Azores - The North Coast

Just as Beautiful
We took a drive along the north coast later in the week.

Azores - Up the Volcano

Trekking Along the Caldera's Edge

When you live in a caldera and decide to take a hike, you eventually have to go up.  We chose a route that took us up to the edge of the caldera, along it and back down.  It was about 8 miles in total.

Azores - Home

Lakeside inside the Caldera
Our cabin was located in a small village called Sete Cidades near a bridge that bisects two large lakes inside the caldera of a large volcano on the western tip of the island.

Azores - Fighting Jetlag

And Mostly Winning
Our flight left Boston at 10pm and four and a half hours later with a five hour time shift, it was breakfast time when we landed.  We had to stall for time since we couldn't check into our cabin until 4pm.  We picked up our rental car - a Smart - the latest model, which is super sporty and would come in handy on the hairpin roads.  We headed to the western edge of the island to a natural hot springs called Termas de Ferraria.

Azores - First Impressions

Flowers, Cows and Greenery
The Azores are nine volcanic islands at the intersection of three tectonic plates 800 miles from Portugal.  Measured from the sea floor, they're some of the tallest mountains on the planet.  We visited the largest island, Sao Miguel, which is approximately 30 miles long and ten miles wide.  The top five industries are agricultural - tourism is not in the top ten.  It's a stunningly verdant, beautiful place.

Boston - Days 2-3

From the Boonies to Beantown
After breakfast we packed up and headed out.  First stop, the Quabbin reservoir, which was built in the 30's to supply drinking water to Boston.  Four small towns were sacrificed to create the largest body of water in the state,  Half a mile long and 150 feet deep.

Massachusetts - Day 1 of Trip

Mini Smart Car Roadtrip
We drove the Smart Car slowly to Boston for our Azores flight.  We were in no rush.  We left on Saturday morning and before long the Hungry One was asking about lunch.  "We're not even out of the Bronx yet!"  I said, laughing.  We settled on a Trinidadian restaurant in Bridgeport, Connecticut called Bobby B's.  We sipped Guyanese lemonade as we waited for our food to arrive.  It was about 100 degrees inside so I kept popping out to get some air.

Azores - Up Coming Trip

Hiking and Volcanoes
The last time I was in the Azores it was unplanned.  I was flying TAP from Lisbon to NY and we made an emergency landing there.  This time, it's on purpose.  We're flying direct from Boston on July 11th.  If you want to fly from NY, you have to go to Lisbon first then fly back....

Brooklyn - New Neighbor

He Adds Class to the Place
We sat down to breakfast this morning and turned our attention to the backyard as we usually do.  No birds, no squirrels, no action at all.  Unusually quiet.  Then Jean yelled out "look - there's an owl up there!"  I jumped out of my seat and pressed my face into the window, squinting up into the sky.  Quite a surprise.  An owl in Brooklyn?  He's hard to see.  Can you see him?

London - Best of the Isles

No, Not Beer - Cheese
Luckily, my colleagues love cheese.  We went to a cheese shop last night and stocked up on three interesting varieties from the British Isles.  On the left is a Stichelton - an unpasteurized blue that uses the original Stilton starter.  On the right, something called "Stinking Bishop" from Gloucestershire, which is washed with fermented pear juice of the same name.  Not shown is a Welsh variety called Gorwydd Caerphilly.

London - Catching Up

With Old Friends
I worked with this dude for three horrible years in Paris.  Wayne, my counterpart from London, made the weekly trip to Paris and without him I might not have made it.  He always had a way to make me laugh and lighten up.  He retired a few months back and we caught up in a pub near Covent Gardens. It was great to see him.

London - The Agency Lifestyle

It's a Step Up from Cubicle Hell
The UK office of our department shares space with some of our ad agencies.  What a difference that makes.  Both Saatchi and Leo Burnett share the building.  After a hard day, you can take the elevator to the pub for a drink.  Matter of fact, this is London so you can drink any time of day.

Paris Getaway - Part 2

Gorging and Walking

Joseph, Ileana and Jose wanted to take a bus tour and see all the main sights.  I walked them to Notre Dame, which was about fifteen minutes from where we were staying.  They caught a bus from there.  I had other plans - the usual Paris plans: walk around and eat.  Repeat.  One thing you could rely on in Paris is the same old spots would be there waiting for you with the same old good food.

Paris Getaway - Part 1

Twin Birthday Celebration
I found out that Joseph, one of my Costa Rica colleagues, had a birthday a few days after mine so I suggested we all go to Paris to celebrate for the weekend.  I didn't expect them to accept, I figured I would be going alone.  Joseph had been to Paris a few times and he talked the others into checking it out for the first time.