Our decision to divert to Flores has been justified. The wind has died and had we continued to Horta I think we would still be out there going no where or motoring . The weather is set for doing not a lot for a few days so we can relax and enjoy Flores.

 

Good fortune has therefore blown us to these shores. A most beautiful island. Flores or the island of flowers is in full glory at the moment with roads and field hedged with blue hydrangeas and masses of other yellow and red flowers. It is so peaceful, with a total population of only 3300. We have just spent the day in Santa Cruz the main town on the island and relaxed and enjoyed the views and the peace and quiet. There is little industry other than farming and fishing and so many of the youngsters have left for richer pastures on the other islands but mainly onto mainland Portugal. We hope to hire a car in the next few days and get up into the mountains to see the lagoons and waterfalls.

 

Flores is volcanic but there is no volcanic activity here at the moment. In fact Flores is on the American tectonic plate whilst the rest of the Azores are the European plate. Therefore Flores is moving away from the others at a few cm a year and doesn’t feel the volcanic activity that the other islands experience.

 

Porto das Lajes

 

Porto das Lajes

 

Lighthouse, Lajes

 

Santa Cruz

 

Main Church Santa Cruz

 

Inside

 

Santa Cruz

 

Harbour Santa Cruz

 

Santa Cruz

 

Natural Swimming Pool Santa Cruz. Isle of Corvo in the background

 

Police Station Santa Cruz, Life of me I can’t think what they do all day. Maybe they have a problem with loitering as in Bermuda?

 

Main Square Santa Cruz

 

Porto das Lajes