Why the Azores? First time when I learned that the Azores existed was probably when in my childhood I browsed through a book about islands of the Atlantic. I was always fascinated by islands and the sea, probably as Switzerland does not have any or because whenever we went on holiday abroad, there was at least one ferry trip included. I visited the Azores for the first time in 2008, it left me just speechless. Volcanic of origin, the islands are all over green, covered in the more remote and mountainous areas by forests, in the other areas by pastures full of cows and all that surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean. Apart from some larger cities like Ponta Delgada on São Miguel, the main island, or Angra do Heroísmo on Terceira, settlements are rural and peaceful – somewhat as if the clock was turned back some decades. Luckily, Barbara also very soon got addicted to visiting islands around the world, and the Azores, which we have visited seven or eight times over the last ten years, also became her favourite place. When we started to think seriously about doing something completely new, the decision to choose this archipelago some 1600 km west of Lisbon in between Europe and America, was not really difficult to take.How did we find and pick the place of our new home? Of the nine islands making up the Azores, Faial is part of the central group, by population with its 15 thousand inhabitants third largest, by size fifth largest. Our pick fell on Faial, because it has a bit of everything, there are quiet agricultural villages on the north coast, the almost cosmopolitical capital Horta with its harbour, the spectacular volcanos including Capelinhos which erupted last in 1957/58, the stunning view on the 2351m high Mount Pico just across the canal on the neighbouring island of Pico, and, last but not least, we are surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and visited by lots of whales. In short, Faial is a place worth living. Three years ago, we started looking for some real estate, not just on Faial, but also on the islands of Terceira, Pico and Flores, first on the internet, then by spending days touring these places. Finally, a year ago we found our new home (thanks Rens Metaal @azoresproperties) and things pretty soon became serious.
