Portugal | Azores

Xavier, and I spent the holidays in the Azores. The Azores are one of the most remote archipelagos consisting of nine volcanic-islands in the North Atlantic. We stayed on the largest island, Sao Miguel. The scenery is characterized by dramatic landscapes of green rolling cow pastures lined with hedgerows of blue hydrangeas. Seething mud pots, fantastical caverns, and vivid crater lakes speak of a volcanic origin. This was the perfect getaway to relax, and end to 2017.

Highlights include:

1) Ponta Delgada- the capital with many gothic style churches

2) Lagoa do Fogo- a 15,000 year old crater lake

3) Caloura- a fishing village hidden behind a high cliff with overgrown vegetation

4) Furnas- natural sulphuric geysers, hot springs, calderas, & fumeroles surrounded by mountainous lush nature

5) Sete Cidades- a landscape of fairy-tale like quality. Thick forested cliffs surround twin lakes with eye popping blue, and green colors.

Photos by Xavier Lane & Christina Nguyen