Day 1 - getting there:
We woke up early to have breakfast in Espargos. Afterwards we dealt with a taxi driver called Nelson a fare for a tour around the island. Actually the road network in Sal is cross-shaped of 2 roads. First we drove the west-east road towards Pedra Lume and then we drove north-south across the arid landscape to Santa Maria. There we enjoyed the clear turquoise-blue tropical water and the white sand. At 14:30 Nelson picked us up in the beach and took us to the airport where we took a TACV (Cape Verde Airlines) flight to São Vicente. In a propeller ATR we arrived to that island where Rui Guedes from AIP was waiting for us and drove us to the Hotel Foya Branca, near S.Pedro beach. This hotel has several 'villas' with great panoramic ocean view. The night fell and we went on to Mindelo, the largest city in the island and the country's second largest. There we joined the rest of the entrepreneurial mission of AIP in Hotel Porto Grande. In this same hotel there was a celebration party for the Industrial Fair that was happening in Mindelo. Sonia, our friend, was part of the mission. There was a band playing 'mornas' during dinner which was around the hotel's swimming-pool. Afterwards the guests went out to Mindelo's night to dance the African rhythms in Sirius Discotheque. Then we looked for other places but Monday wasn't definitely the best day and by 5:00 we went back to Foya Branca.
Day 2:
Before 11:00 we woke up and went down to the beach in front of the Hotel and later to the swimming-pool. There Dr.Jaime and Sónia showed up and with them, Rui, Carlota, Patrícia, João and I drove up to Mount Verde from where the view over Mindelo and Gatas Bay is astonishing. We drove down to Gatas Bay. From there we returned to Mindelo and drove to Calhau on the far extreme of the island. There we tried to have lunch in 'Chez Loutcha' but it was closed. We went back to Mindelo and fooled our stomachs with some Azorean cheese. We went to the Hotel Foya Branca to get dressed for the great reception in Hotel Porto Grande for the prime-minister, Carlos Veiga. Again we listened to beautiful 'mornas' live. Afterwards we went to Discotheque Pimm's and then to Histep, the 'working' disco. At 5:30 we were pushing our Suzuki Vitara without fuel towards the Hotel. At 6:00 we were sleeping 'anxious' to wake up half an hour later to catch the boat to Santo Antão.
Essential Info:
São Vicente is a small island compared to others but it is the second most populated after Santiago. Here it is the second largest town in Cape Verde, Mindelo. Mindelo is considered the cultural capital mostly because of music that seems to be everywhere. Mindelo has the most important port in the country which is located in Mindelo Bay. This bay faces the majestic mountains of Santo Antão, the island 1 hour away by boat. On the left side of this bay Mount Cara (seems a human face) looks towards the ocean. Behind Mindelo it is Mount Verde (Green) that seems to dominate this side of the island. From there one can look at Gatas Bay down there with its famous beach and Music festival site. On the other side of the island, the village of Calhau faces the inhabited island of Santa Luzia. Next to São Vicente's Airport there is a large beach seized by majestic arid landscape. Foya Branca Hotel faces the beach very closely.
The best way and possibly the only way to reach São Vicente is by air. TACV (Cape Verde Airlines) have several daily flights to/from Sal, they take about less than an hour. Also to all different islands there are flights from here. By boat one can reach the neighbor island of Santo Antão, in 1 hour. The timetable is uncertain and this trip only takes place once or twice everyday.
Cape Verde has a tropical dry climate. There is a dry season during most part of the year with permanent winds sometimes strong. In the wet season from August to October it rains in some islands occasionally. In other islands several years may go by and not a single raindrop will fall. Temperature is always pleasant with slight variations along the year and even from day to night. Thus any time of the year is good to visit Cape Verde although rain is more probable from August to October.
The almost single transportation between islands is the TACV flights. There is an air pass that makes a lot cheaper 3 or 4 flights between different islands. It is only available to passengers arriving on TACV to Sal International Airport. Only between São Vicente and Santo Antão there is a maritime service as these islands are close to each other.