With expert local guide Eduardo Miranda leading the way, Cindy Wilson and her Profundo Journey photography group traveled to the city of Ponta Delgada.  Ponta Delgada is located on the island of Sao Miguel and is considered to be the largest and most populous city in the Azores archipelago.  Cindy described the ride from the hotel to the city area of Ponta Delgada.  “A volcanic aura was all around us” mentioned Cindy.  She noted that there were buildings and other structures constructed of volcanic blocks or boulders.  As for the city of Ponta Delgada, Cindy told me it was clean, attractive, and a choice spot for photography.

The Profundo group was eager to walk around the city and experience the marketplace with the help of guide Eduardo.  I asked Cindy about the buildings and streets.  “The architecture could be described as island as well as colonial.”  Cindy went on to say that the group spent a good amount of time just walking around the city.  “The streets were cobblestone,” said Cindy, “A patchwork of uneven bricks at times but seriously you could walk the streets in heels if you were so inclined.”  With an eager group of photographers, Cindy would give her group the freedom to explore and take their time taking photos.  “I was taking photos along with the group” mentioned Cindy “and was always available to my group for any photography advice.”  Every photographer in the group had been on a previous Profundo Journey and all shared a love of photography as well as travel.  And when they finished with one location and got back into the passenger van, the group and Cindy would share their experiences until they arrived at their next destination.  “It is these shared times” said Cindy “in the hotel, at the cafes, in the van that make these Profundo Journeys so special.”

The Profundo group of photographers bonded by the love of travel, photography, and adventure headed out of Ponta Delgada to Furnas and a fishing village called Rabo de Peixe.  With the windows down, the group could observe the wildlife and natural landscape of the region.  The smell of sulfur or rotten eggs was present, perhaps from the hot springs or mountain areas nearby.  The native birds, incredible mountains and colorful vegetation caught the eye of Cindy and her group.  Eduardo was, according to Cindy, “a valuable guide because of his local knowledge of the Azores and his love of photography.”   Eduardo made a few stops along the way to Furnas as well as Rabo de Peixe to allow the Profundo group some free to time to satisfy their creativity.  What were the group members using for equipment, I asked Cindy.  “Regular cameras, as I would call them.  That’s not a technical term, I mean traditional cameras, camera attachments, lens, etc.  There was a member of our group who used his smartphone.”  Cindy was grateful that Eduardo was so kind and knowledgeable to take her and the group to places that were so photogenic.

The group arrived in Rabo de Peixe to find a fishing village not quite set up for tourism.  The fishing industry is the lifeline of Rabo de Peixe.  “The locals” mentioned Cindy “in my estimation, are not accustomed to tourists.  Let alone tourists snapping photo after photo.”  Despite this, Cindy felt the locals were incredibly nice.  The language barrier was lessened of course by Eduardo.  When Eduardo was not present, the group took their time with the locals, using some approximated language and if all else failed, hand gestures.  The Rabo de Peixe stop included a 45 minute walk through the village area, which included a church, market plaza, and residential areas.  “The village was built on a hill,” said Cindy “so you noticed buildings and structures built right into the hillside.”

In travelling from Ponta Delgada to Furnas to Rabo de Peixe, Cindy Wilson and her Profundo Journey group experienced city life, a fishing village, and a gorgeous mountain lake region.  Her group had the free time to be creative and get those special, memorable photographs.  Sharing experiences along the trip made this group feel connected and enhanced their enjoyment of their trip.  And the photos taken are just beautiful.  I have seen just a small sample of Cindy’s work from her trip to the Azores, and it is special, memorable, and absolutely incredible photography.

This blog article is one in a series of blogs about the recent Profundo Journey to the Archipelago of the Azores.  Cindy Wilson Photography is located at The Lafayette Mill, North Kingstown, RI and can be found online at www.cindywilsonphoto.com.  Also, to learn more about Cindy’s next Profundo Journey to Vietnam in the spring of 2017, go to www.cindywilsonphoto.com.

TRAVEL