Photos from Sao Jorge, Azores

Twenty miles northeast of Horta is the island of Sao Jorge.  We sailed over last Friday and spent the weekend exploring the island. In the picture on the right is the village of Velas. Vixen is actually at the end of one of the finger piers in the marina at the bottom of the picture.

The island is surrounded by steep cliffs with little villages on the "fajas" or the rocky shelves that jut out into the ocean from the base of the cliffs. One village, Santo Christo has no road access -- you have to walk into it along the cliffs. There used to be a cable to send food into the village when the paths would wash out and the sea was too rough to get there by boat. It was a couple of hours to walk in with the girls. In the village (which, like any place without cars, is wonderful) was a cafe where we had a drink. I asked the man behind the bar how many people lived in Santo Christo in the winter. "Three," he said. "Me and two others."

---

The Church of Santo Christo

The cliffs and fajas of Sao Jorge

Seffa Jane taking it to the street!

The perfect saltwater swimming hole.

This is a cool old house in Santo Christo. It is made of hand hewn volcanic blocks like many of the homes in the Azores. This village had a distinctive style, the corners of the windows -- including the panes -- are rounded.

We saw three of these festivals on our drive around the island. These are elaborate designs that went on for over a kilometer made of flower petals.