Right Start Tour (Part 2)

So long time coming, part two is finally here:)

After leaving Biscoitos, we got back on the bus and started into the heart of the Island to visit Bull Fight Land. Because this place is part of Portugal, they do have bull fights here. But not the kind where they taunt and ultimately kill the bull...no no no. These are more like the running of the bulls in Spain. They put a young irritated bull on a leash of sorts and let him run down streets where young lads try their luck at outrunning the bull. Some get hurt, some get trampled, but in most cases all escape with a few scrapes and bruises - including the bull. After the bull is done fighting for the day, he ends up with a few scrapes on his knees from running into walls and such, and so he is given 5 to 7 days to rest and heal before he is 'fought' again. After a bull gets a few seasons under his belt, and gets too old to fight, he is put out to pasture and lives out the rest of his days grazing and fertilizing unsuspecting cows:) It's actually illegal to kill them here!



The trek up the mountain was slow going because of the slope and because it was starting to rain. That is why the bull looks less than happy.

After seeing the bulls take ginormous poops on the mountain, we stopped at "Duck lake", called such because of the countless ducks that inhabit it. It is a quite lovely picnic area, where apparently people bring ducks that they no longer need. Among the permanent residents were domesticated ducks of two different kinds, domestic geese and wild ducks. They seemed pretty happy to be living together, whereas if they were living in the same coop they would peck each others eyes out. At least that has been my experience.





We then moved on to Sao Mateus where we had lunch at Beira Mar Restaurant. All I'll say is that the fish we consumed were caught that day in the harbor where the restaurant stands. Freakin' Delish!

The restaurant itself, like I mentioned before sits right on the bank of a bay where there are anchored dozens of fishing boats.




After the amazing lunch, we made it all the way around the island and were actually able to get out and walk around Angra do Hiroismo. It it one of the two biggest towns on the Island and as i mentioned previously, was the original Capitol city of the entire chain. The weather finally cleared and we got out of the bus and walked the streets. Naturally we were very touristy and people stared and commented I'm sure:) We got to see the original customs house for the shipping docks built in something like 1844. We also stopped by a local variety shop and bought a bottle of Terceira wine. We got to try it later that day, and it had a very clean and crisp citrucy taste. Which was not surprising considering all the orange trees around and it being the season for them.







We then left Angra and headed back to base. But before we made it back to Lajes, we stopped at the Mary statue which overlooks the city of Angra. It's reputably the make out spot on the island:) I suppose there's nothing like the Virgin Mary watching over your back-seat rendezvous. But anyway, she is built on top of a pretty steep mountain, and so was the perfect place to demonstrate the ridiculous power of wind here.