2/28/2023 0 Comments Saga capital islandThe dark history of the slave trade is told on signs and by guides in Cidade Velha. Famed explores as Vasco da Gama and Christopher Columbus have both visited this church - and so have I (although I arrived in a minibus). Not really impressive in terms of Danish churches which were built long before that.but however impressive in terms of being as old as the history of Cape Verde. Nossa Senhora do Rosário (Our Lady of the Rosery) church still stands today and is now the oldest building. But it was nonetheless the beginning of Cape Verde as we know it today.Ĭidade Velha was the first European settlement in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using Cape Verde as a hub was a brilliant business strategy and a great humanitarian tragedy. And for many years Portugal had exclusive rights. The Portuguese created Cape Verde as a logistical hub for everything shipped out of West Africa and across the Atlantic. These reinforcements would come from the African continent. But the local population, which was quickly turned into slaves, did not suffice so more slaves were needed. Europeans had recently discovered that the Americas existed and that the new world was rich on resources. The kind and beautiful Margarida Fontes and her camera crew asked me a few questions.Īnyway, these were exiting times for Europe. Then again, Hawaii and the Easter Islands were discovered by people in canoes. So people wouldn't necessarily have discovered these islands early. Cape Verde is really far into the Atlantic and far away from mainland Africa. But then I remember that there were fewer than 1 billion people on the planet back then. I find it hard to believe that these islands were uninhabited until the Portuguese discovered them about 500 years ago. What I have seen of Cape Verde is nothing less than worth a visit. I mean a shower which wasn't from swimming in the sea and rinsing off the salt or splashing myself with water from a bucket. And then I had my first shower in 18 days. Michael, another friendly Frenchman, boating me away from Alex' sailboat.Ī few days before Alex was scheduled to leave Cape Verde I disembarked and checked into a local guesthouse. Now he is aiming his boat towards Martinique in the Caribbean before continuing up to Haiti for his next engagement. And he named that idea Humanimer: He already navigated his sailboat from France to Senegal where he did humanitarian work while living at a school. God speed Alex!Īlex came up with the idea of combining humanitarian work with personal adventure. To be without the voice of a conversation. And he believes that he can navigate his sailboat across the Atlantic on a 4-5 week solo trip! That is a very long time to be alone. If he believes he can do something then he will try. He is 26 years old and carries a confidence within him which is born out of logic and not out of pride. And there is always a local who can help you.Īlex is a great guy. So since he was staying for a few days he suggested that I might as well stay on the boat for a few days. Once we arrived to Cape Verde he needed to take care of a few repairs before continuing across the Atlantic. As you may recall from last week I arrived (in style) on a small sailboat together with captain Alex from France. It is the largest island in the Archipelago and most of my time is spent in the capital which is Praia. But I am contained to the island of Santiago. And I have been told several times that it is like visiting 9 different planets. Or shall I strap 2 turtles to my feet and ride them across? :)ĩ of the 10 main islands of Cape Verde are inhabited. The captain will continue across the Atlantic so I’m currently on the hunt for a vessel that will carry me back to mainland Africa: A boat to Senegal, The Gambia or Guinea Bissau will do just fine. I arrived on a small sailboat from Senegal. A unique and precious place on our planet with a very small population and a relatively short but interesting history. I have arrived to Africa’s most western country which is the Archipelago of Cape Verde.
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