April 9, 2007
Day 558
Me on top of the island.
This morning I walked with my parents past the town of Abraao and over to Praia Preta, the black beach. Next to the beach were the ruins of the Lazareto Prison, which was originally a shelter for travelers and immigrants in quarantine from 1871 until 1910. It became a prison later, and prisoners were held there until 1954. The place was interesting to walk through, but smelled horrible inside. Another nearby attraction was the 175 meter-long aqueduct, which was built in 1893 to supply water for the prison. There was also a view of Pico do Papagaio, or Parrot Peak, a rocky summit 959 meters high.
The weather was cooperating better, so I decided to walk to the top of Pico do Papagaio this afternoon. It was a long walk to the top, but I made it without any problems. The view was excellent from the top, with the whole island, especially Abraao being visible. However, the clouds soon rolled in and I heard thunder in the area, so I had to head back down quickly before a major storm hit.
