No stress

Right after landing on Boa Vista, Republic of Cape Verde or actually Cabo Verde, I was already surprised in the good way, everyone was doing his job but really calm and friendly, finally the first non-European country where are no long ques in front of the passport control. Once you are on way the whole day, you had already 3 stops on different airports, you really appreciate small things like this. As soon as I get out from the building I realize that a lot of things to which we got so used, are missing from this airport. Are no security and police everywhere, no barriers, marked parking places, but some friendly goats. I think, most of the people who are coming here, till they get to this point, already decide if they really like this place or not at all. Either they are happy, because finally a really different place from the most of the European countries and enjoy, or getting stressed and confused because of the missing rules to which they are used. I belong to the first group and really enjoyed being there and was not surprised at all when the taxi which took me to my hotel was an off-road car. As I found out later, this car was the best as in most of the places are no proper roads, only some marks in the sand.

This is Boa Vista, the third biggest island in Republic of Cabo Verde and the second based on the number of the tourists visiting the country. Yes, they’re coming due to the great weather during the whole year, the beautiful beaches and many other attractive programs. Yes, we are just talking about the biggest problem of these islands. Most of the jobs on these islands are related to tourism, the locals are working either in hotels or in some companies, offering different services to the tourists. Yes, tourists are coming more and more while international companies are building new hotels. Where? On the yet untouched beaches, what has a serious environmental impact. The beaches around the island are protected areas due to the turtles which are coming here at the end of every summer to dig holes in the warm sand and put their eggs. Yet, how is possible to get building permit for new hotels? Do you know the commercial with the pretty lady who has her hair full of dandruff, but just till find the shampoo which is available since years, but sometimes the manufacturer changes the color of the bottle? There is enough money to pay the famous actress to have dandruff…the same with the hotels. There is enough money to pay to the right guys to get the building permit.

These islands are continuing colonized. Just got independent from Portugal and the Chinese are already there. Sorry, they are not colonizing, they don’t use weapons and they are “helping”. Building roads, donating different equipment’s to the governmental institutions and step by step the islands are property of the “big brother”. Chinese companies have a 10 years tax free period, so most, or actually all of the shops are owned by Chinese. Because they don’t have to pay taxes, “officially” even the smallest shop on the corner of the street is making huge sales and we have the money of the Chinese crime organizations washed clean and justified its origins. From the sales on Cabo Verde…

As you can see, the situation of the islands is far of being perfect, yet for me the visited islands were almost paradise on earth. I always used to say that nice places are to find on every corner of the world, the real differences between these places are the people living there. No matter which of the islands you will land, you will find nice landscapes, but the local are worth of talking about them. “No stress”, this is the local motto and they really respect it. Is not really the same, compared to the Mediterranean countries where people also used to be somewhat calm and less stressed. Here is pretty normal that people are going to swim in the ocean early in the morning. They wake up early and start doing things, but really no hurry, if they meet any stranger in the early hours on the streets they say hello and that all, everyone is continuing his daily relaxed life.

The same if you go to market, they are friendly, talking to you but not pushy at all. Smiling, really friendly, if you are open to chat with them fin, if not, fine too. You know, no stress. If only this, the not pushy and always looking to get some coins mentality could be exported for example to Egypt, that country would be way much better.

Another reason why I consider these islands a kind of paradise on earth is the unbelievable landscapes. The southern islands are greener, the ones in the north have less vegetation but beautiful beaches, nice turquoise colored ocean is to find everywhere. During this period, at the end of the summer, you can sit for hours in the warm sand on the beach, watching huge turtles coming out from to ocean or to get lost on the sand dunes of the northern islands, enjoying the various forms which are daily changed by the wind.

Above all this, the most important on Cabo Verde is safety. I was walking several times late evening far from the touristic zones, deep inside in the places where only locals were living and had never ever any bad experience. For sure are as well here criminals, but regarding public safety, I cannot say anything negative. If I would do such a walk for example in Dominican Republic (please do not get me wrong, I really love that country, but I still have to admit what the truth is), after not more than few minutes I would have been robbed.

Of course, there are other problems as well, in Cabo Verde, like the storage of the garbage. There is only one factory in the whole country where all the garbage is reused or burned and of course not everything is getting there from all the islands. Unfortunately much garbage is landing in the ocean, being later washed ashore.  Health and education system have as well its challenges, even if this problems are treated with the well-known no stress mentality.

But, such beautiful landscapes, friendly people, safe country, Caribbean weather through the whole year are nowhere to find so close to Europe. I definitely recommend to anyone to go to Cabo Verde, to discover the islands. Go out from the hotels, check the local restaurants, the amazing landscapes! You won’t find roads everywhere or the big junk food chains and driving by taxi might mean having a seat on the open part of an older Land Cruiser. But honestly, who cares when you have so much to get on Cabo Verde?! Anyway, if something is not as you imagined, you know…no stress!