写真

I have often heard about little children in less fortunate countries, including Cape Verde, who run after tourists, partially because of the curiosity but also because they hope to get from them something sweet or maybe a coin. I remember when Kasia mentioned her meeting with some girls in Asia, who didn稚 want money but asked for some stationery instead. I am rather shy in situations like that, but I thought, what if I indeed meet some children on Boa Vista and take a photo of them, they have the right the expect some gratification. I decided to buy some crayons, chalk, gummi bears, etc to have them with me just in case.

After arriving on Boa Vista, I soon realised that I will not rent a car on the island, they had just manual transmission cars and I don稚 feel comfortable with driving them anymore. With no flexibility offered by the car I knew I will only have a chance to meet real life people on one of the organized trips. I took all the children stuff with me. The tour started in Sal Rei and the streets were completely empty, maybe because it was the Easter Sunday. I checked the tour route with the operator again and realized that I will just past some remote areas so I will have no chance to meet any children. So when that random shop owner, whom I mentioned before, asked me to enter his shop in Sal Rei shortly before our quad tour, I decided to leave all items which I brought for children with him. I thought, at least it will stay in this country, there is no point in leaving it in the resort. The shop owner was not really interested in that at all. He didn稚 even say thank you.

The quad tour passed first through some beautiful areas along the coast, near the shipwreck which I presented before, and unexpectedly, we had a quick break in a little village called Bofarreira. When we arrived in the central square of the village, about 20 little children ran towards our quads. It appeared that our guide was from this village and one of the children was his daughter. I was so very much angry with myself. The children were modest and didn稚 expect anything from us, but I have noticed the guide bought them lollipops, probably the cheapest sweet available, and they were so happy! I am so stupid, I thought! These children would be so happy with the stationery and sweeties which I brought from England!

I had a chat with the guide, asking him whether we could buy the children some ice cream, which was probably a silly question because the only store we have seen there did not have much choice really. After careful consideration he told me that it is probably better not to buy them anything because the next time he comes over with the tour they would be disappointed if they didn稚 receive anything.

Most of the time the children were in the middle of the village square while the parents were standing around the square, so it was a very strange situation for taking children photos. Before I found a courage to take some photos of them, most of the children were already gone back to their houses. I took just three photos with them. Maybe if I had some sweeties with me, I wouldn稚 hesitate so much.

The guide was a very kind, helpful and patient person so they only thing we did in the end was we left him a more generous tip, so that he could afford to buy all the children some sweeties next time he passes the village with a tour.

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