Foto: The statue of Diogo Gomes (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Cape_Verde - In the 18th century, the capital was moved to Praia after attacks on the old town. A walled fortress was established on a rocky plateau 37 meters above sea level. This still forms the heart of the historic center of Cape Verde’s capital. To reach the plateau, we climb a colorfully painted staircase. At the top, we’re right in front of the Palácio da Presidência da República. A soldier guarding the gate gestures that we’re allowed to take photos. Since 1894, it was the governor’s residence. Since Cape Verde’s independence in 1975, it serves as the presidential palace. Behind the palace stands a statue of Diogo Gomes, one of the discoverers of Santiago Island in 1460. From his pedestal, he overlooks the bay. It’s Sunday today and quiet in the historic town. Almost all shops are closed. Only a few terraces are open. At the Nossa Senhora da Graça church, a large crowd is exiting. The service has just ended. Everyone is dressed in their Sunday best. We stroll along the promenade to the other side of the plateau. In the Igreja do Nazareno cathedral, the service is still ongoing. From the doorway, we peek inside. Everyone is singing along enthusiastically.
Climbing the Fogo volcano
Cape_Verde - The silhouette of the volcano is already visible. Behind the mountain, the first sunlight is appearing. The sun’s rays are already reaching the tops of the surrounding mountains. We follow the road along the volcano and then turn onto a path beside ...
Parque Natural do Fogo
Cape_Verde - We drive into the Parque Natural do Fogo. At the junction between the old and new road, Mayuka stops. He points to the hill: “That’s your guide.” A young man runs down the mountain. He introduces himself as Eurico, but says, “Most people call ...
Ribeira Grande gorge hike
Cape_Verde - After switching vehicles, we drive to Calabaceira. On the way, we stop to stock up on water and some food. We can't manage to find any bread, so we buy some biscuits and bananas. In Calabaceira, the Ribeira Grande gorge hike begins. The Ribeira Grande ...
Serra Malagueta National Park
Cape_Verde - Over an hour later, we get out at the Serra Malagueta National Park information center. Alberto buys our entrance tickets and shows us on the map the route we’ll take today. “Many people only walk to the transmission mast and back,” he says. “It’s ...
Sobrado houses in So Filipe
Cape_Verde - Around three o’clock we arrive in São Filipe. The hotel is housed in an old colonial building at the edge of the historic center. Many houses here are still built in the Sobrado style—buildings from the Portuguese colonial period. Some have been ...
The Cape Verde archipelago
Cape_Verde - Cape Verde has about 450,000 inhabitants. 236,000 of them live on the main island of Santiago. The population of Cape Verde is a blend of various ethnic groups. This is a result of the country’s history. Although the government repeatedly tried to prevent ...
The fishing village of Tarrafal
Cape_Verde - The fishing village of Tarrafal lies by the sea, bathed in sunlight. Fishermen are just returning with their catch. They pull the small wooden boats onto the beach. The sorting and selling of the fish starts immediately. Various basins are filled with ...
The market of Assomada
Cape_Verde - On Wednesdays and Saturdays, a regional market is held in Assomada. Many people from surrounding villages come here to do their shopping. As soon as I enter the market hall, I see numerous fruit and vegetable stalls. Colorful fruit is neatly stacked on ...
The slave market of Cidade Velha
Cape_Verde - We pass the remains of an old church, only discovered a few years ago. There’s likely still much more to uncover underground. Bananastreet is a charming lane with small white houses. It used to be reserved exclusively for the Portuguese. Now, it mostly ...