View in front of Igreja Matriz Terceira, Azores (3) Igreja Matriz is constructed over a prolonged period of time in the 15th & 16th century. Many churches in the Azores are facing the see, this church in Praia da Vitoria is facing the maintains. Often the sky above the sea is blue and is contrasting very well the white churches, as you can see on my yesterdays posting. This photo is taken in the other direction, you can see the difference in weather, just in front of the church!! Many thanks for viewing and your kind comments on my yesterday posting!! The Azores For the second time in our life we spend our summer holidays on the Azores. A group of 9 islands, of volcanic nature and approximately 1000 miles west of Lisbon / Portugal, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The islands are surrounded by the warm Gulf Stream, creating a very pleasant climate in the summer, with a few changes in the weather during the day. The water around the islands is very deep close to 1 mile deep, and dolphins and whales are often spotted. The mild climate with sufficient moisture is a sound bases for very interesting vegetation and each Island is different by its nature, vegetation, and also by the way of living and the habits of the people. On the island of Pico you can discover the highest mountain (=Vulcan) of Portugal, with a summit at >>2300 meter (approx 1 1/2 mile). The Azores are a part of Portugal, and discovered in the 15th century, before the discovery of the America