T
he Azores islands are located on the nexus of the European, American and African tectonic plates and they bear witness to the forces forever shaping our planet. This is a world of fumaroles, mudpots and scalding springs; of caverns, columns and grottoes formed from once-molten rock; of blue lakes ringed by forests of laurel and cedar, of vast underwater mountains and green pastures patterning the slopes of calderas. It is hard to imagine a better place for nature lovers, fans of adventure sports or anyone looking for a beacon of sustainability.