Dark wood, white linen

A long night's sleep. Securely tied to Mother Earth. No night watches. Breakfast is provided by the near-by bakery-and-café. Café cum laite for me, no laite for Oernulf and croissants. At a little red table, completely still and horizontal.
E-mail check, the Laundromat, the photo shop. All the things you do when you touch land again. Just nice to be walking on the black and white patterned pavements of this Portuguese town.

"Sedna" invites us to coffee and apple cake at 5pm. We bring our Atlantic Ocean crossing map, spread it out over the table from St.Marten to The Azores. Both "Babette"s and "Sedna"s routes are plotted in. A close and undulating tango for two.
"Noravind" and "Vanvara" join us; it's 8:30pm. Anybody hungry? Off to find a restaurant. And what a find! The Pousada da Horta, "Santa Cruz". It's a 16th century castle-turned-hotel. Vine-covered walls and turrets and a lethal looking iron fall-gate at the entrance. Inside, a restaurant, dark wooden walls, white linen and crystal covered tables. Why on earth did they let this scruffy crew of sailors into this palace?! We behave as princes (knights?) at our large round table. Taste the Azores wines and enjoy the gourmet meal and the good company.

One last stop on our way back, "Peter's Sport's Bar". A must for all sailors. The walls and ceiling are covered in pennants and flags. A crowd of sailors, in good spirits, is sitting and standing, filling the pub. More yarns and lots of laughs over a pint. Until yawns overpower us.

Great to be back among good friends again
.