After being out at sea for almost a month, seeing the presence of other humans is oddly comforting, even for an introvert. What makes it special is when the civilization you are exposed to looks drastically different from the one you left at your stern.
When we arrived in the Azores, the architecture was severely different from anything we had seen before. The houses all had terra cotta roof tiles and the faces of the building were either black and white or wonderfully colored.
The homes were all very quaint and neatly kept, real estate is a premium on these small islands so homes tend to be maintained and passed down rather than being destroyed and rebuilt. That being said, some homes do fall to decay, and are rebuilt, but in a manner that accentuates the towns architectural styles rather than clashing with it.
And speaking of architecture, European cities are known for gorgeous architecture, and these small islands are no different. When we got off our boat at the marina, these are the stairs (and fountain) that lead you into the base of the town. Everything is interesting, gorgeous, and new; all of which are much needed after the deprivation of culture that you had endured while crossing the ocean required to reach this port.
