Cape Verde Map

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latest picture: April 9, 2014

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573  The tranquil small town of “Ponta do

Sol” with a bit more than 2’000 people lies

in the extreme north where the road literally

ends at the sheer cliffs of the Atlantic

574  The Catholic Church on the main

square of “Ponta do Sol” needed a new

coat of paint. The ’woman’ in the front

seems to originate from the carneval

575  The yellow renovated city hall,

built in 1882, gives a splash of color

to “Ponta do Sol’s” main square

576  At the small fishing harbor of “Ponta

do Sol” there is activity all day long …..

577  ….. part of the days catch …..

578  ….. cleaning the fish

for the next meal

579  Watching the fishermen returning

with their catch, playing cards, chatting –

this is the place where people gather in

“Ponta do Sol”

580  View from the fishing harbor of

“Ponta do Sol” to the west where the

sheer cliffs of the Atlantic block the

continuation of the coastal road

after a few miles

581  The mini kiosk next to the

fishing harbor in “Ponta do Sol” sells

drinks and something to nibble at

582  On the third attempt the fishing

boat manages to overcome the waves

and return to the partly protected harbor

583  “Ponta do Sol” is a fishing community.

Apart from slowly growing hiking tourism,

there is little else to make a living

584  A wave is approaching. But the

egret at the fishing harbor of “Ponta do

Sol” doesn’t interrupt its search for food

585  View over the coast from “Ponta

do Sol”, where the road runs to the capital

Ribeira Grande that is 2½ miles away

586  Airstrip in “Ponta do Sol”.

Like at “Fajã d’Água” on the island

of Brava also this airport is closed

due to heavy crosswinds and

a too short runway (1’476 ft.)

587  A rememberance picture with

Alcinda, manager of the guesthouse

“Trilha e Montanhas” in “Ponta do Sol”.

We stayed there two weeks and

can fully recommend it

588  From “Ponta do Sol” there is a

popular walking trail along the cliff coast

via Fontainhas and Corvo to “Cruzinha

da Garça” (5-6 hours) …..

589  ….. the narrow cobble stone

track to Fontainhas is still driveable

for about 3 miles, running

along vertical cliffs …..

590  ….. and reveals views

to little hidden bays

591  Our LandCruiser is on an

adventure trip along the gigantic walls

of rock to the village of Fontainhas, on

the way to ”Cruzinha da Garça” …..

592  ….. here Emil manoeuvres

around the next tight bend …..

593  ….. it gets critical. Luckily

Emil knows accurate to an inch

how wide our LandCruiser is

594  Fontainhas, the most picturesque

village of Santo Antão, unrolls in front

of a grandiose mountain backdrop

595  ….. the houses of the village

cling to the steep terraced

mountain slope …..

596  ….. the warm pastel colors

of the center add to its special look

597  Our LandCruiser reached its

destination! From the last curve we enjoy

the beautiful view down to Fontainhas

598  Where there is water there is

life: A green ribbon of cultivated

fields at Fontainhas

599  A perfect work of art:

Terraced fields at Fontainhas

600  On our return from Fontainhas

to “Ponta do Sol” driving skill is

necessary once more …..

601  ….. “straight ahead is

only sky and the sea”

602  The road was in its days

a technical masterpiece

603  The recent technical marvel of the

coastal road at “Vila das Pombas”.

Since summer 2009 it connects the fertile

northeastern part with the desertlike south

and therewith by ferry also São Vicente

604  A few houses, a balancing

rock at the seashore – that’s

“Ponta da Ribeira das Pombas”

about two miles southeast from Paúl

605  Liliana glances at “Ponta

da Ribeira das Pombas”into the

narrow, same-named valley

606  Below an overhanging rock at

“Ponta da Ribeira das Pombas” plants

took roots in this arid land

607  One of the many island distilleries

works also at the coastel road between

“Ponta da Ribeira das Pombas” where

it was possible to plant a patch

of sugar cane

608  The lighthouse “Farol Fontes Perreira

de Melo” marks the most westerly point of

the island. Shortly before is the only tunnel,

the“Tunnel do Farol”. It reduced the travel

time from Ribeira Grande to Porto Novo

from nearly four hours to about one hour

609  A white blanket of clouds is

overlapping the mountain range from the

northeast, as we roll along the coast

towards Porto Novo – analog the

“table-cloth” cloud on the Table

Mountain of Cape Town/South Africa

610  Lunchtime at the “Praia dos

Curraletes” beach east of the

port town Porto Novo

611  View above the village of

Lagedos, about 9 miles west of

Porto Novo: A bleak rugged land-

scape expands to the “São Vicente

Channel”. In the background

raises the island the same name

612  Antonia and her daughter Myriam

are pounding maiz. They rent basic rooms

in their rural house “Babilonia” in Lagedos,

along the road from Porto Novo to the

“Ribeira das Patas” valley …..

613  ….. two little boys from the

neighborhood are watching while

sucking happily their icecream …..

614  ….. in front of the neighbor’s

house a girl washes the hair of her sister

615  The curious goat with its off-

spring belongs to “Babilonia’s” menagerie

like the roosters and its chickens, doves,

turkeys, dogs, cats, donkeys and pigs

616  Liliana makes easily friends:

Here with a girl of “Babilonia’s” village

617  Emil is beaming also in contentment

and enjoys the “rural” moment

618  There are also dots of green at

the dried up riverbed of the “Ribeira

das Patas” canyon, a bit south of

“Chã de Morte“. Each somewhat

flat patch is used for cultivation

619  One of the deep ravines

of the “Ribeira das Patas” river that

form the topography of this wild

mountainous region (near Lagedos)

620  The Atlantic Ocean is never far

away on this small island. Here the

view from Lagedos to the south with

the “São Vicente Channel”, behind it the

mountains of the island of São Vicente

621  The rising sun puts the over 5’000 ft.

high central mountain ridge (“Pé de Salto”,

5’230 ft.) wonderfully ablaze

622  Breakfast with a beautiful

mountain scenery between Lagedos

and “Chã de Morte”

623  The vegetation of Santo Antão

is influenced by the almost up to 6’500 ft.

tall mountain ranges, which stop the

drifting tradewind clouds and ensure

rain and humidity in the northeast

624  This is Africa: We do not know

where these boys come from, but

suddenly they are here. Contrary to

the continent, on Cape Verde they

are (still) very restrained and nice

625  Between “Curral das Vacas”

and “Selada de Alto Mira” a gigantic

mountain panorama unfolds

626  Yellow flowers and white fruitballs

of the cotton bush (Gossypium) along

the road to “Selada de Alto Mira”

627  Another magnificent mountain

scenario unfolds at the village of “Chã

d’Orgueiro Alto Mira” (right) and

“Chã Queimado Alto Mira” (left)

628  We descend on the cobble stone

road in switchbacks from “Selada de

Alto Mira” towards the village of

“Chã d’Orgueiro Alto Mira” …..

629  ….. the lush green starlike

arranged patterns of terraced fields

in the “Alto Mira” valley are a striking

contrast to the barren land

630  In the southern part of the

“Alto Mira” valley rock needles raise

like vertical fingers into the air

631  Erosions in the “Alto Mira” valley

formed peculiar formations like disks,

wheels and staircases

632  The main feature of the “Alto

Mira” valley is the plowed terraced

fields along the steep slopes

633  A blooming yellow mimosa tree

(Mimosa pudica) is a lovely contrast

to the dark mountain range near

“Selada de Alto Mira”

634  In such a barren land the delicate "bird

of paradise bush" (Caesalpinia gilliesii)

sticks out particularly because it's an orna-

mental plant native to tropical America

635  From “Selada de Alto Mira”

the road winds through the “Alto Mira”

valley down to “Ribeira da Cruz”,

situated close by the sea

636  The rocky shore on the northwest

coast near “Ribeira da Cruz”

637  “We have little to munch,

but a wonderful sea view and a

cooling breeze” - Cattle along

the cost near “Ribeira da Cruz”

638  A house at “Jorge Luis” tucked

away with its own cultivated terraces

and a dramatic mountain background

639  A ‘falaj’ – an ancient water

channel irrigation system – serves the

villagers sometimes also as shower

(we knew it from Oman and

the United Arab Emirates)

640  Peaceful breakfast with mountain

and sea view west of “Ponte Sul”

(south of Lagedos)

641  Just high, but not overloaded: Back

from the farmland with a load of hay

642  The long way to the next water

supply is part of the daily routine of

the rural population. Donkeys are

indispensable carriers

643  On an altitude of about 4’600 to

5’000 ft. towards the northwestern

‘Norte’ region the fog clears up and in

the distance a mountain peak from the

island of São Vicente becomes visible …..

644  ….. unusual and interesting cloud

formations browse past our heads

645  Herdsmen of goats have put up

camp at the end of the new cobble

stone road at the junction to

“Tarrafal de Monte Trigo”

646  The narrow gravel road leads

to “Tarrafal de Monte Trigo”

on the west coast

647  Fog raises from the west coast

and reaches the 6’493 ft. tall volcano

“Tope da Coroa”, the highest mountain

on Santo Antão, on the way to ‘Norte’

648  Liliana is in her element when she

is able to explore the area: Here in

‘Norte’ on the way to Bolona

649  The barren ‘moonscape’ near Bolona

on the ‘Norte’ plateau captivates with its

warm shades of beige, brown and white

650  Mimosas (Mimosa pudica) are in

full bloom: A lovely bush in the brown grass

under a blue sky during our decent to the sea

651  Our LandCruiser on one of its

last trips on Santo Antão. West of

”Ponte Sul” the cobble stone

road climbs steadily uphill

652  View from the west to the port

city of Porto Novo, where we arrived

on March 20th, and from where we

return on April 10th, 2014 to the

island of São Vicente

653  View over the “São Vicente Channel”

to the neighbor island of São Vicente. To

the left is the bay of Mindelo, from where

on April 30th, 2014 our LandCruiser

leaves the 180th country Cape Verde in its

28th container to Walvis Bay in Namibia

Preceding page: Cape Verde: Santo Antão/Eastern side part 1 – March 20th to April 7th, 2014

 

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

 

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