Views Of The Azores

 

 

I was home this last week and got some great mail - here sent by my friend who sailed to the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, and located about 1500 km west of Lisbon and about 1900 km southeast of Newfoundland.

The view cards show:

*Montanha do Pico, a stratovolcano which is the tallest mountain in Portugal. Thank you wikipedia for making me realise that Pico Island vineyards are on the Unesco list - or rather that its the part of the Azores :) though this wouldnt qualify...so close!

*Poço da Alagoinha on Flores Island (and phoa this wasnt so easy to find) also known as Lagoa dos Patos, a permanent puddle under a waterfall. So lush!

*Sperm-whale at the south coast of São Miguel Island.

*Hot springs (caldeiras) on São Miguel

Love the variety of postcards and stamps, and there is more to show...
Sent from Horta on Faial island, a primary stop for yachts crossing the Atlantic.

You Can Spot Us In North America

As it is written on the back: Bobcat (Felis (lynx) rufus)

'Sometimes called Wildcat, a bobcat will attack animals many times its size. It can climb trees but prefers hunting on the ground. It will make its den in hollow trees or other protected areas. It is a wary animal rarely seen. They are 3 ft. (92cm) in length and weight up to 25 lb. (12kg).'

I think the bit about his reclusiveness is what appeals to me, at least as much as his cuteness and beauty..!

 Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

'Eating almost anything from nuts to crayfish, this crafty animal is equally comfortable with suburban man or habitating near forested lakes or streams.'

I had a thing for raccoons ever since i was a small child :) i think its cos of the cool sunglasses...

 Orca Whale (Orcinus orca)

'Perhaps the most popular of the Cetaceans. Males reach up to 31 ft (10m) and females about 23 ft (7m). They possess 40-56 strong teeth up to 4 in (10cm) length. They can reach speeds of 30 mph (48 kph) and dive to depths of 3300 ft (1km!) for periods longer than 20 minutes.'

Well at least minutes i dont need to convert..! :P Would be so cool to be able to go whale-spotting off the north-east coast of the US...

These wonderful animal postcard i received from Cardiffgal and Canno1979 via an Europe Vs World RR :) Love these, as they are some of my fav animals ;)