Santiago

10 January 2022

Santiago

‘Around 8:30 in the morning, we boarded the dinghy and were brought ashore in Tarrafal. Our cheerful guide Sidi was already waiting for us, obviously happy to see us. Along the way, he happily tells about his island and the people living here. Sidi talks enthusiastically about the crops, seasons and the contrast between the evergreen valleys and the dry coastline and mountains.’

‘In a national park, we walk on a cobblestone path, where we learn to recognize the sound of the Kingfisher and even see some of them, among the hundreds of Acacia trees around us. If the cloud patches allo wit, the view is breathtaking: we can even see the volcanic island of Fogo! After an hour of walking, we reach the highest point, where we fin dan almost dilapidated campsite due to a lack of tourism. After a break, we walk back down and continue for an extensive lunch in a restaurant that Sidi often visits. We taste local coffee, fish, meat and a traditional stew. Delicious!’

‘In a small town, Assoma, we walk around the market and get a short history lesson about how people live and work here. The 800-year-old Kapok tree in the center of the island is very impressive. Getting tot his tree is just as impressive: the route leads us over steep winding roads, past brightly colored houses, without roofs. At a local shipbuilder and coconut trader, we taste Grog and have time for a swim on the black sand beaches, where all we hear are the waves. Fishermen are working a few hundred meters away, and everyone seems to be doing their own thing on the warm, soft sand. What else do you want?!’

Julia Faber