a high rainfall, which translates into incredible greenery. Pico (point) is an island with a Fujijama-type volcano, and is the highest point of Portugal (2351 m). Water-laden clouds, pushed by the wind, climb the mountain and dump a great amount of their water on the slopes. If you look at the history of this island, sperm whales are always mentioned, as the islanders hunted these behemoths for many years. On small 11 m (36 ft) boats, the whalers set off following a sperm whale after it had been spied by observers high on a hill. Rowing these boats into the fray, fighting an animal double their size, these men risked their lives for a small industry, family-style. It was really a fair fight.
As we disembarked unto the dock in Lajes do Pico, we were received with a performance of an interesting folkloric dance group, the girls dressed in colorful costumes, and all in woolen socks and leather sandals! At the same time, four whaling boats, unused for their original whaling job for the last 20 years, were launched by youngsters, and pretty soon a regatta was under way, in the bay of Lajes do Pico. These are perfectly conserved boats, colorfully painted and used once a year for these local races. An interesting whaling museum was visited, where a boat is preserved, as well as scrimshaw and different mementos of a time gone. Others of us visited a small wine factory, and tasted the delicious wines produced there.
A lovely day among these islands discovered so long ago by the Portuguese, but already known to the Phoenicians and to the Arabs.
