Cape Verde - Calheta de São Miguel - 1st of June 2018

Because of it being a public holiday we had to get on an open back truck type of vehicle, in order to make it to Calheta de São Miguel where we were supposed to arrive by mid day, which we actually did.

 

 

One of the main reasons we drove to Calheta was to have Gabriela meet her "protegé" (Elias) and Inês the little boy she had supported over the first 4 months of the current year.

 

 

As we were going up hill we came across some acquaintances, as well as unexpected situations until we finally made it to Naté where we were expected for lunch. Prior to that we spent a few magic moments with the family, got to know the latest news and soon moved onto Té where Inês had a chance to meet Herber and his family.

 

 

 

Tarine (on the left).

 

 

Gabriela and Elias.

Leinira (on the right).

Inês and Lou.

Lou with the medal she won in athletics.

 

Leinira with the medals she won in athletics.

Inês and Naté.

Because it was International children's day we didn't manage to meet the few children we had brought things for, so we trusted Leiria and Elizabeth to hand them out later.

Herber's family and Inês.

Going down the hill.

Before driving back to Praia we still made it to Celene's where we met her stepfather whom we handed her new dress to.

 

 

Cape Verde - On the way to Tarrafal via Pico dos Orgãos; Tchon Bon; Tarrafal bay - The 1st of June 2018

 

 

As we sat at Sofia's it was decided by majority of votes to go to Calheta by taxi rather than by local bus. The only advantage for me was to be able to take a different road than the one I would under normal conditions. I was therefore given the privilege of revisiting the Pico dos Orgãos region where I hadn't been to for a few years.

 

 

As we were making our way to Tarrafal we stopped at the former concentration camp of Tchon Bon briefly though neither of my colleagues visited it.

It's the bay of Tarrafal they were interested in, which is undoubtedly a very nice one. We spent the rest of the morning on the main beach before heading to Calheta, and though the sun wasn't shining it was still fairly warm.

 

Cape Verde - Praia - Achada de Santo António; Plateau; Quintal da Música - The 31st of May 2018

(...)

Soon after having left ICA we strolled along part of Achada Grande, more precisely around the Assembly area and the Pope John II square before having walked down to Quebra Canela beach where we spent the rest of the morning.

 

After having had lunch at Flor de Lys restaurant I took my colleagues on a guided tour to Plateau, which started at the High School square and ended in the numerous handicraft shops of the pedestrian street where our hotel was located.

The evening was spent at Quintal da Música, where we had a marvellous dinner and listened to traditional Cape Verdian music played by a local band. I was happy with the fact that my colleagues had enjoyed the day and were willing to further discover the beauty of Santiago island.

 

 

 

Cape Verde - On the way to Praia, Santiago island; ICA Centre in Achada Limpo - The 30th and the 31st of May 2018

 

We left Lisbon on the evening flight to Praia taking advantage of the public holidays in Portugal so as to hand out material we had collected for the Emergency Centre for children. For the colleagues travelling with me this would be their first flight to Cape Verde I was therefore determined to show them everything I could in the limited amount of time we had.

 

We were lodged at Hotel Praia Santa Maria, where a bus from ICA Centre would collect us from the following evening. Prior to the agreed upon hour we made a quick escape to Sofia Café where I took some photos of the paintings being exhibited on their walls.

 

 

I was happily surprised to find out the organization had managed to construct a new centre, which despite being slightly far from the city centre provides the children with much better conditions than the previous one.


We were able to visit some of the new dormitories for babies and adolescents, as well as the library and playground. The head director was particularly happy with the contribution, because it was clearly focused on their needs and the list I had had access to through Graça, who was unfortunately unable to make it, but to whom we nevertheless owe the established contact and the transportation to and from the Centre..

(To be continued)