Day 5 (August 9, 2021): LAVA!

If you grew up on Sesame Street, you would have been quite used to hearing, for example, “Today is brought to you by the letter O.”  In a similar vein, here in the Azores, “Today is brought to you by the word lava.” Because lava seemed pretty well integrated into everything we saw and did today. So sit back and enjoy a trip to Lava Land!

Yesterday, we drove 3/4 of the island’s coastline. Today, we did the remaining 1/4 of the coastline, and then headed inland to re-drive a highway through the interior of Pico. Truly, that interior highway felt as if we had taken it for the first time. Yesterday, it was so socked in with fog, we could see nothing. But today was crystal clear, and the landscape was as if we had never seen it before.

We spent our first few hours meandering along the coastline to see several very traditional Pico villages that still look very much as they would have decades ago. Granted, some of the village homes are now holiday rentals, but these villages are incredibly devoid of commercial enterprises. (Which is refreshing this day and age!)

After a lunch overlooking the waterfront of Sao Roque do Pico, we headed up to the heights to see what the islanders call a “lagoon”, and to go to the base of Pico Mountain.

I should note that we started our morning at the health center, trying to arrange a Covid test. We were told that all tourists have to be tested six days after their last Covid test. But the health centre told us that rule ceased to be in effect, as of today. So we were let off the hook. We ended the afternoon hunting down some lava caves, only to be told upon arrival they are booked solid until August 28! Then it was back to our eco-resort for a dip in the pool overlooking the island of Faial. And unlike last night, when a 1 1/2 hour search for a restaurant left us empty-handed and forced us to have Burger King for dinner, tonight we left to start the dinner hunt early and found an excellent organic café in the centre of Magdalena.

We have an early start in the morning, as we are taking the ferry to island number three on our journey: Sao Jorge. 

Our eco-resort, Alma do Pico, was started by an Italian couple 10 years ago. They have built a wonderful place in the forest just outside Madalena. From the rich volcanic soil of the grounds, to the individual cottages, to the pool overlooking the island of Fiail, to the wonderful breakfast, everything is carefully and well thought out. 


A typical example of coastline from today’s journey. I love this sample, because of the oozing layers of lava that formed this particular section in Cais do Mourato, just east of Madalena. 

Chapel in Cais do Mourato,  The Azores is dotted with tiny chapels. From what we understand, each is dedicated to a particular feast day in the church year. And on that feast day, the chapel is opened and a special procession takes place to celebrate the Saint for whom the chapel is named.

Remember, today is brought to you by the word lava! These lava-rock warehouses in Cais do Mourato feature a style very prevalent here, whereby white cement is more prominent than the base building material (lava rock).

Sorry, we know yesterday was brought to you by the word vineyard but we couldn’t resist showing yet another fine example of a vineyard. And hey, it’s all made with lava rock, so we really are sticking with today’s theme!

The jagged black lava continued in Cachorro, where a dog’s likeness can apparently be found in the lava formations. Although we had no success in finding it!

Lava. And Pam. Cachorro. 


Lava. Pam. David. Lajido. 

We were commenting today how we have never seen a place where waterfront / beach village facilities are so impeccably organized. Even the tiniest community has spotless washrooms, outdoor shower facilities, interpretive panels, and infrastructure to allow people to get into the ocean via a fairly protected “natural pool.”


Traditional buildings and the village chapel in Lajido. 



It can take hundreds of years for vegetation to grow on hardened lava. 

The church in Santo Antonio, built in 1696. 

The community “natural pool”, which is augmented by two man-made pools, on the waterfront in Sao Roque do Pico.

We kept hearing about the wonderful lagoons in the interior of Pico Island. So we hunted one down, Lagos do Capitao. With Mount Pico as its backdrop, it has a nice setting. But it’s basically a normal, tiny pond, against our Newfoundland standards. I guess, there is so little fresh water on these Azorean Islands, the existence of any pond is a really big deal.

A large flock of these really strange-looking Azorean ducks call Lagoa do Capitoa home.

Although Mount Pico gets all the song and dance, the island has many volcanoes. The trip to the base of Mount Pico provides an excellent view of this volcano with its clearly delineated crater.

Cows are everywhere on pico Island. Including along the long drive from the highway into Mountain

House at Pico’s base. Therefore, it was appropriate to be met by these two bulls when we arrived at the base! The light coloured one was scratching his head on the sign as we drove up.

Two things about Pico: first, it’s more often than not shrouded in cloud; second, the condition of that cloud can change in the snap of a finger. Yesterday, the mountain was completely immersed in cloud. Today, however, the skies cleared beautifully. But just as we reached the base, a huge cloud moved in. This is 1200 m above sea level, so one is at the cloud line at such an elevation. 

A stunning view of the peak of Mount Pico. 2351 m above sea level. By the way, it lasts erupted in 1760, just in case you were worried!

The lava caves at Torres are booked until August 28, as we sadly discovered upon our arrival there. However, we did have a good time with the nearby goats.