Santa Maria Island, The Azores, Portugal
The first island in the Azores to be discovered was Santa Maria. It was also the first to be inhabited, around 1427. If you travel along the island’s roads at this time of the year, you will enjoy thousands of lovely pink lilies growing all along the earthen shoulders of the highway. The origin of these lilies can be traced to Africa, where they are called “Naked Ladies” or “Resurrection Lilies.” The Azores are known for the great quantity of flowers planted there. Among other flowering plants are the hydrangeas, which around the months of April and May form a delectable decoration for the roads of all the islands.
We visited one of the most typical and original of the towns in the island, called Sao Lorenzo. Right on a roaring seaside, in a smallish bay, lies the town. But almost immediately from the shore, land starts climbing in a huge amphitheatre. There are just a few rows of houses, the rest of the incline consists of terraces, held by innumerable rock fences. It is within these small fenced blocks of land that the people have planted their grapevines, well protected from the salty wind of the ocean. Wine is made there!
The first island in the Azores to be discovered was Santa Maria. It was also the first to be inhabited, around 1427. If you travel along the island’s roads at this time of the year, you will enjoy thousands of lovely pink lilies growing all along the earthen shoulders of the highway. The origin of these lilies can be traced to Africa, where they are called “Naked Ladies” or “Resurrection Lilies.” The Azores are known for the great quantity of flowers planted there. Among other flowering plants are the hydrangeas, which around the months of April and May form a delectable decoration for the roads of all the islands.
We visited one of the most typical and original of the towns in the island, called Sao Lorenzo. Right on a roaring seaside, in a smallish bay, lies the town. But almost immediately from the shore, land starts climbing in a huge amphitheatre. There are just a few rows of houses, the rest of the incline consists of terraces, held by innumerable rock fences. It is within these small fenced blocks of land that the people have planted their grapevines, well protected from the salty wind of the ocean. Wine is made there!
