On our last morning in Vila Franca do Campo, we went out on the water with Filipe who runs Azorsea Adventures for a quick boat trip to check out Ilhéu de Vila Franca do Campo. These cliffs are often the site of major diving championships. Filipe was a wonderful host and guide… so pleased to have met him at the marina on our first afternoon in the village. 
We have been waiting and watching for the clouds to clear from around Lagoa do Fogo, but a low pressure system has been sitting over the island for two weeks, and we never saw the peak. Even if everything else was sunny, a thick cloud has hung onto the mountain since before we arrived. We ended up driving up it on our way to the airport, just in case it opened up. No luck, but it was quite a wild ride in the fog and as cold as can be up top. It’s a great excuse to return to the Azores, as if we needed one.
We got one last box of Queijadas de Vila Franca do Campo, and took a last walk around town. I love that the bakery delivers bread each morning, tying the standing order to the doors around the village.
Throughout the villages, we are seeing beautiful Portuguese tile work adorn houses, provide directions, and name streets. These are all from Vila Franca do Campo.
