Crossing the desert

Leaving the luxurious green islands for a couple of weeks, I look below and see only desert. I will have less blogging opportunities ... c-ya anytime soon.

Sand dollars from Sao Tome

From the Echinoderm class the Sand dollar is a unique marine animal. In Sao Tome and Principe they can only be found in one beach, the beach of the seven waves (Praia das Sete Ondas).
The particularity of the Santomese Sand dollar is that he reminds us of a mask, or a ghost, or a …

The legend of the horseman and the blowhole

In the XIX century the Mouth of Hell (Boca do Inferno) was in the property of one of the most notorious characters from the colonial times in Sao Tome and Principe, the Baron of Agua-Ize. This man is responsible for the introduction of the cocoa that latter allowed Sao Tome and Principe to become the largest cocoa producer in the world.
Well, enough history, let’s get to what really matters, the legend … It is believed that the Baron mounted in his horse would occasionally, jump directly into the blowhole and would disappear… would reappear in Lisbon … and return from the hole in the rock in the middle of the waves and mist mounted on his horse. Well I have asked several of this story tellers if anyone had tried to use this magical gate and get a free ticket to Europe, but it looks like no one else has tried it just as yet.

The mouth of hell

I wonder about the origin of the name of this amazing blowhole, Boca do inferno - hell’s mouth. Well all around you will find basalt-octagons reminding huge teeth; with a little of imagination you will see a mouth shaped lave tube; and it does blow like hell.

There are several stories and myths about this place … check out tomorrows post.

Birth of Passion

The end of the trilogy for passion.

Passion flower

Passion is a fair name for this amazing flower; however you may know that the name does not refer to love. Have you seen the movie “Passion of Christ”, well to this flower were attributed symbols related to the crucifixion of Christ. Some of the characteristics of the passion flower and what it represents:

• 3 stigmas – 3 nails


• 5 lower anthers – 5 wounds


• 72 radial filaments (corona) – Crown of Thorns


• 10 petals and sepals – 10 of the apostles (Judas and Peter excluded)

Well I guess that if a 17th century Spanish priests we would see all that too.

A flower for passion

This wonderful plant continues to be one of my favorite hobbies. Even if its name, Passion Flower, does not refer to love (I will post on this tomorrow) it still evokes the blossom of an hard to contain passion.