travels.of.tara

The 4 nights I spent in Flores were marked by epic nature and adventure, on a smaller and less developed island. I rappelled down isolated canyons, zoomed in a fast boat into the open ocean with dolphins, and hiked to epic waterfalls. While I’m leaving with some itchy bug bites and a tired body, my soul feels filled.

Friday, 8/29/25

It was a long travel day from Sao Miguel to Flores, so I’m glad I didn’t plan any activities for today. What a different place this island is! Much smaller, much quieter, with a population of just 3500. I’m staying in Faja Grande on the far west side of the island, about a half hour drive from the airport and main city of Santa Cruz on the east side. It’s wilder here, near some of the better hiking, and it also happens to be home to the only hostel on the island, called The Pink House. The vibe is much more like a traditional hostel here, friendly people all around, sharing tips and making quick friends to do activities together and offer rides. I walked the town this evening, as people complained about the cloudy and sporadically drizzly weather, and looked around in awe of the ocean waves, natural pools, and tall cliffs with narrow waterfalls streaming down. I found a little chill restaurant by the water and got some fried chicken fingers (which they called “American chicken”); one of my few food options beyond the other walkable restaurant that served seafood and the food truck that wasn’t open yet.

Driving here was an adventure. The roads were in fine condition, windy like the others, but at high elevation in the middle of the island the weather abruptly changed and became encased in the clouds, and so foggy I could barely see the road. This rental car is a little more normal of a car, but I still didn’t know the car or the roads, and I couldn’t figure out how to turn on the lights or if they were automatic, so I ended up putting my flashers on and driving slow, letting someone tail me for a while before they aggressively passed me (but with a friendly wave out the window). I survived but it was a little bracing.

I’m happy to be talking to people in this hostel. Sao Miguel was city-like and the vibe defaulted to pretty keep-to-yourself. The one friend I made from my room only really spoke Portuguese so it was hard to chat. Now I’m already friends with the 3 other girls in my room, one from Italy and here with her boyfriend in the other room, a girl from Finland, and an older woman from England living in Italy. Some of them don’t have cars and that seems difficult. The hostel worker grew up here and told me about their Youth Development Association, which is made up of people who couldn’t wait to leave the island growing up but now see its value and want to support it. Tourism also seems to be starting to explode here; someone said 80% of the houses in this town are Airbnbs. The vibe seems to be that there’s not a lot to do here; you can relax (and hike!). There’s also no locks on any of the doors, many of them just hanging wide open; apparently there’s no crime here and if there were everyone would know who did it. Still, a strange concept.

The room is comfy enough, but I’ll miss the privacy curtains, towel rental, and air conditioner from Sao Miguel. But otherwise it is cozy and comfortable enough. Tomorrow it’s an early morning canyoning adventure!

Saturday, 8/30/25

As I’m about to collapse from perhaps overdoing it today, I have a full heart after an amazing day exploring Flores. Unlike previous days when I cut things out and opted for less, today I did more. This island is stunning. Small and accessible, but rural and rugged.

Early breakfast was my own yogurt/snacks and getting to the café down the street after it opened around 7, where I got a double shot latte in a to-go cup for 1 euro (would have been $7 at home). Then I started with an hour-long drive to the north of the island (via the center, because the car rental place said not to drive on the shortcut road). The roads were very windy but with clear skies today (and I found the headlights – they were indeed on auto). The last few minutes of the drive were a bit nerve-wracking, with a really steep downhill and then an isolated dirt road where a man had to move his truck for me to be able to pass (this has happened a few times on this island). But I got to my destination easily enough, and I was ready for canyoning!

The group was just me and 4 guys from Spain (3 brothers and a friend), with two guides. We geared up and got ourselves ready for the adventure, this one much more primitive and isolated than on Sao Miguel, though when we left we did see one other company parked there. We hiked up into the canyon, got a safety briefing, then did a rappel “test” where we practiced the technique on a short hill. It was helpful to learn that you are supposed to use your full foot and not jump down like at the climbing gym. Then right away, off we went! We did several rappels, the longest one 18 meters high. I loved it! I was getting the hang of it as I went, though there was some swinging and a little falling/hitting body parts on rocks, but nothing serious, and everyone kind of did that too. The hardest part for me was once again the high jump, about 10-15 feet, and we did two of them. The second one really messed with my ears when I was coming up from underwater, and they’ve been bothering me all day as I try to pop and pressurize. They’re getting better and it may take a few more days, but fortunately I’m not flying for a few more days. I remember this feeling from diving in Australia. Anyways, the experience was amazing. I felt so full swimming through the cold water under the isolated waterfalls. We hiked back, including some challenging scrambles, and detoured to a gorgeous coastal viewpoint where the guides gave us cheese and honey sandwiches and water bottles – perfect!

After changing in the parking lot and snacking a bit, I said farewell to the boys and drove on, through the northern-most town of Ponta Delgada (same name as the city I stayed in on Sao Miguel, but this one was just a sleepy town). There was a great viewpoint but my legs weren’t ready to let me walk the entire thing. The coastal view was awesome with the island of Corvo in the near distance.

I drove back to Santa Cruz, stopping at a few viewpoints. After zig zagging the town a bit (I sort of stopped using the GPS), I parked at the natural pools, and despite my thought that I wouldn’t want to get wet and swim again, wow did that water beckon me. There was even a bathroom and shower, so I changed and walked down the cement steps to the concrete platforms with several entrances into the salty water. It was perfectly clear and turquoise amongst the jagged lava rocks and there were so many fish swimming right up to me! I am glad I thought to bring my goggles; though a snorkel would have been better, it takes up a lot of space. Laying in the sun for a bit felt magical. I was a little cranky and exhausted from canyoning and my ears ached, but the water really restored me. At night I learned I was lucky, because at high tide the water comes over the concrete and you can’t lay out there.

The day was just half over at this point. The sky was clear so I decided to drive back toward Faja Grande via more viewpoints, namely the 7 crater lakes at the top of the island. They were interesting and isolated; it was nice not having to share the road with many other drivers.

By then it was a little after 4pm, and I was ready to hike again. I parked at the popular Poco da Ribeira do Ferrario waterfall, and climbed the half-mile stone path up to the most amazing cliffside skinny waterfalls overhanging a lake. There were lots of people there enjoying the iconic Azorean scene, some picnicking with their families in the little park. I decided I had the energy for more, so a 3 minute walk down the road I did the Cascata da Ribeira Grande waterfall hike, which was much less crowded, just as beautiful, and more adventurous with a long rock scramble section. I got a hiking/nature high and was just living life, feeling good, ignoring the ear pain which was starting to dissipate. It was an excellent day.

I got back to the hostel a little after 6pm. I was starving but managed to shower first, then dinner at the Indian guy’s food truck next door. I’m not usually a fan but the veggie dish was delicious with a nice beer. And then, despite my tired body and legs, I went for a stroll, which ended up being about an hour of walking into the sunset, including near the Poco do Bacalhau waterfall in town. I ran into two of the roommates separately at the sunset ocean view area. One had just been at the waterfall and mentioned you could swim under it, so now I have my plans for tomorrow. Tomorrow – a day that WILL BE MORE CHILL. I’m hoping to skip a big hike and just see viewpoints, but we’ll see. Thank you for letting me experience your paradise today, Flores!

Sunday, 8/31/2025

I did end up taking it slightly easier today, but I still had a full day. A slower morning, some difficulty finding coffee (the café down the block was closed, and the hostel guy made me some in the bar truck outside but made me pay 2 euros to join the Youth Development Association). Driving to the south to look at various viewpoints in Flores, some crazy hilly roads, some beautiful things, some tiny villages. A walk to the waterfall in town, maybe back later to swim. Ice cream by the water. Exhaustion setting in and back inside for the afternoon for lounging and tv and a midday break for the first time in a while. It’s been a full week of nonstop action and I’m tired, and I’ve got another week to go!

A nice long break. A walk back to the waterfall and a quick plunge into the icy cold water in a beautiful setting, with slippery rocks and a lot more people around now. The grassy area next to the falls became a park for people to lounge on their towels, and that was just fine with me in the sunny evening. A walk back to the chill restaurant for my American chicken dinner, with a view of the waves crashing and the sunsetting slowly with lots of people congregating to watch. I contemplate the loneliness I felt on the first day, which has mostly passed as I deeply enjoy reading my book and drinking cheap good wine in the sunshine, no agenda but my own. I have also noticed a lot of miserable looking couples while hiking, which has been interesting to reflect on as those same hikes bring me childlike joy that I don’t bother to disguise on my face. Still, it might be nice to have someone with me to share the travels with, and to share the decision-making with. I can hold both these thoughts at the same time. Anyway, back to the hostel to get ready for an early morning tomorrow. A relatively chiller day was for sure what I needed.

Monday, 9/1/25

Oh look at that, it appears to be September. You couldn’t tell from where I am; today was another day in summer paradise. Today’s activity was an organized trip to Corvo, the smallest of the nine Azorean islands. With one village and a population of about 400, Corvo is a unique place that to me felt perfect for a half-day visit. Getting there was an adventure! I met the boat at the pier in Santa Cruz (a half hour drive away). There were about 4 boats taking people out, about 15-20 people per boat. We boarded, sitting on the yellow rounded squishy seats by straddling and putting bags in a narrow aisle down the middle. As the boat took off past the short harbor it immediately started speeding into the open ocean. The water didn’t feel especially choppy that day but the speed of the boat made for frequent thuds, and I was gripping on to the seat in front of me for dear life while squeezing my thighs. There didn’t seem to be any actual risk of falling out, and later I reflected that we never signed any kind of a waiver; but if something went wrong on that boat it could have been pretty bad. I guess other boats would have come along and we had life vests, but still. After about 20 minutes of an open air rollercoaster; a large jetski; the boat slowed and we got to enjoy some friendly dolphin visitors! They were so friendly and close! The guide told us they were a darker, faster species. Another 20 minutes of zooming through the ocean later and we arrived in Corvo.

Vans were waiting to take our 10 euros and drive us up to the caldera, where there were hiking options above and inside the crater. I went down in, a steep entry and then a relatively flat hike around two lakes, with lots of cows grazing and rocks that reminded me of the trolls in Frozen. It wasn’t my favorite hike, but mostly because I’m getting spoiled here. Two hours later as I reached the top again, getting hungry, the van arrived, so I hopped in to go back down. They dropped us off at a restaurant. I ate my PB&J and chips on a bench in the shade, got an iced tea from the restaurant, then took off to explore the town. The narrow streets and stone architecture were charming, and I saw lots of locals sitting around outside. The walk didn’t take too long, so I went back to the restaurant area and found a seat under one of the three historic windmills, in the breezy shade, overlooking the town, the small airport runway, and the restaurant. I read for about 45 minutes and then headed back down to the harbor.

The way back entailed sea splashing, and when I got back my sunglasses and face were super salty. It was another adventure. This time, we explored the coast and caves on the northeast side of Flores, near where I had done my canyoning the other day. I loved this part, it was all stunning and so cool to take the boat into the little caves. The driver expertly wooshed through the jagged rocky coast, sometimes going in circles and taking us under a waterfall spray. It was so much fun. What a day.

I agreed to drive a hostel roommate back to Faja Grande, as she had booked a seat on another one of the boats. We met at the grocery store where I finally got some more bottled water (which I’ve been sticking to in fear of stomach issues) and headed back. We talked about her long travels from Russia and other places we liked to visit.

Back around 5pm, I took a much-needed shower, organized my stuff for tomorrow’s flight (which isn’t til a little later in the afternoon), and got dinner at the food truck next door again – this time chicken kebabs with fries. I’m craving veggies very much right now; it will be a priority on my next island where I’m hoping there will be more options.

At night I met up for a yoga class just outside of town, on a quiet grassy area overlooking the ocean and the town. It was Kundalini style, and the teacher was very friendly and adjusted into multiple languages for the visitors, though many locals were also there. It was mostly an energetic breathing-type class, which felt very nice as the sun set on us and nearby cows moo’d themselves to sleep. Leaving in the dark was a little tough but fine. Back in the hostel, squishing a cockroach in the room was not fun, but I’m trying to keep my zen. I also have a few very itchy bug bites on my arm that I’m hoping go away soon. Despite these annoyances, Flores has been incredible, and I’m hoping to return one day. Tomorrow, a slow morning then off to Faial!