The town of Terrafal

The 40 knot gusts are gone. A peaceful night dawns grey and humid, the sailboats rolling easy, their anchor chains straight down in th quiet waters. Surf on the black sand-strand and cocks crowing make up the background music here in the Baía de Terrafal.

Another good-bye to "Snorre" heading towards Sal. And a dinghy round to a few boats, English "Windwitch", and Norwegian, "Glipp", with André on board, is glad that our Swiss neighbor is a good out-board mechanic. His overturned dinghy-and-motor are soon operative again.

In town we soon have our own "boat-minder" the boy who'd swum out to us yesterday. In this cosy little village we get "professional" help from our Swiss neighbors to find out which house bakes bread in a little wood oven. Which door (the yellow one) to knock on to buy goat cheese. Where the mini-markado and the harbor-police and this cyber-café are. Their three year old, Marvin (means friend of the sea) has had his whole life at sea.
And now we´ve arranged with a driver for a Grand Tour of the island tomorrow, including swimming in a volcanic natural pool. Hope for quiet winds so we can leave "Babette" safely in harbor. A prerequisite.

This evening at the café we get a real bonus: three local guitarists, one with the little four-stringed portugese guitar (later, the ukelele). They played Cape Verde rythmns and songs all evening, non-stop. Except for changing popped strings.

Cesaria Evora is well known around the world now. We'ld like to recommend our impromtu musicians here. And "Cordas do Sol", with another Evora, Arlindo. He's one of the six members of this band from Sant'Anton. Their cd," Terra de Sodade" will take you all the way across the Atlantic.