Mindelo, Sao Vicente

We are doing our own thing today on this tiny island in Cape Verde. We strolled along the harbour from Porto Grande, where we were moored, to the little town of Mindelo. Lots of drivers keen to show us the island in their vehicles of varying degrees of road worthiness. The traffic is very busy and crossing even the small roads can be a challenge. I love the 25 seater busses, most of which are at least 20 years old, rusting and dented from obvious minor collisions. These hurtle along the roads ( there is no speed limit) and often mount the kerb when they stop.
The economy relies upon tourism and fishing, everything else is imported. There is no agriculture. There is obvious poverty around but few signs of pressuring tourists or begging. Lots of simple street food for the locals and the shops are more like local stores than anything else. A lot of men on the streets with little to do and women transporting their wares on their heads in the african fashion.
Mindelo was founded in 1793 by the Portuguese and is full of delightful and colourful colonial buildings. We visited both the African ( clothes and artifacts) and the fish market. The latter was very pungent and lacking western hygiene. Women selling the fish, with cats and dogs milling around, lots of flies and no ice anywhere. Men and women on the sides filleting and gutting the morning' s catch.
After lunch we walked to the beach. Rather windy with the fine golden sand being blown along the shore. We sat and listened to the waves, watched the local Shearwaters glide on the wind and then skim the surface of the beautiful blue water, and had a paddle. The temperature was just right!Read more