"Atlantis?" Região Autónoma dos Açores by haikutaxi

In February 2008 we spent a week on Sao Jorge (staying in Velas). The weather was temperate & the hiking was wonderful. Trails are generally well marked and not too difficult though there are some fairly steep descents to the fajas (low lying areas at the base of the cliffs). Trail maps are available at the tourist office, and a taxi (reasonably priced) can take you the various starting points and pick you up at the conclusion of your walk. Calla lilies (Zantedeschia) and bird of paradise flowers (Strelitzia) were blooming and growing wild. The fields were emerald green, bordered by walls of volcanic rock and hedges of hortensia (Hydrangea, not blooming in the winter). Happy cows were grazing. Every yard seemed to have some birds, a goat, and a garden. A truly beautiful, peaceful and spiritual place to explore. For a good general description of each of the islands check out <en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azores>

Caldeira des Cete Cidades, Sao Miguel

Our second week in the Azores were spent on Ilha de São Miguel, the largest of the nine islands and Ponta Delgada the largest settlement. There are numerous taxi's, buses and tour operators that can get you to the trails, parks and towns on the island (though we were lucky enough to have cousin Pedro to give us a real insider's view of things). São Miguel has amazingly beautiful lakes & valleys, hot springs (and waterfalls), mineral waters, tea and pineapple plantations, museums, and cows too! It's a true paradise. There are many lovely towns... coastal and inland.

makes your feet happy to walk on these pavements

The black stones are basalt from local sources, the white are limestone and are imported from mainland Portugual. Some of the older pavement mosaics are made up of fairly small and irregular pieces and are quite intricate. The newer pavements are equally artistic, but the stones tend to be a bit larger and regular in shape. I took hundreds of photos of mosaic roads, plazas and walkways, old and new, no two alike; from Mickey Mouse (outside an elementary school) to angels (outside a church) and everything in between.

• Pros:Easy to get to from the US (only 4.5 hours from Boston) and yet a world away. Beautiful and affordable. Kind, hospitable people.
• Cons:none
• In a nutshell:I look forward to other trips to the Azores to explore some of the other islands.