From Wildfire Scars to Vacation Vibes

Today started super early again. We drove to Santana and then headed out to hike the Vereda do Pico Ruivo.
So. Many. Stairs. My legs are getting heavier with every day and I was out of breath pretty quickly – but wow, the views were absolutely worth it.

You can still see the damage from the 2024 wildfires. Some trails are still closed off, and in other spots you can see the blackened remains of the bushes. But nature is already starting to take those dead patches back, which is pretty amazing to watch.

We wrapped up the day chilling by the pool at our massive hotel complex. That felt sooo good. For the first time, today really felt like vacation.Read more