São Tomé and Principe, São Tomé island - Day 1 (afternoon) - January 2004

(...)

Soon after having left the "dangerous" beach I walked along the narrow seafront "avenue"  to pay a visit to an old friend of my mother, a rheumatologist like her, who after the independence had decided to return home to do whatever she could for the country she was born in. Whether she did or not is disputable  ..., but all I could say  is that similarly to my mother she was still an active doctor then, as well as strongly committed to Medicine despite the age (she has unfortunately passed away a couple of years ago).

Her house was a little colonial "jewel" because it still retained the architectural traits of the epoch, which could actually be seen in a lot of other houses I had passed by, though not as well kept as that one.

Because the High School was just a few metres away I decided to take the time to walk there and photograph the tiles, which I had read covered its walls and depicted some of the country's activities. I wasn't disappointed because they were really beautiful to look at - a reminder of one of the Arts Portuguese are acclaimed for.

 

 

On the way back "home" I came across other forms of local Art, which impressed me as well ... if bearing in mind that where resources are limited artistic forms may be unexpectedly creative, as those seemed to.

Just prior to walking onto the Bay I inevitable walked onto the Fort of Saint Sebastian with the statues representing João de Santarém, the Portuguese explorer who together with the seafarer Pedro Escobar  (also represented) discovered the island. The third statue represented João de Paiva, the island's first captain
major.

After the independence these statues are said to have been removed from the city's pedestals and  placed by the sea, where they still stand ...

Still feeling "uneasy" about the stuffy tropical weather and the long trip the previous day I went to bed fairly early, so as to be prepared for the next day 's "exploration" of one part of the island.