Cabo Verde: My vacation in Cape Verde

São Vicente

Mindelo

On the rest of the island, hardly more than one thousand persons live in the few villages there are. The reason is that the island is very barren, due to the lack of water, so farming, while attempted, is mostly looking like a rather hopeless proposition. Fishing is likely more productive.

Mindelo itself is a nice place. While there, our group got to visit the market, the fish market, a craft centre and the town hall. We also got to meet the mayor, who after a little while turned out to speak Swedish.

View from Monte Verde, São Vicente

Much of the mountainsides on São Vicente where if not exactly terraced, at least full of horizontal furrows intended to keep at least some of the rain, which when/if it comes, comes as a torrent, seep into the ground instead of just washing the soil out into the sea.

In many places, particularily higher up, small corn plants grew in the fields.

We went almost up to the top of Mount Verde, which I wonder how it ever got its name, for green it certainly isn't. Although higher up, when there was fog (or low clouds) when we were there, there actually were some plants growing.

The first impression of Cape Verdian roads was impressive, as the major ones are set with dark stones, and where wide enough with dashed lines of light stones in the middle. Work intensive to build, but seeming like low maintenance.

Mindelo's harbour

After a couple of days in Mindelo and on São Vicente it was time to leave for Santo Antão. We travelled with one of the ferry boats which traffic the sound, the trip taking about an hour.

Next part: Santo Antão

Last updated 1998 Jan 20 by Urban Fredriksson