Ruth: The sun returned yesterday, bringing back with it my optimism. My moods have been as volatile as the weather this trip. This morning I woke up after a rough night in which I couldn’t get comfortable. I needed an extra dose of coffee and... Read More

Gordon:  Our visit to the Azores has coincided with an extended period of unseasonably poor weather.  When we arrived at the beginning of February the locals were talking about the great winter they were enjoying.  That changed almost immediately, and since then it has rained... Read More

Ruth: Today was the day we had an “opening” between storms to cycle around the south side of Pico to the port town of Madalena, about 54kms away. With winds blowing at 40kms per hour we set off just as the skies opened up. The... Read More

Ruth: Slowing down is hard for both Gord and I, but probably a good thing for us to try once in a while. Today is the first day I haven’t gone out for either a walk or cycle, other than to pop down to the... Read More

 Ruth: We have settled into Casa do Avô Faidoca on Pico Island. We get out most days for a walk and a bike ride, but there is more rain and wind coming so we will be hunkering down for a few days. The difference between the... Read More

Gordon:  Today I rode up once again to an elevation of 950 metres on the high plateau.  Without the opaque fog and hurricane force winds of my last outing, the experience was quite different.  The Azores have been described as Ireland meets Hawaii, a characterization... Read More