Get on the struggle bus
Sometimes you can get away from it, other times not so much. Jetlag and an overnight flight were all too real this time.
We arrived in Ponta Delgada at a little after 6am local time, the sun had yet to rise and it was raining pretty good. After grabbing our rental car and checking in to the hotel, our hearts told us to head out into town and see what we could see. But our bodies told us otherwise, and the sight of comfy beds were too much to ignore. A “quick” nap turned into a short rest, before we finally pulled ourselves from the slumber.
The necessity of coffee in this scenario cannot be overstated. After a quick online scan of options, we headed out to Louvre Michaelense. This place simply oozes with charm and was the perfect way to kick start our day. I could have sat at our corner window table for hours and just watched the people strolling by on the cobblestone outside. The place had a strong French vibe, but fit so perfectly into what I imagined the Azores to be.
Wandering the small, cobbled streets of this vibrant town gives one the feeling of calmness. Amid the hustle of the cars, people are in no rush to get anywhere in particular. Removing that purpose from my brain, can be hard back home, but here, it only took seconds and I was one of them, simply sauntering around town. No place to be, no time to be there by, that’s where you’ll find me.
Lunch is apparently the big meal of the day, and we did our best to eat like the locals. A Tosca received many recommendations as a must try while here, and it did not disappoint. Fresh local cheese, with sweet chili sauce and almonds, flambéd local sausage, garlic shrimp, buttered mussles, pineapple cake casually devoured. Throw in a bottle of local Rosé, Terras De Lava, and an after lunch Port, and the bill comes to a whopping $63 US. By the way, tipping isn’t a thing here, so you can skip on that.
More sauntering ensued into the late afternoon as we took in the city. A drizzle formed and forced us back to the hotel just before the skies opened for a deluge for the night.
Cocktails and a lounge DJ completed a long, tiring day in Ponta Delgada.