DAY TWO

DAY TWO

So much for early rising.  I wake at 6:30 and take a peak out the window.  The baker doesn’t disappoint.  I return to bed for almost three more hours of blissful sleep.  The house is concrete and since there are very few places on the whole island where one doesn’t have a view of the Atlantic Ocean, the air is cool and damp.  The house doesn’t have a central heating system but Sergio has provided electric oil radiators that warmed our bedrooms over night.  The comfort of the ample blankets and thick cotton sheets that are the texture of swaddling baby blankets back home is tough to resist and outside is overcast skies.  The decision to sleep in is made easy.  I rise again at 9:30 and come downstairs.  I make myself a breakfast roll with cheese and ham.  Michelle joins me 45 minutes later.  I begin my journal entries and watch Al Jazeera; the only English speaking news I can find on television. Michelle reads her magazine and at about 10:45 we decide to go wake Mackie.  We go upstairs and crawl into bed with him and are sound asleep in seconds.  Vacation is a time to relax after all.  We wake again at 1pm local time.  Mac retrieves the bread and looks for the dogs he befriended yesterday. 

Load the car and back to Ferraira for a dip.  We get there earlier today relative to low tide when the hot springs have their greatest influence of the water temperature in the swimming hole.  The waves also are slightly higher today and we are bounced around and treated to a roller coaster ride of a swim.  Mac opts to spend some of his time lying in the sun on a lava bed. 

A couple of hours later our bodies are exercised and we are ready to explore new sites as the drizzle begins.  Today we opt for the “fast road”.  We still haven’t exceeded 70 kph.  The fast road at this part of the island only means that it is paved.  It is single lane each way and narrows considerably whenever it passes through a village.  We are stopped in one rural village as a couple of young boys, the younger being Mac’s age, shepherd their heard of cattle from one pasture to another about 400 metres down the road.  We spot a photo op and Mac obliges by jumping out of the vehicle and cautiously joining the boys on foot at the rear of the heard.  We visit  the town of Capelas and grab drinks and snacks at a grocery store there.  The weather is now cold and rainy but we awe at the waves crashing on various beaches along the coast as we make our way to Ribiero Grande.  We have heard of a wonderful restaurant there called Alabote.  We quickly find it after entering the village at 8:30pm and making our way through narrow one-way streets to the wharf. Not many people about with the weather, wonder if it is closed.  We walk into the front doors and look down a hallway.  A well groomed gentleman greets us and welcomes us in literally with open arms and a slight bow.  He seems excited to see us as he leads us into a beautiful dining room with one wall all of glass looking out over what else, waves crashing on black sands and volcanic rock.  We are seated with first-class attentiveness and waited on with impeccable five star service.  Michelle and I share a Alabote Casserole for two; fresh fish and seafood in a buttery sauce with onions and peppers.  Mac enjoys a Spaghetti Bolognese. But indulges in a couple of clams from our casserole.  The gentleman greeter turns out to be the owner and checks on our table more than once.  He has noticed our foreignness and is eager to impress.  He introduces himself, Rui and gives Michelle a special gift in a bag, "From this very house.” he says as he hands it to her.  He offers us his business card and includes his private number.  If we need anything, and he means anything we are to call him.  I felt like I was visiting a long unseen relative. Michelle is delighted as she opens her gift on our way home; a teacup and saucer from the restaurant.  Back at the house Michelle prepares herself a cup of tea while Mac enjoys a warm cup of milk before bed.  I am going to try a Sagres Cerveja.  I bought a single beer at the grocery store. It is 1:00am.  Hopefully rise early enough to see a music festival performance in town tomorrow morning.