Sal Good, Man

Oooh, ANOTHER "Better Call Saul" reference. I'm on fire.

Today was a gloriously lazy island day; we didn't get up until past 10am, then after several coffees, didn't manage to leave the flat until after 11am. We decided that was perfect timing and weather to walk down Santa Maria's beachside promenade in search of lunch.

When I envisioned a beachside walk in Cabo Verde, I expected palm trees, beach bars set up in thatch huts, locals selling random trinkets and street food, and stray animals lounging in the sun. What I hadn't expected was the proliferation of upscale, small eco-resorts with pools and private beach access, and higher-end, overpriced bars and restaurants lining the promenade, catering to white European tourists. No joke, there was even an Irish pub. And I will just say that if you come to Africa and go to an IRISH PUB I do not want to know you.

The area had clearly been developed quite recently, and despite the gorgeous beachside setting, lacked any authentic African island feel (or pricing). It reminded me of the Spanish island of Mallorca: All the local life is in the middle of the island, and the rich tourists are isolated in a northern resort zone, in the locals' no-go zone.

So we abandoned the promenade and walked the opposite direction towards Santa Maria town, where we found a small restaurant in a bus parking lot that was filled with Cabo Verdeans. It had no menu, and served, according to the server, "just chicken." And it was just fabulous- for an island surrounded by fish, this place knows how to roast a chicken. And at €14, our two lunches and four beers cost less than a single overpriced cocktail we'd seen on a promenade bar's menu.

We discovered a beach bar near our apartment, far away from the promenade. The bar was similar to my beloved Catalan xiringuitos (beach bars in the sand), so we spent the remainder of the day there, reading and drinking adult beverages while enjoying the sand between our toes.

Later in the evening, we watched the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean from our rooftop. Eventually, we ventured out to find dinner; Sal is very small, and that same fancy beach promenade curls away from the beach, and becomes the main tourist walkway through Santa Maria town. While the rest of Santa Maria is unevenly paved, filled with random concrete architecture, intermittent street lighting, and populated with shops and restaurants bearing handwritten signs, this one promenaded street reeks of money. It is obviously meant solely for the rich white Europeans, and frankly feels like Main Street in Disneyland. The lighting is perfect; the cobblestones on the walkway are new; and every shop and restaurant has perfect signage and matching decor. It was a bit unreal and off-putting, so we walked to a nearby neighborhood bar where we had salads and fish and watched football with the locals. To be fair, the "ensalada con queso de cabra" (goat cheese salad) was actually mozzarella, but at least it came with a side of authentic Cape Verde life.Leia mais