After 7 days at sea and crossing the Equator, we arrived into our first port in the Northern Hemisphere, Cabo Verde.

Our replacement Port Lecturer boarded in Namibia. Her name is Leeanne, and she is from Victoria, so I had great hopes ….. alas, she is pretty useless. She freely admits that she hasn’t been to a Port that we’re visiting, and proceeds to provide incomplete, vague information. “It’s a Museum, it has ‘museumy things’! or; “It’s a Garden, it has ‘gardeny things’”! I have now left 2 of her presentations none the wiser. “I don’t have any maps, that’s what Google’s for”, is another of her comments. I have tours booked in most of the upcoming ports, so I don’t really ‘need’ her to tell me how to make the most of any spare time in Port. I will of course, continue to go, to gather more ‘verbage’ for the blog!

I had the misfortune of smiling at one the Entertainers during a show; he was a comedy ventriloquist from Argentina. He was roving the aisles during a performance, commenting that no-one wanted to make eye contact with him. So I made eye contact, in the hope that he’d move on … that didn’t work, and he chose me to be part of his ventriloquism act on stage. I didn’t have to do much, except open and close my mouth synchronously as he squeezed my shoulder. He was doing this to 4 people on stage, so with him, he was adding 4 extra voices. The guy next to me got the short straw, as the ventriloquist made him the one with a weak bladder! So every time his shoulder was squeezed, he would be saying; “I need to pee”! Ross videoed it for posterity, as ‘evidence’ to be played at my trial, hehe.

Anyway, back to Cape Verde…

Cape Verde has a population of about 500,000 people and this is a mixture of West African and European elements, making it one of the least populated African countries. It is an archipelagic country in the central Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about 4,033 square kilometers. These islands lie between 600 and 850 kilometers west of Cap-Vert, the westernmost point of continental Africa in Senegal, after which they are named. The archipelago was uninhabited until the 15th century, when Portuguese explorers settled the islands, establishing one of the first European settlements in the tropics. Its strategic position gave it a significant role in the transatlantic slave trade during the 16th and 17th centuries; the islands saw rapid economic growth driven by the trade of manufactured goods, rum, and cloth for African slaves, ivory, and gold.

By the mid 19th century, increased foreign competition, persistent drought, and the decline of the slave trade led to economic decline and emigration; Cape Verde gradually recovered as an important commercial centre and stopping point for major shipping routes. Lacking natural resources, its developing economy is mostly service-oriented, with a growing focus on tourism and foreign investment.

Cape Verde gained independence in 1975 and is a member state of the African Union. It has remained one of the most developed and democratic countries in Africa. The official language is Portuguese, while the recognized national language is Cape Verdean Creole (Crioulo), which is spoken by the vast majority of the population. The largest cities are Praia (137,868), Mindelo (69,013), Espargos (24,500) and Assomada (21,297).

Cape Verde's isolation has resulted in the islands having several endemic species, particularly birds and reptiles, many of which are endangered by human development. Our Naturalist Enrichment Lecturer gave a talk on some of these animals and the dangers/challenges they face.

The main religion is Christianity, and so while the language and religion are of European origin, several other aspects, such as dance and music, are a unique blend of the cultural heritage of the two different continents. The Cape Verdean people are known for their musicality, well expressed by popular manifestations such as the Carnaval of Mindelo. Cape Verdean music incorporates "African, Portuguese, and Brazilian influences." The national music is the morna, a melancholy and lyrical song form typically sung in Cape Verdean Creole, devoted to themes of love, homesickness, nostalgia, and the history of the Cape Verdean people. Cesária Évora was the best-known Cape Verdean singer in the world, known as the "barefoot diva", because she liked to perform barefooted on stage. There are murals of her as well as a Museum dedicated to her in Mindelo. Évora's music has received many accolades, including a Grammy Award in 2004, and it has influenced many Cape Verde diaspora musicians as well as American pop singer Madonna.

A little bit about Mindelo:

A settlement at Mindelo was founded in 1793 by the Portuguese, on the island named São Vicente. Colorful colonial houses line the shores of Porto Grande harbor, which is set against a backdrop of rugged mountains. The Torre de Belém, by the harbor, is a scaled-down replica of a centuries-old tower in Lisbon

It became a coal deposit for ships of the British East India Company in 1838, followed by the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company in 1850. In 1884 a submarine communications cable was laid between Europe, Africa, India and North America, making Mindelo an important communications centre for the British Empire. With the opening of the Suez Canal, the amount of trade decreased vastly and Mindelo lost its importance for transatlantic navigation.

I had no specific tour booked today, although I was on a ‘waitlist’ for a walking tour, which didn’t eventuate; it seemed to ‘drop off’ the list of shore excursions, so I think Princess cancelled the tour due to lack of interest by other passengers. Anway, I have been here twice before, and both times I was on a tour outside the town; I therefore welcomed a couple of hours of independent walking.

I had downloaded offline maps from Google, so I could plan a route. It is not easy to stick out as a tourist here, so no sooner had I left the secure port area, t hen the taxi drivers were plying their trade in touting for tours. It was easy to say; “Não, obrigado” (No Thankyou); and then the ‘befrienders’ came along. The first asked whether I was from Australia; he then was flashing an Aussie $50 note, saying he needed to change it for local money to feed his children. The note was probably counterfeit, because I suggested exchanging it at a bank, but he wasn’t interested. He really wanted me to give him Euros or US$; he then decided to accompany me to explore the city as a tour guide. Obviously I was getting more uncomfortable with this; telling him I was happy to walk alone, as I already had my route planned. I pointed out the circuit I was going to do, and he said her would be waiting for me afterwards. OK, that was not going to happen, and I proceeded on my circuit, extending the walk to avoid that area on the waterfront on my way back. I must resemble a wealthy Australian; well I am on an expensive World Cruise after all! The safest way to approach these ports is be in a group, and not venture solo. I continued to venture solo … The houses and buildings in Mindelo were brightly painted, many with covered balconies, typical examples of Portuguese colonial architecture. Some properties were ‘run down’ to give a ‘shabby chic’ vibe, which is very reminiscent of Melbourne. I walked passed murals of Cesaria, and a museum dedicated to her life and music. I would have gone in, but I made the ‘rookie’ mistake of forgetting that, due to Portuguese heritage, Cape Verdeans observe the ‘Siesta’, and virtually all businesses close for a couple of hours, usually 1-3pm. It was 5 minutes to 1pm! I walked on by. The next main building I came across was the Palácio do Povo (People's Palace), painted in bright pink. It was formerly the Palácio do Governo (Government Palace and was built in 1874, when there were plans to move the capital of Cape Verde to Mindelo. Since independence houses a Carnival museum.

My walk continued passed many little leafy squares and characterful streets, and I arrived at the local city beach. The water here was very inviting, and I followed the coastal road back into the port to return to the ship. We now have 2 sea days before our arrival into Europe and the Schengen Zone, in the Port of Las Palmas on the Island of Gran Canaria, Spain.