The Solar Banco Eco Estate was built in the 1800’s by a wealthy citrus trader, originally from the Azores. So the legend goes, the original owner, Senhor Raposa was born into wealth on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores. He was a sly child, always upsetting his teachers with his mischief and looking out of the school window, dreaming about the wide world of adventure outside the island. He would always be weaving around the corridors, in and out of rooms, foraging in the gardens and stealing pencils from the headmaster’s room. This is where he earned his nickname, “pequena raposa.”
In 1881, aged just 15, he jumped aboard a citrus boat to England instead of going to school that day. Here he made his fortune in the citrus trade between The Azores and London. He became the purveyor of exotic fruits and rose to the heights of the sophisticated English party scene. A perfect Portuguese gentlemen, always in a 3 piece suit and top hat.
But no matter what London had to offer, his mind wanders constantly at night in search of further adventure. And so, in his 30’s he leaves the dull, grey skies of London to travel the world. Following the stars in the sky he sails endlessly in search of adventure. Eventually he returns to the Azores, his birthplace. Now a wealthy man, unrecognisable as the pequena raposa who sailed away all those years ago.
With him he brings his favourite cocktails, the best in the world. Infused with botanicals from Italy, and citrus from Japan. He shares these drinks with his friends in secret, these evenings of liberation go late into the night, and become known as the Sociedade das Raposas.
And so he lived in a large white country estate upon a hill overlooking Ponta Delgada. Surrounded by curiosities accumulated on his travels across the globe. To this day, no one knows his true identity, the gentlemen known only as Senhor Roposa, Mr Fox.