Continue reading »]]> Surprise ! We are going to spend a year in the Cape Verdes to run the « Bar Tropical » on a beach on the island of Maio. Wanda will be moored in the bay but we will stay in a lovely appartment 10 minutes walk from our bar in the little town of Vila do Porto Ingles. We really fell in love with this island with its beautiful natural beaches, and are thrilled to have the opportunity to live and work here for a while.

The bar is situated right on a beautiful white sandy beach and we are thinking cocktails at sunset followed by fresh fish on the bbq. We would really appreciate everybody’s ideas, comments, recipes….

Right now we are in Dakar, Senegal, where we’ve had a brilliant Christmas amongst old and new friends from other boats. Tomorrow we head towards Gambia to celebrate New Year with our good friends from England, Janet and Nick. Then we go back to Maio to attack our new project with the grand opening in February sometime.

We hope that 2011 brings you lots of pleasure and prosperity.

Continue reading »]]> Maio, Cape Verdes, 24th Novembre 2010

Why are we still in the Cape Verdes ? Well we should be about to leave for Senegal but we are experiencing the following difficulties :
- The perfect climate (never too hot or too cold)
- The astonishing clarity and purity of the sea
- The fish
- The long deserted white sandy beaches
- The sunsets
- The beautiful clear early morning light
- Our friends afloat and on land
- The slow and natural lifestyle
- The friendly people
- The excellent places to snorkel (Jack)
- Everything is marvellous (Max)

But soon we are off to Dakar for a bit of maintenance and then to Gambia for New Year with our friends Janet & Nick from England. And then perhaps we’ll come back here… why not ?

Continue reading »]]> Ave mates !

We are in Mindelo on Sao Vincente, we started the Cape Verdes in Sal where the Pérés joined us (whom I know since I was a baby). Then we went to Boa Vista then to Sao Nicolau and after to Santa Lucia where we spent 24 hours on a desert island (without our parents and the tent was terrible) and finally to Sao Vincente.
On Santa Lucia we ate combat rations from the French army which were delicious. Most of the time we spent on this marvellous island was surfing the enormous waves.
A few days before that we went to the best beach in the Cape Verdes. It was paradise with its enormous waves and giant dune.
I also adored the Sacred Crocodile Pool in Gambia (they are spoilt like kings !). They are free to roam about and I even stroked one (I wasn’t afraid at all because the trainer said they were harmless). The trainer doesn’t have to protect the humans from the crocodiles but he has to protect the crocodiles from the humans !

Vale

20th September now – we have come back to Sal where we are doing school !

By Max-Martin (translated by mum)

Continue reading »]]> Now we are in the Cape Verde Islands (which are not at all green), more exactly in Palmeira on the island of Sal. The Pérés came to visit us here and we spent 3 days with them in Palmeira. Then we went to Santa Maria which is a touristy town in the south of the island. There we played on a superb beach for 2 hours. The next day we went to another island, Boa Vista, which has very beautiful beaches and excellent fishing. Our parents even made harpoons for me and Alexandre. Then we went to Sau Nicolao to play on the best beach in the Cape Verdes. After that we went to Santa Luzia so that me, Salomé, Alexandre and Max could stay for 24 hours on this desert island without parents and with had army food supplies (where we spent a very bad night because there was a lot of wind and the tent made a lot of noise and moved a lot and it was also very hot). My favourite moment was when I was swimming in the huge waves, another super moment: when we explored the little ravine. I also made a video which I will try to put on the blog soon. Then we went to Mindelo where the Pérés left us.

Goodbye
Jack (translated by mum)

Continue reading »]]> After almost two months in Casamance and just a week in Gambia, we are now in the Cape Verde Islands with our good friends from France, the Pérés. We are exploring the Barlevento or windward Islands which are in the north of the archipelago.

We spent most of our time in Casamance in the mangrove creeks in the Basse Casamance region. We visited some of the many traditional villages on the « islands » formed by these creeks where we felt very welcome. The people there are Diolas who also live in Gambia and Guinea Bissau. Most of them are Catholic who live peacefully with the Muslim minority, although they strongly continue their colourful animist traditions. They live simply in mud huts with thatched roofs, without running water or electricity, except for a few solar panels to recharge their mobile phones ! …and for lighting a few huts and public places. They are excellent fisherman, grow rice, and seem to live largely without money. There are no cars, they travel by dugout or larger canoes. Hospitality is part of their culture and we felt at home there.

We would wake up early in the morning to the birds – pelicans, eagles, wading birds, vultures -, and we would watch the activity of the african cows, pigs, goats, ducks, and sometimes big dolphins who come to fish among the mangroves. Then we would watch the daily life unfold along the riverbanks…children swimming, women fetching water from the well which they carry on their heads to wash clothes under the huge plane trees…it’s fascinating and beautiful to watch. Conversation is easy and going for a stroll in the village was always fun.

Despite this hectic life in the village of Niomoune (pronounced new moon), we did find time to continue work on the boat. Then we moved two creeks away to the Eringa campement (small resort), owned and run by Yves and Soso. There we moved off Wanda for ten days so we could paint her interior. In the daytime the boys stayed at the campement and played with other kids from the local villages while Martin and Caro worked on the boat. We got together at lunchtimes over delicious Senegalese meals prepared by Soso, and we passed the evenings on the terrace bar of this spectacular resort. Like at Niomoune, we were easily and naturally welcomed by the local people who showed us how they harvest palm wine directly tapped off the trees – with tastings of course ! At Eringa we were able to live in Senegalese style in mud huts, under mousquito nets, washing in the outdoor shower with water we took from the well … It was a brilliant experience and we felt safe and comfortable in the excellent company of our hosts. We recommend this place and here is their website : http://propoze.free.fr/eringa.htm

Then we were invited back to Niomoune for celebrations of initiation rites which take place only every 25 years. The initiation is the rite of passage from boyhood to manhood after circumcision, which concerns boys and men of various ages since it takes place only very rarely. They stay for a month or so in a sacred forest where they are trained and educated by the elders in the traditions of their people, all in strict secrecy. It’s a very important moment in the life of a Diola man who comes home to his village from wherever he lives when it is his time to be initiated, often with friends and family as supporters. So the population of the village exploded from 2000 to 20 000, maybe even more. The preparations and logistics were impressive and we were lucky to witness lots of dancing and rituals before all foreigners had to leave on the day they entered the sacred forest.

Then we sailed to Banjul in Gambia to reprovision the boat for our trip to the Cape Verdes. In Banjul port we anchored through an impressive storm – no real damage but stuff moved that had never moved at sea ! Then we stayed at Oyster Creek which we loved for its laid-back and friendly atmosphere. For other boats : the formalities were quick and easy and provisions and diesel were cheaper than in Senegal. We went to visit the Sacred Crocodile Pool which was astonishing because there were these 2 metre long Nile crocodiles lounging around free in a park, and we could even touch them – check out our photos.

This little week in Gambia really made us want to return after the Cape Verdes, we will see, it’s not yet decided…