Mindelo,São Vicente, Cape Verde: once a very important port
My previous post covered Cidade Velha, the oldest Portuguese colonial port in the Cape Verde archipelago. That was on Santiago island. Our next stop was Mindelo on Sao Vicente island. This deep water port, also the largest port in the islands, has an even more interesting history. Of the nine islands this was the last to be inhabited. In the 19th century, with the advent of sizable steam ships and increase in transatlantic traffic, Mindelo became the port for refuelling. The triangle trade brought British ships loaded with coal. Now it is the second largest city in the country after Praia, the capital.
Landmarks
Closest to the port is the unmistakable Torre de Bellum, a replica of the original: a 5 storey tower built in the 16th century to defend Lisbon, now a lighthouse and museum. The one that stands before us has only three stories and houses a museum that features the seafaring colonisers who conquered sea and land. Walking from the port towards the city along a palm lined highway we come across the eagle monument (commemorating the first Lisbon to Rio air crossing in 1922 ) which then brings us to the esplanade with the Marina in clear view.
As we saunter through the streets we are struck by the vibrant hues of the colonial buildings contributing to a celebratory atmosphere.
History explains it all
It is undoubtedly a beautiful city with colonial architecture, colourful buildings and a Brazilian vibe.The city's annual Carnival, the biggest in the country, turns the city 'Brazilian' for a week. It shouldn't be a surprise as Brazil and Cape Verde were both part of the Portuguese Empire for 300 years. Cape Verde was a starting point for the Atlantic slave trade to Brazil. Brazil also administered Cape Verde in the early 19th century while the Portuguese court was transferred to Brazil.
This port city is geographically in west Africa but has an unmistakable European feel making it the cultural capital of the islands. The infrastructure is attributed to the British.
A conversation gives us a lead
We simply want to explore the surroundings by taking public transport before we go into the markets. A friendly looking man is leaning against a railing apparently waiting for something or someone. We strike up a conversation. And that is how we learn about a village at the foot of extinct volcanoes and another on the opposite side of town closer to the airport. It is not easy to remember the names since it's the first time we are hearing of them and in the adventurous spirit we do not even bother to write them down somewhere. We approach a Toyota Hiace (a van with 3 rows of seats) and talk to the driver who says he is going towards the volcanoes( fortunately he spoke some English). We board and wait for other passengers. It is not a long wait since the seats fill up quickly ( refer to collectivos mentioned in my post on Praia). A formidable landscape
Our aluguer ( our shared taxi/van) moves off, passing by a very neat looking Jewish Cemetery which is said to be highly interesting because of the stories inscribed on some of the tombs. For some it is a pilgrimage to the famous Cape Verdean Singer, Cesária Évora, who is entombed here.
The terrain that we pass through is clearly volcanic and arid with vegetable patches near wells operated by wind power.
Where are the surfers and beach goers?
15 km later we reach Caulho Village, a fishing village, for that is where we are headed, pay the driver through the window and excitedly look around. The place seems to be deserted. We begin to worry if we'll ever get transport back to town. Nevertheless we walk around and reach the volcanic rock beach( known for its surf). We are definitely in the vicinity of extinct volcanoes. There are holiday chalets on the other side of the bay as well. Yet there is no sign of life. When we decide to seek shade we spot a cat in the verandah of an empty beach side house! I found out later that the bay opposite is called Baia De Gatas, Cats Bay! It is a resort but this is not the season.The colours of the houses and roofs complement the faint hues of volcanic sand and rocks.
After school
When we return to town, we pick up school children who are too shy to talk to us but excited to know we are teachers. We get back to the ship for a quick lunch and still have plenty of time to explore since we will not be sailing till much later in the evening. We return to the Torre De Belem and the markets which are vibrant with colour and life! At the seafood market the fishmonger is dramatic in her hawking. The heaped fruits and vegetables in the produce market are incredible for someone who has just seen the invariable land. The open market is filled with kiosks selling items from apparel to craft and souvenirs. Here we see the lively spark that we missed elsewhere.
A neat town
Then another aluguer ride takes us to Pedro village about 10 km away
in the southwestern part of the island. It is such a beautifully laid out residential area with compact colourful houses, well paved clean roads abd gardens. The huge park has a few well placed trees and small patches of greenery with a recreational area for children and space, including gazebos, for the community to gather. It's like an oasis in the shadows of volcanic hills. Again, except for a few children at play, and a couple of grocery shops where the aluguers stop for passengers, all is quiet. We wait for transport back. Luckily we find shade in which to wait..
Face to face with seafood
Our next alguer does not go directly to Mindelo. Since we have plenty of time to spare we are not perturbed. Our driver stops at the beach where the fishermen's fresh catch has arrived. There's a lot of haggling and hand shaking. Boxes of seafood are being loaded onto our roof. A huge lobster and the gaping mouth of a huge fish stare me in the face. A few feet away a man holding a huge lobster in each hand is swinging his way on the sandy beach towards a lonely but huge
A jaunt to the airport
From the beach that we had explored earlier we see an aircraft land and taxi towards a building. This of course is the airport aptly named after the famous singer: Cesária Évora Airport, the island's international airport. When our ride resumes we find that the road is only about 100 meters away from the airport. A very walkable distance indeed. We need not have worried about public transport at all, for surely there'll be some means of transport to and from the airport.
An evening stroll
Back at Mindelo there's still more time to explore and so we walk the esplanade. We take a peek into the church. The waterfront restaurants are well lit and have a beautiful ambience but we do not see very many customers. It's then time to get back to the ship for dinner and a well earned rest.
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