And Finally

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Our final stop and the fourth out of the nine islands that make up the Azores was Terceira. We based ourselves in Angra do Heroismo, the most important city in the Azores historically and with a certain period charm and grace that we had not identified on our other stops.





 All of the islands have their own individual characteristics and just when you think that you cannot imagine there being anything unique on another trip to view volcanic craters, you are proved wrong. This time, I actually entered a inside a dormant volcano vent and even ventured through ancient lava tunnels.

The celebrations for the Festival of the Holy Spirit continued here too but unlike the parades in Ponta Delgada, we encountered White Night when everyone wore white and a band played in the town square. 


Terceira is also known for its bull fighting and running where the bull remains tethered to a long rope and is not killed. Although there were instances of both taking place during our visit, we did not seek them out preferring to view the animals grazing on the verdant green pasture land in fields with boundaries of hydrangea hedges in full bloom.

We had the opportunity too to experience at first hand the local health care system. After hearing from our guide in Portugal a few weeks earlier that the Portuguese health system was in a crisis similar to that of own NHS and reading some rather critical reviews online, we approached the local hospital with a sense of trepidation. Mister E had been suffering from an ear infection for several days and when over the counter remedies had failed to remedy the situation the pharmacist advised him to visit the local Accident and Emergency Department.

Compared to our repeat visits to the local unit in our home town back in 2022, the hospital in Angra was a model of efficiency, delivering prompt advice and treatment for which we could have no complaint. I was a little surprised to be asked to pay 60 Euros for the service despite producing our reciprocal health care card, but that proved to be a misunderstanding when the sum required was in fact only 6. 



 


It was interesting to discover later that Vasco Da Gama had called into Angra on one of his many voyages when his ill brother needed treatment and he knew of the island's functioning hospital. 525 years later and we were repeating history. Fortunately Mister E pulled through magnificently and we both made it home to continue retirement life, unlike poor Paulo da Gama who was buried in Angra.

 



Comments

Treaders said…
I'm so glad everything worked out for you at the hospital. Maybe it's because it is a smaller hospital that it is so efficient! My sister ended up in their small-ish hospital in Spain recently and said the service couldn't have been better!
30 July 2024 at 07:58
Caree Risover said…
Sadly the urgent treatment centre at our small local hospital here in the UK can’t offer that level of service and the night I was transferred by ambulance to A&E at our regional hospital the queue (which I skipped for priority admission to Resus) was over 6 hours according to the constant tannoy announcements. Media reports and NHS statistics suggest that’s not unusual!
30 July 2024 at 09:09
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