Monday, February 1, 2016
Sao Tome; an island nation off the coast of Gabon
Today is again overcast, thankfully, as it is quite warm since we are very close to the equator.
There had been several shore excursions offered earlier in the year, but many of those were plantation tours and they have all since closed, except for one that has reopened, just to show tourists how coffee production was done.
It was a tender port. Lifeboats away.
Sitting on the dock next to our tender landing spot...MG-B
Motorcycles are the primary transport
We had chosen to go on a waterfall and bird watching tour and we boarded a small van to begin our tour about 1/2 hr late. The tenders were very busy transporting the majority of passengers into port but we figured the waterfall had been there for a while and the birds didn't care!
Coffee beans on the tree
A stop at the Botanical Gardens up in the hills ~3800', where it was cooler
According to our guide there are few jobs in Sao Tome so the unemployment rate is over 70%. Most of the people we saw on our way to the waterfall appeared to be clear cutting small areas of the jungle and planting vegetables for market stalls and personal use.
Birds were mostly heard and seldom seen
The waterfall is lovely, the roads were pretty bad as soon as we left the port area, and the birds, while heard, weren't interesting in showing off to us.
I'm glad I saw Sao Tome but if I don't return here again, it will be okay....c
Sao Tome; an island nation off the coast of Gabon
Today is again overcast, thankfully, as it is quite warm since we are very close to the equator.
There had been several shore excursions offered earlier in the year, but many of those were plantation tours and they have all since closed, except for one that has reopened, just to show tourists how coffee production was done.
It was a tender port. Lifeboats away.
Sitting on the dock next to our tender landing spot...MG-B
We had chosen to go on a waterfall and bird watching tour and we boarded a small van to begin our tour about 1/2 hr late. The tenders were very busy transporting the majority of passengers into port but we figured the waterfall had been there for a while and the birds didn't care!
Coffee beans on the tree
A stop at the Botanical Gardens up in the hills ~3800', where it was cooler
According to our guide there are few jobs in Sao Tome so the unemployment rate is over 70%. Most of the people we saw on our way to the waterfall appeared to be clear cutting small areas of the jungle and planting vegetables for market stalls and personal use.
Birds were mostly heard and seldom seen
The waterfall is lovely, the roads were pretty bad as soon as we left the port area, and the birds, while heard, weren't interesting in showing off to us.
I'm glad I saw Sao Tome but if I don't return here again, it will be okay....c
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