The two memories of Ponta Delgada we’ll recall when this trip is in the books are a brightly colored rooster and an unexpected stop for beer, both dependent on a credit card and Earl’s curiosity.
We’d been inside the local church, admired a couple lovely parks with their weird trees, and sat on a couple benches before wandering down a bumpy, narrow street. It was there we saw a souvenir shop that displayed the MasterCard logo on its door. Since we hadn’t been able to use the ATM successfully, looking for that sign became the criterion on which we entered an establishment.
Earl has a quirky sense of humor, and he spied a ceramic rooster in the window. “Wouldn’t this look great in our home?” he asked. I actually liked the black stylized figure with the fancily painted wings and tail, but I’m more practical. “How much is it?” “How will you get it home?”
Earl was ready: It wasn’t expensive; he would wrap it between his sweaters in his luggage, and the Waterford he’d planned to store there would be sent from the factory in Ireland instead.
Seems like he really wanted the rooster.
As we paid, the proprietor gave us a little brochure that explained the historical importance of this souvenir. It saved a man’s life years ago, but I won’t go into that here. Suffice to say the rooster seemed happy to be with us; and Earl named it Vladimir, after our Serbian server in the pizza restaurant on the ship.
This called for a celebration, but we couldn’t find a café with the MC symbol. That is, until we passed the Hotel Talisman. I figured a hotel would certainly accept various credit cards, even if its door didn’t advertise. So we asked the hostess in the hotel café, who nodded and showed us to the bar.
Can a beer be charming? Probably not, but both the bar and the hotel outdid themselves. I was so taken with the Hotel Talisman that I asked for a brochure at the reception desk. If you want to see for yourself, go to www.hoteltalisman.com.
If I’m ever in Ponta Delgada again, that’s where I’m staying.
Loved the link to the hotel. It looks charming.