Rambling Chronicles: Day 121 – Mindelo, São Vicente Island, Cape Verde

This morning, we sailed into the port of Mindelo, located on São Vicente Island in Cape Verde. The first thing I noticed was the mountains that dominate the landscape. Luckily, the skies were much clearer today, unlike yesterday, and there was much less sand in the air.

Sailing into Mindelo

After yesterday’s excursion that focused on history, I selected the included excursion, “Panoramic São Vicente,” so I could explore the scenery of this island. This was the description:

Admire the rugged beauty of São Vicente and a taste of the local liqueur during this panoramic excursion. Take a scenic journey through arid interior island landscape to the top of Monte Verde. Reaching a height of 2,441 feet, it is a dominating feature and, together with the Madeiral and Fateixa mountain ranges, defines the island’s topography. Stop to sip a cup of coffee or tea as you take in sweeping views of São Vicente and the neighboring islands of Santo Antão and São Nicolau. Continue to Baía das Gatas and admire the azure waters of its natural lagoon set against a striking mountain backdrop, then sample the national liqueur distilled from sugarcane on the sands of Praia Grande. Conclude your tour with a photo stop for views overlooking the port and your ship, before returning to the pier.

Like the rest of Cape Verde, São Vicente is a dry and arid volcanic island. The landscape is characterized by rugged terrain and steep mountains, interspersed by desert-like valleys. Except for the city of Mindelo, where more than 90 percent of the population lives, the island is sparsely settled as we would see throughout the day.

Scenery Along the Way

Our first stop was a turtle rehabilitation facility, located along a rocky beach. Here we saw two injured sea turtles that had been rescued, as well as recently hatched ones that were about ready to be released.

Turtles!

We enjoyed a photo stop at Praia Grande, an expansive beach that is surrounded by dramatic cliffs and is characterized by its wild beauty. Swimming, however, is not advised.

Beautiful Praia Grande

After driving a short distance down the beach, we stopped for a taste of a local drink. Ponche is a traditional Cabo Verdean liqueur made with local grogue, or sugar cane spirit, and molasses or honey. Sometimes, lemon or lime juice is added. It was very sweet and a little strong, and I liked it.

A Taste and Toast of Ponche

Our next stop was the fishing village of Baia das Gatas. The beach here is perfect for swimming because it is an immense natural lagoon. The village seemed empty because its holiday homes are only occupied on weekends.

Baia das Gatas

São Vicente is dominated by Monte Verde, the island’s highest mountain at 2,441 feet, and we were now ready to drive to the top. For me, the drive was exhilarating, but it’s not for the faint of heart. We had great panoramic views of São Vicente and our ship on the way up, but the clouds obscured the views from the top. We were literally in the clouds.

The Drive Up Monte Verde

In the Clouds at the Top of Monte Verde - Not Much of a View Today

We were once again treated to a local beverage at the top of the mountain. We were offered the local strong coffee, tea, and three different alcohols. First was grogue, a type of rum distilled from sugar cane with an alcohol percentage of over 40 percent. The second option was Ponche, which we had sampled earlier. The final one was a green colored liqueur, the contents of which I don’t remember, but it’s the one I tried, and it was very good. I also tried a bit of grogue in the coffee, and the combination was potent!

Refreshments at the Top of the Mountain

The drive back down the mountain was even more exciting than the drive up, especially when we passed other vehicles on the one lane road. Thank goodness that never happened on one of the many blind curves. We also had a clearer view of the waterfront where our ship was docked as we descended.

The Drive Down the Mountain

On the way up and down the mountain, I noticed the ruins of quite a few houses. I’m not sure if anyone still lives up here.

Ruins and a Few More Goats on the Mountain

As we reached the town of Mindelo, we made a detour for a final photo stop where we could take pictures of our ship, the waterfront, and the town. Unfortunately, I was never able to get any decent photos of the town itself as we drove through on our way back to the ship.

Views of the Waterfront and Viking Sky

Views of the Town and Monte Verde Shrouded in the Clouds (lower left)

Once we returned, I found a nice surprise. Earlier today when I left the ship, I noticed the logos of many ships painted on the walls along the pier, and I asked if we would get our own. I was informed that the crew was working on it. And they succeeded!

Walls Along the Pier Were Covered with Ship Logos, and Graffiti

I discovered that Viking’s logo and the names of a few of the officers had been painted on the wall outside our gangway. It seemed to be unfinished, so I returned a short while later and saw Neil in the process of adding more names. When I came back just before the back-on-board time, Chris, one of the security officials, handed me a fat Sharpie and asked if I wanted to add my name! Really?

I took the marker and saw that many passengers and crew had signed their names among the handprints that had been placed on the wall by a previous ship. Of course, I added my name and Tim’s. Everyone was having a great time and commenting on how cool this whole thing was. I was one of them. I also noticed that Neil, who had signed his name, had not only listed the top officers, but many other crew members as well. I think it’s great that Viking Sky is now enshrined in Cape Verde by a wide representation of the ship’s crew.