It strikes me as odd that I had more to say when we were at sea and less was going on. I think this is largely due to having the time and less distractions. My journey home began this morning when I said my goodbyes to John, Jim, Bob, Ziggy, Jenny and Connor. I also got to say goodbye (again) to a few of the ARC cruisers who I’ve got to know. On the understanding that the airport was nearby I caught a taxi with 20 euros in my pocket. To my horror I discovered the airport was nowhere nearby and more like on the other side of the island. With a taxi driver that knew no english I felt I was heading for an awkward situation. In the end the fare was only 17 euros and I had enough. I’m now sitting in departure lounge waiting for my flight to Ponta Delgada trying to remember the last few days.
We arrived in Angra, Triceira a couple of days ago around 4pm. We learned that in a nearby town there would be bull racing in the streets. A few of the early boats decided this would be the thing to do so we bundled off in three taxis to watch the excitement.
Turned out there were four bulls. In turn, each one was tied to a long rope and let out of a tight box which must have aggravated it somewhat. Hanging onto the rope were two groups of five men who had the job of controlling where the bull went and how far it got although they did spend a good deal of time jumping over walls. The road where the bulls were run were mostly fronted by houses with high walls behind which the spectators made themselves secure. Gates were boarded where walls ran out. Some folks would be in the streets daring themselves closer to the bulls and either running or leaping over walls when the bull charged.
The first bull looked a little tired but menacing enough. When the second bull came out John and I dared a venture into the street. I figured that as long as someone else was between me and the bull I would be relatively safe. When that guy turned tail and passed me I was very motivated to turn tail and run hard. John had a similar experience as I passed him and left him in the rear. Together we ran down the hill with an building crowd of runners as the bull gave chase seemingly with a lot of slack on the rope. After this adrenalin rush we retired back behind the wall feeling awash with bravery.
The third bull was even more menacing and we stayed behind the wall. Bob ventured out this time and followed the bull up the street coming back with reports of more activity further up. So out we went behind the fourth bull. Fresh from my earlier experience with bull #2 I was emboldened to frequently stay closer to the bull than the locals. I am sure the local crowd who were leaning over the walls and doing everything they could to annoy the bulls were hoping one of the gringos would get caught by the bull. Bob almost obliged them. He was sticking to the leaping over walls tactic and was thwarted by a 70 year lady who would not give her ground. He ended up inches from the bull and was rewarded by being slobbered on. I think Bob owes a lot to the team of bull tenders who managed to stop it just short of him. I stuck to the strategy of running for my life when the bull charged. It sure was a lot of fun.
I started yesterday off by taking a walk on my own. I was out for over two hours and while not initially aiming to do so, I managed to reach the top of a nearby hill where the views were awesome. In the afternoon we took a walking tour of Angra organised for the cruisers. This started off interesting but turned out to be a bit slow. One by one we peeled of and headed back to the boats. The evening ended up with everyone down at the marina bar and restaurant. This was very much a goodbye for many as quite a few of the boats heading to the Uk had decided to head north rather than complete the leg to Ponta Delgada. It was goodbye for me too as this was my last night on the boat and the last I would see of many of these folks. Yet again I have been reaffirmed that a good part of cruising is the people one meets along the way. The ARC crowd were a diverse and interesting lot. I hope I can meet some in the future. Who knows.
For now it’s the long slog home which I am looking forward to putting behind me. This marks the end of my Windancer voyage. I’m thankful to John and his family for letting me crew this leg. Chances are we’ll meet again in December when our paths cross in the Caribbean as they inevitably will. I also hope to cross paths with Jim and Bob, both of whom I’ve got to know well and count as friends.
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