Our first full day in Furnas did not disappoint. I spent the day exploring Terra Nostra Gardens while Lauren went whale watching. Terra Nostra is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. It feels like a botanical wonderland with more hydrangeas, ferns, and moss than I ever thought I'd encounter in a lifetime. It is brilliantly designed with beautiful focal points at every turn. A masterpiece of an example of what man and nature can accomplish together. I sat under the canopy of a willow tree, taking shelter from the light rain, and listened to the nearby church bells chime. I then traveled to a hill overlooking a creek and laid down in the moss. It was the reset my body needed.
After spending the day in the gardens, I went to Vila Franca do Campo to pick Lauren up from her whale watching trip and to visit Nossa Senhora da Paz, a chapel built in 1764 up on a hillside above Vila Franca. It is a gorgeous chapel with a magnificent view.
After visiting the chapel we drove back down to Vila Franca to have dinner at Mercado da Vila, a lovely restaurant that offers Portuguese, Italian, Swiss, and Mexican food. We luckily had the perfect outdoor table to view the massive rising of the full moon.
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