A Month in Luanda

We have safely returned from a five-day road trip during which we saw a few highlights of this region of Angola (more on that in the next post) and are now in the midst of the second of two short school weeks since the break - one due to conferences and the current one has a public holiday followed by a teacher workshop day. With that, it is way past time to get down to writing. 

So while I get through sorting the photos of our travel adventure, here's a look at life here from mid-September to mid-October. These pictures provide a good representation of our life in Luanda beyond the work/school day as well as a few "new" getaway spots for when we are itching for a change of scenery. 

The three grade 5 classes had a one night campout on the school field in front of our apartment building. We tried not to peek (really!) but did catch glimpses of the action as tents were set up, games were played, and a sunrise yoga session was in progress. Not much sleep was had  - by anyone out there - and even though he could see our laundry drying on the balcony from his tent, I think that Liam felt like he was actually away and he had a great time.

An update on George, the star of the last blog post: At what was expected to be his last Wednesday evening on campus, we learned that there had been a paperwork snafu (after months of paperwork being filed on his behalf) and so although everyone hoped that George would be snuggled into his sanctuary home among new chimpanzee friends by now, it seems that we will get to spend a bit more time with him. And very selfishly speaking, we're okay with that.

As the Red Sox clinched the division and then made their post-season appearance, Asa and I watched a lot of baseball (okay, we always watch a lot of baseball), and it was great that the first round of games were scheduled during the day which meant that we could catch them live, even on a school night. 

At the end of each month, there is a local art and textile market set up within walking distance of school. This being our first time there, we mostly walked by the stalls and checked out all that was for sale. But then we really liked this giant piece depicting a Luanda street scene that incorporated bits of soda cans and corrugated metal. After chatting with the artist, we decided to buy a smaller version for our apartment which, though very nice, is a bit stark (some may say minimalist?). So goes an overseas move without a shipment.

The Marginal is a walking, biking, jogging path that goes along Avenida 4 de Fevereiro downtown. On a weekend afternoon, we had a school van drop our group at the parking area on the southern end of the path and the kids then rollerbladed and skateboarded (parents strolled) to the opposite end and back. After wheeling around for an hour or so, we all popped into a coffeeshop and had ridiculously good cookies and cream shakes.

Not pictured is a great place for authentic Indian food that colleagues suggested we try. The food was terrific - fist-sized samosas! - and the bonus was outdoor seating with a view of the city's Fortress de São Miguel lit up on the hill across the water. This, on top of a hole-in-the-wall Ethiopian restaurant, and we are feeling pretty great about the dining out options within reach.

Next to one of the big grocery stores we go to is a barber shop (and beyond that, a mall that we have not been to) where the boys and Jonah have gotten pretty good haircuts for just under $9. 

Before:

During:

After:

In the school gym on a Saturday afternoon, Liam taught himself (very quickly!) how to do a wall flip:

In early October, we attended perhaps the most lively and most delicious International Day to date (maybe that had to do with the free booze at just about every booth?). We started at the India table where chicken tikka and jalebi (and mehndi) were being served:

Venezuela had their own DJ:

The menu at table USA:

Canada brought the flag, floor hockey, and a moose hat to the basketball court:

On the first Saturday of October break, we took our first trip to Mussulo, a spit of land not far from and running parallel to the coast. This was the scene at the boat taxi launch, just about 15 minutes from campus:

Across the water, on approach to the restaurant (owned by the family of a student at our school) - a little piece of paradise:

Heading back to the mainland after a full day:

We had the following day to get ourselves organized, prep camping gear and food, and pack up for our road trip. Enough of the city and its suburbs - rural Angola, here we come!