Cabo Verde: Discovering Fogo

On a friend's recommendation, we had selected La Fora Ecolodge as our base of operations in Fogo and we weren't disappointed. Guests have cozy private bungalows with comfortable beds, private bathrooms and a wrap-around porch, and can enjoy well furnished common areas any time of day.

Arriving very early, we selected our dinner option (what a surprise - vegetables! and rice!) and settled in to read and enjoy the scenery while they got our rooms ready. After unpacking we cobbled together lunch from the excellent bar menu.

  

Having planned itas a lazy day, we didn't have a lot to occupy our time beyond resting, reading and taking a walk. We enjoyed wandering up the cobbled road, spotting birds and some curious goats, taking in a view of the mountain.

Returning before sunset, we sat at a cozy, candlelit table to enjoy the heaping servings provided. (All of our dinners included a starter, main course and dessert, and they were always well prepared.)

The next morning, we set off our our first organized activity with Qualitur, a full driving tour of the island showcasing Fogo's natural and cultural highlights. We got off to a late start - by 15 to 20 minutes - because the first passengers weren't ready for their assigned pick up time, and the guide worked hard to get us back on track all day.

Joselito is a local freelance guide who works with several tour companies, and he has a wealth of information about the island and its people, and knows all the best places to stop for scenic photos. 

Whenever he spotted something of interest outside the windows, he would have the driver stop so we could take part in a show-and-tell about seeds that can be used to make a medicinal oil but never eaten (left) and peppery pink berries that a Frenchman had discovered made a great flavouring (right). He told us that children sell the peppers up on the volcano, so I made mental note to keep an eye out for them the next day.

As we travelled, we enjoyed spotting buildings that add a splash of joyful colour to the landscape. The bigger dwellings were usually owned by "immigrants" - Cabo Verdeans who had moved to the United States to work and send money back to family, visiting when they could and building comfortable homes for their retirement. The migration started back when Americans engaged in whaling off of Fogo, with locals joining the crew and eventually sailing away on the ships. There is a large Cabo Verdean community Massachussetts as a result.

Fogo itself is an active volcano, with craters and lava scattered across the landscape. The soft, volcanic rock has been sculpted into  unique geological formations across the island.

Black lava flows from 1951 still scar the landscape, just barely beginning to break down along the edges. In this photo, Pico de Fogo fills the background and the darker strips on the hillside are from that mid-20th century eruption. 

Climbing Pico de Fogo, the central peak of the island, is a popular activity for the very physically fit, taking 3-4 hours to climb and 1-1.5 hours to descend - running and sliding! Thinking that the peak would be too much for us, we had arranged to climb the most recent crater during our visit. Seeing the peak, we were relieved by our choice.

As we continued to drive, Joselito praised the high nutrient content of volcanic soil that enables Fogo to support wineries and coffee plantations. Our next stop was a coffee roaster that processes the beans from several local growers. A brief tour of their facility provided an explanation for how beans are shelled, sorted and roasted before being shipped around the globe - including to Starbucks. We then settled onto a beautiful shaded patio to enjoy a tasting.

 

Piling back into the van we wound our way up the hillside to higher elevations where coffee plants begin to thrive, and took some time to snap photos of the ripening beans on plants intermingled with banana trees.

 

And then we were gathered up into the van and zipped to a scenic viewpoint overlooking Mosteiros where we enjoyed views of the sea and the black sand beach, and heard about the ill-fated airstrip that is now used once a year for horse races.

Hustled along once again, we rolled down the hillside to a local restaurant by the sea that had prepared a range of dishes to suit the tastes of those on the tour. We enjoyed glasses of homemade wide and some simply stewed beans that grow on the hillsides along with - you guessed it - a variety of vegetables and rice.

Following lunch we set off for the stop I'd been looking forward to all day. A swim and some relaxation time on the black sand beach! However, on arrival, we were told we had 15 minutes to explore before wrapping up the tour. Apparently - despite the description on the tour website - it is not really safe to swim here in the winter due to the high waves, even with the protected lava pool. And I think we were still trying to get back on time.

So I made the most of it, taking in the strong breeze and salt spray and snapping lots of photos - though I missed the sea turtle the Joselito tried to point out.

If you know me, you also know that it is impossible for me to be next to open water without climbing in. I took off my shoes and carefully, oh so gingerly made my way barefoot over the sharp lava so that I could put my feet into a tidal pool - nearly giving my guide a panic attack as he shouted to be careful and watch for the sharp spines on the sea urchins that were crowded around the edges of the pool and scattered across its floor. I returned unscathed and grinning!

   

 

As our day of adventuring drew to a close, we piled back into the van and returned to La Fora where I enjoyed a dip in the pool in an attempt to make up for my lost swim before preparing my pack for the next day's hike up the 2014-15 volcanic crater.