View of Pico Mountain:
We take the ferry to the next island. One trip costs only 3,80 € per person — public transport 😉
In the port of Madalena and on the way to the wine museum:
The Azores had no native land animals except for a species of bat when they were discovered and not so many plants. Even the hydrangea, which nowadays grows everywhere, was only introduced from Japan in the 19th century. The dragon tree is one of the few native plants that can still be found.
The wine museum is free of admission on Sundays and we were there all by ourselves at first. The vines are protected from the wind by numerous stone walls. This protection is necessary to keep the soil in place. Fertile soil was imported by the boatload from the neighbouring island of Faial.
On the way back, we pass great gardens again. The gardens and most of the houses are very well kept, the streets are in good shape. On the main road, however, there is a beautiful old hotel complex that seems to be slowly falling into disrepair. It must have been a proud house once.
Back in Horta we can again admire Mount Pico from afar:
