Friday 11th September
20.30 Festival Opening
21.20 Gaita’l Funana
22.30 Mayra Andrade
01.00 Boss AC
03.00 Netinho da Bahia
Saturday 12th September
20.00 Folclorico de Velas
21.00 T-Cla-2
23.00 Cordas do Sol
00.00 Sara Tavares
01.30 Ky-mani Marley
03.30 Vozes da Diaspora
Live music from the Bossy Novas at Ponta Preta this Saturday evening between 9-11p.m.
Other arrangements for booking transport and reserving a meal that evening should be made through Carlos at Cafe Creolo.
On Saturday 25th July in the stunning location of Las Salinas de Pedra de Lume, the Lisbon Metropolitan Orchestra flew into Cape Verde to accompany a host of both famous and unknown Cape Verdean singers, in what was a spectacular evening of music set inside the extinct volcanic crater in Pedra de Lume. The event organisers must have put in an extreme amount of hard work and organisation with the lighting around the crater creating a wonderful ambient for the nights entertainment. From the car parking laid out at the top of the crater, an orderly queue to have you ticket collected and hand stamped right through to the large stage, bar and musician tent all powered by several large generators the organisers planned this event in minute detail.
The metropolitan Orchestra were as expected fantastic playing a plethora of musical styles. Opening with the Cape Verdean and Portuguese national anthems, which encouraged a great sense of national pride within the crowd, The Orchestra went on to play some more classic orchestral music from Mozart and Brahms and of course accompanied the various Cape Verdean singers in each of their individual sets.
Head-lining the event was the famous Cape Verdean singer Tito Paris. Born May 30, 1963 in Mindelo, São Vicente, Cape Verde Tito Paris is among the most popular musicians from Cape Verde successfully blending the sound of Cape Verdean traditional Mornas, Coladeiras and Funanas with the moderns sounds of Portugal and the rest of the world. Tito Paris himself was not however the only singer on Saturday night.
The opening act was an excellent, interesting and diverse blend of instrumental hip hop /rap highlighting just how adaptable and skilled the Metropolitan Orchestra is. The crowd was then treated to some classic Cape Verdean Mornas from artists such as Dany Silva, Gil do Carmo, Pena Betu, Toy Vieira and Nha Cretche to name but a few. The stand out performer of the evening was the flamboyant and crowd rousing signer Sandra Horta who was possibly the best part of the evening’s entertainment with her phenomenal stage presence and voice. Sandra’s music was much livelier than the classical Cape Verdean music being more comparable to a Cape Verdean Shakira or Nelly Furtado. As yet she has not recorded an album but is instead concentrating on her studies in Portugal however after Saturdays performance she is certainly a name to watch out for.
A spectacular evening set in a sublime location congratulations must be given to the event organisers and of course the artists themselves for a wonderful show and let’s hope that there are more events set to come from Pedra de Lume.
In light of this, the Cape Verdean government are commemorating Darwin’s contributions and his recognition of Cape Verde with a series of events based in Santiago from the 20th March 2009 through to the 3rd of July 2009. The celebrations are centred on Darwin’s visit to Cape Verde on the voyage of HMS Beagle which stopped at the port of Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde in January 1832. The events will culminate in the unveiling of a statue and an exposition of his life and works on the 3rd of July.
Why is Darwin relevant today?
Darwin explained that evolution was driven by natural selection, thus by this process, organisms most suited to their environment survive and reproduce and pass their advantages to their offspring. Initially greeted with controversy, Darwin’s ideas now form the foundation of modern biology.
Charles Darwin was born on 12 February 1809. He abandoned his studies of medicine to study theology but then, when he was just 22 years old, joined a voyage around the world on the ship, HMS Beagle.
The visit of HMS Beagle to Cape Verde
HMS Beagle, sailed from Devonport Plymouth on the 27th of December, 1831. The object of the expedition
was to complete various surveys around South America and the Pacific Islands and to carry a chain of chronometrical measurements around the World. On the 6th of January 1832 the vessel reached the shores of Tenerife in the Canaries, but the crew were not permitted to land due to an outbreak of cholera in the UK so instead the vessel was forced to sail further south and on the 16th of January, 1832 they came upon the Port of Praia on the island of Santiago, the principle island of the Cape Verde archipelago.
Darwin’s first opinions of Cape Verde were that of a desolate and sterile land. ‘The volcanic fires of a past age, and the scorching heat of a tropical sun, have in most places rendered the soil unfit for vegetation. A single green leaf can scarcely be discovered over wide tracts of the lava plains; yet flocks of goats, together with a few cows, contrive to exist. It rains very seldom, but during a short portion of the year heavy torrents fall, and immediately afterwards vegetation springs out of every crevice’.
As Darwin ventured ashore making journeys around the island of Santiago he remarked upon the beauty of some unexpected flora and fauna. He reported that he wandered through a valley near to the port of Praia and here saw ‘the glory of tropical vegetation: Tamarinds, Bananas and Palms were flourishing at my feet. I returned towards the shore, treading on volcanic rocks, hearing the notes of unknown birds, and seeing new insects fluttering about still newer flowers’.
Notable trips that and his crew members made were into Ribeira Grande, a village a few miles eastward of Porto Praia. Of this Darwin writes that ‘Until we reached the valley of St. Martin, the country presented its usual dull brown appearance; but here, a very small rill of water produces a most refreshing margin of luxuriant vegetation. This little town, before its harbour was filled up, was the principal place in the island: it now presents a melancholy, but very picturesque appearance.’
And also, into the village of St. Domingo, which is situated near the centre of the island. 
‘The scenery of St. Domingo possesses a beauty totally unexpected, from the prevalent gloomy character of the rest of the island. The village is situated at the bottom of a valley, bounded by lofty and jagged walls of stratified lava. The black rocks afford a most striking contrast with the bright green vegetation, which follows the banks of a little stream of clear water. It happened to be a grand feast-day, and the village was full of people.’
Darwin’s comments on the Atmosphere and Geology of Cape Verde
Darwin noted on the atmosphere that ‘Generally the atmosphere is hazy; and this is caused by the falling of impalpably fine dust.’ Upon analysis, the dust Darwin collected was found to consist of no less than sixty-seven different organic forms. Which he determined was most likely to have come across from the plains of Africa.
More importantly Cape Verde proved a good study in support of the Geological theories of Professor Lyell who argued that ‘the face of the Earth had changed gradually over long periods of time through the continuing, cumulative effects of local disturbances, such as eruptions, earthquakes, erosion, and deposition.’
Darwin who grew to support this theory based on his observations, noted in Santiago that ‘The geology of this island is the most interesting part of its natural history. On entering the harbour, a perfectly horizontal white band, in the face of the sea cliff, may be seen running for some miles along the coast, and at the height of about forty-five feet above the water. Upon examination this white stratum is found to consist of calcareous matter with numerous shells embedded, most or all of which now exist on the neighbouring coast.’ Darwin reasoned that a stream of lava from the ancient volcanoes had flowed over what had been ancient seabed, baking it to form the hard white rock. The whole island had subsequently been heaved up to make the sea cliff from the white band downward. Darwin also realized that the island’s surface had been formed by a succession of volcanic events, not a single dramatic one. He discerned an initial subsidence, the settling of the surface around the original craters, its building up from new lava spills from different craters, and further subsidence and building up over a long period of time.
Friday 29th May
20.00Raios vermelho
21:00 – Parade
Gay (Mulherres Vulcao) against Girls
(Gsh)
Gb
(Gbs)
Black Angels
Street Dance
22:00 – Esplosao 4
23:00 -Tiu lino
00:00 – DJ Suul
Beer 100ECV
Saturday 30th May
12.00 DJ
Football & volleyball tournaments
Beach games
20:00 – Soldados de ja
21:00 – Sanca e banda
22:00 – Ary
23:00 – Nazalio Fortes e Banda
Beer 100ECV
Sunday 31st May
Music All day
16.00 Miss Sixty Competition
Dj Paty
18.00 Party
Beer 100ECV
Born in Ilha do Sal, Mitu Monteiro grew up on one of the most beautiful wave spots in the world. After mastering nearly every single discipline that was likely to adapt to this wave, it was in Kite that he finally decided to express himself. Today, strong from his Wave Master World Champion title, Mitu develops his unique style everywhere in the world. And every time he goes back to Cape Verde, he finds his wave again and works his magic, pleasing Sal’s new-found paparazzi on the rocks.
Mitu… Why Mitu ?
To begin with, it was Nitu, a nickname given by my mother. But my aunt and grandmother could never remember it and called me Mitu. As time went by, the whole village remembered Mitu, so it stayed.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, in general, from when you were a kid until now?
My first contact with the sea when I was four or five years old, with my uncle. I was actually frightened by it (the sea). By the time I was six, I would go fishing or playing with small boats (cuttlefish and wooden sticks) on my own in the lakes created by the shore break that gets stuck inland. When I was seven, I got on a bodyboard for the first time. It belonged to a South-African and as soon as I was on the wave, I fell in love with it. I immediately tried to surf on a windsurf board. I bodyboarded until I was twelve years old, taking part in every single local competition and winning most of them! Whenever I had some free time, I was in the water. Then my interest turned to windsurfing as there were more and more windsurfing tourists arriving in Sal every winter. Back then, it was hard to learn and after a few attempts with a garbage bag as a sail, my aunt offered me a real board. From that moment, I learned quickly and in 2003, I was taking part in my first PWA international competition in Pozzo.
And kitesurfing?!
Hold on, I’m getting there! At that time, kiting was starting to appear and in 2001 I got my first 2-line & a directional board. Right after, I got myself a 4-line. Once I was sixteen I started working in a windsurf centre and I was kiting, windsurfing and surfing. In 2003, I ranked 5th at one of the first legs of the Wave Masters of KPWT. Back then, it wasn’t easy to ride Ponta Preta with a kite with the off-shore wind and the wings with no real depower but we were already exploiting the site differently than what we could do in windsurf. After breaking a lot of very expensive windsurf equipment, Kitesurfing became a much more interesting option even though we still didn’t have good directional-strapped boards. A regular board was good enough and each session brought new sensations.
And your introduction to competition?
In 2005, F-One started giving me some equipment, which really helped me to progress more and more each session. In 2006, I went to Como, Italy for my first freestyle competition. I ranked 9th, same thing the following year, 7th in freestyle and 5th in race. I went on to Guincho but there was no wind. I dropped the competition because I had no sponsor to carry on the tour; here, it’s not easy to find sponsors and it’s expensive to travel to Europe. It’s at that moment that Jerome got me back on track and helped me with the sponsors so that I could participate in all the stages of the Wave Master 2008. At the same time, I was opening my own kite school in the Italian hotel Vila do Farol (Bravo Club). In Portugal, last summer, I won the titles of Water Man and Wave Master of the KPWT. I gained a huge amount of experience from the other competitors. I’m the first Capeverdean to win a World Title in a watersport and it was a real national pride.
You’ve travelled quite a lot. Looking back, what do you think about your country, kite-wise and life-wise?
My island is a paradise for kiting. We have all sorts of conditions, off-shore, on-shore side-winds, portside, starboard side, lefts and rights… There are 10 islands in Cape Verde, each one different from the others with an amazing landscape, quietness and a good climate to live well, no stress!
Your island has been changing a lot these past few years, what’s your view on this?
Every year, there is more construction and more people living on the island. On one part, it’s advantageous since it brings a lot of jobs but on the other side, it’s destroying the landscape and it’s beauty. The government is aware of the importance of the watersports and wants to get more involved… But it’s clear that the first thing they need to do is to preserve our spots.
Living in Cape Verde, how do you go from the kid who watches to the kid who rides?
By freely taking a step towards the ocean…
Where did your love for the waves come from?
From bodyboarding.
What do you like so much about waveriding?
Finding the tube, I think.
You’ve developed a particular style, aerial, feline. You use the power of the wave but also the power of the kite. Where did that style come from?
I think it’s a mix of all the watersports I’ve tried, probably also combined with my knowledge of the ocean.
Why do you think you are so comfortable in waves?
It’s a very beautiful, very pure sensation of fusion. You have to experience it to understand. It’s hard to explain.
Are you scared confronted with heavy conditions? You give the impression to have demystified all that…
You’re right, I’m not scared. However, I’m very respectful therefore conscious of the risks. After the first wave, it’s gone…
What relationship do you have with the sea?
The ocean is my source of energy; the noise and the power of the waves, the wind and the sun contribute to my peace of mind and my confidence when I’m riding the waves.
Describe riding the wave at Ponta Preta?
The wave is very fast and the wind almost always off. It’s therefore very hard for re-entry tricks. It’s a wave with a lot of down-the-line to place your bottom in order to hit the lip of the wave at thedeepest point of the break. Then you have to slow down to find the tube if that section allows it.
The greatest danger is if your kite goes down – if the kite starts surfing on the lip of the wave, you end up getting dragged underwater, which can be painful!
What does your World Champion title represent to you?
The title is very important since it opens a door for the young Capeverdean athletes. There are many young talents here but very few sponsors and no structure to supervise them. It’s also a great pride for my country.
I know that you have a special relationship with Raphaël Salles?
Raph has been coming here to Sal for a long time. At first, I only knew who he was when Jerome, who uses and represents F-One in Cape Verde, introduced me to him. That’s how I started using his wings. I love his style in the waves and I learned a lot by watching him to improve my own. He’s an adept of work well-done and I’m the same. Maybe that’s why we get along so great.
What kind of board do you ride?
Bambu 5.6 strapped for big waves, choppy water and a strong wind to be as radical as possible in my manoeuvres.
Bambu 6.0 Strapless in light winds to use more the power of the wave with the board.
Strap, strapless, hooked, unhooked, how do you ride?
It really depends on the conditions but generally in descending order: Strap, hooked, strapless, unhooked.
What makes a quality session for you?
Being able to make the most of the wave’s energy. You have to be able to exploit each opportunity of the break to make manoeuvres and feel in harmony with the sea.
Which is the nicest wave you’ve ridden?
Fontana and Ponta Preta.
You’re one of the best strapless freestyle riders… You do that while you wait for the waves or is it a real passion as well?
I do that a lot when there’s very little wind, to learn new tricks that I can integrate later in the waves.
Your favourite freestyle trick at the moment?
F-16, kite loop, back loop strapless.
What are you hoping for in the future?
To improve forever and always, always riding more quality waves and to keep on travelling. And then to make my kite school tour.
Can you comment on the photo session we just had?
Nothing else than yet another perfect session in my back garden…
One more thing… Why are all women crazy about you?
I had never noticed… But if you say so, I’ll pay more attention from now on.
Thanks Mitu
Source: Stance Mag France
Translation from French: Yseult Laganière (y_laganiere@hotmail.com)
Images:
Front Image & Profile shot: Courtesy of Pascal Laborde
All other images: Courtesy F-one/Gilles Calvet
The best Surfwear and Surf/kite gear place in town. Tout’ Sab Surf Shop Sal
www.caboverdewaveriding.com
Villa Praihina: Beachfront accommodation in Santa Maria
www.caboverdewaveriding.com
Looking for pictures of your daily water sports in Sal?
www.pontapreta.net
January 2007 – Life on Sal
My rented apartment here in Santa Maria is a large studio, with a bathroom and large terrace, but as I’m on the ground floor I can’t really use it much as it’s a bit like being on the telly if you sit outside, with all the world walking past…
I finally have my gas, and a new set of saucepans, so I’m glad to be cooking at home; for the first week I had to eat out every night, which obviously requires drinking as well, so eventually you end up a bit squiffy, fat and skint which is not really the intention, I’m not on holiday after all, I am living and working here. Last night I managed to find a shop selling fish, although they only had giant prawns and something called ‘choco’ which I purchased, when I put it into the frying pan it expanded and was squid! Lovely, and all for €2. They also had meat in the shop - some chops and some very red sausages, and then the pride of the display was a chicken kind of doing a handstand with a bit of parsley in its neck. I also managed to find a potato and 2 carrots, but had no knife for chopping them –I asked the lady in the shop in my best Portuguese if she sold knives, she didn’t but sent her daughter out back and she came back and lent me her very own! Must remember to take it back today, I don’t feel that comfortable with a sharp vegetable knife in my handbag.
It’s been very busy with clients, and they have all been nice people. Thursday is the day the flights go back, so I have a little bit of time to myself…. I have started the day early with a run right down to the southern tip of the island. You have to go early, the temperature rises by 9am, this week it has been averaging about 85.
It was truly wonderful, all alone in a desert, you can imagine what the island was like before the development began. Running on sand and black rocks, hardly a soul about, one girl with her headphones on, and one man playing with his dogs. At the very tip of the island I stopped to walk up to the sea edge (no beach), and someone had made some beautiful ‘crop’ circles, about 7 circular designs, made from small black rocks and very light brown coral. Absolutely lovely, and exactly at the spot I had chosen to stop. I then ran on a bit more and found a tiny beach, and some deserted huts. So quiet, the sea crashing in, and the wind blowing very strong. You could hear all sorts of strange noises if you turned your ear to the right angle. Very spiritual, reminded me of a beautiful song written by my late Partner, Robert Jacob, entitled ‘Stone People’. A very emotional moment, but that’s another luxury of this place, the freedom to have emotional moments, no-one around to see you, and the sun dries your tears very quickly. I love it here, and going out into the ‘desert’ like that puts everything into perspective. I am looking forward to being here and watching the whole island grow…
October 2007 – the true story of importing one’s furniture from the UK
It seemed like a good idea at the time; that is, back in July 2007, in the UK, emptying the entire contents of my home into a container, which would set sail for Cape Verde, and I would be reunited with my clothes, my music, my jewellery; in fact, my life. Didn’t seem worth buying a load of new furniture here when I had plenty at home, which would only be put into storage and loneliness for years to come.
So,family and friends gathered on 12 July, carefully wrapped everything in approximately 100 metres of bubble wrap and cardboard and brown paper, sealed the doors, and off she went on the back of a large lorry, a resplendent orange container, not to be opened until reunited with me in Cape Verde, some 3000 miles yonder. Maybe we should have paid heed when the lorry driver, upon being asked when it would arrive in Cape Verde, muttered ‘ might be 6 weeks, might be 6 years….’
I had confidence, I put it out of my mind, I had faith and decided not to even think about it for 6 weeks, and if it came during the suggested time, then I would be pleasantly surprised. So, I didn’t start to think about it until 8 weeks after it had left the UK. At this point I thought I would get in touch with the carrier, and so I emailed them eagerly, about 5 times, and received no replies whatsoever. Funny, before I paid them the fee of £2200 they responded very quickly to every phone call or email, but after I paid the money I never heard from them again…
So, I tried the shipping agent in Las Palmas, which was supposed to be the first port of call, however it had already been via Hamburg (lucky little holiday for my possessions!) After having a shrieking fax siren wailing in my ear on the first few efforts, I finally got through to a lovely chap who sounded just like Manuel from Faulty Towers, who advised me that the ship with the container had arrived in Las Palmas, but that there were ‘hydraulic problems’ and that the container would have to wait there one week, but would be shipped in 7 days. I called on the 8th day… unfortunately all the containers had managed to get on to the Cape Verde ship… apart from 4, of course, mine was among these 4… they could not give me an alternative date, they didn’t know when the next ship would sail to the Cape Verdes. Nothing more could be done, except wait…..
About 10 days later I tried again, and YES… it had left Las Palmas for Sao Vicente and should be there within 2 days….
I called the port in Palmeira 4 days later, and YES (again) it had arrived in Palmeira, merely a 20 minute drive from my apartment, excitement began to mount, but alas, no it was not to be. ‘The crane is bro-ked’ I was told, and the container had been sent back to Sao Vicente.
I tried to keep calm, breathe in, breathe out, nothing could be done, live with the power of now, accept…
One week later, I tried again… my container was here. It was a Friday. So, no, I could not collect it until Monday. (Friday, Sexta-Feira, no unloading, PUB of course!)
So, on Monday at 8am I arrived at the office of the Despachante, smiling, being polite, keeping calm.
We drove to the port, and waited for an hour while they checked my paperwork.
This, of course, after 3 and half months, was not in order. I had everything I needed, a complete listing of every item in the 138 boxes, in English and in Portuguese, the bill of lading, a letter from the council in the UK confirming that everything in the container was second-hand goods from my house. The most important thing was missing, a STAMP on the letter from the council…
I begged and pleaded and said I would get the letter stamped and forwarded, just let me have the container. I demanded to see the Head of Port who said he could help with the storage costs but not with the customs officials. Then, a momentary breakthrough. If I got the letter from the council translated into Portuguese, they would re-consider.
So, back to the office of the Despachante, where he duly transcribed the letter for me, with the aid of a dictionary, word by word. This took another hour. Then the port was closed for lunch. A coffee and a menthol cigarette and two hours later, back to the port. The Despachante took the letter. I sat outside the customs office, smiling like a demented woman at everyone who passed, in case it helped. It didn’t. The Despachante came back shaking his head and sighing. It was not to be. No stamp, no container. On the way back to the Despachante’s office I decided to turn up the King Curtis CD playing in the car to full volume, to cheer myself up and not weep. The Despachante asked, ‘this is English music, yes?’, no, I replied, American music from 50 years ago. ‘ah, classical music’ he replied. Bless his heart.
And what is the final outcome of this story?
10 days letter, I returned with the duly stamped letter. I couldn’t go in, I waited outside customs like an expectant father.. he came out nodding, smiling, with the paperwork to release my possessions. He then left me.
I spent 25 minutes waiting by the container in 28 degrees, not knowing what I was waiting for, but not daring to speak… finally a man came and broke the seal with a huge cutting device. I looked in, I got in, I sat amongst my Buffalo Boots, my CDs, my futon and chairs… It only took another 3 hours, 2 official stamps, €350, a marvellous large operation involving a giant fork lift and a lorry, a 20 minute slow drive and then a 2 hour unloading session aided by 2 helpful and cheerful Cape Verdians. The apartment was full of 138 boxes, now to unpack!
The last words of the Despachante to me were, ‘next time it will be easier’. The last words from me to the Despachante were, ‘there will never be a next time…’
About the Author: In January 2007 Bev Chadwick swapped gigging in the UK for a lucrative career in real estate in Cape Verde. Despite her hectic schedule, she still manages to perform two or three times a week in Santa Maria and is considered somewhat of a local celebrity, particularly with the South American contingent, who arrive in their dozens for every show.
After months of being pestered, she finally agreed to write a regular column for the AboutSal site to share with us her experiences.
In 2007 Sal surfers Daniel Obradovic and Joazinho formed Revolusal, a youth movement based in Santa Maria which combines surfing with education and teaches respect of the environment and to each other. The organisation provides stability to many youths as well as encouraging them to attend school, whilst providing a focus through the positive medium of creation that is surfing. Sal, which is widely regarded as one of the finest water sport arenas in the world, has already produced a world champion kitesurfer, Mitu Monteiro, and by providing contests and a surf “scene” RevoluSal is nurturing some superb young talents in the surfing world.
Since it’s formation, RevoluSal has organised:
Beach & coastal cleanups: removing rubbish from several sites of outstanding natural beauty around Sal
Surf Events & Training: bringing surfers together from all of the islands to compete at some of the best surf spots in the world
Social events: getting kids off the streets and working together in social programs
Get involved
RevoluSal is run and funded by volunteers and is recruiting surfers and Life members .Whether you are a surfer of many years or if you simply want to be involved in something positive here in Sal, a small donation or to simply join in a Clean-Up session makes all the difference. The clean ups are a lot of fun and are a great way of meeting and interacting with the young surf community – remember the beaches are there for everyone to enjoy.
If you would like more information or to find out about the next Clean-Up day contact info@revolusal.org or visit the official site RevoluSal.org
RevoluSal Contacts
Board of Directors
+ President | Daniel Obradovic
+ Vice President | Edir Lopes
+ Secretary | Filomeno Carvalho
+ Treasurer | João Silva Almeida
+ Substitute | Fred Wilson Cruz Duarte
General Assembly
+ Table President | Fredy Harley Fortes
+ Table Vice Pres. | Roberto Espirito Santo
+ Table Secretary | Dunia S.L. Obradovic
Watch Committee
+ President | Ricardo Xavier Bettencourt
+ Vice President | Valdir Duarte Brito
Fund-raising event for Luisa – a girl who requires visual corrective treatment in order to learn to read & write.
All donations welcome.
When: Saturday 9th May
Where: Palha Verde
13.00 Welcome cocktails
13.30 Live music from “special” guests
14.00 BBQ
16.00 Auction of Art
17.00 DJ
19.00 Event finishes
For more information & to buy tickets contact Shop 32 (in front of the Santa Maria square & Cultural Cafe) on +238 2422160
or La Paloma in Espargos
The bus is full of Cape Verdians, crates of eggs, boxes of fanta laranja, the stereo is playing loud music, and I am at the back squeezed between two young men who are doing their best to give me space, while every time we go over a bump I bang my tall bleached head on the ceiling of the van, and every time we go around a corner I lean just a little bit too close to the boy on my right, causing him to take furtive looks at me in the darkness and wonder what this white woman is doing on the 100 escudo bus from the local village where there are no tourists. 
I had a business meeting at the airport, and feeling confident of the ways of the town, thought I would save myself 9 euros each way by taking the bus. Fine, on the way, in broad daylight, and knowing where the bus runs from. When I came out of the airport, it was dusk, and chilly, and I was just wearing a thin summer frock and sunglasses. Still, not prepared to give in and go the tourist way, and get a cab, I confidently started walking towards Espargos, thinking that I would hail the town bus, or ‘aluguer’, as it passed me by. What I didn’t bargain for, was that Espargos was in actuality quite a bit further than the 300 yards it looked, and that there was no path, and every time a lorry passed it would cover me in hot dust and almost blow me off the road.
Still, I persevered and was shortly joined by a female dog who crossed the highway to join me (this is the only tarmac road on the island), most keenly, almost getting run down, and then leapt up at me gleefully. Not being a dog person, I was unsure how to react, so asked it politely to get down please, which it eventually did, and then followed me, at a respectable distance behind. By now, it was actually dark, spooky, the town was but a distant glimmer, and two aluguers had passed me by, before I had time to realise and hail them down. I started talking to myself, loudly, and panicking slightly, after all we were only about 1 mile from where the only major crime on the island had ever been commited, 2 weeks ago, a ‘crime of passion’…
The road had suddenly become a normal carriageway, not a dual carriageway, which seemed to excite my dog friend, so now I was shouting ‘get out of the road please, bitch’, to the dog, as well as being frightened, and wondering why I hadn’t just got a cab, for the sake of 9 euros, and it was a business meeting after all…. My sense of adventure had got the best of me.
Finally, in the distance, I spotted a garage, and decided a cigarette would be in order, if not vital …. In the queue I spotted a friendly face, one of the cab drivers from Santa Maria, and tried to ask in my most casual voice, which came out as a hysterical whimper – ‘ hi, are you going into Santa Maria?’ He wasn’t , but obviously sensed my distress and offered to take me to the ‘bus stop’, hence my position in the back of the bus between the boys and eggs, music and fanta…
Another exciting adventure in the life of…
May 2007
I left the house at 9.30am, the normal time to set off for work, unless I have an early appointment. I took 2 bags to the bins, there are communal bins around the town, you have to take your rubbish and then it is collected daily by the bin lorry.
On the way, a tiny Cape Verdian girl waved and shouted ‘ola’ from the top of an unfinished apartment block, where her mother was hanging out the daily wash.
I continued into ‘town’, past the Correio, where I poked my head around the door to ask for any post, I received a shake of the head from the post lady, nothing today, she seems to know the names of all the estrangeiros without you having to tell her. Coming out of the post office was one of the girls from the local shop, we had a brief chat, in a mixture of English, Portuguese and Criole, before she went into work and I carried on the walk to my tiny beach office. As I rounded the corner to walk past the primary school, a young Cape Verdian boy, probably about six, was happily chasing round with a tyre, wearing only a T-shirt, nothing else at all. He was smiling happily to himself with his game, and gave me a wonderful grin. A few minutes later, one of the Senegalese, who I don’t think I have spoken to before called out to me.‘I want to see a photograph of you 20 years ago, you are so beautiful now…!’ This cheers me immensely, even though I am not in need of cheering.
Just as I approach my office, one of the fisherman passes with his wheelbarrow of the morning catch. He is always wearing the tiniest pants (nothing else) and carrying a huge sharp knife. He shouts out, ‘good morning baby face, you are beautiful today..’ In the UK he would have been arrested, either for indecent pants, or carrying a large dangerous weapon. Here it is just every day life.
This is life in Cape Verde, this is the commute to work. I unlock the office door and walk in, to the scent of freshly brewed coffee and freshly baked Foccacia from the Italian beach café next door. Now to start the day…..
About the Author: In January 2007 Bev Chadwick swapped gigging in the UK for a lucrative career in real estate in Cape Verde. Despite her hectic schedule, she still manages to perform two or three times a week in Santa Maria and is considered somewhat of a local celebrity, particularly with the South American contingent, who arrive in their dozens for every show.
After months of being pestered, she finally agreed to write a regular column for the AboutSal site to share with us her experiences.
| March 11, 2010 | |
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Sunny current temperature: 23°C |
