Planes, Trains, Boats, and Automobiles!

November 16, 2016 Our last full day in Angra do Herosimo was a day of clouds and sunshine.  Sweaters and a light jacket were all we needed as the weather was in the 60s with lots of clouds and breaks of sunshine.  We saw several rainbows today.  We began the day late ... almost missed breakfast in the hotel again!  But I woke up in time to toss some clothes on and dash down for the coffee, fruit, quiche (it was a seafood thing that I did not love this morning), and a bit of bread.  From there we came back to the room and I decided that I really needed to work on the travel blog (since that was why I schlepped the computer across the Atlantic to get here).  While I compiled pictures into different posts and learned a few more Blogger tricks, Jeff answered some email and then went out for what he calls "a tromp around the ramparts."  He's serious ... you CAN tromp around the ramparts at this hotel. A bit after noon we wandered down to the fron...

November 15, 2016 We started our day with breakfast at the hotel and a saunter (climb?) into town.  We visited this church, Iglesia de la Misericordia.  The church was started in 1728 and completed in 1746, making it the most modern church in the city.  Built on the site of the first Hospital of the Azores (1492), the church was built by an association of the Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit and the Misericoria, a charitable institution.  Today, in addition to the church, it is a nursing home for those without families to care for them.  It is a Catholic church, but is privately owned.  It is a Baroque style church, with a central nave flanked by two bell towers. We spent about an hour in the church, viewing the intricate decoration as well as some native paintings displayed on the walls.  Of special interest to us was the tracker organ, located on the second floor (an arduous climb for me).  It is smaller than the tracker in the M...