Cape Verde on my mind

Cape Verde has been on my mind. Not as a place I can claim to know, but as one I keep imagining.

I haven’t been yet. One day, though. I remember an acquaintance travelling there alone in 2015 after apparently deciding autumn had arrived too soon and searching for “35 degrees in November”. That says more about the urge to escape than it does about a weather forecast, but I understand the impulse.

The islands lie off West Africa. There are beaches and volcanic landscapes, but music is part of what draws me in. Morna, recognised by UNESCO as part of Cabo Verde’s living cultural heritage, brings together voice, instruments, poetry and dance. Its longing suits a nostalgic soul like me.

Sal and Boa Vista are the names that often come up when I start thinking about beaches. Fogo takes my imagination somewhere else. Its volcanic landscape makes an island escape look rather different from a row of loungers beside the sea.

Then there’s the wine of Chã das Caldeiras. A glass made on an island shaped by a volcano is a persuasive detail to add to the daydream. I’m keeping the tasting notes open until I’ve actually tasted it.

If I get there, I’ll probably ask what property costs in a volcanic caldera. And parking spaces, so I can compare them with Sofia. For now, it stays on the wish list. One day, I hope, I’ll have a different story to tell.

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