On the night of July 26, 2012, I left for Dakar (The Airport
looks untidy with no wireless internet appearing anywhere on my gadgets), all
that caught my eye was a black cat, strolling around the international transit
lounge. As my flight to Praia, is on the next day, I had to bring out my rugged
laptop and start reading, until my power cable made a pop sound! Telling me its
morning already.
Flying to Cape Verde, there was no avoiding the sea. An archipelago
of 9 islands, lying almost 450km of the western tip of Senegal. There was
almost no slope or road or window from which the seas could not be seen. With a
population of about 459,000, the sea took Capeverdeans away, flinging to
France, Brazil and New England, while as many stayed changing to their Dry
land. “While their exile broke hearts, it gave them money to send home” said
Moses, an energetic taxi driver, speaking English vaguely, took me to Pestana
Tropico Hotel. Certainly, he had so many to say about the Island, but the 700
Cape Verde Escudos (CVE) couldn't take us longer than stopping in front of the
hotel.
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| Taken from the Plateau, overlooking the Gamboa Beach and the crowd at one of the city carnival |
Just by the sea – Now that am “home” I can now look forward
to the United Nations Space Based Information on Disaster and Emergency Response(UN-SPIDER) 5days Technical Advisory Mission to CapeVerde (meaning Green).
While I was engrossed with my meal – Batata Frita (French Fries) and Atum
grelhado (grilled fish), I peeped through my window, and just out there were a
massive crowd, just by the Gamboa Beach. Since the weekend might be the only
opportunity to catch a glimpse of what the summer is like, I decided to join
the crowd, and perhaps – engage in some photography.
As the days of the week passed by – visiting organizations
involved in Disaster and Emergency Response, my nights were occupied by
responding to mails, and updating colleagues in Nigeria of task plans, while
monitoring other important projects virtually. However on Wednesday, the
UN-SPIDER team went on an excursion to Tarrafal, about 5hrs north of Praia. It
was quite intriguing how the winding roads kept us in between the valleys,
plateaus, and hills. Just on the road is a concentration camp built sometimes
in 1936, turned museum since 1974. The town stands in a class of its own, with
temperature at about 25°C, the beach was occupied by tourists from different
part of the world, while the sea foods at the restaurant could leave your taste
bud hungry for more. Had some great times to play beach soccer with the kids,
while some team members, swam their way into the ocean.
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| Looking at Fogo Island in the Sky was amazing as we arrive at Cidade Velha |
Friday Night was angelic at the Quintal da Musical. This was
the music house for those sad, syncopated mornas, the blended Portuguese fado,
Brazilian modinhas, and the laments of Angola and just like Moses told me “it
might be from the shanties of British seafarers”. At this restaurant, you have
to book a table, some days before coming, which reminds me of Figlmueller in
Vienna.Falling in love with the atmosphere was an understatement,
encapsulated in the rhythm of the music, and the dance of the singers, who sang
barefoot, a tradition culled from the Cesaria Evoria, one of the greatest
Capeverdean singers, who died on December 17th, 2011 at age 70).
Humming…Sodade…Sodade…Sodade…dess…nha…terra … “Music here is about love,
emigration, homesickness, looking for work, waiting for rain, missing people”
said Uche, a Nigerian I met at one of the markets on the Plateau. Uche sells
Compact Discs at the Market. He’s been living on the Santiago Island for
5years, with his elder brother who has been staying in Cape Verde for 15years.
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| The slave market - the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Cidade Velha |
Saving the best for the last – if you visit Cape Verde, and
you didn’t stopped by at Cidade Velha, then you have missed the Ribeira
Grande. I and Professor Isi of RECTAS decided to visit! At 4,000 CVE, Moses
will take us visiting the Old City (about 45mins drive from Prainha, 15km from
Praia), a UNESCO world heritage site, which quickly expanded to become the
first capital city of Cape Verde. Beholding the slave market brought back
memories of how Africans were been treated and transported to other parts of
the world. The relics of the old churches echo the grieving sounds of the
energetic African idol. In the 16th century,
this city prospered from transatlantic slave trade, with slaves being brought
from Africa to the isolation of Cape Verde to work in inhuman conditions in the
cotton fields. Cidade Velha was a target for several pirate attacks, and in
1712, it came under an attack by an army of looters. The city subsequently went
into decline, and was usurped by Praia, which became the capital in 1770.
As the night crept in, there was one more place to visit –
Bar ‘O Poeta, all thanks to Agnezkia and Fred.
Just situated around the Rua da Assemblera Nacional. The sound of the
cavaquinho greeted us, as we entered the soul lounge. Unlike Quintel de
Musical, there were few guests, and the funana pace of music was allowed.
Humming the songs away, this was our “Café Atlantico” – the haven at the end of
the world, where the waves crashed and the wind blew there was always something
good, and surprising, and comforting. One of the souvenirs that return the
memoir of Cabo Verde is the 1,000CVE artwork I got from the market on the
plateau – quite an art to behold!
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