Pico and
Sao Jorge

Whales, wines and flowers set the scene on these neighboring isles.

   Photos by Jack Dodge  

The monument in the harbor at Lajes honors Pico's whalers. A whaling museum is nearby.

A narrow roadway in downtown Lajes.

Porto do Cachorro, named for the dog formed in rugged volcanic rock, is one of the communities where local wine is made and stored.

This cooperative winery in Madalena on Pico has an enormous "dragon tree," believed to to 200 years old.

Grapes are grown in sections marked by ancient stone walls.

Pico gets its name from Portugal's tallest mountain, which rises 2351 meters, about 7,700 feet, above the green fields.

Pico can be plainly seen on the horizon from the shores of Velas on Sao Jorge.

We could moor in the harbor of Velas and walk to the picturesque town.

The entrance to the city is through this ancient city gate.

The side streets of this Velas are hilly and provide a variety of photographic opportunites.

Velas' colorful town square and pedestrian shopping mall are used mostly by locals and visiting sailors as tourists are few.

On to Faial