Yesterday I posted a blog asking members if they could identify where I was on vacation last week. To my surprise two members Patricia Feager, Nina Hollander and Dorie Dillard came very close to correctly guessing where I was. All three of them guessed Portugal, which is correct, and Nina even guessed it was an one of the Portuguese Islands, Madiera, but she was a little off on the island.
I was on a Portuguese Island, in fact I was on two of them, Santa Maria, and Sao Miguel which are part of the Azores Islands of Portugal. Kathy Streib also guessed my motive for including a picture of a pineapple was to through people off in the first blog. Portugal is not known for pineapples but they do grow them there. They are smaller than the Hawaiian pineapples, and more of an orange color instead of yellow.
I took lots of pictures and plan to post three to four blog about the two islands and the parts I traveled to. The first Island I will write about and share pictures of is Santa Maria. Santa Maria is the smallest of the Azores Islands, it is less than 10 miles long and only about 6 miles wide. Santa Maria is also the Island I was born on. My 
parents came to the US in 1960 when I was 8 years old, and I have never return prior to last week to the place of my birth. I had just turned 8 years old when we left, so my memories of Santa Maria were very vague. I still have an aunt and four cousins who live there, it was great to see them again. I also got to see the house I was born in. During that time in the Azores women did not go to the hospital to give birth. Children were born in the homes their parents lived in, and mothers were assisted by a Mid-Wife. To the right is a picture of the house I was born in. It is a duplex and my parents, one of my aunts, my grandfather, my two sisters and brother all lived on the left hand side.
Unlike Sao Miguel the other Island I was on, Santa Maria is not very developed, and almost feels like you are disconnected from the rest of the world. It is very laid back and has beautiful beaches as well as gorgeous views. So if you love to be on the beach without a care in the world, Santa Maria is the place to be.
The water is crystal clear and the beach in the pictures below is right across the street from my aunts Summer house. I only spent a day in Santa Maria, because I was meeting up with other family members in Sao Miguel. As you will see in the other blogs I will post Sao Miguel is far more developed with lots of restaurants, stores, and much more to do there.
Below are some of the pictures I took while in Santa Maria. The pictures do not do the beauty of this little island justice, but they do give an idea of its beauty.
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Info about the author:
George Souto NMLS# 65149 is a Loan Originator who can assist you with all your #FHA, #CHFA, and #Conventional #mortgage needs in Connecticut. George resides in Middlesex County which includes #Middletown, #Middlefield, #Durham, #Cromwell, #Portland, #Higganum, #Haddam, #East Haddam, #Moodus, #Chester, #Deep River, and #Essex. George can be contacted at (860) 573-1308 or gsouto@mccuemortgage.com
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