We really wanted to explore Praia, the capital of Cap Verde, as well as the former capital, Cidade Velha on the island of Santiago. Since traveling by boat wasn’t feasible, we decided to fly. Even then, the only option was to fly to Santiago the night before, spend the night there, and fly back the following evening. No sooner said than done! Josina Fortes, the receptionist at the Blue Marlin Hotel, arranged the trip through Levy Travel, a travel agency in Praia. The flight departs late in the evening from Mindelo to Praia. The agency’s manager, Levy Simao, picked us up at midnight and took us to the Hotel Santa Maria in the center of Praia. He showed us our room briefly before leaving us around 1 a.m. He tells us that his son will accompany us the next morning to show us the city and Cidade Velha. We assume we won’t see Levy again, but we're wrong; he'll help us again in the afternoon and evening. The room is simple but clean with everything you need for a good night's sleep. The breakfast buffet is excellent, and the reception staff is friendly. Afterwards, we took a brief look at Rua 5 de Julho while waiting for our guide, Marcos Levy. Rua 5 de Julho is Praia’s main shopping street. It’s bright and welcoming, lined with inviting shops and cafés. What makes it special is that it’s beautifully shaded by trees without feeling dark. We are on the Praia plateau, where African, Creole, and Portuguese cultures blend. First, Marcos takes us to the southern end of the street to the Mercado Municipal de Praia, the central market for vegetables and groceries. However, it also includes various snack options and appears to serve as a meeting place for exchanging the latest news. Next, we walk to "Praça da Fonte," where the City Hall (Câmara Municipal) is located. It is also used for events. Just a few meters further on is the Governor’s Palace (Palácio da Presidência da República), which once served as the governor’s residence. Arguably, it is the most important building on the plateau. We continue our tour, enjoying the views of the Estádio da Várzea soccer stadium and Ilhéu Santa Maria along the way. At the southern end of the plateau, there is a military base named after the Cape Verdean freedom fighter, Jaime Mota. Mota was killed in Guinea-Bissau. Today, the base serves as a military museum and office building for the Ministry of Defense. We continue our tour and enjoy the view of the Estádio da Várzea soccer stadium and Ilhéu Santa Maria. At the southern end of the plateau is a military base named after the Cape Verdean freedom fighter, Jaime Mota. Mota was killed in Guinea-Bissau. Today, it serves as a military museum and office building for the Ministry of Defense. Marcos then takes us to the Terra Branca neighborhood, which is centered around the artist Tutu Sousa. He founded the well-known Galeria de Arte Tutu Sousa art gallery. The gallery showcases art by Cape Verdean and international artists from countries such as Portugal, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and France. Located in the vicinity of Rua d’Arte, the gallery has transformed the entire neighborhood into a work of art. We even meet the artist Tutu Sousa in person in his gallery, where he stands amidst his works. Our second destination on the island of Santiago is now in sight: Cidade Velha. Officially known as Ribeira Grande de Santiago since 2005, Cidade Velha is the historic center of Cape Verde and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. Founded in 1462, it was the first city established by Europeans south of the Sahara. Slavery has existed for a very long time. It did not begin with the Egyptians, Greeks, or Romans. In ancient times, the slave trade was widespread and a major economic factor. Tens of thousands of slaves were traded daily on Delos. Later, the Franks and the Venetians played significant roles. The Radhanites, Jewish free-trade merchants, were active internationally from the 8th to the 11th century, trading between the Christian West and the Islamic world as far as India and China. From the fifth century onward, slavery was prevalent in Africa, especially in the Islamic world. It is estimated that 10 to 15 million people were affected by intra-African slavery. ….... please read more: https://blog.myvideomedia.com/praia-and-cidade-velha-santiago/ [:de] Wir möchten unbedingt die Hauptstadt Praia, die Hauptstadt der Kapverden, sowie die ehemalige Hauptstadt Cidade Velha auf der Insel Santiago kennenlernen. Da dies mit dem Schiff nicht machbar war, entschieden wir uns für das Flugzeug. Doch auch damit ist es nur möglich, am Vorabend nach Santiago zu fliegen, dort zu übernachten und am nächsten Abend wieder zurückzufliegen. Gesagt, getan! ......... weitere Infos im Reisevideoblog: https://blog.myvideomedia.com/de/praia-and-cidade-velha-santiago/ music by Johannes Kayser: https://www.1-2-3-gemafrei.de/en/