Dorothy
I woke up about half an hour ago, disoriented, and not quite sure where I was. It took me a moment or two to get my bearings. My feet won't be touching the polished marble floors at Elmiro and Alice's home in Porto Martins. I won't hear the lively conversation at the kitchen table as my family begins the day with cafe, pao, queijo, and various fruits. Instead, I'm back home in the Pacific Northwest. It is overcast outside and I hear the rain beating against the windows. Although I have numerous errands to accomplish, it is a good day for working on my final thoughts and reflections. It won't take much effort for my mind to wander along "ruas das memorias".... or streets of memories .... all I need to do is close my eyes and I am there, back enjoying our final days in Terceira.
Another entertaining event during the final day of the festas was the bullfight on the beach. My dad used to tell us the story of how he was chased into the water and lost his camera during one of these events many years ago. I thought about Dad as we watched the four bulls, one at a time, loosened on the beach. Today they are held tethered by a rope to keep them from causing too much trouble. Still, you need youth and exuberance to outrun the bulls on the beach. We chose to watch from a distance, a safe location near the marina. We had a great view and plenty of good conversation and laughs!
The final night of the festas was a grand celebration. Twenty minutes of the most gorgeous fireworks exploded over the marina/harbor of the praia. The fireworks were choreographed to music, and you could feel the vibrations throughout your entire body. My aunts and uncles thought it would be nice to say good-bye to the praia on the last night by driving up to the town's outlook point -- Serra do Facho. From the beach you can look up at the high ridge and see the glowing statue watching over the praia. From the top, you can look down and see the lights of Praia twinkling and feel the evening breeze caress your face. We sat on the overlook's stone fence and took in the sights and sounds of the praia below, each quiet with our own private thoughts and reflections on this final evening. Each of us wanting to say good-bye in our own way. We blew one last kiss to the praia before departing.
The festas over, we spent one final afternoon in town saying our good-byes to shopkeepers and friends. We set about packing our suitcases and wrapping our "treasures" carefully. Included in my treasures is a small gold charm from my Tio Armando with the Portuguese inscription: Remember your tio. How could I ever forget you tio! The drive to the airport was a difficult one. Looking out the car window I tried to memorize every little detail....knowing that soon I would only be able to rely on my memory. Hugs, kisses, tears, and "I love you's" flowed, along with promises to return one day soon. Then before we knew it, we were sailing skyward on SATA Airlines headed for the east coast and family I have not seen in over thirty years!
The three days in Connecticut with the De Castro family were a joy! I remember my older cousins well, despite the passage of time. The younger cousins were all grown up with spouses and children of their own. We all gathered together for main meals and stories about growing up in the Azores abounded. My older cousins remembered me as a baby before leaving Terceira. They were between 5 and 9 years of age at the time. We got to hear funny stories about my mom as a young girl too. There were many laughs to go around. My brother James took cousin Durval to see a Red Sox baseball game at Fenway Park while we girls drove with Maria Bela about an hour to Fall River, Massachusetts. There we shopped in Portuguese groceries and markets for products to take home. Lisa has been the "keeper" of the family Portuguese recipes, quizzing our aunts and cousins about "how much of this" and "how much of that" to use. She also purchased a Portuguese cookbook. I'm expecting to have an occasional sampling whenever I'm out visiting Mom in Seabeck. Thank you to our cousins for a wonderful time on the east coast. I hope and pray it won't be as long before I see you all again. I'm thinking of you all .... Durval and Maria (Paul, Steven, Mark, and Karen), Maria Bela and Tia Conceicao, Balbino and Clotilde (Philip), David and Nelia (David, Christina), Herminio and Linda (Michelle), Manny and Kim (Adriano, Christian), your wonderful spouses and all the littlest cousins too! We will never forget our tias Inez and Leontina.... we miss you and will see you in God's Kingdom one day.
We all experienced mixed feelings about our return trip. It was wonderful to come home to the beauty of Washington State and to all that we know as "home". Yesterday we called Tia Alice and found out, that while it's overcast and rainy here, it's sunny and beautiful in Terceira. It rained for us the day we left and we've come home to rain. The rain is calming....cleansing....
By the time this is posted to my blog site, we will be nearing the end of our stay on Terceira Island. This thought leaves me with a heavy heart, as I know I will be leaving a part of myself behind. There will always be a tug on my heart to return, and God willing, maybe I will be able to one day. In the meantime, I’m planning to spend my last couple of days soaking in the sights, sounds, and scents of our beloved island…memories to tuck into the recesses of my mind when I need a special “treasure” to gladden my heart.
I want to thank Captain Tim Stoner for the memories of Lajes Air Force Base. Because of his generosity, we were able to tour the base and see where my father worked many years ago when he was stationed at Lajes. Just a block or two off base, we saw the small little home (#10) where my mother and father lived after they were married and where I spent the first few months of my life. I also saw the chapel where I was baptized as an infant on base.
Because they had recently moved their services to another location, I didn’t have the new address. So after calling and making contact, he met me at a known location and drove me to the church. This was an interesting story too. He told everyone that he was expecting a blond American woman to get out of a car with an American license plate. Instead, I hop out of my uncle’s rental car from Terceira, and behold….I’m Portuguese!!
I had a wonderful Sabbath with the brethren here in Praia. It’s so amazing to me that no matter where you may roam on this earth, you can find brothers and sisters who love the Lord and welcome you into their fold. God’s spirit binds you together is such a special way. The church provided me with a translator who sat next to me and translated the sermon. It surprised me that I could understand a good deal of the sermon and I was even able to sing praise songs in Portuguese. I loved that I was greeted by everyone with a kiss on each cheek. Tears welled up in my eyes when Senhor Mauricio prayed for me and for safe travels for my family. What a blessing today was! I’m thankful to God for helping me to locate my Portuguese brothers and sisters in Christ. I told them that I would keep in touch when I returned home. I will never forget this day!
This evening we attended the “running of the bulls” at the Praia festas. We sat up on a high stone fence and watched as the bulls were led through the streets, one at a time, tethered on a long rope. Vendors walked up and down the streets selling treats and balloons and musicians played their instruments between bull runs. Tomorrow (Sunday) is the final day of the festas and they will conclude tomorrow evening with the bulls on the praia (beach). We will be there!
If it’s sunny, I want to spend the morning hours walking along the waterfront and going for a swim either here in Porto Martins or on the praia. I want to spend some time alone reflecting on all this trip has meant to me. I want to capture as much of it as I can in my memory. The next time I write, we will probably be on the east coast with our cousins in Connecticut. I know the tears will flow as we say good-bye to our loved ones here. My Tio Armando worries. His diabetes is difficult to manage and he has other health concerns. My Tio Elmiro has had a kidney transplant and will be undergoing a biopsy for prostate cancer. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring and it saddens us to part. The good-byes are always hard, but I’m thankful for this time I’ve had. I will treasure the memories forever, until the day we are together again.
O meu coracao sempre esta em Terceira!
We’ve finally found some time to chronicle our latest adventures with Tio Armando. He’s been so wonderful driving us all around the island. He calls us his “Tres Marias.”
The last several days have been packed with touring the island. As I mentioned in my last blog entry, much has changed since I visited the summer after the 1980 earthquake. The buildings damaged at that time have been restored and everything is looking beautiful on the island once again. We visited the Matriz Church where my mother and father were married in 1956. The church was built in 1456 and my mother remembers the 500th anniversary celebration. Today the inside has been beautifully restored. We were all quite in awe to stand near the altar where my mother and father said their vows to one another over 50 years ago.
Yesterday we hiked down a volcanic tunnel (Algar do Carvao) that is situated near the center of Terceira Island. It was formed after eruptions 3,000 and 2,000 years ago. The Azores Archipelago was formed as a result of these volcanic eruptions and walking down the cavernous tunnel felt like we were hiking down to the center of the earth. It was quite amazing! Last evening we spent at the Praca De Toiros in Angra do Heroismo watching the bullfight. The cavaleiro on horseback was very skilled. Six bulls were used during the performances. People showed their pleasure by throwing flowers to the cavaleiro. I tried to talk my sister Lisa into throwing her bra into the ring, but she hadn’t had enough Sagres yet! Sagres is the most popular cerveja on the island.
Today we went to the Museu Do Vinho in Biscoitos. Armando told us that the best wines of the Azores are made in Biscoitos. The winery looked very old and the museum exhibited antique wine presses. Grapes were growing on the vines as we walked through the arbors. It was quite beautiful. We sipped on some of the local wines and enjoyed the beauty of the area. Nobody has been able to tell me why the town is called Biscoitos…which means “biscuits” in Portuguese.
Speaking of biscuits, dinner tonight at Elmiro and Alice’s home was “muito bom”. All of the vegetables in our meals have been grown in Elmiro’s garden. The tomatoes are so red and full of flavor! He even makes his own tomato paste at home. It was very interesting watching him cut up live “lapas” or sea limpets. He cuts off their heads and eats them raw….yuck! Even Elmiro has to eat a small clove of garlic as a chaser!
Tomorrow I am looking forward to touring Lajes Air Force Base where my dad was stationed. Mom is planning to show us the small house where she and Dad lived off base with me when I was a baby. I am also looking forward to meeting my Tia Ana and her husband tomorrow night for the first time. They are flying out from Cambridge, Ontario.
Nothing remains the same….all things change and undergo the passage of time. The same is true for my beautiful Terceira. Yesterday I stood below the apartment homes of my Tias Leontina and Inez, where I stayed twenty-seven years ago during my last visit. I can close my eyes and still remember lying in bed each morning and listening to the sound of the wooden wagon wheels of the donkey carts traveling by. The fishmonger would call out as he passed by….”peixe”. Fresh pao (bread) and leite (milk) were also delivered to the door each morning. We would also awaken to the sound of a multitude of birds chirping! The cobblestone street in front of my Tias’ place in Praia has now been paved over for passing cars and a hotel has been built across the street. I almost didn’t recognize where I was….but was finally able to get my bearings. The side roads are still the same, and hopefully will remain so for some time to come. It is the quaintness of the island that makes it so special and although progress can be welcome, my hope is that Praia will keep its unique flavor for many years to come.
We have done quite a bit of walking around town. My sisters did a good job of explaining the decorations around Praia for the “festas”. The festival extends from August 3 to August 12th. It began with an evening parade down the main street of Praia. Decorations included colorful hanging quilts from each window and bright lights along the beach boardwalk and up and down the streets of town. Bands played musica through the evening, a hot air balloon was set up on the beach and restaurants set up full-service dining tents all along the marina….much like the “Bite of Seattle” but with a complete dining experience rather than just a single “bite”. We stay out late and walk up and down the beach. Last night we met a serviceman from Minnesota stationed at Lajes Air Force Base, where my dad had been stationed many years ago. This young serviceman, Tim, gave us his work number and may be able to get us on the base later this week. It’s been fun to walk the beach and listen to the Portuguese families – we’re starting to pick up on more and more words each day! The festas end on August 12th with a “bull run” on the beach!
During the past couple of days I’ve visited the church where my parents were married. It is hundreds of years old (1456) and a landmark in town. We drove to the top of Monte Brasil yesterday afternoon. It is an old fortress and overlook. At the top you can see around the island for miles. We drove to the island municipality of Angra Do Heroismo (Heroism Bay) yesterday and walked around the beautiful and lush “Jardim” park. Angra is where the main bullring is located and we’re hoping to acquire tickets to the bullfight (tourada) event this Tuesday. The bull is not killed in Portugal, but we will still be ready with our best “Ole’s” as the handsome cavaleiro demonstrates his skill against the toro bravo!
We finally arrived on Sao Miguel after numerous hours of flight and crossing several time zones. The flights were fairly smooth and uneventful, which was a good thing! We spent an entire day just traveling and so we were very tired upon our arrival. Because our inter-island flight was busier than expected, SATA airlines needed to leave some baggage behind. We didn't find out until we arrived at Lajes on Terceira that Teresa and I had suitcases left behind. Yikes! They were finally delivered later that evening by taxi service and we were greatly relieved to have our clothes and other essentials! It was wonderful meeting tios Elmiro and Armando, and tia Alice. We had "abracos" (hugs) all around! They have a beautiful home and we were made to feel most welcome!
After some sleep on Wednesday we finally made our way down to the town of Praia today. It has changed some since I was last here 27 years ago! The town has grown and there are many new and quaint homes that were built after the earthquake. We walked the cobbled streets and did some shopping today. We took pictures by the church where my parents were married, the home where my mother lived with her "tias", Mom's grade school, and the little sewing/alteration shop she worked in when she first caught my dad's eye! I can just imagine him peeking through the door and flirting with my cute mama!
Tomorrow Praia begins to gear up for the festas....which last from August 3-12. Workers are stringing lights up all over town. Many events will be taking place after the light ceremony tomorrow evening. There will be art events, dancing, food, and of course....bulls running on the beach! We'll have to see if my brothers can outrun them!
It's been more difficult finding internet service than we thought, but we finally found a wireless connection out by the marina. We hope to download more photos this evening and share them with you sometime during the next couple of days. So, stay tuned...more to come! 
