Tuesday, 7 September 2010

More from Cape Verde...

Sorry but I'm reliving the sunshine this week.  This is a photo taken in Sal Rei, which was the nearest town to our hotel.  It's one of my favourite photos.  I love the contrast of the almost silhouette of the boy and the tree with the bright colours of the ladies sorting their fish.

You could actually walk along the beach to the town.  We did the walk with our holiday rep who very kindly did a 'free' (very unusual for holiday companies and I do really admire her and the company for that) 'casual stroll' twice per week.

If you do happen to find yourself in Boa Vista at any time do not be fooled by the words 'casual' or 'stroll'.  This rep did her initial training in the Foreign Legion and her idea of a stroll was more like a route march.  I thought I was going to die and I know I'm prone to exaggeration, but I kid you not.  It was looking really bad at one stage for me and the guy who was carrying his five year old on his shoulders, especially at the end of one and a half hours when we realised the final stage of the 'stroll' involved climbing enormous sand dunes in the heat of the midday sun.  We made it though and hit the bar big time downing 3 cokes in less than an hour.


Here's another great picture - well I think so - I just love the colours on the basket.

Finally for those still awake here's some info I found while googling 'Sal Rei' just in case anyone wants to know more.

'Sal Rei, Boavista, Cape Verde Islands

Sal Rei (literally "Salt King"), with a population of about 3,000 inhabitants, is Boavista's capital. The town was originally known as Porto Ingles, probably due to the English sailors that established a salt business on the Island in the 1600s. The Duque de Braganca fort, which faces Sal Rei from the nearby islet (Ilhéu de Sal Rei), was built to protect the port from the frequent pirate attacks that plagued the Island during the early 1800s. Apparently, it is possible to swim the 1.5km to this Islet from Sal Rei, though you can also take a boat.

The town itself is a dusty, backward, laid-back sort of place with cobbled streets and slightly decaying colonial buildings, however Sal Rei is changing fast as apartments, hotels and villas are being built for the expected tourist boom.'
If you have read this far thank you so much for your patience.  Hope you all have a fantastic day wherever you are or whatever you are doing.
Ann xxx

1 comment:

~*Joni said...

Hi Ann!! WOW! I have been away from your blog way too long but now I pop over and see this amazing post! What beautiful pictures, you are so artistic even with your photographs. I LOVE the silhouette contrast with their colorful clothes in the first one. The baskets are so full of color (and fish!). Wonderful post, I hope you are recovering from that stroll! ;)

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