Impressions of Luanda

1. So many cars on the streets. I mean, driving on the road, on the side of the road, on the sidewalk, parked in the middle, stopped in the middle. They are everywhere--and really nice cars too.

2. I haven't touched the produce, but although the food is expensive, I have found the supermarkets to have quite a variety. I found sushi rice for $5/1kg. I found a huge government chesse looking block of cheese and had to buy it. I don't know if cheese is readily available in Lubango :)

3. "Candongeiro" minibus taxi drivers are all idiots--I have never seen so many dumb moves in traffic in my life. "Chapas" in Mozambique are similar, but I will never ride in one of them here. Way too dangerous.

4. If I did stay in Luanda I would LOVE the cultural events and shows. We drove by many a culture house, theater, or gallery.

5. Um, when I went to do my big shopping at the market the woman in front of me spent $3000 on her cart full.

6. I had pizza a a really nice restaurant. It had bananas on it. Huh?

7. I give HUGE props to the Fellow that lived in Luanda last year. In the two weeks I have spent here I have had to become totally dependent on others to get things done--waiting for drivers, getting escorted around the Embassy (totally valid for them to do since I have no security clearance, but still made me feel like a child), not knowing enough about the city, or having someone to tell me, so that I could go out and feel safe to explore.

8. I saw two accidents in two weeks with multiple dead bodies on the side of the road. Never want to see that again.

9. I love having had experienced Africa before because when I went into the bank to open an account and was told I couldn't because I didn't have the right kind of visa, I just stared at the clerk until he changed his mind and opened the account for me.

10. A local news reporter was covering a story about 2 South African women and one man that were caught in Luanda's airport with condoms full of cocaine. Tough subject, but it turned Saturday Night Live when the reporter showed how they hid the full condoms in deodorant bottles. She was wearing rubber gloves, held tight to the plastic deodorant container, and popped the condom out. I can't describe how funny it looked. :)