I know it looks like we are on vacation, but we really are working. This was our P-Day. We visited the "Old City", which is about a half hour from Praia. This was the first cathedral built in West Africa. It was huge! It was started in 1556 and finished in 1700. The stones were brought from Portugal.
We went to the top of the mountain to the fort, and looking down from there, we saw this beautiful fertile valley. We still don't understand why the valleys are green compared to the rest of the island. But gratefully there are areas that produce year round.
In 1585, English privateer Francis Drake attacked the island. Following that attack, this fort was built up on the mountain overlooking the sea. The construction was from 1587 to 1593, and the stones were brought from Portugal.
This is downtown Cidade Velha, a quaint town. It was abandoned In about 1712 following a major storm and repeated pirate attacks. They relocated further inland up in the mountains, away from the danger of pirates.
We love the happy colors!
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