Two towns

Sao Pedro, Sao Vicente, Cape Verde, west of Mindelo, is billed as a picturesque fishing village nestled at one end of a large sandy bay. To get there you take a small bus ($1) over a cobblestone road through dry barren landscape (think area outside Las Vegas). The town has no paved roads, the shop has no electricity, the houses are mere shacks without running water, and small kids play barefoot on the rocky pathways between them on which ‘honey pots’ of human waste have been emptied. 

Salamansa, Sal Vicente, Cape Verde, east of Mindelo, is similar. It is billed as having an activity center for tourists where you can rent surf boards, scuba gear, and take kite boarding lessons. The center does exist. I went there. There was a lone instructor playing a haki sack type game by himself on the beach and I was the only tourist.

On the other hand the government provides clean water at a centrally located tap in each town which girls collect in plastic tubs and then carry on their heads back to their homes, the boys go out fishing successfully – on both of my return trips our bus had tubs of fish loaded on top of it to be taken to the city to be sold – and the kids or all ages seem happy.

I feel, having spent the morning walking round these two towns, I ought to have a profound comment to make. Unfortunately, I don’t.