Introduction
In December 2025, it’s time for us to turn the key, leave the camper behind, and hop on a plane. Our destination for three weeks is the sun-drenched Cape Verde Islands. But the trip began with a special challenge: a torn Achilles tendon has me on crutches. So instead of endless dirt roads and four-wheel-drive adventures, here in Santa Maria on the island of Sal, we’ll both be slowing down, enjoying the Atlantic breeze, and letting our minds wander. A short but unforgettable chapter about taking a deep breath in the sand—without a campervan. And once again, we’re taking you along on this short journey—enjoy!
Trip to the Cape Verde Islands
Switzerland 🇨🇭
Dagmersellen/Zofingen, December 1, 2025 🇨🇭
Well, things don’t always go as planned, but we’ve gotten used to that by now. First, BJ (our RV) breaks down, then Livio’s car also stops working. BJ is towed to the Wyder garage in Sursee, then we head to the hospital in Zofingen (a huge thank you to Judith for the last-minute ride to the hospital and on to Aarburg). After a few tests, it’s clear… the Achilles tendon is torn! And our plans to fly off on vacation on Monday are off for now. We’re postponing the flight until Wednesday and hoping for the best. But first, we’re heading back for another ultrasound on Monday. What a day…
Aarburg, December 1, 2025 🇨🇭
After a somewhat restless night at Villa Weber in Aarburg, we head back to the hospital in Zofingen. Here, too, we receive wonderful support from my parents! My mom drives us from one place to another, so we can take care of everything we need to. But let’s start from the beginning….The tests on Tuesday morning confirm the tear, but fortunately, the doctor doesn’t want to operate. Conservative treatment should be enough, though it will, of course, take a few months. I’m allowed to travel, but only with a splint, orthotics, and blood-thinning injections, of course. Better than not going on vacation…
Kloten, December 2, 2026 🇨🇭
Cape Verde Islands 🇨🇻
Santa Maria, December 3, 2025 🇨🇻
We’ve finally arrived in Santa Maria on the island of Sal. First impressions… it’s warm, humid, and pretty barren. A taxi picks us up at the airport and takes us to our lodging. The hotel booked us right into a building with an elevator—which is definitely better with the crutches… In the evening, we head straight to La Trattoria—truly authentic… Italian. But the food is really good, and we’re really enjoying it…
The next day, we head to the beach, have a few drinks, and, of course, take some great photos of Adriana—and the first day is already drawing to a close. Santa Maria is very touristy, but it has a lot to offer in a small area.
Santa Maria, December 8, 2025 🇨🇻
Cape Verde… no work, no stress—but it’ll take a little longer before the water stops dripping from the ceiling back home. Adriana practices walking slowly, and I hobble along behind her as best I can. Santa Maria is a place entirely focused on tourists! No sooner do the still-pale newcomers step out of the taxi than they’re invited by local “tour guides” to take a tour of the town—for a fee, of course. During the tour, there are even more offers, such as a massage… or much more—and everything can be paid for in euros, by credit card, or whatever other payment methods are available. All of this can be observed very easily from the comfort of a café, in a completely relaxed “no stress” atmosphere. And that’s how we spend our days—basically doing nothing, but doing it in a truly relaxed way….
Santa Maria, December 11, 2025 🇨🇻
While I’m still asleep in the room, Adriana is already out on her morning run along the beach. So that I can enjoy it too, she always sends me great photos. The temperature is just right in the morning, and after Adriana gets back, we head to the local bakery, Pao Quente, for breakfast—it’s really good.
Santa Maria, December 14, 2025 🇨🇻
Every day we discover something new—except for our daily morning trip to Pao Quente, the best bakery on the island; that never changes! There are endless calories here, much like the long line of customers in front of the counter. This line regularly merges with the long line of people waiting to pay at the exit. And right in the middle are the tables where familiar local faces mingle with a constant stream of new tourists. It’s a lively scene that’s also very entertaining to watch. To help burn off all those calories somehow, there’s naturally an open-air gym on the beach—all in keeping with the island’s motto: No Stress!
The little town is very colorful and wants to actively share its zest for life with tourists. However, this doesn’t always work out, because people are busy working out, touring the endless sights with “tour guides,” swarming coffee bars in droves, arranging tables and chairs, and having loud discussions. At the very least, the alleys are brightened up with color—or rather, one color (red)—especially by the new arrivals.
Santa Maria, December 18, 2025 🇨🇻
The island of Sal is fairly flat and very windy, especially on the east side. Consequently, most of the action takes place on the west side. The beaches on both sides of the island are very different—from very dark, volcanic beaches to gorgeous, fine-sand beaches and secluded coves—you’ll find it all (unless you’re on crutches…). If you’re on crutches, you’ll usually find yourself sitting in one of the many excellent coffee and ice cream bars, where you’ll regularly make new four-legged friends.
Santa Maria, December 19, 2025 🇨🇻
Our trip is already drawing to a close; even 17 days fly by… Adriana takes her morning walk once more and explores the local salt flats, areas where salt is harvested. Today, however, this takes place only on a very small scale and isn’t even enough to cover the islands’ own needs. Water is also a major issue, especially with the sharp rise in tourism. The local population must use this precious resource very sparingly, yet the tourism industry seems to have endless amounts of water available for whatever the heart desires. The massive hotel complexes have endless swimming pools and water features, and it seems that over the next few years there will be many more of these structures, which don’t exactly enhance the landscape.
Hopefully, the remaining bit of that local, authentic atmosphere will be preserved in the years to come. In any case, we’ll always remember Santa Maria on Sal as a very relaxing and charming place with a truly wonderful and friendly local population.