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| Welcome to Praia - Pilot Boat... |
Praia, a city of 120,000 people is the capital of the island
nation of Cape Verde, Cabo Verde, since 1770. Portuguese settlements populated
it first, Charles Darwin paid a visit on his voyage on the Beagle, pirates
attacked it, and a lengthy draught almost brought it to its knees. The
Twentieth Century brought a revival of agriculture and fishing, the Twenty
First an advent of Tourism and Expatriate Residents.
The small city is home to Governmental Offices,
Universities, and a host of Colonial Edifices. A short drive away through
spectacular mountain scenery are the towns of Sao Domingo, an artisan’s heaven,
Assomada, the islands largest and most vibrant produce market, Tarrafal, an old
prison site, as well as Cidade Velha, a
UNESCO world heritage site.
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| Island Landscape |
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| Assomada Produce Market |
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| Traffic Jam on the Road |
A reasonably priced taxi ride took me to all but one,
Tarrafal; distance was not the issue, but curvy mountain roads would have been,
as negotiating endless switch backs eats into available time.
I let the photos speak for themselves, and start with a
stroll through Assomada’s market…
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| Peeling Sweet Potatoes |
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| The Market - both a social and a business venue... |
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| A few sheep for sale at curb side... |
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| Selling Firewood |
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| Small Entrepreneur |
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| Main Street Assomada |
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| Fresh Produce...and it is fresh |
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| Tailor in the clothing market |
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| Local Sausage - packaged 'naturally' |
