Cabo Verde - an Oasis of Friendly People, Beautiful Nature and Excellent Food – Part 2

Most tourist guides and other publications list as the best beach on the island, the one in the town of Tarrafal in the north of the island, which is actually a beautiful sandy beach that is crowded with locals and tourists in good weather. The pleasant colour combination of the light brown sand and the azure and blue-green colour of the sea is also a wonderful opportunity for a photo that many will envy, especially if you take a picture at a beach bar with a refreshing drink in your hand.

For those who don't like the classic sandy beaches, you can go to the silver beach a few kilometres away below the village of Ribeira da Prata, which got its name from the volcanic sand, which is silver until it gets wet, but then it turns black, which gives the beach a very special charm. This beach is also one of the more popular and is often quite busy due to its accessibility. There are many such and similar beaches in all parts of the island of Santiago, so you will not have any major problems with refreshing yourself in the sea if you are staying near the coast.

But there are also those of us who don't like the sand, and at the same time, we don't feel the most comfortable in a crowd on the beach. Of course, finding such spots is a little more challenging, because no one advertises them too much, so neither an online social network nor artificial intelligence will help. Those social networks that are not online, but in local shops, bars and restaurants, are a big help, where we can easily get into a pleasant conversation with the locals, who trust us with some hidden gem. And right near Ribeira da Prata there is one like that. Neither Google nor road signs lead us to the natural pools, but only the instructions of the locals. Considering that the natural pools are filled by tides and waves, the temperature of the sea is a few degrees higher than usual. Refreshing in these natural pools, carved into the rocks by the sea, I came to the conclusion that there is a suitable refreshment for everyone.

From the beaches to the dark side of history

Portugal, as we know it today, is of course not comparable to Portugal in the middle of the last century. In 1932, António de Oliveira Salazar took over the leadership of the country and established a dictatorship that ended only on April 25, 1974 with a coup d'état or the "Carnation Revolution", until then the authorities systematically suppressed all opponents of the regime, which led to the establishment of a concentration camp (officially a Penal colony) in 1936 near the town of Tarrafal, Cabo Verde, which were then a Portuguese colony.

Until 1956, the camp was used to imprison and torture Portuguese anti-fascists, but after a six-year hiatus, it was repurposed in 1962 to imprison anti-colonialists from Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde. In total, more than 500 people were detained, including 340 anti-fascists and 230 anti-colonialists. The camp was finally abolished only in 1974 after the Carnation Revolution.

Today, this sad monument of Portugal's dark history, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, can be visited and learn about the stories that took place in the "Slow Death Camp", as it was unfortunately rightly called.

Nature is not just beaches

In order not to continue this travelogue with sad stories, we will venture into nature before concluding. Considering that we are located on an island, we will first go on a boat tour from the coastal village of Ribeira da Barca, where we come almost exclusively to see two natural attractions, namely Aguas Belas and Pilon de Achada Leite. These are extremely interesting natural pillars in the sea and sea caves, into which we can enter with a small boat. Having said that, don't worry if you don't manage to book this interesting, approximately one-hour cruise online, because the owners of the small boats will aproach you immediately upon arrival, and with a little negotiation skills, you will be able to visit these two attractions (you can only visit by boat) for a very reasonable price. After returning to the jetty, a typical lunch in one of the few restaurants will certainly fit in, where you will be positively surprised with extremely tasty tuna prepared in several different ways and other specialities.

From the sea, we move for a few moments to the hills, where Pico de Antónia awaits us, which, at a modest 1,392 metres, is the highest peak of the largest island of Santiago, part of the "Parque Natural da Serra do Pico de Antónia" protected area, from where, in good weather, you can in the distance also admire the highest peak of the Cape Verde Islands - the Pico do Fogo volcano, which rises as high as 2,829 metres on the island of Fogo, which is only 20 nautical miles from Santiago, but unfortunately the connections there are not the best and you would need to spend more time and efforts for visiting it.

The largest tree in the Cabo Verde

Although the highest peak of Cape Verde is not on the largest island of Santiago, the island of Santiago boasts the largest tree on the island, located in the village of Boa Entrada, 2 kilometres from the second-largest city on the island and the fourth largest city in the country called Assomada. Here, too, Google fails, as it cannot lead you to the tree where the road otherwise leads. Given that the tree is really fascinating, I advise you to ask for directions in the city. It is a Kapok tree (or Ceiba pentandra in Latin), which settled on the island before the arrival of the Portuguese and has reigned as the largest tree in the country for over 500 years. The tree is only 40 metres tall, but due to its girth, it resembles a slightly larger bush from a distance. The tree is also special because of many birds nest in its crown, which means that while admiring and taking photos, we can also experience some "unexpected gift", which otherwise proverbially brings happiness.

Both Santiago and the rest of the Cape Verde Islands offer many natural attractions, from well-kept parks to hidden corners, but in the end I didn't choose a natural attraction, but one very special settlement.

Espinho Branco is the largest settlement of members of the Rebelados community (which in translation would mean rebels), who live in very simple homes without radio or TV. They are mainly engaged in agriculture, fishing and crafts. They perform their religious rites on Saturdays or Sundays, when they walk long distances to ritual places.

The number of members of the community is visibly dwindling, as young people have moved away from religious ceremonies and lifestyle. The community of Rebelados thus counts around 2,000 individuals. The community has opened up in recent years and it is now possible to visit Espinho Branco, walk among their homes and buy a handmade souvenir.

The Rebelados community is highly respected in Cape Verde, representing the symbol of rebellion against the Portuguese and the spirit of Cape Verdean independence.

In the end, I only express the hope that with this travelogue I have convinced you to put the Cape Verde Islands on your wish list and to keep a close eye on the campaigns of the airlines that surprise you every now and then with a good offer.