Azorean Autonomy
If you didn’t know that the Azores are part of Portugal, no one there would tell you.
They prefer it that way.
The Azores are remarkably remote - an autonomous region almost 900 miles from Portugal’s mainland. Azoreans take pride in their autonomy - both in governing and everyday life. Many houses and businesses choose to fly the Azorean, not Portuguese, flag.
The color is shocking. Green - incredibly, almost inexplicably, green. It is so lush that it actually feels wrong to call it “green” - it should have its own color designation. The humidity and frequent rain help hydrangeas flourish - they line most roads like guardrails. The forests are dense and verdant. The land meets the ocean and the ocean meets the sky. Sometimes the sun shines so bright on the water that it’s hard to tell where they meet. Cattle graze high on hills overlooking the towns in the valleys. They taunt the everyman who will work their whole lives and still be unable to afford a view that nice (it’s worth noting there is no such thing as a bad view on São Miguel). Cafes are perfectly crowded, never empty. Many have more flies buzzing than patrons eating. Old men gather at the local snack cart for the customary end-of-day beer, butt, and debate.
The Azores are heartbreakingly beautiful. The kind of beautiful that makes you stop, constantly, and say to yourself “are you kidding me?” As you drive down the coastal roads, you’ll likely be the only car in sight. You’ll be alone - comfortably isolated, perfectly lonely, and free to do as you like. Azorean autonomy.
Camera: SonyA6000, retrofitted with a $40 lens
Location: São Miguel, Açores
Cover Photo: Overlooking Povoacao
