24.05.2024

Since we arrived late in Horta, we only had today to see a few things. The hotel complex is located right above the "city", so we were quickly in the center in the morning, while the sun was still shining, because it was supposed to rain again briefly around midday. What should you see? Of course, "Peter Café Sport", a quaint bar for over 100 years. Many Atlantic crossings are said to have left some kind of souvenir there, from pennants to beer mats, hats... everything is decorated, from the ceiling to the floor. They are also said to have the best Azores gin.... Opposite is the harbor, where many sailors are anchored. The quay wall, stretching for several kilometers, is an attraction, because many sailors have immortalized themselves there with a special picture, i.e. tour or boat name, participants, time and a special logo. It is fun to admire the small works of art, you can't look at them all. We looked where the gas station is and where we have to return the rental car tomorrow. Today we finally identified a type of tree that is relatively common here, the "New Zealand Christmas tree". It blooms quite beautifully when it blooms. We didn't miss the churches on our way either, but then we went back to "Peter Café Sport", because the small museum on the first floor had opened in the meantime. There is a private collection of decorated whale teeth, there are some where motifs have been carved out and many where pictures of people, fishing scenes... have been engraved, similar to the technique used to create Sorbian Easter eggs. These are no longer made by sailors, as was originally the case, but by artists. So lifelike! There are also many everyday objects on display, such as rings, mirrors, bracelets or skewers for snacks... A truly impressive collection. When we came back outside, it had stopped raining. Everything was done right! We set off by car to our starting point of the hike at an altitude of around 850m. The aim was to walk around the large volcanic crater. Inside you can still see 2 small lakes. Today Caspar David Friedrich again determined the hiking weather. True to the motto: hikers in and above the sea of fog, to be complemented by quite muddy paths and strong gusts of wind. But these constant changes fascinated us. After 3 hours we were back at the car. Our windproof weather jackets were really necessary today. Then at around 4 p.m. we went back down to Horta, where we were greeted by sunshine, 25°C and no wind. We took a short breather, then went for a stroll around town and had to do something to quench our hunger. Pico, the island "right" across the street, where we'll be taking the ferry tomorrow, is always in sight. Portugal's highest mountain, which is also the island's namesake, was partly cloudless. We're excited!