Cape Verde, a country of ten diverse volcanic islands, lies off the coast of Senegal. It’s one of those places which, when telling people about your holiday plans, generates a blank stare meaning ‘I’ve no idea where that is and why you want to go there’.
The co-authors of the latest Bradt guide suggest that ‘you will have your most fulfilling holiday if a little part of you goes as an anthropologist’ and it was the warm and welcoming people who really did make our holiday. Trevor felt quite honoured when spoken to from time to time in the local Creole language and it was only when he opened his mouth that people realised he wasn’t a local!
We narrowed our visit down to the three islands we hoped would give us insight into local life and culture and provide some hiking opportunities. We flew into Praia on Santiago island with TAP Air Portugal and then used Binter Airlines and the ferry to travel between the islands. The infrastructure was generally good so travel was stress free and the island pace of life meant a more relaxing trip than might be had on the African mainland.
We arrived in Praia on Black Friday, and were surprised that even in the small commercial centre on the Plateau there were crowds outside the local LG Centre buying discounted TVs, fridges and cookers. We spent two nights at the Santa Maria hotel in the Plateau area and on our return we stayed at the Santiago hotel in Prainha. It was good to explore both locations as the Plateau has more characterful buildings, shops and tourist facilities whereas the latter accommodates middle class locals, business travellers and expats with its embassies, five star hotels, sea facing restaurants and a small beach.
We experienced one of the highlights of our trip near this beach. We heard the most amazing drumming sounds coming from an overgrown car park and rushed over to find the source of the music. On arrival we found four young boys with empty paint pots and plastic water bottles, using all their strength to hammer these makeshift drums with sticks wrapped in cloth. It was truly energising to watch and listen. More than anything it was a reminder of the power of resourcefulness, imagination and teamwork, things that are all too easy to overlook in our everyday lives.
Mindelo on San Vincente Island is a more compact city, with cobbled streets and 19th century European architecture, reflecting the colonial history. The city is better known now for being the home of the singer Cesaria Evora and for its strong intellectual and artistic influence. The town has a stunning bay and a lively waterfront with infectious ‘coladeira’ rhythms seeping from bars and restaurants. Here we stayed at the Terra Lodge (http://www.terra-lodge.net) a contemporary and eco-friendly hotel with large rooms and stunning views over the city.
From Mindelo we took the short ferry ride to Santa Antao and met our hiking guide, Edson (http://walksantoantao.com). We spent three wonderful days hiking amongst the rugged peaks and canyons, namely the Ribeira de Paul, the Ribeira de Torre and the north coastal path from Ponta do Sol to Cruzhina da Garca. Three quite different walks and three quite different lodgings: Chez Sandro hostel in the Paul Valley, the Tiduca hotel in Punto do Sol and the Autentico hotel in Porto Novo. All were reasonably priced, clean and comfortable. As for food, it won’t be a surprise that seafood was prolific, usually accompanied by steamed vegetables and potatoes. Breakfasts were good too, with freshly baked breads, eggs, fruit and cake included in most places.
Another nice surprise was stumbling across several streets of colourful street art during a late afternoon walk in Porto Novo. Some of the art was aimed at discouraging litter and protecting the sea life; plastic pollution is threatening the turtle population whose nesting areas are also being impacted by rapid coastal developments on other islands.
So, would we return to Cape Verde? Absolutely…we only touched the surface during our one week adventure and there are plenty more islands to explore. Whether you love beaches, watersports, mountains or volcanic landscapes, there is something for everyone.
