I reached Praia fairly early the previous evening but because of feeling rather tired just went to a restaurant across the road from the hotel and went to bed after dinner, once I would have to get up in time to reach a Bed and Breakfast where Bela works so as to hand her the new dress I had brought for her daughter.
Having decided I would spend my days in Praia relaxing on the beach or just strolling around I headed down from Plateau towards Terra Branca, where I was fortunate enough to meet Bela, whom I handed the present and money for her girl's school needs.
I further continued along Gamboa beach on whose bay a vibrant yellow coloured yacht caught my attention, as well as a passengers' boat partly sank. How odd !.. (they used to sink a little further away).
As I was approaching the crossroad access to Achada de Santo Antonio a group of muscular young men from the Intervention Police squadron passed me by ... it 's true that with the increasing number of robberies, which some time ago were not even thought of I have seen a lot more police in the streets recently.
I couldn't help photographing a recently painted mural whose themes were intimately connected to local traditions. I was touched by the naïve painting approach and the strong colours which had been used.
I don't know why I didn't walk on Gamboa beach ... but it did look rather isolated and a bit fearful, which made me think back to when I used to walk along it some years ago to collect colourful shells at no matter which time of day ... times have changed ... as I would soon notice in Prainha beach where I had decided to spend all morning.
I must confess I felt uncomfortable as I realised if I ventured in the sea (as I used to in the past) I would risk being stolen my sandals or the few things I had carried along with me. I had been warned but had not quite realised how "real" it was.
I decided to head back to Plateau by eleven as I had started to feel a strong pain on my back particularly every time I changed position. The effort of climbing up and downhill in Calheta with reasonable weight on my back was having its toll now.
As I came to the huge steep stairs that lead up into Plateau I came across the face of a former air traffic control student, Lucio who became the Cape Verdian football team "Mister" and again memories "popped " up to the surface ...
(To be continued)
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