Cape Verde Islands
The Cape Verde islands lie directly off the bulge of West Africa. Indeed, they lie directly off Cap Vert and it is from this that their name is derived; they are, in truth, anything but "verde" (green). They are the offspring of the Sahara, and as such are true desert islands.
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Eighteen years ago, when we first visited them, the Cape Verdes were virtually untouched by any western influence, and the people were charming - and peniless. The islands have now been discovered, in a big way, by French, Italian, and British tourists; hotels are appearing along the unblemished beaches of Boa Vista, and the entire coast of Ilha Sal is now in foreign hands. The upshot of this dramatic change in is that the people are now better off, financially, but a lot less welcoming and warm-hearted.
