Azores Images, Angra, Capital of Terceira Island

St John's Festival on Terceira Island ©Solange Hando

In the true spirit of the Azores, Terceira loves its festivals, especially the Feast of St John celebrated for over a week every June in Angra, the capital.

Parades, dancing, concerts, bullfights and more,it is above all a local festival, though tourists are welcome, and a way to bring people together from different villages and even islands.

Former Jesuit Convent ©Solange Hando

Angra is the oldest city in the Azores and after extensive damage caused by the 1980 earthquake, it has been beautifully rebuilt in Renaissance style with pretty balconies, balustrades and pastel colours.

It is a UNESCO site spreading all up and down the main cobbled street where the cathedral holds centre ground.

Vasco de Gama in Angra ©Solange Hando

Illustrious visitors include Pope John Paul II who came in 1991 and Vasco de Gama who dropped anchor in Angra in 1499 to lay to rest his brother who had perished during their return journey from India.

Pretty Street, Angra ©Solange Hando

Beyond the most stylish buildings, it is well worth wandering through the lanes, as quiet as a village and lined with humble traditional dwellings. Colours are everywhere -blue seems a favourite- and there are plenty of flowers and greenery.

Angra's Botanical Garden ©Solange Hando

Small but carefully designed and maintained, this is an oasis of peace complete with water features, trees and plants along the paths paved with clever designs of birds, cats and butterflies.

The garden climbs up to the hilltop pyramid which offers fabulous views over the city and the adjoining peninsula of Mount Brasil.

City and Coastal View from Mount Brasil ©Solange Hando

Accessed by road or on foot, Mount Brasil rises above the fortress to a wonderful viewpoint and a network of scenic trails which can take you along the clifftop, where you might spot whales in season, or all around the crater rim from open land with ocean views to the forest twittering with birds.

See London from The Shard

The Shard, London Top Attraction ©Solange Hando

Opened in 2013, The Shard was designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano as a 'vertical city' where people could work, live and relax. Above the offices, restaurants and bars, luxury hotel and residences, observation platforms on floors 68-72 are open to the public below the tall spiky arrow.

This most challenging top section was built in a Yorkshire steel plant, then taken apart, transported to London and reassembled on the site.

View towards the London Eye, Big Ben and St Paul's Cathedral nearby ©Solange Hando

Rising 244 metres above the city, the top platform offers all round views stretching from Heathrow airport in the west to the Thames estuary in the east. From the meandering river and its many bridges to London's main monuments, the panorama is unbeatable by clear weather.

Shard Shadow ©Solange Hando

Once you have reached the observation platforms, via the dedicated lifts (there are 40 lifts altogether in the building), you can stay as long as you wish  and on a sunny day, watch the Shard's shadow creeping along the river as if to reflect the passing of the time.

All windows are kept beautifully clean, fully enclosed on floor 68 but when you reach 72, expect the cool breeze blowing through the top open floors (not accessible). There are 95 floors in all.

View towards Canary Wharf ©Solange Hando

Equally good view on this side, from the Tower Bridge and beyond where the river seems to wind on to the horizon. The Shard is covered by 11,000 glass panels, assembled in the Netherlands, and cleaned on the top floors by climbing/abseiling experts. During the construction, up to 1450 workers from 60 nationalities were employed at peak times.

That says it all ©Solange Hando

What more could you want? Sip away the best champagne -at a price-  or a fabulous cocktail or treat yourself to a scoop of Italian ice cream.

One shouldn't  rush a visit to The Shard and if you can't get enough of the views, you can upgrade your ticket and return in the evening to see the London lights.

Enjoy and Take Care ©Solange Hando