Cape Verde is showing its interest in attracting Chinese tourists with its presence at the International Tourist Fair in Beijing.
According to José Correia, secretary of the Cape Verdean embassy in Beijing, “China is one of the countries with most tourism potential.” If anything that is a bit of an understatement when you consider the remarkable growth of China’s tourism sector. It posted a 22.6 % increase in 2007, which brought the value of the market to US$155.7 billion.

The Cape Verde group Oásis Atlântico continues to invest in real estate and the tourism industry in Cape Verde with the new Salinas development. Consisting of the Salinas Sea, private luxury apartments in a 5 star apart-hotel and the Salina Sand holiday resort in the St. Maria area of Sal this new development will cost an approximate €57 million.

The barefoot diva, Cesaria Evora, was born in Mindelo on Sao Vicente Island in August 1941. Losing her father at a young age, Cesaria was surrendered to an orphanage. It was here that she first sang, but it was when she was sixteen that a young Cape Verdean sailor taught her to appreciate the typical Cape Verdean singing styles of Coladeras and Mornas that she truly found her voice.

[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=8kSvZJx7v7Q]

The mornas that Cesaria sings can be roughly equated to the Blues. Usually sung in native Creole and encompassing a feeling of yearning, longing, profound sadness and regret, it is said that the term morna is taken from the English ‘to mourn’. It is more likely however that the term is taken from a Portugese word which means ‘tepid’.

The national language of Cape Verde is Portugese. Brush up on a few phrases before you go as on some of the Cape Verde Islands English is not widely spoken although on the main islands you will be fine.

Local currency in Cape Verde is the Escudo but you will find the Euro widely accepted. Just be prepared for a bit of mental gymnastics when you give EUroas and get Escudos in change.

British nationals require a visa to enter Cape Verde and this is often provided by the tour company which arranges the holiday. For those travelling independently visas can be acquired through the offices of Cape Verde’s Ambassador to the UK, Fernando Wahnon Ferreira, based in Brussels. His address is: Ambassade du Cap-Vert, Avenue Jeanne 29, 1000 Bruxelles, tel. +32 2 64 69 025/64 36 270; fax 32 2 64 63 385, email: emb.caboverde@skynet.be. Similarly, those of other nationalities including Americans and Canadians, Australians, South Africans all require visas if travelling individually. If travelling in an organised group the organiser will most likely have arranged a collective visa.

You are much less likely to stumble across a belly buster British breakfast in Cape Verde than you are in say… Tenerife. Tourism has discovered the islands but thankfully not yet engulfed them to that extreme. Instead prepare for an a culinary adventure which will embrace African and  Portugese as well as assorted traces of each of the nationalities blown in by the trade winds over the last four centuries.

Catchupa is perhaps the best known of the Cape Verde national dishes. A stew made from whatever meat or fish is to hand as well as beans and hominy, the actual recipe for this dish will differ from island to island, and house to house and even from meal to meal as the cook uses those ingredients that are to hand to make the most delicious blend.

British Embassy

There is no British Embassy in Cape Verde and though there is a British Honarary Consul in Mindelo this office is for consular emergency only (no, I have no idea what that means either.)

In any case, the Mr. Antonio Canuto, the British Honarary Consul can be contacted on tel:  +238 2322830 or his assistant, Isabel Spencer can be reached on: tel: +238 2323512/2323123; fax: +238 2321284.

Brits abroad in Cape Verde who get into a spot of bother are advised to contact the British Embassy in Dakar, Senegal.

Senegal, Dakar, British Embassy
British Embassy
20 Rue du Docteur Guillet
Boite Postale 6025
Dakar
Telephone: (221) 33 823 7392
Fax: (221) 33 823 2766