This is the first out of four posts about Cape Verde, the next post will be coming soon.
The next stop in our permanent honeymoon was Cape Verde, an archipelago in the Atlantic, 900 km (560 mi.) away from Senegal. With its 550,000 inhabitants, Cape Verde is the third least populated country in Africa (after Seychelles and Sao Tome & Principe). Cape Verde is a relatively new country, which got its independence in 1975 from Portugal.
To better understand Cape Verde, there are some important things to know in advance:
Cape Verde ethnicity is the result of miscegenation between European and African people dating since the 15-16th century.
Weather is arid, barely rains; agriculture is limited and the country depends on imports.
Before the independence, thousands emigrated from Cape Verde, mainly driven by droughts. It is estimated that more Capeverdeans are living overseas than in the country.
Mother tongue is Creole, a Portuguese-derived language; still, most people are conversational in 3-4 languages (Portuguese, English, French).
São Vicente island was our entry point to Cape Verde and also was the #11 in our 100-island challenge. With 80,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populated island of the Capeverdean archipelago. Its capital is Mindelo, also considered Cape Verde’s main cultural hub and home of the world-famous singer Cesária Évora.
What we expected
Having worked in a couple of African countries in the past, I have to confess that I was overly cautious about our safety (particularly walking at nights) and avoiding scams… How wrong was I!
São Vicente: The live example of morabeza
Morabeza is the creole word for welcoming, friendliness, gentleness, hospitable. It does not have a direct translation. It expresses the Capeverdean way of living/feel. As my wife and I called it in Mexican Spanish “el verdadero espíritu Caboverdiano” ;) Capeverdians stole our hearts since the minute we landed in the Cesária Évora airport.
As soon as you interact with São Vicente people, they transmit their positive and heartwarming vibes: the taxi-driver that spontaneously did a quick tour of Mindelo, Caroline the guest house host that decided to become our guardian angel, the barber that dedicated 90 mins to my hair and beard, the artisan that did a customized bracelet for my wife, the student that switched to Spanish once he found out we were Mexicans.
From what the locals told us, the Capeverdian operates under the principle of “no stress”. And I believe them. They seem laid-back individuals, but at the same time things happen and life goes on.
Good-looking, sportive, and fashion São Vicenteans
Most of the people we saw in São Vicente have brown-colored skin and in many cases with light almost green eyes. The locals explain this as the result of the miscegenation of Europeans and Africans dating many centuries ago.
Either mornings or evenings you could see ultra-fit men exercising on the piers or perfectly shaped women doing selfies on the beach. In the words of my wife “if there was a mold for the perfect female body, they would use Capeverdian women”. While walking through Mindelo streets, it was not uncommon to see perfectly dressed people that could switch seamlessly from Rua de Lisboa to the finest runway in Milan.
Mindelo: Downtown and beach (and mountains)
From our perspective, Mindelo is divided into two areas:
Mindelo downtown: Most of the daily life happens there: restaurants, supermarkets, retailers, banks, cultural venues, etc,
Laginha beach: 800 meters (0.5 mi.) of white sand and sun. More crowded on the weekends when people hang out and play football.
Distance between both areas is 1.5 km (1 mi.) because there is a mountain in-between. In general, you can appreciate the beautiful mountains of São Vicente almost from any point in Mindelo.
Music plays a central role in Mindelo’s life
Mindelo is “a cidade de Cesária”, the city of Cesária Évora. She is probably the most famous Capeverdian in the world. Cesária sang morna, a slow music genre, some say it is the “local blues”, with themes around poverty and slavery. Despite not everyone being devoted to Cesária’s music, everyone acknowledges her contribution to putting São Vicente and Cape Verde on the map. There is a fantastic mural of her in Praça Dom Luís.
Foto del mural
Where to go for music and/or drinks in Mindelo
Mindelo has plenty of places where to listen to local artists from public-owned venues: Casa da Cultura, Escola da musica, Palácio do Povo, to restaurants that bring musicians on the weekends: Jazzy Bird, Livraria Nho Djunga, Café Mindelo, Pergolas
Where to eat in Mindelo
Downtown Mindelo
Nautilus: In our opinion, the best Cachupa in town (and we tried many)
Pergolas: Great food, fair prices, amazing staff, probably one of our favorite places
Café Mindelo: Very touristy, a bit over-priced, and perhaps the only place with unfriendly staff. Food is ok tho
Cremosito: Hands-down best ice cream in town. Try coconut flavor!
Laginha Beach
Kalimba: Go for the fitness brunch: delicious and well-priced. The rest of the food is ok but slightly over-priced.
Caravela: Definitely less fancy than Kalimba, but perfect for a sunset drink with friends
Onda Forna: Pizzas were amazing and the staff incredibly friendly
U sabor: Outstanding sea view
What to do in Mindelo
Laginha Beach: White sand beach to easily spend 1-2 full days
Palácio de Povo: Former governor’s house, now used as an exhibition center
Praça Dom Luís: Home of Cesária Évora’s mural and maybe the epicenter of town
Quinta das Artes: Multiple workshops where local artisans create handcrafts
Torre de Belém: An interesting replica of the one in Lisboa
Mercado de peixe: Small, but worth visiting the fish market
Bom visual: Barber for a modern haircut
Things to be aware of in Mindelo
Despite we loved our time in Mindelo, you should be aware of the following:
Very windy: always carry a jacket, particularly when sitting outdoors
Poverty: despite being in a better position than other African countries, most people struggle to make ends meet. Support the local people, but avoid giving direct cash
Limited transportation across islands and with other countries: Do not expect two or three ferries per day traveling between islands, some routes are only twice a week. Connections and frequencies with other countries are limited leaving little room for travel improvisation
Cape Verde: Another marvel of the miscegenation
In many ways, Cape Verde felt very close to Mexico, the home of the authors of this blog. Without pretending to write an anthropology or sociology treaty, one important similarity is that both countries are a result of miscegenation. Mexico resulted from the mix between Spanish and Indigenous cultures. Cape Verde probably lived it differently. Their land was unoccupied until the 16th century when the Portuguese used it as a station on their way to Brazil. Since then, Capeverdians have consolidated a mix of European, African, Brazilian, and Caribbean cultures…
We are looking forward to learning more about Cape Verde in the coming islands: Santo Antão, Sal, and Santiago.
Do you have any other tips about this amazing country? Feel free to comment below.
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