Quote:
Originally Posted by mobertol
This one is for Sue -as she didn't see them flowering in Madeira. This is in the garden of the Hotel I go to on Garda. Was taken in September.
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Thanks for the Strelitzia, Dianne - not sure whether I like them as a flower but they are certainly striking. I am more into the cottage garden type of thing.
I see we have just clocked up page 200 on this thread - well done all!
Today I'm moving on to Cape Verde and starting with some flowers and other odds and ends.
We were supposed to go to two of the islands but thanks to rough weather on the way only managed one stop, Mindelo on Sao Vicente, a shame because I think the other, at the capital, Praia, would have been more interesting.
The islands were Portuguese until about forty years ago when they became independent and they have suffered since then. The infrastructure is lacking and they have suffered famine, mainly due to drought from lack of rainfall. They are supposed to be an up and coming holiday destination but I don't think it's penetrated to the island we visited. We saw one new holiday development but it looked a bit half hearted. The climate is hot and humid every single day with very little rainfall and the island was very barren. Again the islands are volcanic and for those of you who remember my pictures of the Svalbard archipelago near the North Pole - the mountains are like that but without any snow!
It was a Sunday when we visited so most of the streets in my pics look fairly deserted but we were assured that on other days the place is thronging with life.
Anyway, here goes...
- Hibiscus growing by the roadside in town
- Close up of above
- The leaves look like an acacia and there were plenty of larger trees about bearing lots of bean-type pods
- Not sure what this is
- Have to pass on this one as well
- Grasshopper - there were lots of these about in the mountains. Not nearly as large and fierce as it looks!
- There seems to be a tradition of visiting ships leaving their calling cards painted on the harbour wall. A lot were in this charmingly naive style. Four examples here