Cryptomeria forest in Faial

When we first came to the Azores, almost ten years ago in 2012, we had no idea that we would be end up living in Faial and call it our home in a few years. It was a vacation that came out from an accident, a wallet stolen (with my passport in it) in Paris, while on a stop-over to South Africa. We had to go back after that, obviously, and once my passport was re-issued we though at least to make a shorter trip to a more closer destination.

The word Azores somehow came to my mind, so i started googling it, finding out that it looked like a warmer, milder Scotland, or Ireland.

Fast forward 5 years we come back, looking to buy a little house in the countryside, fix it, and start living here. The choice of Faial came naturally, due to a bunch of factors: the presence of good infrastructures (hospital, direct flight to Lisbon, and so on) was a plus, but the main factor was the view on Pico from Horta that offered us a little comfort from the idea of being stranded in the middle of the ocean. We come from northern Italy, and our city of birth (Turin) is surrounded by the Alps, so anyone from our city would feel uncomfortable if there is not at least a mountain to look at, from time to time.

How’s life in Faial

Faial has a funny shape, looks a bit like a turtle, and if you add Pico island in the picture it looks like it’s being chased by a whale. Like all Azorean Islands its settlements are close to the sea, at a lower altitude, and this is because especially during winters, the wind will blow harder at higher altitudes and the clouds will often cover the island from 250 mt above sea level up, creating a phenomenon similar to fog (called nevoeiro here) that although fascinating at times, can be grim and a bit depressing.

We ended up buying a little country house just below that limit, on the western side of Faial and that’s because we wanted it to be in the middle of a forest, overlooking the ocean, facing south west to be able to see the sunset.

The sunset view from our house

The choice of living in the countryside comes from the idea that such a move – from a nearly one million people city, Turin, Italy – to a small island in the middle of the ocean had to be radical. So, although fascinating, the idea of choosing Horta, which is a city albeit small wasn’t appealing enough.

Besides that, living on an island that you can fully circle by car in just one hour or so, makes everything easy. We have all the basic services around us, and all the rest is a mere 20 minutes away.

A quiet paradise

On a sunny day, our view of the forest and the ocean in front of us reminds us of the wise choice we made by running away from the madness of the big city (especially in these times where the pandemic has exacerbated all the existing troubles). When the weather is bad, instead, there is plenty of time to dedicate ourselves to the many hobbies we have (reading, playing music, web projects, writing… ). Sure if we were still in our 30’s we would probably have been bored to death, but since we aren’t, it’s all good.

In Faja Dos Vimes, on the island of São Jorge, Azores Islands, a family produces and serves its own coffee since generations in the characteristic Café Nunes

Faja dos Vimes, in Sao Jorge, Azores is a magical place. Fajas are ancient lava flows that over the millennia have created peninsulas reaching out to the sea where it is possible to grow beans (hence the name Faja – from feijões, beans)

The island of Sao Jorge has more than 70 and Faja dos Vimes is one of the most fascinating, also thanks to this unique bar (the Cafè Nunes) which, unique in Europe apparently, serves cups of very enjoyable espresso made with organic coffee produced in your own garden!

Café Nunes, São Jorge – Azores – Coffee beans drying

A HOME-MADE ORGANIC COFFEE? YES THANKS!

A cup carved in the trunk of a tree, with the engraving Café da Fajã, welcomes tourists who arrive at Café Nunes. “Our coffee is good, it is of quality. People come from all over the world to taste it, “says owner Manuel Nunes, 66. At the back of the house is what is the largest coffee plantation in the Azores archipelago. “When I bought this property, there were only a dozen coffee plants. Today I have more than 500. ”

All production, from collection to roasting, is done manually. “Roasted coffee is homemade, in the old evening. We can only do one roasting at a time and no more than 1 kg and a half because we only use a stove, “says Manuel Nunes, who plans to make a” good harvest “of 700/800 kilograms this season this year.

Café Nunes, Faja dos Vimes, São Jorge – Azores

Mr. Nunes produces organic coffee without resorting to chemicals using only manual processes. Above the cafeteria, his wife Alzira Nunes and his sister Carminda are dedicated to the production of high quilted bedspreads, a characteristic texture of the island of São Jorge. “We are the only ones who continue to produce them, here on the island,” they tell us proudly.

The Faja itself is magnificent: after going down the steep but well-paved road that descends from the surrounding plateau to sea level, you are on a surreal plateau, surrounded on one side by the ocean and topped on the other side by imposing tree-lined slopes. The feeling is that time has stopped here, despite the presence of cars. And life flows slowly.

Faja dos Vimes, São Jorge – Azores