What a surprise CAPE VERDE was to us… in two ways…
This email comes to you from Praia, the Capital of the country of CAPE VERDE on our last day here before we all sadly split up !!!
The first surprise was that it is not what its name suggests “GREEN” since VERDE is Portuguese for GREEN - it is quite barren and looks orange brown from the plane and roads with pockets of it green, especially in valleys and near the coast. It actually reminded of some Greek islands that are brown and do not have many trees. The reason is that CAPE VERDE is in its third year of drought - the worst since 1971.
The second surprise is that it is a collision of cultures and architecture and food: Portuguese and West Africans - this fusion i known as CREOLE and lends itself to some interesting looks around town and in the faces of people. People of CAPE VERDE are either 4th or more generation Portuguese or descendants of the slave trade from West Black Africans. People are dark but not quite African black and many resemble the Arabs of Morocco. The food is terrific - famous for Yellow Fin Tuna - there is so much of this here that is costs $5/kg to buy in the markets !!! CAPE VERDE also grows almost every vegetable imaginable except for citrus which is imported from Spain and Portugal and Morocco. CAPE VERDE is also the most western part of Africa with Dakar taking the honours for the mainland.
CAPE VERDE consists of 10 volcanic islands with only one that erupted in 2014 and is now silent. The islands are 570km off the West Coast of Africa and in line with Daka in SENEGAL where we came from. The total population in all islands is approaching 600,000 with some 500,000 living on the largest island of Santiago which houses the capital Praia (Pop 350,000) where we stayed. Praia is very sophisticated and is very easy going and feels like Europe more than it does Africa. As you will see from the colourful panoramas there is a strong Portuguese influence but like in the rest of Africa, many homes are complete in the inside but look incomplete on the outside and because of the boxy shapes resemble homes in Morocco or the Middle East. CAPE VERDE Is also super cheap. We stayed with a family in an adjacent self-contained unit opposite the ocean for $30AUD each per night. A typical main meal is $6-10AUD and even a bottle of wine is only $10-15AUD. No wonder this island is swarmed by the English, Germans, Dutch and of course Portuguese. Even cruise ships come here. There are also many retirees living here for many years from the countries I just mentioned. CAPE VERDE was liberated from the Portuguese in 1975. Tourism is the only real export here alongside Bananas and of course Tuna.
We visited the old capital of Cidade Velha established in 1456 which has a huge ruined Cathedral and a huge fortress on a hill overlooking the town. This town is now UNESCO listed since it is one of the bets preserved early Portuguese settlements in Africa. We also hired a car and driver for a whole day to drive us around the island, 75km through the middle and another 80km back via the east coast. The centre is an incredible surprise as you can see below - full of volcanic plugs and peaks, jagged and reaching 1,400m - looks more like Andies in Peru than it does Africa. Praia is the southernmost city whilst Tarrafal is the most northern where we ended up swimming. Tarrafal is also the location of a concentration camp that was used to house political prisoners from Portugal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissal and Senegal during and after WWII which you will see below.
CAPE VERDE was easily the most comfortable and modern place of our journey and that is why we chose to end up here so we could rest and shake off all that West African dust.
Riza leaves us for London today and Roberto and I fly to Casablanca tomorrow where Roberto connects back to San Paolo BRASIL and I fly direct to Tunis in TUNISIA to finish up with WACCO 8… see you there!
Enjoy the best of our panoramas…
John WACCO Golfin
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