Cape Verde Map

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latest picture: December 26, 2013

• click a picture to see details

201  Furna – this is the name of the

picturesque harbor in the protected bay

at the northeast coast of Brava; with

25 sq.ms. it is the smallest of the

inhabited islands of Cape Verde .....

202  ..... its church sitting on a hill at

the far end of the tiny bay bears the

unmistakable mark of the

Portuguese architecture .....

203  ..... the two-storey houses in the

colonial style are still testimony of the

charming old world. This more recent

one is near “Cova Joana”

(“Nossa Senhora do Monte”)

204  View over the center of

“Vila Nova Sintra”, the capital of the

island with its around 2'200 people

205  “Vila Nova Sintra” lies on a plateau

1’650 ft. above sea level. Right in the

background the contours of the neighbor

island of Fogo are visible. It’s just 12 miles

away but only reachable in a 40 minutes’

ride with the FastFerry ‘Kriola’

206  In the 18th and 19th century, the

lovely mansions in “Vila Nova Sintra”

were summer residences of the elite of

the islands of Santiago and Fogo. Today

they are often built by Cape Verdeans

who make their money in the USA

207  The little girl is alone on

a discovery tour

208  On the median strip of “Vila Nova

Sintra's” main road there are trees, bushes

and flowers. Where it’s interrupted, it’s

allowed to park the car (no parking meters;

no traffic lights; at night hardly lit-up) .....

209  ..... the wrought-iron lamp with

its pale light is part of the picture of the

sleepy village of “Vila Nova Sintra”

210  Thread-leaf agaves (Agave

filifera) grow on a stony slope and now

and then tumble uprooted to the streets

211  After the islands of Santiago and

Fogo we enjoy also in Brava the lovely

“Grey-headed Kingfisher” (Halcyon

leucocephala): It loves to sit next to

the street and preys on insects

212  Steep slopes and cultivated terraces

belong to the topography of the island.

Who feels fit enough can climb up the

well developed path from “Fajã d’Água“

to „Nossa Senhora do Monte” –

difference in altitude 2’100 ft.

213  12/25/2013: We celebrate Christmas

in a quiet lovely spot overlooking the sleepy

coastal hamlet of “Fajã d’Água” in the

northwest of the remote island of Brava .....

214  ..... one of our rather rare pictures:

The two of us in front of the beautiful

scenery of “Fajã d’Água”, one of the

most beautiful bays in Cape Verde .....

215  ..... all good things come in threes:

Once more the three of us at the steep

cobble stone road leading from

“Vila Nova Sintra” to “Fajã d’Água”

The coastline on the northwest side reveals panoramic views of great beauty

216  “Monte Pesqueiro”

217  “Ponto Garbeiro”

218  Rock pinnacles in the bay of “Fajã

d’Água“ near the former airport of Brava

219  The dramatic scenery of

“Fajã d’Água”, sandwiched between

steep towering mountains and the

Atlantic Ocean, recall the

Marquesas Island in the South Pacific

220  Lovely and sleepy: “Fajã d’Água” with

its 200 inhabitants. In earlier times American

whaling vessels landed here for stocking up

their food and hiring ship’s crews. This led

to an exodus of Cape Verdeans to the

New England Coast

221  No neighbor who interrupts the

peace (however also no car driveway):

A lonely house between windswept

palm trees above the coastal village

of “Fajã d’Água”

222  The tiny church at the entrance

of the village of “Fajã d’Água” opened

its door for the Christmas mass.

Believers are already sitting inside .....

223  ..... the priest who will hold the

Christmas mass in a few minutes

exchanges a few words with Liliana

concerning our “odd” vehicle

224  The rocky and stony coast of

“Fajã d’Água” is unsafe for swimming.

However close to the former airport at

the southern end of the village there

are natural but protected pools

225  We are looking back at the end

of the bay: A handful of white painted

houses with blue and green windows

and doors, that’s “Fajã d’Água”

226  Three stunning rocks rise from

the clear blue sea at the southern end

of the bay of “Fajã d’Água”

227  Destined to decay: The former airport

of Brava at “Fajã d’Água”. Due to the

dangerous winds it's out of work since 1996.

The only connection with the outside world

is now the ferry that is sailing about 5 times

a week. At night it remains always in Furna

228  The white-black cat has captured

Liliana's heart. She calls it ‘Brava’

229  Fishermen are returning from their

catch to the tiny fishing harbor of

“Fajã d'Água”. There is hardly

room for more than three boats .....

230  ..... immediately the fish

is selected, cleaned and sliced

231  Our LandCruiser starts with the

four miles climb from “Fajã d’Água”

to “Vila Nova Sintra” – from sea level

to an altitude of 1’650 ft. .....

232  ..... the narrow cobble stone

street climbs partly through

spectacular high mountain walls

233  The picture book village

"Nossa Senhora do Monte" lies in the

fresher climate of the plateau above

“Vila Nova Sintra“, but on the other

side it’s regularly engulfed by clouds

234  Village life at "Nossa Senhora

do Monte": A Toyota pick-up leaves

the village cramped with people.

Others wait in front of a grocery for

the next transport to anywhere

235  Our LandCruiser is driving past

the first houses of "Mato Grande". The

village with 300 inhabitants lies a little

above “Vila Nova Sintra” –

the drivable road ends here

236  A rural scene with vegetable

gardens and fruit orchids at

“Cova Joana” close to the village

of "Nossa Senhora do Monte"

237  A winding cobble stone road

leads us down to "Joao d'Nole" – a

picturesque little place with neat houses

and many fruit orchards .....

238  ..... on the way to “Mato Grande”

we cross the lonely chapel "Serrado"

situated nicely on a hill .....

239  ..... on the pasture behind the

chapel a farmer milks his cow –

already nostalgia

240  The free standing village church

of "Cachaço" in the southern interior is

cleaned and decorated for the Christmas

mass. Here the road ends as well

241  It is impossible to oversee them: The

oval lemon-yellow “West Indian gherkin” (Cucumis anguria) with their soft

"spines". They sprawl on the ground

242  A woman herds her cattle to the

pasture. There are not many jobs at Brava.

Most people relay on relatives working

abroad and sending money home

243  The foggy clouds that engulf the

plateau often for weeks help the vegetation.

From October to February the island

presents itself green: Here the hamlet "Cova

Joana" close to "Nossa Senhora do Monte”

244  View from the Cachaço road to the

bay of "Porto dos Ferreiro" in the southwest

245  "Mato Grande" – a village with

wonderful ocean panorama towards

Furna and the island of Fogo

(if it’s not all too hazy)

246

247

248  Also Mexican Poppy (Argemone

mexicana) exists on Cape Verde –

despite of its thorns it surprisingly doesn’t

belong to the thistles of the aster family

(Asteraceae), but to that of the poppy

family (Papaveraceae)

Petunia that surprisingly grow in two colors out of the same plant – blue and pink –

line the walking ways. The island is a paradise for trekkers

249  The "Praca Eugenio Tavares" with

its music pavilion is the main square of

“Vila Nova Sintra”. On Christmas day is

an entertainment program for children .....

250  ..... father and children

follow the games attentively .....

251  ..... and the little ones sit in two

rows politely in front of the ‘stage’

waiting anxiously for new entertainments

252  A typical African look: The hair

of this girl is braided into thin bunches

of hair and adorned with beads

253  Young and the old are taking part

in the Christmas festivities of December 25th,

2013, at the "Praca Eugenio Tavares" in

“Vila Nova Sintra”

254  Three youngsters in

“Vila Nova Sintra” like to be pictured

255  They still look perky out of the

window of the battered pickup. Four-

legged passengers at the port of Furna:

They will join the FastFerry ‘Kriola’ from

Brava to Praia. Do they also get seasick?

256  This man who carries lovingly

his sweet little dog represents the simplicity

of the people of this remote island

257  The morning light has reached the

white, blue and grey buildings of the village

of Furna when at 7.30am the FastFerry

‘Kriola’ heads off. What remains are

memories of a silent Christmas 2013 on

an isolated island in the Atlantic Ocean

 

The "Greater"-Middle East trip 2012/13:

Sharjah/Dubai/1st Traveler's Festival/Emirates National Auto Museum - UAE with car Nov. 2012 to Jan. 2013 - part 1

Western UAE - Liwa - United Arab Emirates  with car in January 2013 - part 2

Oman 2013 – Part 1 - February 2013: Musandam Peninsula

Oman 2013 – Part 2 - February 2013: Sohar - Muscat - Rustaq - Nizwa

Oman 2013 – Part 3 - March 2013: Sur - East Coast - Island of Masirah - Dhofar

Oman 2013 – Part 4 - March 2013: Salalah & Surroundings (Dhofar) - Nizwa

Oman 2013 – Part 5 - March 2013: Western Hajar Mountains

Al Ain, Eastcoast & Ras al Khaima - United Arab Emirates with our car in April 2013 - part 3

Iran - part 1: Ferry Port Bandar Abbas-Shiraz-Persepolis-Pasargad (between Persepolis and Yazd) – May 2013

Iran - part 2: Pasargad (excl.)-Yazd-Esfahan – May 2013

Iran - part 3: Esfahan (excl.)-Chelgerd-Hamadan-Sanandaj-Orumiyeh – May 2013

Turkey: Iran Border - Esendere - Hakkari - Van - Dogubayazit - Kars - Ardahan-Hopa - Georgia Border – May 28 to June 4, 2013

Georgia: part 1: Ajaria - Gori - Tbilisi - Kakheti - Azerbaijan Border – June 4 to 13, 2013

Azerbaijan: Georgia Border - Balakan - Seki - Lahiç - Baku - Xinaliq - Quba - Laza - Baku - Ganca - Georgia Border – June 13 to 24, 2013

Armenia part 1: Georgia Border - Akhtala - Haghpat - Dilijan - Lake Sevan - Selim - Arates - Nagorno-Karabakh – July 2 to 9, 2013

Armenia part 2: Nagorno-Karabakh - Goris - Tatev - Noravank - Khor Virap - Echmiadzin - Geghard - Gyumri - Georgia – 17 to 22, 2013

 

Articles in newspapers about us on Cape Verde:

Article: "Estão em São Nicolau: Emil e Liliana há 30 anos à volta do mundo", Online Newspaper "Jornal de São Nicolau" - March 6, 2014

Article: "Cabo Verde na Volta ao Mundo de Emil e Liliana Schmid", Daily Newspaper "ASemana" - March 9, 2014