1958 volcano

Capelinhos is a volcano that was born not so many years ago. In 1957 and 1958 a huge eruption started in the sea close to the western shore of the Fial, one of the Azores Islands, creating initially a land of 3 km2. Today almost one-third of that area is gone due to water erosion. What is left resembles a Moon-like or rather Mars-like landscape.
The Capelinhos Volcano is a proof that many of the islands in the Azores are still volcanically active.




Please click HERE to see the photo in its full dimension !

Maciek

Nikon D80

Lens: Sigma 17-70
Panorama of 8 vertical photos.

Lake of Fire

Lagoa de Fogo or Lake of Fire is one of the crater lakes on the São Miguel island in Azores, Portugal. This was the last day of our "from one to another island" hopping trip.


Maciek

Nikon D80
Sigma 10-20
F 11
Fl 13 mm
ISO 100.
10.08.2009

From the São Jorge island to the west

A dramatic sunset as observed on Monday´s evening, the 3rd of August 2009, close to our hotel on the São Jorge island, Azores.

Maciek.

Nikon D80
Date: 03.08.2009 21:59
F 14
ISO 200
Fl 13 mm
Sigma 10-20 mm
2 sec
ND 03
Post processing: PS CS3, sharp, white balance, crop.

Moonscape walk

Capelinhos is a volcano that erupted in September 1957 creating a strange landscape: Moon-like-scape or rather Mars-like-scape.

A new land of about 3 km2 was made and 1.5m to 5 m thick layer of ash coverd the western part of Fial ( one on the Azores ) island.

Maciek

04th of August 2009.

A photo session under the volcano

Pico volcano, as seen from the Captain´s lake.

Today we took a ferry to next Azores island called Pico. The island is named after its biggest volcano ( 2351 m ). Pico is a very young volcano only 750 000 years old. The last eruption happened in the XVIIIth century.


Maciek.

03rd of August 2009.

Sao Jorge island early morning.

Northern coast of Sao Jorge island, 5.45 in the morning.

Maciek.

The picture was awarded a front page of www.plfoto.com
and at www.podroze.pl

In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean

The British Aerospace ATP turboprop powered plane over the Atlantic Ocean.

After a short stay at the main Azores island São Miguel, we are finally heading to São Jorge Quinta do Sõa Pedro hotel, a small island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Bamboo Forest - part II

Coimbra botanical gardens ( part I ) continued ...







Maciek

Portuguese Estremadura

A postcard from Estremadura.

Name "Estremadura" means "estremities". Stretching along the Atlantic coast, not far from Lisbon, Estremadura is the second largest Portuguese wine producing region.

This land contains small lovely towns with white houses and the rolling countryside, where the vines grow and old windmills still clack in the breeze.





Date/time: 2009-07-20 16:38:10
Nikon D80
F-stop: f8
ISO: 100
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Did not fire
Focal length: 17 mm
Lens: Sigma 17.0-70.0 mm
Exp -0.3



Maciek

Half a day in Obidos.

Óbidos is one of Portugal´s top tourist attractions. Two whites to taste: in front white Estremadura from the local Cooperativa de Óbidos producer and white vinho verde from the Northern Portugal.

On our way to Quinta de Chocapalha we stepped in for a couple of hours to the small town of Óbidos. Óbidos is one of Portugal´s top tourist attractions. At this time of the year we expected to find hordes of tourists occupying every inch of that small town. To our surprise the village was quite and charming. "30% less tourists this year" a lady serving us food at Real Taverna restaurant told us. We liked that very much.
So we found a small table at the restaurant and tasted two couples of wine: white Estremadura from the local Cooperativa de Óbidos producer which had a fine yellowish color and turned out to be also very nice in mouth and compared it to simple couple of white vinho verde from the Northern Portugal.
What a nice lunch we had !

Agnieszka sitting in Real Taverna, Obidos.

Maciek
Monday, 21st of July 2009.