A day with friends on a beach in São Tomé. Responsible tourism.

A day with friends on a beach in São Tomé We woke up early! The sun was starting to rise over the horizon and we prepared for a day full of activities. We set off at 6 a.m. towards the market to buy the fresh produce brought in daily by local producers. As we entered the market, we were greeted by a symphony of smells, colors and noises, the fresh aroma of vegetables and the brightness of newly arrived fish. Luís Afonso already had everything planned out in his head. We were going to need fresh vegetables, fish freshly caught at dawn, fruit and, of course, the spices that can’t be missing. We left carrying the necessary ingredients to prepare a nutritious, healthy and sustainable meal. We set off in a northerly direction. We still had some way to go, but first Luís Afonso wanted to stop in the woods to collect firewood. We found a clearing with a small stream, surrounded by the natural environment of the forest. What a treat to fill our lungs with fresh, fragrant air and listen to the wonderful morning songs of the birds… Meanwhile, the sun was rising over the horizon, projecting its warm rays over the beaches and highlighting the turquoise blue of the sea. It was time to light the fire to cook lunch. The sharp bend in the road presented us with a breathtaking passage of black rocks, green palm trees and an old, rusty boat stranded in the sea. We had reached our destination. This was the right beach. We prepared our food on a makeshift stall on top of an abandoned canoe. Next door, a fisherman helped us light the fire where we…( Continue reading)