Azores Day: 6

Today we were supposed to wake up at 7:30 am for a whale watching boat tour.

I woke up and my phone said 9:42 am.

I frantically woke Fern. We checked every device in the room. It was, confirmed, 9:42 am. We both sat there in silence and just... sat in it. The disappointment. The guilt. We took a moment to properly mourn our loss. We don't know how we slept through at least two alarms set on each device — they may simply have not gone off. We are choosing to believe that.

Then housekeeping knocked on the door and was visibly shocked to find me answering in my pajamas. The night before, knowing we were the only guests and that they would have been preparing breakfast just for us, we had specifically told them not to bother — we'd be on a boat. So when she found me very much not on a boat at nearly 10 am, she looked genuinely concerned. I swiftly informed her that our tour had been "canceled" and we were heading into town for brunch. She did not entirely seem to believe me. We moved on.

With only an hour or two before kayaking at 12:30, we found a brunch spot in Angra do Heroísmo and had a tofu grain bowl and avocado toast — no meat, no cheese. A true milestone. Hallelujah.

We headed to the meeting point for kayaking. Our guide was very nice but was not remotely impressed with our skills — he treated us like it was our first time in a kayak, despite the fact that both of us have kayaked many times and Fern rowed competitively for years. We let him have it. The kayaking itself was enjoyable as we made our way through the bay, right up until we exited into the unprotected open ocean and I was hit with the worst seasickness of my life. Every single paddle stroke I genuinely thought I was going to throw up. I did not throw up. I survived on sheer willpower and the scenic distraction of a UNESCO World Heritage coastline, about which our guide thankfully provided plenty of history since we weren't doing any other formal tour of the city. After we docked, Fern went back to the car to get a tip for the guide while I kept chatting with him. He was so confused about where she had gone that he actually looked under the car.

Next we headed to Monte Brasil — a large, foliage-covered extinct volcanic peninsula just outside Angra do Heroísmo — for viewpoints and a wander. We saved the best for last: the cat colony at Pico das Cruzinhas, a well-cared-for group of free-roaming cats that have made the park their home. We met at least thirty of them, along with one of the women who volunteers to care for them daily — and has been doing so for over thirty years. She told us that the government used to refuse to acknowledge the colony as part of the park and at one point tried to poison all the cats. She fought back, and now works with the government to provide them shelter, vet visits, and proper care. Our favorite was Violet — a beautiful white and gray cat with striking blue eyes. Photos and videos below, obviously.

We drove through town and admired all the colorful buildings, made a quick stop at the Duke of Terceira Garden — very pretty, worth a look but not a linger — and then visited Olaria de S. Bento, a traditional family-run pottery workshop. I bought a spoon rest since it was the only thing I was confident wouldn't shatter in my bag. Hopefully.

For an early dinner we decided to be brave. The kayaking guide had recommended Quinta, which turned out to be more of a dairy farm with a restaurant attached, and we decided it was time to get over the meat and cheese hump. Fern ordered a T-bone steak. I ordered a three-cheese pasta. We finished with ice cream. It was satisfying in the moment — definitely a little cowy — and approximately thirty times cheaper than the same meal would have been in the US. We are glad we survived that deep dive back into a full diet.

We rushed out to make it to Serra do Cume for sunset, which was hidden by clouds. The viewpoint itself more than made up for it — a famous volcanic ridge with sweeping panoramic views of the island's vast green patchwork quilt of fields divided by volcanic stone walls. The most beautiful lookout we saw in all of Terceira. And bonus: we spotted a hedgehog in the wild. So cute. So small. Did not expect that.

To close out the evening we stopped by some cows, played them jazz, mooed at them (they did not appreciate it), and felt genuinely happy to have seen some whales of the land despite the morning's mishap.

Back at the hotel — after navigating the dark woods path, shaky video below — Fern "forced" me to watch Vanderpump Rules. It was shocking. It made me feel very intelligent by comparison. We watched four episodes and have no regrets.

Tomorrow we leave Terceira and head back to São Miguel. Good night!

♡ Ink