Faial, Azores

After leaving the Caribbean, we sailed to the Azores. The Azores are a group of 9 volcanic islands in the North Atlantic sea, 1360 km west of Portugal. They are one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal along with Madeira. We visited 2 islands, Faial and Sao Miguel.

Faial is part of the Central Group. The capital is Horta. Approaching Horta early morning

local spelling of Azores

Horta looked really pretty from the sea -

I took a tour of the island and I loved the island, it had a really nice feel. Reminded me of Yorkshire with green hills and cows. Or Shetland, where I’ve never been. It is clean and green and beautiful.

We went up the hills and stopped at a view point overlooking Horta and could see Pico island.

We could also see our ship, it's the one in the foreground -

An old windmill -

Faial is said to get its name from the firetree, or faya. Myrica faya (firetree, faya) is a species of Myrica, native to Macaronesia (the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands). A firetree -

Went through Flamengos which is a Flemish town. Onto Caldeira, the volcano. We went up to 914 m. There is a short pedestrian tunnel through to a viewpoint over the crater which is 366 m deep. The rim is 8 km. The crater floor is vegetated and there is a mini volcano in the centre. Unfortunately it was still cloudy. The area is a nature reserve. Again we could see Pico Island.

We descended on a hairpin red surfaced road. This is where cows are taken to graze all summer. The don’t go to barns to be milked, instead portable machines are used -

We later went past a cheese factory.
A store for tools, from when the workmen didn't have motorised transport -

We saw lava flows that are covered with grass, as well as a lava covered river bed -

Down to the coast and along through Ribeira Funda village and others, and had a view of several volcanoes in a line-

Onto the Capelinhos Volcano. This volcano emerged from the sea in 1957. At first a local thought it was a whale as the Atlantic Ocean began to boil. The eruption continued for 13 months and covered this part of the island with ash. Many derelict houses are now at road level as the new road was built on layers of ash. The terrain has some vegetation but is still covered with ash. An old whaling village was covered in ash, one building has since been restored. The lighthouse was partially covered and is now a museum. There are sea caves.

We continued on, through Capelo then did a loop around a picnic park and Gruta do Parque. We saw a typical house, with storage space underneath, and steps up to the living floor above. Outside is a large circle for drying crops, outbuilding, toilet, pig house and a frame for drying corn -

We later saw an example of bananas growing inside shelters made from incense trees -

Drove along above the coast, past the headland of Castelo Branco and then Horta airport, then past some sea caves and  back to Horta

Porto Pim by Horta -

I then went for a walk around Horta

The marina is known for the many paintings, done by sailors before they leave port -

One of the large trees that was clearly visible from the ship -

We left Horta in the evening -

Next stop was Sao Miguel.

Barbados

Our last stop in the Caribbean area was at Barbados. Barbados is the easternmost island in the West Indies and is in the Atlantic, not the Caribbean. It is east of St Lucia where I had been thinking of going.

our route from Jamaica to Barbados

Barbados is the most British of the islands, it remained a British colony until 1961 and gained full independence in 1966 and is a member of the Commonwealth. Right hand drive as in UK. Cricket is a national passion.

Barbados got its name from the banyan tree, or fig trees with long straggly hanging roots, Los Barbados = bearded ones. Mount Gay rum is the oldest rum brand, since 1703.

We docked at Bridgetown, Barbados. There were two other cruise ships already there so we moored at the Sugar Berth -

photo from cruisemapper

I particularly wanted to see Harrison’s Cave. From Bridgetown the tour took us up Cave Hill which is where the university is located. Saw a baobab tree with a huge girth - there are 2 on Barbados and they came from West Africa. Saw an old windmill, they were used for crushing the sugar cane before steam. Barbados used to produce 200,000 tons, now it is only 10,000. Went through small villages to Harrison’s Cave.

After the cave tour we went up to Highland View for the best view of Barbados. It was packed with tour buses.

Village house -

Then down through the countryside, past a couple of sugar cane fields that had been harvested and down to the coast at Holetown. Drove through the really expensive parts, Chattel Village has designer shops. Rihanna the singer has a luxury apartment here.

The Kensington Oval is a stadium outside Bridgetown, primarily used for cricket -

We went back to the cruise terminal without going into Bridgetown. Bridgetown and its garrison is a World Heritage Site. But I didn't have the time or energy to go back into town.  Storage for sugar (pyramid) and molasses (circular tank) -

1 Barbadian Dollar = 50c US.

Antigua, Caribbean

After Saint Martin, our next stop on the cruise was Antigua. This was possibly the prettiest island, although it is hard to compare the islands, as they all have something special.

St Johns is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, a country located in the West Indies and part of the Leeward Islands.

Antigua And Barbuda became an independent state in 1981, after gaining its sovereignty from The United Kingdom. Vehicles right hand drive as in UK. Cricket is national game. All the parishes have saints names and there are many churches. There are 365 beaches. Sugar used to be important.

We docked at St Johns. As we approached we were followed by another cruise ship, and a booby welcomed us -

Once again I did an island tour in a share taxi.

Went past the large Chinese funded international cricket stadium, Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, built for the 2007 cricket world cup and since used for test matches. 

Onto Nelson Dockyards National Park, $8 entry which includes the dockyard. Stopped at a stunning views down over the yacht bays of English Harbour -

We went up to the top, the Blockhouse Hill, an old military area. We were told that Elton John owns the headland and has a house here -

The old Block House -

The view looking south

We went through Shirley Heights and down to the dockyards which is a World Heritage Site. It was inscribed in 2016.

"The site consists of a group of Georgian-style naval buildings and structures, set within a walled enclosure. The natural environment of this side of the island of Antigua, with its deep, narrow bays surrounded by highlands, offered shelter from hurricanes and was ideal for repairing ships. The construction of the Dockyard by the British navy would not have been possible without the labour of generations of enslaved Africans since the end of the 18th century. Its aim was to protect the interests of sugar cane planters at a time when European powers were competing for control of the Eastern Caribbean."

Most of the old buildings are now used as shops or for the marina

We then drove along the south of the island, through Falmouth and back through Liberta, then Swetes and down to the coast at Old Road. Saw Carlisle Bay and Grace Bay where Curtain Bluff Resort is located. It is Antigua's premier resort -

Along the coast through Urlings and Johnson Point and Crab Hill, stopped for black pineapples that weren’t at all sweet. The beach was nice though -

Further along is Dark Wood Beach

Then it was time to head back to St Johns.

Some birds flying alongside as we left -