Country #62: Bom-dee-ah from Cabo Verde

Following my stay in Lisbon, it was on to the island of Sal in the Republic of Cape Verde (#62 for anyone keeping track). Cape Verde is an archipelago of ten islands off of the western coast of Africa. As its name implies, Sal was once an important center for salt mining, but once that industry died off, they turned to fishing and more importantly,to tourism. I can't really say how well the fishing thing went, but I can tell you for a fact that you can't throw a Strela Beer without hitting a black sock and sandal-wearing, pink tourist. The majority seem to be German, with a mix of Portuguese and Brits thrown in, but regardless of nationality, the common factor is their overwhelming prevalence. I signed up for a day tour of the island, expecting it to be just myself, my friend, Javier and the driver so imagine my surprise when the guide showed up at our hotel lobby and escorted Javier and I out to a waiting mini-bus with about a dozen tourists already waiting inside. Now imagine my further surprise when we turned onto a dirt road and were bookended by about 6 other minibuses, each full to capacity. We were in the midst of a travelling tourist caravan on an island that is only 30 km by 12 km big. At first glimpse, the island which is flat, dry and very arid does not seem to merit all this attention, but once you start seeing all that it has to offer, it is hard not to be won over. On this afternoon alone we visited a natural pool, with its calm, inviting waters and myriad shades of blue. We visited the abandoned salt flats, which are located in the crater of an extinct volcano. Also in that crater, there is a lake with enough salinity in it to cause anyone who enters it to float Dead Sea-style. The minerals in the lake cause it to take on a rose colored hue which has to be seen to be appreciated. Coolest of all was a stop to see something that was not even there. Perhaps I should explain... after some 15 minutes of driving through desert-like conditions on a dirt road, we came to a stop and were asked to step off of the minibus. Standing there in the middle of all this dust and dryness, we were then instructed to turn around. The chorus of "gasps' that resulted led me to believe that I was not the only one seeing a lake where just minutes ago none had been. It turns out it was a mirage, a real, no Hollywood special effects, an I swear I had not been drinking yet, mirage!! That photo above with the hut, swaying tree and the body of water, well, two out of three of those things actually exist. I can truthfully say I have never seen anything like it. And if natural pools, pink lakes and mirages are not enough for you, consider that Sal is one of the top five places in the world for wind surfing; that the music, a mix of African and Portuguese rhythms is world renown; that the people are genuinely friendly while crime is low and that Cape Verde is just a short four hour flight from Portugal and you start to understand why there is such a booming tourist trade. A cursory glance at the many billboards advertising real estate deals and the sight of construction cranes scattered all around the town of Sta. Maria reveal that Sal is quickly being bought up and developed by and for the tourist masses, so I don't know how long it will retain its small island feel, but for now it is definitely worth jumping on that tourist caravan.