Kissama National Park

Kissama Natioanl Park lies approximately 75 km. south of Luanda, the capital. The park was established in 1957 and was once teeming with wildlife throughout its 2.5 million acres or 1 million hectares (!). However the civil war that wracked the country for over 20 years took its toll. The population of elephants, rhinoceroses and buffalo was almost completely extinguished due to poaching and over-use of the vegetation.

Imbondeiro trees are starting to sprout

Efforts by the Kissama National Park Association to re-establish the animal population has taken place in the form of the project "Operation Noah's Ark" in which primarily elephants from neighboring Botswana, Namibia and South Africa were either airlifted or shipped to Kissama.

We headed to the park last weekend with friends and stayed in some small cabins inside the park which were just fine. It was a holiday weekend and there were many people there. We had originally scheduled a safari for the afternoon after we arrived, but they were over-booked, so we settled for a nice boat ride on the Kwanza river which was bordered by grasslands and beautiful hyacinths. We saw a small, baby crocodile, but no manatees. I spoke to one of the guards and he said that they had started to see younger generations of animals and that they were pleased that the different animal populations were growing.

I can live anywhere that has palm trees!

The next morning we woke up very early and already there were many people out and about. The manager assured me that there was room for our party of 11 since there would be using two vehicles. However, one of the vehicles would not start and it was a mad dash into the trucks. We got room, but the rangers were trying to get another family of five on by having us place the kids on our laps. We refused because of safety and eventually we headed out. At first we did not think that we would see any animals, but after about 45 minutes we met some giraffes eating their breakfast. They were rather close to the road and did not seem to be too bothered by us. After that, we began sighting antelope, bush bucks, elands and some pretty amazing birds.

The vehicles were open and we bounced around and I was slapped and whipped a bit by the overhanging branches since I sat on the side, but it was still really enjoyable. The temperature was perfect, but climbing steadily with the sun. My little camera is just not good enough for the shots I want to take!

As we headed to the river, we heard some trumpeting! Could it be? Yes, a single, young male elephant with small tusks, trumpeting at us through the trees. He was flapping his ears and making lots of noise, being a real show off! He was trying to scare us, but he never got too close. He followed us through the   trees and underbrush marking his territory as we observed each other for a good while. After all pictures were taken and everyone had had a good look, we headed to the river. Although my family has seen many elephants in Sri Lanka, for some reason, this encounter seemed more "real" and maybe it was the proximity as well as his behavior that made it thrilling.  Down by the river we saw water buffalo and wildebeests and as we returned many more antelope, bush bucks and elands.

There are supposed to be some ostriches and zebras in the park, but in small numbers and we never sighted them. A count conducted in 2008 found 15 ostriches, 55 elephants and 45 zebras. Given the sheer size of the park, we were lucky to see the animals we saw!

For a small taste of what it looks like, please see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4Xc_psxi9U
For more information; http://www.wild.org/where-we-work/quicama-kissama-national-park-angola/

Street Manicure

Sprinkled throughout the down town area, sit young men with their manicure stalls. Two simple chairs, a fold-up table, a poster with a sampling of effects and an assortment of varnishes make their manicure stations. Some don't have chairs and the manicurist and customer find a convenient sidewalk or steps to sit on. Otherwise, they walk the streets with their stalls balanced on their heads and carrying their stools hoping to bump into customers. It seems like a pleasant encounter and I have caught snatches of conversation about the boyfriend, plans for the evening or the selection of color as I walk by.

I finally get up the nerve to get one at one of the nearby corners. This particular manicurist sits next to a woman selling fruit and usually one or two other young men are hanging out on the steps playing Chinese checkers.

I approach the stall and the manicurist is happy to paint any of the designs he advertises. I don't want anything too flashy and we settle on one of the more discrete colors and designs.

He files my nails, applies cuticle remover and gently removes the superficial skin. I tell him I don't want him to cut using scissors, but he does not use them normally he says.

I ask him why it is that it is men working as manicurists, but he says that there are women as well although I have never seen any. He says that he began out of curiosity. He observed another manicurist and was fascinated by the designs and started for himself. I wondered if he had sisters and if he practiced with them, but no, he is an only child. The number of customers he has a day varies quite a bit, but usually Fridays and Saturdays are his best days. I ask him why he works on the street, whether he would rather work in a salon and he says he wants to be independent and not have to pay the salon any fees. He is pleasant and quiet and life on the street continues as normal. People walk by and hardly glance our way, this is just an every day sight for them I imagine.

BEFORE                 

AFTER
(notice the tiny little hearts)

At 500 Kwanzaas or $5.00 USD this is a bargain. I payed 5 x as much at a "salon" and after two days the varnish peeled of completely. We'll see how much this one lasts...

The fruit lady wants me to buy fruit, but I have already done my shopping I tell her. I offer her a manicure if she lets me take a picture. She gets her toes done!

Medical Evacuation

The words medical evacuation strike a bit of fear in all expats, I am sure. Our experience was not critical and not an emergency, but it was definitely a medical condition that needed to be attended to.

It does sounds much more serious than it was, but I found myself back in South Africa for a medical appointment with one of my kids. About a week after our return from fantastic Cape Town, I was back on a plane to Johannesburg. The medical follow-up we had received in Luanda was not well-coordinated among some specialists and the treatment my child received is questionable. However, we met with a Dr. at Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg and I was impressed with both his expertise and the overall service of everyone we met. The friendliness of South Africans is so refreshing and it was a pleasure to be there even under the circumstances. Fortunately, nothing serious was found, but more antibiotics were recommended. We will return if this does not solve the problem.

We stayed at two Bed & Breakfasts in a very pleasant neighborhood, Melville, full of gorgeous trees. The jacaranda trees were in full bloom and their lavender flowers adorned the city. Several streets had jacaranda trees on both sides and it was like driving under a lavender arch. We walked to nearby restaurants and never did I feel threatened although so much is said about crime in Johannesburg. We did take precautions like not take out money from the ATM at the airport and arranged for an airport pick up ahead of time. Also, we only used taxis known by the B&B's. There are neighborhoods and areas where one should be very careful and never venture in at night, but we had no need to go there. Most houses have high walls and almost all of them have stickers or signs advertising the security company that will respond with armed personnel.

The only experience which was a bit scary was using a taxi minivan when we were stuck at a shopping mall and had to return to the hospital. There were no taxis except for these crazy minivans and after some haggling, we ended up in a minivan full of women that had been waiting to leave and were not at all happy when they were told that we would be dropped off first at the hospital. The driver said "My sisters, I am sorry, but ... (switched over to another language) and the response was negative to say the least! We got off when we saw things were heating up between the ladies and the driver and then when the driver realized we were leaving, he got another minivan to take us. This driver was honking at everyone, shouting out the window and driving like a maniac while periodically smiling at us in the rear-view mirror. I was just about to ask him to stop, when I saw the hospital. Whew!

In between appointments, it was shopping for clothes, books, kitchen stuff and even Christmas ornaments which had already started coming out! In our little neighborhood of Melville, I found a nice little boutique where I got two beautiful, classic cut dresses (Yay!). Our hostess did us the great favor of buying us a Coleman cooler which we filled with our clothes and books as a piece of luggage. Good coolers are an absolute necessity in Luanda if we go to the beach or take any kind of road trip and I have yet to find a good one.

The food in Johannesburg was really good and we could pick among all sorts of food. A really good glass of wine with dinner was $4.00 and we ate some of the best lamb roast I have ever tasted. Red velvet cake is served everywhere and we shared a piece with a baked cheesecake bottom with one of my brother's friends whom met us and took us around one day. The world can really be small sometimes.

At the airport in Luanda we noticed that we were not the only ones coming back with Coleman coolers. Apparently, many people stock up on meat from South Africa. At the luggage carousel  there were several other coolers on the conveyer belt and I was really hoping that everyone would take the right one home. At this point our clothes and books are much more treasured than meat! Good meat is easier to find and of good quality while books in English are not found anywhere and clothes worth buying are crazy expensive.

All in all, I would call this an excellent medical evacuation and hope to return under different circumstances!

Cave Exploration

Through a well-established group, The Angola Field Group (AFG), we headed to explore caves in Matadi. The AFG is led by a Canadian couple whom have living in Angola for 17 years. He is a geologist, which is only an advantage on such a venture.

The convoy meets in town, not far from our apartment and we head out 06:30 with what turns out to be too little food!

First stop is the Mirador which is a look-out point high over the coast which reminds my husband and me of the Grand Canyon. At the point, we get a basic geology talk by the leader explaining the formation of the rocks and he points out that the area has many similarities with Bryce Canyon, Utah (we are not far off!)

On to the Municipality of Kissama where we meet up the the Soba, or the traditional leader of the area, and his nephew. The Soba leaders were in place before the Portuguese colonization and were assimilated into the administrative organization imposed by the Portuguese. Today, they are still respected leaders. The Soba is usually elected from a lineage which goes from Soba to nephew. The Soba is accompanied by a nephew whom explains that there are several nephews and that when the time comes, the clan will sit together and decide which nephew is the best suited to take on the role.

The Soba and his nephew

We set off for the caves which are about 15 km. eastward or inland. The convoy whirls red dust in the air and we can almost not see the car in front of us once we go off road. We arrive to the entrance of the caves which are a small walk from the cars. Before we enter, a person from each vehicle places an offering to the Soba as thanks. We give a pack of Norwegian cookies, others leave money, a cap, a bottle of what looks like wine and chocolates. After the offerings are placed on the mat, we proceed to the caves. Mind you, there have been no signs anywhere to indicate that there are caves here. We would have never found them on our own.

The cave was enormous! My camera is not able to capture the size or the formations. Nor only that, but it looks like it goes down forever. There is sand and much dust and the drop down is steep. We have flashlights, but I do not feel comfortable going down. My husband and son do along with the rest of the group, except for 7 others whom also feel it is too scary. One of the field members is a rock climber and he takes a rope down. After about 30 minutes, they are gone and we don't see or hear them!

Entrance 

About one hour later, everyone emerges. The cave apparently is enormous and eventually leads out to the ocean. The air had been stuffy and damp and most people were glad to come out again. Incredible that such pristine places exist in Angola and are just waiting to be explored!

Cape Town, South Africa

One of the perks of living abroad is the possibility of traveling in the region. For the last 9 days we have been in Cape Town, a fantastic city nestled between the Table Mountain National Park in the Western Province of South Africa and the Atlantic Ocean. Table Mountain has been declared one of the seven wonders of the natural world and the setting is spectacular.

View from the top of Table Mountain

Lion's Head- a great hike to the top

Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela served 18 years of his 27 year prison sentence, is seen from the city. He is probably the best known prisoner, but he served among other architects and leaders of the anti-apartheid movement. The island has been re-opened for visitors and former prisoners are guides  within what were the maximum security buildings. Former guards have also returned to work there.

It will soon be 20 years since the end of apartheid. Under the former system of apartheid, I would have been classified as a "colored" had I been born there because of my mixed heritage and would not have been allowed to live, study or work among the white population. Since Mandela's presidency, the ANC has been the ruling party. Unfortunately corruption abounds and the majority of South Africans living in rural areas do not have running water or electricity. Next year's presidential election will be interesting to follow. Mr. Mandela is in ailing health and many posters around the city asked for prayers on his behalf.

Nelson Mandela's cell

We headed down to Kalk Bay, a small bohemian fishing village down the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. We found several boutiques and art galleries offering something very different from the stores in shopping centers. This water buffalo head is made from scrap tin by a local artist and will soon be hanging on one of our many bare walls.

Kalk Bay lies within the greater False Bay which houses the most numbers of great white sharks in the world. Muinzinberg Beach, a 10 minute drive away, is absolutely beautiful with its white sand and turquoise waters and very popular with the locals for surfing. Up on the hills, "Shark Spotters" sit with their binoculars and radio down if any sharks can be seen. A flag system of black, green, white and red flags are in place. Since the "Shark Spotters" started operating, the number of shark attacks has decreased markedly. Last year a visitor from the UK ignored the white flag and lost both legs.

Since the water is so clear and the spotters are in place, and the waves looked great for a beginner, I really wanted to surf, but the water was freezing! Even with a wet suit, I just could not do it. My husband and son fared the frigid waters and surfed with full wet suits. I know I made the right decision when my son finally leaves the water after 1 1/2 hours with blue lips.

From Kalk Bay, we visit the penguin reservoir on Boulders Beach. The beach and number of penguins are small, but there is a concerted effort for their preservation.

We headed further south to the Cape Point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. The waters are full of marine life and we actually saw whales jumping from the trails! They can be seen from August to October during their mating season.

Wild flowers are everywhere at this time of year. It kind of reminds me of Big Sur, California: beautiful water with dramatic ridges. The sky was blue and the wind was chilly, but it was glorious!

Wine tasting was also on the agenda as we headed to Stellenbosch and let's face it: the best way to do this is to hire a driver. Our driver, Chris was excellent, himself a lover of wine and he takes us to his three favorite wineries:

Hartenberg is known for its award winning Shiraz and we also buy a more special bottle: Gravel Hill which we will have with our Christmas turkey. This grape is grown in what amounts to solid gravel embedded in clay. The grape is smaller, sturdier, but with an exceptional taste. On to Thelema for Pinotage and their signature wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, "The Mint", which gets some of it flavoring from the eucalyptus trees planted along the vineyard. Then to my favorite: Tokara. Not only did I taste my favorite of them all, the Director's Reserve, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec, but we buy olive oil and olives which they also produce. This part of the country was also incredibly pretty.

If I could have taken this beautiful flower home, I would have. The Protea is South Africa's national flower and it grows in the wild. For me it symbolizes the country with its intense color and striking beauty. I sincerely hope that South Africans will continue moving forward with their very young democracy. We met so many pleasant, helpful and dignified people of all skin colors and walks of life and I wish them all the best. Thank you for a great escape!

Search for The Elusive Antibiotic

One of my family members has been battling an infection pretty much since we arrived 6weeks ago. Finally, test results indicate that a fourth antibiotic is the answer. I set out at 09:30 am to find this antibiotic which the Dr. has told me might be a bit difficult to find. She suggests I try a private clinic's pharmacy and I get the name.

After a Google Map search and directions from a professional driver, I arrive at one of the oil company's laboratories. It turns out that this oil company has a medical clinic for its employees, but I arrive at the lab where they take oil samples. We are talking petroleum!

Incredibly, a driver for the company, who happens to be delivering something, pulls up and tells me to follow him to the actual clinic. This starts feeling like a treasure hunt.

The driver honks and waves off and I arrive at the "Farmacia" for the clinic, but  the pharmacist has not heard of this antibiotic. She directs me to another major pharmacy. This pharmacy directs me to another and so it goes until 12:30. Six pharmacies later, no antibiotic, and I am now feeling desperate. This is no longer fun.

Along the way I gather tidbits of information regarding the antibiotic: several pharmacists have never even heard of it, it is only used in hospitals says another,  only I.V. form is available, or not in stock say others. I hear that I should try the major pharmacies only, or, try the smaller pharmacies since they might have some boxes stored, or no, they don't know when they will get more in.

I need to head to the kid's school and there are 2 pharmacies which I leave for the next morning. Meanwhile, my husband is checking into the possibility of having the antibiotic shipped in from South Africa.

Today's morning search is fruitless as well.  Finally, after I plant myself in the clinic where we got the prescription and demand help, I start getting answers. It turns out that the antibiotic is only available in I.V. form which opens up another can of worms: to hospitalize or not and if so where? At this point I need sedation as well. Red wine and tiramisu gellato takes care of me at the end of the day.

Several people I have spoken to today say that this situation is not uncommon here in Angola. Unfortunately not all medications are available at all times and people resort to friends or colleagues coming back Luanda to be their pharmacological couriers. Also, hospitalization entails evacuation to South Africa. Living as an expat, this is one of the major challenges at times: medical help. Although I have met knowledgeable doctors that instill trust, the system surrounding care delivery can be chaotic, disjointed and not what we may be used to at home.

After many phone calls including a Dr. in Norway, the hospital's medical director, a pharmacist and the nurse working at the kid's school a plan is devised: I.V. medication as an out patient.

Fish Ladies

As they walk around the city calling out their wares, I have wondered about the freshness of the fish...

I see people buying the fish and I get the feeling that the ladies have their selling territories and regular customers. Early this morning on the Ilha, which is a nice, sandy finger off of Luanda, I saw where many of the ladies get their goods. The fishermen were long gone, but the ladies were busy sorting and packing their stock for the day.

                     

                                     

When they are packed and ready to go, they are taken by taxis (blue and white minivans)  to their destinations in and around Luanda.

My house helper, Maria, confirms that the fish is fresh and that we should get one of these ladies to start delivering to us. "If you can't pay one day, it is no problem, they will come back for payment. You just tell them what day you want the fish and they will bring it. I'll find one for us." When I tell her that I wish my daughter would eat more fish, she says "Ha, you just wait until I bake it in the oven. She'll gobble it up!"

Street Cleaners

Every day I see teams of men and women dressed in green or neon reflective vests cleaning the streets and avenues of Luanda. They sweep, haul and push their carts while they literally put their lives in danger. They breathe in fumes and dust and seem to be losing a battle in a city that seems to spit out trash as fast as it is cleaned.

They forge ahead in streets littered by plastic bottles, bottles, plastic bags, paper, you name it. We are still waiting for the rains which I am told are torrential. This will only aggravate the problem in drains that are already choked by litter and leaves. Open drains stagnate with algae in a country where malaria is a huge public health problem.

Luanda, as I have written, has its charms, but trash control, without a doubt, would give this city a face lift and improve health conditions. While I see the green workers, I feel that there is still hope....

Lenin Avenue

 Luanda's population of approximately 5 million people makes this a bustling city. The skyline full of building cranes and new buildings showcase the ushering in of the ultra modern. However, one of my favorite streets, Lenin Avenue, is an oasis in the middle of the urban chaos:

I almost feel like I could be in Key West, Florida...

Notice the blue and white tile decorations. This is something I have seen in Lisbon, Portugal. I would love to see the inside of one of these homes! Poseidon rules this house:

A very pleasant street to walk on. Just ahead, on a parallel street, an apartment building many of which are found all over the city:

Time to head back down toward the bay and back to the bustle; broken sidewalks and rubble relieved by pleasant walk ways:

Near the waterfront, many modern buildings stand and several others are under construction:

I hope Luanda keeps some of its historical flavor by maintaining and restoring it's past.

Traffic Blues

The other day, as I headed back to Luanda, after taking the kids to school and looking at this view, the following quote, which I have heard from several sources at different times, popped into my head:

"WE ARE THE SUM TOTAL OF OUR CHOICES"

Did I really choose to live in this city where I can sit in a car 3 hours just to deliver my kids to school? Apparently, I did. Not every day is this bad, but one accident can turn the whole city into a mess. 

The school is approximately 20 km out of town, but the good thing is that the route goes against traffic. The kids usually spend 45 minutes in the car which is not all that bad. The problem is getting back into the city after drop off.

The oil companies, the major employers of expats, have split their headquarters between the city and the area where the school is located. For families that live near the school, but the parent/parents work in town, it means leaving between 5:00 -5:30 in the morning. Leaving later than that means the ride into town to may take up to two hours! Many parents are in bed by 09:00 pm and up by 04:00 am.

The main roads in Luanda are actually very good. However, smaller roads even within the city can be full of holes, usually from burst water pipes or poor maintenance. Some major intersections have non-functioning traffic lights or none, which allows drivers complete creativity as to how they cross the intersection. The only rule here is:  Me first!

Impossible to know how deep this is

Down town

The highway leading south is a highway in excellent shape. The biggest danger is people crossing the road or sudden, unexpected moves by other drivers.

Taxi drivers in Luanda are notorious for being the worst drivers. The taxis are smaller minivans (Blue and white) and can stop almost anywhere to pick up passengers. They weave in and out of traffic and most do not like to wait their turns, so pile-ups are common at pick up points.

Motorcycles are also crazy; driving on the opposite side of the road, head-on in order to avoid lines and weave in and out. 

Having said all that, I find driving in Luanda less stressful than in our last post where I could come home completely frazzled! Here it is more a frustration of the time that goes into sitting in the car.

Lesson learned: ALWAYS take something to read no matter how short the distance. You never know how long it may take!