Sete Cidades

The blue and green lakes

Sete Cidades (Seven Cities) lake is where Emanual (the mechanic) says he goes to de-stress.  It is his favorite place and its not hard to figure out why.  There are two lakes separated by a land bridge - one is green,the other blue.  Again, the photos do not do them justice.  They are stunning.  Now, of course, there is an ecological reason for the different colors of the lakes.  

Sete Cidades

But I prefer the legend instead.  The story goes like this: there once was a King whose Queen had died and so now he lived only for his beautiful daughter.  But he kept her isolated in his Castle and only allowed her out into the gardens.  But as he slept after his lunch with the help of her nurse she set out to explore the land around her.  One day she heard some beautiful flute music.  Everyday thereafter she sought out the music and found that is was a shepherd playing the flute.  They fell in love and eventually went to the King so the shepherd could ask for her hand in marriage.  The King of course denied the request and forbade her from seeing the shepherd again.  When the princess told the shepherd they could not see each other again they cried and their tears formed the two lakes.  Her eyes were green and the shepherd had blue eyes.  

Sao Nicholas Church

 The village itself is small, but there are hiking trails all around the lake.  Or you can rent a kayak and enjoy the lakes that way.  

Home in Sete Cidades

 There is a story that goes along with how the village got its name as well.  As there definitely are not seven cities here.  Its actually a historical reference dating all the way back to the Phoenicians nonetheless the Portuguese kept the name - Sete Cidades.  

Many, many cows in the Azores

A truly beautiful place and a perfect day.