The Azores boasts an a wide array of flowers, many of which have been imported from all across the globe for their ornamental properties. Hydrangeas/hortensias are particularly prolific, but there are many others to discover throughout the island's botanical gardens, or even along the country roadsides.
As the algal blooms clear away at the end of the spring, the deep oceanic waters around the Azores takes on a a brilliant blue shade. This blue looks even more vibrant when you are in the water, surrounded by the vast open blue space.
Spring in the Azores is a time of high ocean productivity. The increase in productivity and temperature attracts a wide range of marine species to the waters around the Azores Islands. Several species of baleen whales and toothed whales as well as seabirds and other marine life all take advantage of the ideal conditions.
Baleen whale action in the Azores! On this particular day out on the water I got to see numerous fin whales (2014 was a record year for fin whales, we encountered this species 35 days in a row!) and a very large blue whale. This blue whale was not only showing its tail at the start of dives, but it even surprised us with a powerful tail breach when some dolphins approached.
In the Azores, the spring months can be a rough time of the year, making whale watching very challenging. But occasionally you get lucky with conditions. These are the best days because the spring is the best time of the year to see the largest number of species. Baleen whales such as fin whales, blue whales and sei whales migrate past in large numbers, and at this time we also see the arrival of tens of thousands of Cory's shearwaters that breed on the volcanic islands.
After spending a couple of weeks in hot and dry conditions in Mexico, it was a bit of a shock to the system to return to the humid environment of the Azores in the winter. The lush green scenery really is inviting though. It's no wonder I stayed in the Azores for so long...
I've been to Lisbon a few times now, as it's typically the port that I fly from to get to the Azores. To keep it interest, each time I'm there I try to visit some different places, rather than just the centre. This time I spent some time exploring Belem, located to the west of the city centre. It's a beautiful area that is well worth a day trip. It's not easy to capture the essence of Belem in photographs.
