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Cape Verde, Porto Grande

We arrive November 19th from the Canary Islands to Porto Grande Bay also Mindelo Bay in Cape Verde Islands. It is a bay on the north coast of the island of São Vicente. The main city of São Vicente, Mindelo, is situated at the bay.

The city was initially a fishing village called Porto dos Carvoeiros.

From driving through the city it looks like unemployment numbers are fairly high.

Porto Grande offers a one-of-a-kind treat to art enthusiasts through its diverse collection of artifacts including paintings, ceramics and wooden works. Some are showcased at the Centro Nacional de Artesanato, which provides an opportunity for local craftsmen to flaunt their talents and workmanship.

Driving across the city we discover numbers of small markets for the locals.

I have no idea what this was as we drove by. It looked interesting.

Stopping off to say hi to friends.

Map of the island

We drove through the city and out into the country side.

We walked for an hour and a half in the back country. No idea why...

Housing in the countryside is sparse.

At our stop at the beautiful beaches our guide offered us some local rum to sample. Oh yes it was good. Several people did not want the rum so I volunteered to drink it for them. Oh yes the day was much more enjoyable with the "Rum Run"as I called it. It sure made up for the walk into no where.

After a stop at the beautiful beaches we are driving to Norte Baia.

The shoreline of the island of Sao Vicente is spectacular. Almost no one in sight except for a few of our group. Beautiful sandy beaches.

Upon arriving at the shoreline we had the opportunity to sample one of the local rums. I highly recommend a taste or two.

In the distance is the small community called Baia Das Gatas which I believe translates to Bay of 2 Cats. We are headed there for lunch.

We stopped for lunch here.

View of the ocean across the parking area where we had lunch.

Nothing seems to move fast here as you can see. Even the dogs are taking a siesta.

Baia Das Gatas.. entrance to the small village.

From the top of Monte Verde we can see our ship through the mist and fog below.

In the mist we travel to the highest point of São Vicente, Monte Verde. This journey will take up the mountainside of Monte Verde, with its green ambiance, endemic plants, traditional farming houses, birdlife activity, and the best panoramic views of the Islandon a clear day which we did not have.

Highest peak of Monte Verde. The drive up is on a narrow 2 lane winding road through the clouds and mist.

Cabana de Chá do Monte Verde is a coffeehouse in Cape Verde. Cabana de Chá do Monte Verde is situated nearby to the peak Green Mountain and the nature reserve Monte Verde Natural Park.

This is the entrance to the Cabana de Cha do Monte Verde. It has to be one of the smallest coffeehouses in the world.

Looking down at the Baia Das Gata where we just had lunch.

Looks like they are getting ready for Christmas in a few weeks with the decorations.

Mindelo is situated at the Porto Grande Bay, a large natural harbour. The town is surrounded by low mountains.

We arrived on a Saturday but you would have thought it was Sunday. Not many people out and about.

From the beginning of the 20th century the port of Mindelo lost its importance for transatlantic navigation. Causes for this were the shift from coal to oil as fuel for ships, the rise of competing ports like Dakar and the Canary Islands and the lack of investment in port infrastructure.

Many colonial buildings from the 19th and early 20th century have been preserved in the city center.

Rotary insignia along the highway in town.

Beaches are beautiful but deserted in November with the lighthouse island in the distance.

A sign board of Amileer Lopez Cabral. More about him and his history to the Cape Verde Islands in our next stop.

Cape Verde became economically prosperous during the 16th and 17th centuries, attracting merchants, privateers, and pirates. It declined economically in the 19th century after the suppression of the Atlantic slave trade, and many of its inhabitants emigrated during that period.

Dom Luis Lighthouse is a lighthouse on the island of Dos Pássaros, Two Passengers 2 1/4 miles off the coast of the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde. It lies at the entrance to the Porto Grande Bay. The lighthouse sits atop the highest point of the islet, and is connected to the keepers house halfway down the slope by a stairway. The lighthouse was built around 1882, and was named after king Luís I of Portugal. It is a white hexagonal tower with a small lantern, total height 15 feet. Its focal height is 258 feet, and its range is 16 miles.

On 30 June 1975, Cape Verdeans elected a National Assembly which received the instruments of independence from Portugal on 5 July 1975.

Since the early 1990s, Cape Verde has been a stable representative democracy and has remained one of the most developed and democratic countries in Africa. Lacking natural resources, its developing economy is mostly service-oriented, with a growing focus on tourism and foreign investment.Its population is mostly of mixed African and a minor European heritage, and predominantly Roman Catholic, reflecting the legacy of Portuguese rule.

Departing Mindelo harbor, Cape Verde for our next stop in two days in Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde.

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