Then I take Strela for a walk and find a large grazing horse on the way. Strela looks at it like it is an oversized dog, and she doesn't know if she should run to it to play and run away in fear. Luckily she is on a tight leash, so doesn't have the option of doing either.
Yesterday during our walk we encountered three cows and their owner. I tried to joke around with him that in America it would be strange to find cows grazing in the middle of the city, so that is why I was standing on the street corner taking pictures of his livestock. The humor seemed lost on him, but then again this was all in Kriolu so who knows what I was really saying.
Then during lunch, my conversation was interrupted by a pick-up truck driving past with huge speakers on the back blasting music announcing the big event at the most popular club this weekend. This is a common occurrence in Cape Verde as the most popular means of advertising. Legislative elections were last weekend and we were relieved when they were over because that meant that we wouldn't have to trail these trucks on the road blasting the opposition party's loud, but catchy, song (see video), MESTI MUDA! This means, "need change," wonder where they got that campaign idea from?** Thank goodness we live in a quiet cul-de-sac!
Last week I started a new tradition that I know I will miss when this experience ends. We have an orange tree in our front yard that has become quite prolific in producing delicious, unique oranges native to Cape Verde. They are green and yellow on the outside and their flesh is a key lime color. They are sort of a cross between the sweetness of an orange and the tartness of a lime and their juice reminds me a little of grapefruit juice but sweeter. Though it takes me about thirty to forty oranges to make a pitcher of juice, I don't mind taking the time because it is SABI! And really, what else do I have to do? :)
Sometimes it is easy to forget where we are when we spend time in our house dubbed mini-America by our friends who don't have all the perks that come with being in the Foreign Service. Especially after last week when we received a shipment of goodies from the States that we purchased and shipped when we were home in October. I don't know what we were thinking with our several flatbed carts at Costco, we have no place to put all of this stuff! In fact, I have itemized four major boxes to store some extra canned and dry goods until we run out of what I can fit in our pantry. Ah, life in Africa. In all seriousness, in the four months it took for all of this food and drink to make it here by boat via Antwerp and the Canary Islands, I have gotten completely used to making due with what I have available to me, that I was almost annoyed that I had to deal with all of these things. Then we ate chips and salsa and had a Mexican feast complete with Corona so I decided, hey I could live with this.
Love from Mini-America to Maxi-America!
**Please note that The Ralles Family does not endorse any candidate, political party or policy in Cape Verde.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Family Time
You know you are behind on blogging when you are about to start a new post with: So one month and one week ago but... one month and one week ago my sister Meredith and her husband Ted arrived for a week-short visit. It went by so quickly, I am surprised we have so many pictures to show for it!
We traveled from our island of Santiago to the nearest island, Maio (named for the month of May, when it was discovered) and the flight by propeller plane lasted only 7 minutes and 54 seconds. Yes, you are reading that correctly, the flight was LESS than eight minutes long, which was probably a good thing since my sister was not too pumped about the ride. I think it actually took us three to four times as long to get our luggage as it did to fly to this island.
Anyway, we were picked up at the airport by a slightly creepy German guy who showed us to our "villa." I am putting villa in quotation marks because I can sense all of your thoughts of amazing, luxurious conditions; and while our home for two nights was adequate, it was not what you dream. However, the view from all areas of the house and the two hammocks that hung on our large terrace were highlights of the trip for sure. We chose Maio because Meri and Ted wanted beaches, and Maio, with its tiny population of 4,000 people (we think we may have seen everyone), is known for unspoiled, private beaches. In fact, the rumor in Praia is that Maio is where you go to walk along the beach naked. Don't worry, we didn't try that.
During the day we defrosted our Manhattan visitors on various beaches around the island, and during the evenings we ate and drank to our heart's content at the island's two main restaurants enjoying the local delicacy buzio (conch), African lagosta (lobster) in a variety of ways, and fresh caught tuna carpaccio. Some confusion did arrive on the first night when we asked for dessert. In Portuguese/Kriolu, we thought we were asking for a crepe with banana AND chocolate. The waitress asked for clarification and we said we wanted "both." Then a crepe arrived with just chocolate, we were a bit sad for no banana, but we ate it and enjoyed it and waited for the check. THEN a second crepe arrived with just bananas. After having a good laugh at the expense of Mike's and my language skills, we had no trouble digging in for a second helping of dessert.
It was hard to leave the quiet and breathtaking views of Maio, but it was New Year's Eve and time to get back to Praia for the parties. We had made (what we thought was) dinner reservations at the 4-star hotel in town which turned out to be a full party with open bar, live music, and A LOT of food. This was a welcome surprise except we were also expected at the Diplomatic Wine and Cheese party. There was no doubt that we made this work out by attending BOTH parties!
Meri and Ted's visit was rounded out on New Years Day by lunch at our "empregada," Conseição's house. She really has become part of our family and it was so nice that she invited us to have lunch with her family. She made (and sent us home with) an incredible amount of delicious local food including Feijoada which was a Segal family favorite. Meri told me if I don't learn how to make it while I am here, it is just a travesty.
The photos don't lie, this was a great visit, now if only we could get our parents to come...
We traveled from our island of Santiago to the nearest island, Maio (named for the month of May, when it was discovered) and the flight by propeller plane lasted only 7 minutes and 54 seconds. Yes, you are reading that correctly, the flight was LESS than eight minutes long, which was probably a good thing since my sister was not too pumped about the ride. I think it actually took us three to four times as long to get our luggage as it did to fly to this island.
Anyway, we were picked up at the airport by a slightly creepy German guy who showed us to our "villa." I am putting villa in quotation marks because I can sense all of your thoughts of amazing, luxurious conditions; and while our home for two nights was adequate, it was not what you dream. However, the view from all areas of the house and the two hammocks that hung on our large terrace were highlights of the trip for sure. We chose Maio because Meri and Ted wanted beaches, and Maio, with its tiny population of 4,000 people (we think we may have seen everyone), is known for unspoiled, private beaches. In fact, the rumor in Praia is that Maio is where you go to walk along the beach naked. Don't worry, we didn't try that.
During the day we defrosted our Manhattan visitors on various beaches around the island, and during the evenings we ate and drank to our heart's content at the island's two main restaurants enjoying the local delicacy buzio (conch), African lagosta (lobster) in a variety of ways, and fresh caught tuna carpaccio. Some confusion did arrive on the first night when we asked for dessert. In Portuguese/Kriolu, we thought we were asking for a crepe with banana AND chocolate. The waitress asked for clarification and we said we wanted "both." Then a crepe arrived with just chocolate, we were a bit sad for no banana, but we ate it and enjoyed it and waited for the check. THEN a second crepe arrived with just bananas. After having a good laugh at the expense of Mike's and my language skills, we had no trouble digging in for a second helping of dessert.
It was hard to leave the quiet and breathtaking views of Maio, but it was New Year's Eve and time to get back to Praia for the parties. We had made (what we thought was) dinner reservations at the 4-star hotel in town which turned out to be a full party with open bar, live music, and A LOT of food. This was a welcome surprise except we were also expected at the Diplomatic Wine and Cheese party. There was no doubt that we made this work out by attending BOTH parties!
Meri and Ted's visit was rounded out on New Years Day by lunch at our "empregada," Conseição's house. She really has become part of our family and it was so nice that she invited us to have lunch with her family. She made (and sent us home with) an incredible amount of delicious local food including Feijoada which was a Segal family favorite. Meri told me if I don't learn how to make it while I am here, it is just a travesty.
The photos don't lie, this was a great visit, now if only we could get our parents to come...
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