The Portuguese islands of The Azores stand like luscious emerald gemstones in the midst of an azure blue Atlantic Ocean. Here are the stepping stones for many great voyages of discovery and perhaps the residual fragments of the ‘Lost Continent of Atlantis’.
LOST CONTINENT OF ATLANTIS
It seems far-fetched to propose that this string of volcanic islands flung across a wide Atlantic was once the continent and fabled city of Atlantis.
Azores people think it was!
And so did Plato! Back in the 4th century BC, the Greek philosopher wrote of a fabulously wealthy, highly-advanced civilization that was swept beneath the sea by a sudden, catastrophic flood. The broad theory is a string of meteors blasted the frozen north of the planet causing an instantaneous meltdown, raising sea level by around 300 feet and sinking poor Atlantis almost overnight. As it happens, records show there was such a rise in sea level about 11,900 years ago. So what you see now are most likely the mountain tops of the once illustrious continent.
And let’s not forget to mention the 60 meters tall, perfectly square pyramid that exists just 40 meters off the coast of Terciara.
THE MAGICAL ISLANDS
Today, whether or not it is Atlantis, the Azores are definitely a magical mix of enchanted forests, hot springs and volcanic peaks combined with jaw-dropping, pristine beauty and a lifestyle that’s still preserved.
The climate is temperate most of the year thanks to the Gulf Stream feeding warm currents from the Caribbean. It does get quite cloudy through the winter months. The high-season extends from around March all the way through to November.
It’s a wonderfully safe place! Most of the residents speak English and in fact will have relatives in the northeast USA – mainly Massachussets and Rhode Island where so many people from the Azores either emigrated or lived. In other words, they really like Americans!
