Monday, 8 December 2014

Santa Maria island, Azores - Vila do Porto - The 5th to the 7th December 2014



Who wouldn't like to have a house in such a scenario setting ... where the sun is said to shine intermitently ... and traditions seem to "reign" ... though many people can't do without the city bustling the real truth is one does (I would guess) have a much better living around here ...

I made it to the city of Vila do Porto on foot for the third time in these last three days in search of its churches and a touch of religious spirit around this Christmas season.






















I stopped by the Convent of São Francisco and walked into its little chapel where the statue of Christ always seems to impress me ... there is something about his stern expression that makes me wonder what the author intended to convey. There will be some festivities around the churchyard soon together with stalls selling a wide variety of local handicraft, I have been told (I simply hope I can attend them).






















I continued walking down along the main city avenue till I reached the fifteenth  century  Church of Nossa Senhora da Assunção,whose story is intimately connected to a succession of privateers and pirates's invasions from 1576 through to 1616. The original elements which are said to date back to that epoch are a door and the Manueline-style ceiling.
 





























I ended up my stroll around the city as I reached the fortress of S. Brás overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, having made it later back up into the heart of the city so as to have lunch at a fairly cosy restaurant, which very much resembled the living room of a private house, where I ended up having a very delicious fish fillet meal before getting back my strength to walk all the way to the hotel.





















 

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