Goodby Angra, Hello Praia da Vitoria

July 31, 2008 Thursday

Today we just finished the most delightful light-air sail down to the main commercial port on the island of Terceira. It is Praia da Vitoria, so named because it has the best beaches on the island (praia) and sometime back in the old days the town picked the winner of some political conflict and became the "vitoria".

We have lots of pictures to put up from Angra, but just wanted to write a little something to show that we are still here. We've been lazy until we finally got bored with Angra and had to move on. It's a great town though and all of the Azores are a great vacation destination unless you like casinos and discos. I'll take beautiful, pastoral, charming, inexpensive, and crime-free, thank you. I can't help it, I'm old.

This has been a mixed week emotionally, having lost both family and friends to old age. I get little satisfaction from the realization that I am now the oldest man in my family and the next up to bat. Oh well, got to go out in a blaze of glory. Speaking of which, I had a huge compliment this week. It seems that there is a flamenco club in Puertollano, Spain that has a bi-annual singing contest. Well, this year they want to honor American aficionados (don't ask me why - I just work here). They saw the YouTube video of me singing and playing and want me to perform. They sent word through a friend and I have tentatively accepted, pending the financial arrangements. They sent back word that they were delighted. I've been involved with this odd art form for almost half-a-century and it is nice to be recognized by those who know what I am doing.

OK, so we are going to row in and report to the authorities and have a look at the town. Our efforts at towing a lure did not produce a fish and so we will see if a fish market can fill the void. Here are the last pix of Angra.

Here is one of Angra's main cathedrals.

The architecture is just what I like.

The streets at night are well lit and completely without members of the underclass (which don't seem to be here anywhere)

Nice, huh?

This was a sidewalk cafe that we favored. Great sandwiches for little $.