I had a great 2 weeks in Fogo. The highlight of the trip, of course was seeing Rachel again! We did so much in two week! The flight over was easy, as we did not leave Boston until 1 AM. I woke up at dawn and it was unreal, being over the ocean. When I looked out my side of the plane the sky was dark. On the other side, the sun was coming up. The first two days I really needed to read and nap while she finished up with school. Walking around the "neighborhood" and meeting the local people. I know I had a bit of difficulty with the language, but I tried!
Rachel took me to a "dance" at a local persons house. We ate very well, and I was fortunate enough to have several people there visiting from Boston, so they of course spoke English. Afterwards, all the guys went into a room and waited for the women to come in to dance. It was very unique! All I can say is their "social life" is very different than ours!
We also went to a benefit dinner at a local restaurant to raise money for art supplies for the school children. The food and drink kept flowing, great music played by a local musician and several people who sat down to play with him. It was a good turn out, and I think all the people who helped put this on were pleased. I met a really nice young man from Germany, who I talked to for awhile.
Transportation was very unusual. They had regular taxis, but the way to really travel is in a Hiaces, which is like a passenger van. They cram so many people in one its unreal. One trip we took, they actually picked up someone with a live chicken, not even in a cage or a box. The driver opened up the back door and put the chicken in and packed boxes and bags around it to keep it in one place! We also would make several stops along the way if someone wanted to stop at a "store" to pick up some cakes or bread. Of course everyone had to wait in the hot Hiaces. No one seemed to mind. I was fortunate enough to only experience this once, the trip we took (on my way to the airport naturally) when we had to drive around the city looking for people who needed rides. It was getting close to the time I needed to be at the airport, so we got out and got a cab.
I enjoyed Mosteiros very much. We stayed 3 days with Josh, another volunteer. He lives more in a city atmosphere, and I enjoyed sitting on his balcony watching the people come and go. We went to a festival there, where Rachel and I participated in the Pilan, which is crushing corn into flour. It is quite strenuous! My arms got a work out. While you are doing this, the people are standing around you and chanting songs about you. The next night we went to the festival, and ate food made from the corn flour. It was very good. After everyone ate, we went to the streets to wait for the parade. Here, people dressed from head to toe in corn stalks and masks, and ran through the streets while musicians played and chanted. Younger kids, also disguised, ran about with long sticks chasing the other people. This went on for quite awhile. I was told this dates back from the slave days. When a slave had a complaint against his master, he would disguise himself from head to toe and go on his Masters porch and state his complaint. The master would not know which slave it was, so he could not be punished.
We spent one day taking a hike. We took a cab up to the top of the "mountain" and slowly walked down. The banana trees were huge! It was so lush and green at the top. It was really something, to be walking down a road, turn a corner, and there is a store where you can get a beer. We made several "stops" on our walks. We also found a few houses where the people have monkeys as guard dogs. They are chained to a tree and have a very nice tree house.
Rachel took me to meet a local artist, Tony, and his wife. They were very nice. I loved his art work! He used odds and ends he found on the island and made art out of it. He had these gorgeous picture frames he made out of PVC pipes, wrapped in banana leaves and shellacked. His wife, whose name escapes me, makes beautiful jewelry. Their home was very simple, very comfortable, and they both had a happiness about them that is not seen here (USA) very often.
Cha was really unique. The bed and breakfast we stayed at for two nights was a real treat. It is at the base of the volcano. The food (once again!) was incredible! And the wine! There is a lovely courtyard right outside your room that have these statues and wall hangings that are carved out of lava rock. The next morning we took a long hike around the volcano. The rock formations were incredible! And in all that black and rock and barren looking land, was the vineyard, lush plants full of grapes! Not to mention the apples and pomegranates! The volcano itself is a sight to see. It is huge! I doubt I could have climbed it, and I KNOW I would not have been able to run down it. It was a sight! We walked most of the day, it was like being on another planet. We stopped at the "store " there and bought some wine. The men of the "village" who were finished with their days work, came in to play music. We sat and listened and it was really good. The owner played the violin, and you could tell they all enjoyed this time together. After this, we went back to the bed and breakfast, ate supper and had the most delicious chocolate mousse! That night, we climb the steps to the roof to look at the stars. With no outdoor lights, and being in the middle of the ocean, it was an incredible sight!
From here we traveled to Tortuga, which is another B&B on the ocean. The owners are Italian, and once again the food was incredible. We pretty much lazed around, played cards, read, and took naps in the hammock. My journey was slowly coming to an end.
We got back to Rachel's house for a few more days. Near Rachel's school is a store, where a women named Bete works. She is extremely pleasant. We walked over there one day so I could say goodbye. She has a big heart, a very kind soul. I am happy I met her.
I am so happy Rachel showed me her life there. I learned a lot, mostly how spoiled we are here, with running clean water, showers (hot), electricity that stays on when you need it, washing machines! I know I only washed a few things with the scrub brush and wash board, but it was a chore!
I ate octopus and eel, woke up every morning to roosters and donkeys! Picked fresh mangos off the tree. And the cashews! I did not know they had fruit AND they are toxic raw!
Thank you for sharing your world with me! It was a trip I will never forget!
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