Jose Maria Neves Doctor Honoris Causa

José Maria Neves, Prime Minister of Cape Verde, recognized as one of Africa’s foremost leaders, will be receiving an honorary doctor of law degree from the University of Rhode Island in recognition for his excellent performance as the archipelago’s leader, and specifically, his role in promoting education through important partnerships between the University of Cape Verde and other institutions worldwide. Rhode Island University’s publication also praises the Prime Minister for his anti-crises measures which have minimized Cape Verde’s vulnerability to the world economic downturn, thereby fostering international credibility which enables foreign investment, largely in the tourism sector and second home real estate, to continue its growth trajectory.

Upon Request....

Per the request of a reader recently, here is a film of Ponta Bicuda. For more images and information about Cape Verde please see http://www.pontabicuda.com/

Testimony

We had to share this magnificent text, a testimony of two people who, on their second vist to Ponta Bicuda, describe the environment and the ongoing works with real enthousiasm:

The second time

We had been here before – a little more than a year ago – to see the moonish landscape of Ponta Bicuda. It was burned into brown, we saw stones, rocks, dust, sand and in between: Some courageous leaves and flowers.
We had seen the trucks and construction machines arrive, and we had felt the dust move ever deeper into our throats and cameras as land-shaping began.
Now in April of 2009, we revisited to see a new landscape: – That of Coladera and Teiju –. Part of Cor de Mar was still in gigantic rocks, but the site for the hotel, the cricket field and the spa-lake all ready for the next steps. Ponta Bicuda is rising from it’s moonish grounds. It is amazing.
Land had been levelled out into shelves wider than those fit for corn growing on the inlands of Cape Verde. The idea is nevertheless the same: this is for human feet to move on.
Like last time we were here, we were treated like queens and kings. Helder Ribeiro is the perfect host for luxury second home clients like us – never nagging, always pleasant.
As we stood there on our future shelf overlooking the horizon in about 270 degrees angle, we felt that this place will be fit for queens – or kings – if you like.
What then about Santiago, the basic host of the Ponta Bicuda insula? What about the people, what about the languages of Creole and Portuguese?
Elder Ribeiro has taken us all around Santiago – an island of diverse landscapes loaded with beauty. After the rainy season (in August and September), the whole Island, like a magic stroke of a green brush, dresses itself in green. We have seen it with green mountain ridges – green out of condensations from the clouds as they climb the mountain slopes, we have seen brownish mountain sides baked by the sun and sheer, green “Shangri Las” at the bottoms of the valleys, where farmers pump water from the ground.
The people of Cape Verde seem proud and pragmatic realising that this archipelago has little to offer when it comes to natural resources apt to export: most of what we consume here is imported. The climate, the sun and some other major resources: the music, the friendliness and not least the pride are, however, worth the world. To better or worse, this is seems also part of the Cape Verdean people’s insights.
A people that can make life possible under such natural challenges has to be proud and must develop a well grounded love for their land. As a visitor willing to take part in public life, that love is readily felt in all encounters, be they conveyed in English (spoken well enough by many) in Portuguese (the official language) or in Creole. Creole is the language Cape Verdeans share among each other. It is Portuguese enough to pay a kind of tribute to history and African enough to make Cape Verdeans to what they really are: Queens and Kings of their beautiful archipelago.
May we all come to live well together as fit for these special kinds of “royalties”.

Esben Esther Pirelli Benestad

Birds of Cape Verde 5 - The Pied Flycatcher

The Pied Flycatcher, often seen around Cape Verde , is a 12-13.5 cm long bird. The breeding male is mainly black above and white below, with a large white wing patch, white tail sides and a small forehead patch. The bill is black, and has the broad but pointed shape typical of aerial insectivores. As well as taking insects in flight, this species hunts caterpillars and eats berries. Do not be surprised to find the Pied Flycatcher in your own gardens at Ponta Bicuda where they are likely to build an open nest in a tree hole, where you may even find 4 to 6 eggs. They can be a wonderful house guest as it has a loud rhythmic and melodious song.

Easter Weekend Weather Report!

Feast your eyes on the dream Cape Verde Easter weekend weather and compare it to the London forecast. If you own property in Cape Verde and have made this your new Easter holiday tradition - give yourself a pat on the back. If you craftily booked yourself a tropical get a way break to Praia, Cape Verde do not miss the opportunity to look around at some of the properties available in the capital city of the archipelago. Ponta Bicuda offeres a wide range of houses and apartments which can be used as second homes, or as real estate investment.

Diving in Cape Verde

If hiking in the tropical mountains of Cidade da Praia is not your thing, yet visiting the historical sites is not exciting enough, head down to the shores of the Ponta Bicuda beach where steps away from the city's most exclusive real estate investment site, Nuno Pereira and his team have made quite a different type of investment - under water.

With the most up to date equipment for hire and a complete list of PADI courses on offer (from beginners to masters), you don't need to have experience to enjoy this natural resource. If you have experience you can choose from up to 10 of the best diving spots nearby the city of Praia, where you will have the chance to see some of the best known fish swimming the Cape Verdean waters. Those may include grouper, tuna, mackerel, trumpet fish and several different species of tropical reef fish. With luck, you may see dolphins, turtles and even whales. Be aware that you are also likely to encounter some anchors which might have been laying in the bottom of the sea for centuries having likely been lost by the Portuguese trading ships.

Easter in Cape Verde

If your planning on returning to your Cape Verde property to recharge your batteries during the Easter break, we just wanted to remind you that there is more to Santiago Island than white sand beaches and warm tropical waters. Challenge yourself to a hike in one of the island’s mountain ranges – Serra do Pico d’Antónia (Antonia’s Peak mountains) or Serra da Malagueta (Chilli Pepper mountains). If hiking boots are not the shoes that fit you, then take some time to visit Cidade Velha (the ancient city) the first European style city built in Africa where you can also see the beautiful fortress of St. Filipe.

Cape Verde Taking Care of Real Estate Growth Demands

Cape Verde plans on remaining the shining example of a developing economy that uses aid wisely to invest in its own sustainable growth. Due to its climate, Cape Verde has always been short on water supply, now with the investment property market and hotel industry growing – Cape Verde has chosen to tackle this issues sooner rather than later. Japan, who has taken an interest is Cape Verde since it’s independence in 1975, will be giving Cape Verde approximately 10M€ specifically to fund the creation of new drinking water production systems in the Islands. In addition, the capital city of Praia is also increasing its water resources by doubling the desalination capacity by year end and by installing a 5.000 cubic water facility in order to bring the total available supply per person per day to 82 litres, which is just above the World Health Organization recommended amount. Legally all real estate developers in Cape Verde are required to provide properties with their own water desalination systems.