Travel to Cape Verde

Cabo Verde (or Cape Verde) – A sunny Island-Paradise in front of the west coast of Africa!

The Cape Verde is a volcanic Island group, climatic similar to the Sahel-zone Island group, in the west of Senegal in the Atlantic Ocean (25°-30°C all year).

The planning for our trip to Mindelo, the capital of Sao Vicente, started out as usual – with the search for a suitable accommodation.

But before that: Wheelchair suitable living quarters are scarce in Mindelo, as well as hotels.

The private address of a very dedicated lady*, who is living in Mindelo, was proved to be a double stroke of luck – the best thing: we could communicate in German (the official language on the Cape Verde is Portuguese, the common language is Creole)!

*She is the manager of the local organization SI MA BO, which was established for the protection and care for the local animal population and the environment in Mindelo

A private, central, generous but simple apartment was fully wheelchair accessible (except of the entrance). That way we experienced the live of the city to our liking.

 

Unfortunately the bathroom turned out to not be compatible with our needs, so after only 5 days we still had to switch to a fully wheelchair-accessible, but not too far away hotel “Don Paco”. This way we had the opportunity to gain double the experience.

The medium-sized city Mindelo (approximately 63 000 citizen) captivates with its unique location in a broad bay (a former Caldeira) surrounded by a silhouette of picturesque Lava rock mountain ranges, a big Yacht Harbor and ferries, which run between some of the 8 islands, and also with a neighboring small quaint fisher-port.

The walks along the harbor side, past the market, the old fisher-port and forth to the bathing beach, which is lying a little further in the same bay, offer many great impressions.

 

The partly very poor population, mostly African descendants with different origins – in the earlier centuries the Cape Verde was a hub of the global slave trade – meets at the colorful, extensive fish, fruit- and general market, were the typical African lifestyle lies.

Catering facilities of private “flying” saleswomen, a beach bar with restaurant and the numerous middle-sized and small restaurants (most likely with a simple menu) offer a range of tasty mixed local food: Mainly of fish and seafood with rice and French fries, but also meat dishes, as well as the traditional “Cachupa”, a simple stew with beans, potatoes and meat and or fish – and also a delicious lobster is on the menu.