We first heard of Hermann Hesse from a dear friend, Paul Mathieu. After reading Damien, we quickly devoured just about all of Hesse's books in short order. Amazing how we had never come across Hesse before. We learned later that Hesse was a popular writer in his time (1920's) and again in the 60's. Paul was probably a teenager in the late 60's and I believe read Hesse at the Lycée. Whenever I think of Hesse, of Damien or Siddhartha, I immediately think of Paul. Then I think of our trips to India, of our time in Berlin, in Harlem, and so forth. We're continually inspired by Paul's youthful approach to life.

Books - especially ones given by a friend that they have personally read - are true gifts. Some have a letter on the inside cover or a name, many have scribbled notes in the margins, and nearly all have dog-ears, a clear sign of a favorite passage or a natural stopping point to reflect or take a break - maybe jump in the ocean or grab dinner. These books not only inspire the person reading, but also take a part of that person with them when they're passed to a new owner.  Our journey would be incomplete and most likely stalled without the guidance, inspiration and magic of the books we've been given. 

To Paul and all those friends who've given us these "gifts" - THANK YOU!

Catherine at Paul's place in Udaipur, India (2010)

One thing we have a lot of here in Santa Maria is cows!

Just about every farmer has them. Most have around 10, some have many more. The cows eat natural grass, and as such are rotated from field to field. They drink fresh water provided for by the municipalities - there are water filling stations throughout the island just for this purpose. These cows have the best views. They live peaceful lives, with the occasional short road trip, when changing fields across the island, literally in the road. This is the source of the only traffic jam on the island...I never thought I would enjoy a traffic jam so much.

We asked Steven (who's green Nissan Jeep that is in the other post) about his cows. He told us he knows all of them individually--he names each one and takes care of them like family. When asked about his feelings taking them to...you know...his eyes misted and he responded, "it's not easy". 

The other day our truck broke down, so we decided to hike to the center of the village to get the kids out of the house. The ride into town is about 6 minutes, but walking uphill, it's a good hour. We made it there, but no way could we walk back with the two kids--Maks being only 3. So, we hitched a ride from another neighbor. His truck was full, so one of us sat in the truck-bed with his son.

Between the son and I, there was a tiny calf. We learned the calf was only 2 weeks old and the victim of a common accident: its mother accidentally rolled over on its hind legs, crushing one of them at the hip. When asked what would happen, the son explained the calf must be put down and they were on their way home right now to do so. We asked if it could be fixed and he answered, unfortunately not. They had tried once before in the past, a complicated operation and the calf died about a month afterwards due to infection. During the entire sunny 6 minute journey back, the boy stroked the calf's head and whispered to it gently. 

The Azores are pronounced and mispronounced in many ways. When we first learned of them, we said "The Azores" like most North Americans, The "Ah-zo-r-eez". Then we heard the British say, The "Ey-zo-rs". Then we moved here, and understood, the actual name is: Açores, and pronounced "Ah-ssor-esh" - the "ç" is like a snake hissing. 

The Açores, an archipelago of nine volcanic islands--and now our home, is an autonomous region of Portugal (similar to what the Balearic Islands are to Spain). 

Learning Portuguese on the island is not without its challenges. Most learning materials out there are geared for Brazilian Portuguese. The local accents differ on all nine islands (and sometimes even within each parish of an island), not to mention the nuances of those from the mainland.

Even something as simple as "boa tarde" (good afternoon) is pronounced differently by just about every person we meet. Other words, such as "boas" meaning "hey there" or "ja" meaning "now" or "yes" depending on context, are more colloquial, slang, and used in various occasions and mean a plethora of things. But now we know to answer the question: "are you coming?" with "ja" (yes, coming now). Or if someone greets us in the morning, we can casually reply with "boas" instead of "Ola, bom dia". Remembering that in Portuguese the "S" is prouncouned as "SH" so "boas" is said as "bo-ash" or simply as "bosh" depending on who you stumble into :)

(photo credit: Jeff Divine)  

Tomer's goal was to surf before he was 40. He had talked about it for so long, and for one reason or another - timing, injuries, fear? - he had yet to surf. We had been to the beaches of Oregon, California south and north, Florida, Mexico, Sicily, Bolonia, even Hawaii! Yet nada, no surf. (He did body-surf with abandon along the coast of Cannon Beach in Oregon, like some crazy seal, surrounded by surfers in 4/3 mm wetsuits.) 

But finally, he got his chance. The layover between São Miguel and our island of Santa Maria is long. It can be 6 hours or even 9, depending on where you're connecting from. But the good news is that it's only 10 min to the beaches of São Miguel and the island has some great surf. So 2 hours before his flight was due to depart to Santa Maria, Tomer caught his first wave - taking a crash course with Ricardo, a chill instructor at a local surf school.

When we met Tomer at the airport, he was smiling ear to ear, his t-shirt still wet and cap too. It was one of those perma-smiles, lasting for a good few days. And Tomer now surfs a few days a week here in Santa Maria...though I think he still needs a lesson or two :) Surfs up!

Disclaimer - This is not Tomer...yet

Enjoying the island of Santa Maria - spending days exploring hidden trails and roads while the kiddos are in school. The colors of the island are unreal & today is one of those days where I find myself wishing I didn’t need sunglasses because Life with all its color is so much more beautiful unfiltered.

None-the-less, it's mid day on a Monday and I sit in the back of our truck, wearing my sunglasses- popping them off and on from time to time, to take in the colors in full. The blues of the ocean - the sweeping green hills…the sounds of frogs chirping and birds chattering, an occasional moo in the distance from the cows in the valley below. A bee buzzing…

The bubbles of my pedras (agua con gas) tingle my lips, the sun beats down on my skin. Sea breezes swathe me and keep me cool. Every detail of the present moment fills me with gratitude and inspiration. 

Olá from Ilha do Sol!

We finally made it -the two of us with the kiddos and the two dogs. After a few years of brainstorming, several months of actualizing, a few cross-country road trips and two flights we arrive here at the island of Santa Maria in the Azores.

It is surreal moving to a small island literally in the middle of the Atlantic - especially because we have lived in cities for 20 years (Austin, Milan, London, NYC, Montréal). It's a real adventure! Looking forward to slowing down, getting back to nature, settling in, finding our home- and building a new life here! Full of inspiration, hopeful and grateful for the new experience that awaits us!