A few weeks back I spent ten days on the island of San Miguel in the Azores on my way back from Portugal. People in Hawaii feel a connection to the Azores as many Portuguese immigrated from there and Madeira to come work in our sugar plantations during the last part of the 19th century and early 20th century. At that time sugar cane plantations were plentiful in both the Azores and Hawaii. They are all gone now except I did see one small sugar cane plantation on San Miguel that supplies sugar for a locally made rum. Because I live on an island, it is always interesting to compare life on other islands. The Azores are very similar being isolated volcanic islands way out in the ocean but are smaller. I know Ireland gets called the Emerald Isle but I think San Miguel has even more right to that name. All those volcanic cones and craters covered in green green grass and forest. It was a funny amalgamation of Savaii, Samoa volcanic horizons, with Taranaki, New Zealand dairy farm views leading to Portuguese towns. I was very impressed with how self supporting the island was. They are now looking for economic support from tourism but there is a big agriculture backing for it. The dairy farms provide the milk, butter and cheese. Bananas, pineapples and vegetables are all grown locally. There is even a small tea plantation. Of course there is local fishing as well. I was also impressed that 60% of the power on San Miguel comes from volcanic steam driven turbines. Several people from there told me how they felt they had everything they needed despite living on a small island....that the needed facilities for business, health, transport and education, etc. were available there for them. The small capital city of Ponta Delgada was a delightful place to have as my base while I was there. Lots of atmosphere walking the narrow cobbled streets of the old town or along the water front.
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| I was surprised to see these NZ pohutukawa trees along the Ponta Delgada waterfront. |
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| Flowers in the plaza in front of Ponta Delgada City Hall |
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| The lovely botanical park at Ponta Delgada |
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| Plane trees pruned back for winter in a plaza in Ponta Delgada |
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| A park in the middle of the city next to the library. It seemed to be the teenage hangout in the evening. |
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| Another surprise! New Zealand spinach growing wild on the sea shore. I also saw it being sold at the produce market. |
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| Farmland inside a volcanic crater |
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| Taro farm at Furnas...another surprise for me. |
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| Pineapple is grown inside glass houses on small farms. |
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| The Azores farmers are very proud of their sweet pineapple. They say that pulling out the long leaves from the top of the pineapple helps to make the fruit sweeter. |
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| The Azores variety of banana....short and stumpy. |
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| Hydrangeas are everywhere on San Miguel. Used as hedges but they have become a big part of island culture now. Unfortunately I was there just as they were finishing their show. |
