We just finished the 10-day-long Sanjoaninas Festival in the capital, Angra do Heroísmo (above, adorned with lights). Versus last year when we only participated in one evening of festivities, this year we could not avoid the party with both of us working in the city. Aside from the crowds in our respective places of work, the streets were full of people, food vendors (tascas), and various dancing troupes and philharmonic bands. The last night ended in a show of fireworks over the beach (which I did not attend as it was midnight and I was walking up to my car to drive home).

Yard Updates

After a month of settling in place, the millstone was ready to be finished with crushed gravel. It’s a nice addition that also gave us the opportunity to edge and define the herb garden. We both enjoy standing on it as it is the flattest, smoothest spot on the entire property – I swear you can still feel it vibrating from the years of spinning and grinding atop the other millstone. It has become a nice ‘power spot’ in the yard.

The back garden bed is coming together nicely with volunteer tomatoes, two kinds of watermelons, and lettuce. Most of the borrage has since been chopped down as mulch. And good news! Our one bunch of bananas that survived the rough winter are finally ripening! In addition, three new banana trees have started to flower (above).

The anona tree near the grill received another trim (before: left and middle, after: right). We have been enjoying the extra space and light since the previous (rather severe) trim, but now are contemplating putting a deck over the crushed terra cotta and wanted a smaller umbrella-shaped tree for shade.

Touradas

For the second year in a row, we attended the running of the bulls (with ropes) in the village of Altares. It was a joy to introduce Lukus’ aunt and uncle to this cultural experience. Always a thrill!

But this year Lukus also witnessed the running of the bulls WITHOUT ropes in Angra! It is as terrifying as it sounds. Large dump trucks were parked blocking the streets and loaded with onlookers, who also looked out from windows, over barricades, and from tree branches.

Unfortunately, the mass of onlookers was so dense that the only view of the bulls was between the feet of people on the dump truck. Still, it was exciting to see glimpses of the multiple (6) bulls simultaneously running through the square unencumbered by ropes.

Full moon over the marina.