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The village of Fontainhas
On Sunday we took the ferry from Mindelo harbour to the island of Santo Antao for an overnight trip. We were a bit hesitant because everything that we've read says that a visa is necessary if spending even one night ashore but when we checked into the country the immigration office would not give us one because he said that it was not a requirement. We decided to risk it because everyone else seems to be – there is even a boat that has been here for a week longer than we have and they haven’t even bothered to check into the country yet!
We arrived in the village of Porto Nova and took a taxi up a steep cobblestone road to the top of the cova (volcano). From there we hiked down into the cova crater which supports a small village growing corn and coffee plants. There are no roads and the villagers have to hike in and out using small donkey’s to carry supplies and water. We walked around the crater and then up and out on the opposite side to the Paul Valley. When we reached the top and looked over the valley we were shocked - we were standing at cloud level overlooking a deep, green valley with a steep path winding down the mountain. It took us two hours to walk down the path through terraced fields of banana trees, corn, and sugar cane before we came to the first village where we stopped for lunch at an organic café where they grow all their food and distill strong local rum called grouge. From there we continued to hike down the valley road through small villages until we reached our B&B which was a dizzying 15 minute climb straight up on a rocky path off the main road. It was worth it though to sleep in a real bed for a change.
The next morning we set out early to finish hiking out of the valley and headed to Ponta do Sol a coastal town on the northern part of the island. We took an aluguer there which is the main source of transportation around the islands. Aluguers are either passenger vans or pickup trucks with benches in the back that run people back and forth between villages. They race up and down the cobblestone roads honking and calling out looking for passengers who throw their bags up on the roof rack and cram inside. From Ponta do Sol we hired an Aluguer to take us up to the tiny village of Fontainhas which is at the end of an eroding dirt road and is situated on the edge of a cliff overlooking a valley - it was spectacular. The houses stop where the cliff starts and the village is surrounded by terraced fields of corn. We hiked up out of the valley and then back down to Ponta Do Sol before catching the last aluguer back to Porto Nova to meet the ferry for Mindelo.
We arrived in the village of Porto Nova and took a taxi up a steep cobblestone road to the top of the cova (volcano). From there we hiked down into the cova crater which supports a small village growing corn and coffee plants. There are no roads and the villagers have to hike in and out using small donkey’s to carry supplies and water. We walked around the crater and then up and out on the opposite side to the Paul Valley. When we reached the top and looked over the valley we were shocked - we were standing at cloud level overlooking a deep, green valley with a steep path winding down the mountain. It took us two hours to walk down the path through terraced fields of banana trees, corn, and sugar cane before we came to the first village where we stopped for lunch at an organic café where they grow all their food and distill strong local rum called grouge. From there we continued to hike down the valley road through small villages until we reached our B&B which was a dizzying 15 minute climb straight up on a rocky path off the main road. It was worth it though to sleep in a real bed for a change.
The next morning we set out early to finish hiking out of the valley and headed to Ponta do Sol a coastal town on the northern part of the island. We took an aluguer there which is the main source of transportation around the islands. Aluguers are either passenger vans or pickup trucks with benches in the back that run people back and forth between villages. They race up and down the cobblestone roads honking and calling out looking for passengers who throw their bags up on the roof rack and cram inside. From Ponta do Sol we hired an Aluguer to take us up to the tiny village of Fontainhas which is at the end of an eroding dirt road and is situated on the edge of a cliff overlooking a valley - it was spectacular. The houses stop where the cliff starts and the village is surrounded by terraced fields of corn. We hiked up out of the valley and then back down to Ponta Do Sol before catching the last aluguer back to Porto Nova to meet the ferry for Mindelo.