After a few days at anchor in Mindelo Bay, we decided to take up the 25% off berthing fee Christmas offer in the marina. Being in the marina has its advantages and disadvantages; we were able to meet up with Rob & Barbara whom we met in the Canary Islands before they headed off, we are right in town, there is a floating bar/restaurant right in the marina, getting boat stuff sorted (if it wasn’t the holiday season and everything is closed for a few days!) BUT the surge in the marina is significant and that, combined with the continuous wind, makes getting on and off the boat quite dangerous at times and the sound of the lines snatching makes the hair on the back of your neck stand high!

The 10 islands that make up the Cape Verdes are well-known for their love of music and partying so being here over New Year has been very energetic with lots of people around and music playing most of the night. The difference though is that the music, for the most part, is not the thumping bass sound that you hear elsewhere, it is more of a Brazilian/Caribbean sound that is really good.

Sunday here is still a sacred day with everything closed. We’d read that the best thing to do was head out of town on a Sunday and that’s what we did as we jumped in a local minibus and headed over to Calhau, on the east of the island, to Chez Loutcha for Sunday brunch, local music and dancing. The journey over was quite an experience with tarmac roads only in Mindelo, most of the journey being on a cobbled road that went right over the island! We were treated to a buffet of lots local dishes of meat, fish, salads, pulses and rices followed by ice-creams, crème caramel, nut brittle and fruit. As we ate, the band entertained us with traditional Cape Verdean songs and then they were joined by a couple of local dancers. It was a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon and then we all jumped back in the minibus, joined by the band and all their equipment and, squashed together, we returned on our bone-shaker journey back to Mindelo.