Blue and Green Tears

I took a lot of photos today; this island is breathtaking, and I don't say that lightly - but ended up choosing one I took on my phone, as I stupidly didn't take a wide enough angle lens to capture this view of the lakes on the collapsed crater of the Sete Cidades (same one we saw from the plane yesterday). Not particularly easy to see on this photo, but the nearer lake is green and the further one blue. 

The legend is that the local king had a beautiful blue eyed daughter, who loved to leave the castle and wander the countryside. On one of these escapades, she met and fell in love with a poor shepherd. However, she was promised in marriage to a prince. Eventually she agreed to marry him on the condition that she be allowed to say good-bye to her lover. At this farewell, they wept so many tears that she filled the blue lake, and her green-eyed shepherd filled the green lake - and so they are both forever linked by their tears.

We walked across the bridge between the two lakes (extra), and had a coffee in the town on the shores of the blue one.

And climbed to the highest point of the island, where we could see the sea on both sides, as well as another crater lake. And then went down to where boiling water bubbles out of the ground, and you can bathe in lower pools (where it isn't boiling). 

Gratefuls:
- hydrangeas lining all the roads, and as hedges between the fields, where black and white cows graze every day of the year
- giant ferns all around the hot water pools, reminded me of the "Avatar" film
- sunlight through the sea spray against volcanic sand beaches