Friday 26 June Position 40:44N 26:09W
Adventuress
Richard Coles
Fri 26 Jun 2009 11:16
|
Friday 26 June
Position at 11am 40:44N 26:09N
Nice sunny day and moderate seas, with a north
wind, lots of sea birds (Petrels) about and we have had a visit already from the
Dolphins, nice to know our sea creatures are once again with us on our
travels.
We all enjoyed Faial very much especially the food
and the friendliness of the people, on the Sunday, Howard off 'Aponuvi' our
friends from Bermuda, Mark, Phillipa and myself all went walking up the Caldero
an extinct volcano crater edge on a cool misty cloudy day, of course we could
not see anything much bar the path directly ahead of us, a pity as it was a
great walk in fact what should of taken us 2.5hours took closer to 4hours as at
the top of caldero we lost our track and after attempting 3 different paths and
having to back track and find our original path, Phillipa finally found what
looked like a sort of a path and was probably a cow track it eventually led onto
what seemed more of track leading in the direction we knew we should be heading
and it was the correct one. If the mist had lifted we would of seen clearly
where we were heading, but in all a fun day even though we were quite tired with
all the extra trekking.
On Tuesday 23rd we sailed along with 'Aponuvi' over
to the island of Terceira as we had heard they were having a festival for 4
days, it was a very beautiful sail and we had a great a view of the island of
'Pico' and 'Sao Jorge' a huge big expanse of island. It took us all day to get
there and arrived about 6pm. A lovely harbour with fantastic facilities but the
swell where we were tied up made the ropes squeak and groan all night long and
one did need ear plugs.
All the streets were decorated wonderfully for the
festivities and stalls set for selling food and beverages. The shops looked
beautiful and all had fantastic top quality goods in them and beautiful displays
for the festival. We found out the parade started at 9pm so after indulging in
some drinkies aboard with our friends we all set off down town to secure a spot
for the parade. The parade consisted of different dance troupes each group in
different costumes, possibly to celebrate the sun, the harvest and different
agricultural themes, each group sang and danced their way down the main streets
each group accompanied by their own band. The costumes were beautiful and we
were amazed by the attention to detail on them all. We did not stay till the
end, but friends told us it ended at 3am!! We all slept soundly of course the
Wed 24th was the actual saints day and the whole of the town was closed for the
day, also it was the day when they held the 'Running of the Bulls' through the
streets. We all wanted to attend this and get good view points high up of
course!! Also that evening we found out they had a number of matadors over from
Spain to host the bullfighting in the arena. Paul and I gained a good spot right
in the main square of the action in a little bar which was boarded up in front
to hold off the bulls but with just enough space for the guys to sneak in when
it all got too much action in the streets. It was definitely a bar full of
testorone filled men, smoking heaps and drinking heaps before they braved the
bulls in the streets. We were told most years the bulls are tethered but this
year they were to be running free. All available spaces were taken up on top of
street vendors roofs, trees, window ledges, trucks, verandahs and anywhere you
did not want to be chased by a mad bull. The action kicked off with 4 loud bangs
andthen you saw the guys running on the streets, the bulls at first were
disorientated and just followed the streets around but next time round the guys
got into it and started taunting them, wow not for the faint hearted these young
guys can run and you need so once the bulls chases you, we had some great action
just outside where we were and took some fantastic photos, one bull came right
up to where we were, we saw guys getting lifted up by the bulls and one guy was
thrown and knocked completed unconcious until they came and rescued him, another
bull attacked a truck and another tore through the crowds and knocked over
people and got himself stuck in a street bar until they tethered him and took
him away, he was an angry bull that one. A great show and I guess we felt sorry
for the bulls in the end as they are teased and taunted something terrible and
looked rather tired in the end. We enjoyed a fantastic meal afterwards on the
waterfront of, veal, cheeses, king prawns, and chirizo sausages fit for a king.
A siesta was then required before headed back out that night for round two of
the parades which was very small incomparison and consisted of the small
children of the island in a similair dance routine with bands as well. We then
entertained ourselves with drinkies and sensational seafood from the bars and
listening to the music. Next day we stocked up with the last of our fresh
provisions from a local market behind the cathedral and headed away about 1pm
onward on our journey to the UK, the day was cold and fresh and with a fantastic
wind we made good progress, although once again our first night as sea not so
comfortable until we gain our sea legs. We had a visit last eveningfrom
the dolphinsalso. So lets hope the sun keeps shining and the winds stay
favourable.
|