Like all tour operators during the volcanic ash issue last month, we had clients stranded in both the Azores and Cape Verde and people unable to travel out for their holidays. Our clients who couldn’t travel out were given either a full refund or the option of postponing their holiday to a convenient date.
We kept our clients in the Azores and Cape Verde up to date on the flight situation and either we covered their additional costs or the airlines did, so no one was left out of pocket. SATA Air Azores and Thomson Fly were particularly helpful. We have now had a couple of questionnaires back from clients who ended up with extended holidays and their positive comments are very reassuring after what was a very stressful week!
“Great holiday and help on the ground was very good. Arrangements due to the volcano by Thomson were also very good.”
Mr Kavanagh, Cape Verde 14-21 April 2010

“We very much appreciated your help and support during the Iceland volcano flight ban. It was reassuring to know that you were considering our well-being and keeping us up to date with the latest information. An excellent holiday.”
Ms Gray, Azores 03-10 April 2010

“An excellent holiday and the UK office staff were very helpful especially when the return flight to the UK was held up by ash clouds.”
Ms Sandell, Cape Verde 25 March – 08 April 2010

Sata Air Azores have just informed us today that airfares from Gatwick and Manchester to Sao Miguel have been reduced for flights departing in February and March. Flights start at £154 including taxes. Book soon as there is limited availability on these fares!

Portuguese band, Gomo, have released their new music video filmed on Sao Miguel and featuring one of our properties, Furnas Lake Villas in Furnas.

Below is a bit of information about the band.

When Portugal’s radio listeners first encountered the genre-blending, Cornelius-like sounds of Gomo, they were entranced. It was 2001 and Gomo’s demo was put into regular rotation, but the DJs were of no help when listeners phoned in, asking, “Where can I get this lovely and strange music?” Paulo Gouveia, the man who is Gomo, had sent the demo to radio stations with no contact information — just a note saying: “Thanks for all the inspiration. Hope you like this.” The multi-instrumentalist was working on new songs and a multimedia live show while all this was going on, and he had no idea Gomo was becoming an overnight favorite. Reviews in the national press and the invitations to play most of the major summer festivals in Portugal clued him in to the phenomenon and soon he was working with Mario Barreiras, the producer who was partly responsible for Silence 4’s rise to the top of Portugal’s pop charts. It was an odd title for a debut but Best of Gomo was the result, and the quirky, precious, and playful album became a radio and music press favorite when it appeared in early 2004. During October of the same year Gomo won the Best New Artist award given by Portugal’s SIC TV, and he was also nominated as Best Portuguese Act at the MTV European Music Awards 2004.

Scuttlebut Europe, a popular sailing website, has voted Peter’s café sport in Horta (Faial island) the world’s best sailor bar in an international poll.

I must admit, we always make a beeline for ‘Peter’s’ when we visit. The food is wholesome and reasonably priced and the gin and tonics are huge. But it’s the ambience and atmosphere that make it so special. A real cosmopolitan gathering of sailors swapping stories beneath the flag covered ceilings looking out over the marina.

Below are the final results, as compiled by Scuttlebutt Europe

1. Peter-Cafe Sport – Horta, Azores
2. Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club – Hong Kong
3. IYAC – Newport RI, USA
4. Maddie’s Sail Loft – Marblehead, MA USA
5. The Candy Store – Newport, RI, USA
6. Le Select – St. Barts
7. Bitter End Yacht Club – British Virgin Islands
8. Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, Hamilton Bermuda
9. Foxy’s Tamarind Bar and Grill – Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
10. Willy T – Norman Island, British Virgin Islands

Anyone that has visited the Azores will already know how unique these islands are and it’s wonderful that this well respected magazine thinks so too!

 National Geographic Traveler magazine rated the Azores the second-best islands in the world, behind the Faroe Islands, Denmark. In total, 111 islands and archipelagos were evaluated by 522 experts in sustainable tourism.

The Azores received 84 out of 100 points, being defined as a wonderful place, with buildings in good condition, unspoilt scenery and sophisticated people, most of whom have lived overseas. “The ecosystem—from the beautiful hydrangea-covered hills of Flores to the rock-bottomed bays of Terceira—is in great shape.”

See the article  for more information.