João Rocha is a barber and artist who studied and worked in places like London, Las Vegas, Florence, Milan, Dubai or Scotland. When he graduated, hardly anyone wanted to be a barber, it was a profession that was falling out of favor.
He is currently one of the best known Portuguese barbers, is the founder and manager of @thebarbershopbyjoaorocha, is nominated for a Grammy [Barber of the Year], has already been awarded a municipal honor medal for his contribution on promoting the Azores around the world, awarded by Praia da Vitória City Council, and a Medal of Business Merit by the Parish where it opened its first establishment.
In his homeland, João recommends visiting Algar do Carvão and the Biscoitos Bathing Area, but more than just places, he recommends above all that those who visit us participate or watch the island’s festivities: “our traditions and our people are what makes the difference to the other islands.”
The festivities he loves the most are the Sanjoaninas and the Festas da Praia.
But he also enjoys the celebrations of the Holy Spirit and the respective days of “Bodo”, the Terceira Carnival and the “Menino Mija” at Christmas. “It’s all our celebrations, and you can’t find anything like them in any other part of the world.”
On a gastronomic level, João recommends trying…
The famous and traditional meet dish “Alcatra”, Holy Spirit soups, rice pudding and the traditional sweet brad “massa sovada”. All delicacies that have a unique flavor on Terceira Island.
A perfect day on Terceira is…
“…a day of celebration. In other words, go to the forest in the morning to see the bulls, eat a bifana, then come in the cars procession to the parish where the festivities are taking place, watch the traditional Bull races(bulls with ropes on the street) and then stay for the festivities at night.
I could tell many stories but above all the good memories of all my childhood and adolescence that I spent. It is without a doubt one of the best places to live in the entire world.
I feel privileged to have been born on Terceira Island.”
