Back to Sal, but this time we got our usual hotel. So grateful for a good night's sleep. :)
Lots of tourists in Santa Maria.
A group of African men playing drums. They paint their whole body with this black, black oil. It's to celebrate their Africanism. The tourists love it, until they try to get a picture with one of the men, and he puts his arm around their shoulder and their clothes end up greasy black. LOL
Lovely evening view of the beach in Santa Maria.
We love taking pictures of the missionaries when we see them on the street. This is in Calheta.
Animals have the right of way on the roads and streets.
After the crops dry up, the dry stalks and grass are collected to feed the animals. It's pretty cool, because gradually, all the dry grass and weeds and cornstalks, etc. are cleaned up and the land is ready for the next planting season.
The low valley areas of Santiago Island are the agricultural areas of the country. They are always green, even when the rest of the island is brown and dry. Thank goodness for these farms.
An awesome tunnel outside of Pedra Badejo.
Notice all the layers of mountains. It is so much more beautiful than you can tell from the photo.
We pretty much missed Carnaval because we were busy with an audit, but here are a few before and after pictures. For about a week before Carnaval, people will dress up in costume and go around to homes and businesses asking for Carnaval money. We were visiting our neighbor checking out her new restaurant in Cidade Velha when this fellow came in dressed in costume and pretending to be handicapped, asking for money. Everyone laughs a lot. They say that they have to give them something. This is our neighbor Juan. He also owns a restaurant close to his wife's. He is from Spain.
The hunched over fellow is the one dressed up for Carnaval. This is in the wife's restaurant. Her name is Sandra, and she is so sweet. She is a member of the Church, but unfortunately, one of the many who are no longer active.
This is Sandra's "tia" (aunt), the chef. The restaurant is in an ancient house.
Left to right: Sandra, the waitress, Sister Alvarez.
We thought this was an interesting picture we took on the road. Those are fish with their tails sticking up.
We were in Assomada for the audit (a city up in the mountains about an hour drive from Praia), and we were told that Carnaval wasn't a big deal in that city. The main parade and festivities are in Praia. But they have a big market and people come from many other communities to peddle their wares. This lady was so proud of her vegetables. I asked if I could take a picture of her, and she wanted me to make sure and get her beautiful vegetables in the picture. They really are nice veggies, especially compared to what we usually see here. We bought a kilo of carrots, a kilo of potatoes, and a kilo of that weird sweet potato on the right, that didn't really turn out very good. I guess I don't know how to prepare it right.
Here they are feeding sugar cane into this machine to extract cane juice.
Kids drinking cane juice.
We were early. Later in the afternoon this place would be packed with vendors and buyers. This fellow is selling cane juice and other drinks.
As she enjoys her sucker, she is cutting a slice of couscous for Elder Alvarez.
This is "couscous com mel", corn couscous with cane syrup. Yummy! Tastes a little bit like cornbread.
On the road back to Praia, these are some of the leftovers of the parade in one of the cities we passed through.
On our walk the next morning we found these leftover floats from the Praia parade.
Santa Maria, Sal
This is what happens when you book a hotel late during high tourist season. We spent a couple of nights in this artsy hotel attached to a club that would play really really loud music every night until midnight. So even with earplugs it was like we were right in the room with the band. In spite of the artsy decor, the room was comfortable.
One of our favorite places to eat in Santa Maria. It's a restaurant and an art expo featuring a local Capeverdian artist. In the evenings they have a local band play Capeverdian music on the sidewalk. The street is closed to traffic at night, so you sit at these tables that are out in the street, and people love to stop as they walk by to listen to the music and/or dance a little. So fun!
Mindelo, São Vicente
In Mindelo, we were shopping for furniture for a new sisters apartment, because we got a new couple that moved into their old apartment. It's the Gerritsens from Ogden, Utah. They are based in Mindelo and their assignment is Humanitarian Services.
In Mindelo, we sometimes stop at this ice cream shop (actually Gelato, yum). And twice now the girl that serves us has been a member of the church, but two different girls. :)
When we travel, Elder Alvarez usually tries to get filtered water from the missionaries' apartments. Success!
The local band again at our favorite restaurant.
District training on our Rescue program.
Precious children at church.
Just look at those sparkly eyes! Pure innocence!
Just outside our "artsy" hotel in Santa Maria is the town square, with a splash pad. The kids have a blast. It's fun that in the evening they turn on colored lights.
This is a mural at the airport by a local artist.
Sal Rei, Boa Vista
Branch council meeting gathered for training by Elder Alvarez.
The Relief Society president of the Sal Rei branch, with Sister Alvarez.
Assomada
Bruno, our new auditor in Assomada. We did training and then did some audits together. These young adult returned missionaries are awesome. They are the strength of the church here. Bruno is in college and is learning English.
Back in Praia
Kristina with her baby Kristiana.
We visited Katia and Steveen at Steveen's mom's house. This is Steveen's baby sister, the one that Elder Alvarez blessed a few months ago and she got well. She loved playing with Sister Alvarez' name tag. Mostly she was chewing on it.
