Monte Verde

At 2460 feet, Monte Verde is the highest mountain on the island of São Vicente, just a few kilometers east of Mindelo. It has the sharp western face you see here and a much more gradual sloping eastern side.



Of course, being the tallest mountain, it was imperative that we climb it!! A year ago we took a taxi to the top, and this is what it looked like: very cloudy and we didn’t get much of a view. We waited for the perfect day to walk and enjoy the views and ambience of the mountain. 


Saturday, October 20, dawned and we decided it was THE DAY! We didn’t have any commitments. It had cooled down. It was cloudy, but the mountain was mostly clear, and the visibility was as good as it gets. 

We were able to catch a bus going to Salamansa just around the corner from our house. (The road to Monte Verde takes off from the road to Salamansa.) 

Here is the bus, letting off students from Salamansa to attend the secondary school close to us. It actually was the same bus and driver that took us from Salamansa to Baia das Gatas and back to Mindelo in July. He brings students every day, Monday through Saturday, and drops them off around 7:15 to 7:25 a.m.

And by 7:40 a.m. we were dropped off at the Monte Verde road and started walking. The one and only way to the top is the cobblestone road so it wasn’t a difficult hike. So, come! And enjoy with us a wonderful caminhada! 



Here we are at the beginning of the hike. I haven’t changed my hair style. It is a windy day. And we like wind. It is cool!


 

 


We have climbed up a bit. Mindelo is just below us. You can see the São Vicente/Santo Antão ferry just beginning its hour long trip to Porto Novo. Because of the clarity, Santo Antão almost seemed like an extension of São Vicente.



The other side of the island. The road is just about to wind around to the west side of the mountain and we won’t see this side for awhile.
 


Getting higher.



Looking to the south. The break in the mountains leads to the airport, about a 15 minute drive from Mindelo. Mt. Cara (Face Mountain) is that saw tooth ridge line above the bay.



With the rainy season concluding, this is the time of “Spring” flowers. Monte Verde is living up to the verde (green) part!







It is steep and high! The road below is going on to Salamansa.
















 




Our first view of Baia das Gatas. We have nearly finished crossing the front of the mountain as we have been climbing.



Another view of Santo Antão! That little white spot on the water is the ferry approaching Porto Novo and the end of its journey.



A look back down the road to Mindelo.



Surprisingly, Monte Verde is an important agricultural area! Here is a corn field! And the farmer is the tiny spec way DOWN at the end! Being Saturday, nearly every field was being tended by someone. Some alone, some pairs, and some in groups. But all working.








I would not do well working this farm. Somehow it looks just a bit too steep for my liking.

























Many of the corn plants were interplanted with squash and bean plants. The squash plants were just beginning to bloom.

Heavenly Father’s garden!

As we came around the mountain to the other side, the most glorious and amazing sight greeted us. The sun was reflecting off the ocean, silhouetting the 3 uninhabited islands on the east of the island. It was awesome. We could hardly stop looking!



Zooming in on the islands, you can see 5 islands here. Of course, we are standing on São Vicente, which makes up the foreground. The next island, the largest of the uninhabited ones, is Santa Luzia. There is the rock islet of Branco and there is a flat islet, Razo, that stretches out horizontally . Then, if you look VERY closely, you can see the Island of São Nicolau rising up from the ocean behind Santa Luzia. I didn’t realize how close São Nicolau was to São Vicente!
 


To help see the relationships of the islands, here is the snapshot of the Google Map view.



The eastern slope and top of Monte Verde is open and expansive, just right for farming!!





There were several abandoned and decaying houses all over the mountain. The farmers now live in the communities below and travel to their farms, at least on Saturday! They walk, ride hiaces or in the back of pick-up trucks, drive their own car or ride a motorcycle according to what we observed.



Every ‘highest’ mountain has it satellite garden.

Mindelo, from the top!

We were a little disappointed to find the clouds had beat us to the top!! So, we didn’t get our 360º view of the island. What we did get, being in a cloud, was rain!! It was enough to dampen our clothes, but not our spirits! And it made it cool as we descended the mountain.


















An important part of climbing a mountain is to get to the top!! And Dennis made it!!

















Walking along the top edge, we could just barely see Mindelo under the clouds.















The same view, but you can see the lush green of Spring – and not the distant view.




A Self Portrait!
We explored an abandoned building that looked like it was a former restaurant. it had an incredible view of the islands. We found a ledge to set up the camera!













Past some more vegetable rock gardens.















A closer up view of Baia das Gatas. We can see the large ‘swimming pool’ that we enjoyed with Elizabeth in July. You can see in the larger bay 2 sail boats coming back to harbor. They are the last of 5 that we saw return. The fishermen have come home.





The road in the open through the lush greenery.











The road cut through the mountain. It was quite the wind tunnel!



















 


Past a ‘sand’ hill. It was fascinating to look at the swirls of different sands, all smoothed by the wind. It was very soft rock. You could rub the sand off with your fingers.


And we are back where we started!! And as blessings would have it, a hiace was just coming down the road. He stopped to pick us up and we rode back to town.
 

A wonderful P-day!!

São Nicolau

São Nicolau is the 7th island we have traveled to. We spent a very full 2 1/2 days working and enjoying the beautifully green and mountainous island.

We left Mindelo Monday morning, September 3. The ‘we’ in this case included President Cesar Fortes, the Mindelo District president. He accompanied us as the official local priesthood leader. At present, there is no Church unit on São Nicolau since the branch was dissolved several years ago. São Nicolau is still in the jurisdiction of the MIndelo District, so we invited him to join us on the trip.
There are very few direct flights to São Nicolau so we first flew to Sal. As we were landing, the announcement came that the plane was going on to São Nicolau and all passengers who were going there should stay on the plane. After all other passengers had disembarked, we looked around and….we were the only passengers left. I guess we were the only ones in Mindelo who wanted to go to São Nicolau. Too bad – they missed a beautiful island!

We were met at the São Nicolau airport by Mary Helena, the local Red Cross president and Manuel, the driver. They were very gracious and fun hosts – and we spent much time together.

They took us to our hotel,  newly built and very nice accommodations. The bright purple and pink made it easy to know we were almost home!

If you look at the space between the yellow building and our hotel, you will see a typical street!! The streets in Ribeira Brava were narrow!! There was usually room for a van and a pedestrian who, wisely, either got into a doorway or squeezed against the building. The cars went just as fast on the narrow streets as any where else.

After checking in, we went to the headquarters of the São Nicolau Red Cross for a tour. This is also where they stored the wheelchairs. President Fortes is on the left and Mary Helena, the São Niclolau Red Cross President, is on the right.

The first order of business was to load up the van with 3-4 wheelchairs. They had received the wheelchairs just about two months before and were waiting for us to arrive to begin the distribution.

One of many mountain peaks with clouds swirling around

It was off and on raining when we arrived and the rain continued through the day. The clouds obscured many of the mountains, but still made for beautiful views!

We drove around and through the mountains on the relatively normal narrow roads with steep drop offs on one side. Yes, I closed my eyes sometimes and on this first trip, my closed eyes put me to sleep!! I did need the rest anyway. Most of the roads had been paved, so at least it wasn’t too bumpy but the driver drove faster! On Monday afternoon, we went to the farthest town, Tarrafal of São Nicolau, and then started working our way back to Ribeira Brava.



The first 2 recipients of wheelchairs in São Nicolau. I have found that just because you are handicapped, doesn’t mean you can’t be happy and have a BIG smile!! The young woman was especially excited about her new wheelchair.

This gentleman is the director of an organization devoted to helping the handicapped and the aged. He took us to the site where they would like to build a new center for the elderly. I think he was hoping we could help, but we do not support construction of buildings. You often wish you could do everything. But it probably would not be in anyone’s best interest. And it is not reality.

Exploring Ribeira Brava

Ribeira Brava is a very charming town and has more of an European feel that many other islands. Many of the houses had tile roofs, rather than the flat concrete that is common elsewhere. We had some time Monday evening to walk around the city, although we had to take shelter several times from the rain.

In the praça near the hotel. The building in the back is the library.

The local Catholic Church

The local market is in a very nice building. I am hiding inside to keep out of the rain.

View of the city across the ribeira from the upper road

The city is nestled in the ribeira. There isn't much other place!

Delivering Wheelchairs in earnest!!

Tuesday, we first had a short visit with the president of the Cámara of Ribeira Brava and then spent the rest of the day delivering wheelchairs. We filled up the van with our 5 or so for the morning delivery, and then repeated the process for the afternoon. Below are some of the people who received this help and their families who serve them. We had quite the contingent delivering the wheelchairs: Maria Helena, president of São Nicolau Red Cross; Manuel, the driver; Elder and Sister Broderick; President Fortes; and,Tania, the representative of Cámara.
Come with us to visit some of these homes.

The first order of business after carrying the box with the wheelchair was to unbox the chair, attached the foot rests and pump up the tires with the bicycle pump that was included. It was most important to have someone in the family learn how to to these things and we encouraged them to be part of the set up.

This gentleman is practicing his newly found mobility!

Most of the time it was get in the van, drive, deliver a wheelchair, and repeat many times!! We delivered 19 wheelchairs in the 2 days we were in São Nicolau.

And a couple of times we took a break. We had just finished delivering a chair when we were invited to enter this house. The owner is in the distance on the left. It was a beautiful home and nicely decorated. That is an interest paradox of Cape Verde, almost across the street are homes of the poor while the rich enjoy many amenities.

 

This is his backyard. Below me is a small swimming pool, though currently it is not filled.

The view of the coast looking the other way. Can’t beat that view from your back yard!
The nice thing about these types of places is the poor have the same incredible view!! I hope they can enjoy it as much as we did.

The owner’s wife had died several years ago. She was an artist and the walls of their home were filled with her pictures. We enjoyed looking at them. You could tell she had been a loving wife and it felt a little lonely.

This is one of many paintings. I would love this one as a jigsaw puzzle!!

After another delivery, we drove down to the dock where some young men were fishing for fish bait.  It seemed a shame to use such interesting fish as bait!

But, who knows what big fish will find them tasty??!!

 Wednesday, departure day, dawned early. We visited and toured the local health center that has basic care and minor hospital procedures. Then we took off for the final delivery. We drove the same road as the day before until we came to the mouth of a canyon and turned off onto the cobblestone road and up a lusciously green valley. 

We drove a fair distance up the valley until we came to a VERY steep part of the road. Apparently the recipient lived half way up the hill. The van was parked, we hijacked several young men to carry the wheelchair and we all climbed the hill. The beneficiary was the grandpa and he was surrounded by his children and grandchildren.

We stayed and visited. They freely shared some mangos from their tree.

Here we are heading back down the road with the mango and papaya treasures.

It was time to get going. Our flight left at 1:30 and we needed to get back to the hotel to pay our bill, get our luggage. And so we left this lovely valley. 

On our way to the airport, we took a back route which meant going up a road that was steep and had about 10-12 switchbacks. Once on top and traveling through an agricultural area, we stopped at a farm. President Fortes wanted to buy some melons to take home to his children. It was raining lightly, but that didn’t stop anyone.

The farmer's wife choosing the melon among the green peppers.

She gave us a free taste -- Fresh vine-ripened watermelon. A delicious treat!

We made it to the airport with about 45 minutes to spare. I knew we were ok when we arrived because there was a large group outside the arrival door, waiting for the plane to arrive. We got checked in, Pres. Fortes got his melons boxed to check and while we waited for the plane to land in we visited with our hosts in the small café in the airport.

São Nicolau has a very small airport. Just over the wall in the back is the arrival area. We checked our baggage at one counter, she handed over our passports and itinerary to the next desk where she wrote out our boarding passes. And it works!

It’s time to load up the plane. They do a pretty quick turn around. The plane lands, the passengers get off, the baggage comes off, the new baggage goes on while the new passengers embark. It usually takes about 25 minutes and the plane is ready to take off again. We say good bye to São Nicolau! We are on our way to Praia for the next leg of our journey.