May 2014 Luanda

1 May and time to get my binoculars and join an early morning bird watching excursion led by Conservation Biologist, Michael Mills.

We scuttled through mud after recent heavy rains to get to Saco dos Flamingo in Mussulo Bay.

Oohs and aahs at the Curly Sandpipers, Little Stints, and Greater/Lesser Flamingos, Full plumage Grey Plover, Whimbrel, Grey Herons, Spoonbills...

I could see the flamingo's doing their dance scraping with their feet for their breakfast but it was difficult to spot the others unless checking them out through the telescopes Michael had set up.

Greater Flamingos

And then, binoculars finally sorted, and bingo, I spotted and watched the grey Go-Away-Bird in flight! Beautiful. Too far away to hear but it gets its name from its harsh nasal voice sounding 'kay-waaaaay'.

Bird watching tips for beginners in Angola:

Practice using binoculars before you leave (especially to get them back into their case the right way up).
Practice juggling bird book, binoculars, camera, writing tools, sunglasses.
Take reading glasses otherwise you will read that the 'juvenile White Breasted Cormorant has white underpants'.
Don't expect to go bird watching for the full excursion if you have had a recent food poisoning.
Stick to the path and stay with a group as there are still possible land mines throughout Angola.

Today was my first outing since Luanda quick-step so a couple of hours was my limit. What a great introduction to birding.

Michael Mills



This group of boys were curious about what we were looking at through our glasses



White breasted Cormorant's with white underpants?

Foraging porco

 Just heard the very sad news that a dear older couple from church in NZ were killed today. RIP Bob and Joan.


3 May, out for a walk with little Mali-dog. While Jeroen went into the hard up-hardware store (there was very little stock) I walked around with Mali. People do not like dogs here and as she's a little white fluff ball, we get lots of comments, stares. Especially when she wants to squat down and pee on a patch of soil (there's rough soil/stone/mud patches everywhere - no footpaths generally) at the feet of a security guard! Then we went for an ice team - what a nice treat. Just like the ice cream place we go to with Pap en Mam in Hengelo. Delish, and a welcome 'normal' outing.

Typical buildings in the neighbourhood where we live

Jeroen likes this street name: Rua 25 Abril (or 25 April Street)

4 May off to church to find that the Usher team I had joined in fact is also an outreach team. And a meeting was planned for after church at the office. I agreed I could join so we tootled off out the front door to the office (I had no idea where it was). The office is in fact located down the street so off I walk through the mud/water/puddles/filth amongst the people. Balanced on rocks/stones/boards to cross the road and we arrived at the church office. After the meeting (another story) we went to visit a woman at the hospital. I did not know the patient however the team requested I join them so that there was another woman present. After multiple phone calls with the driver for them to figure out where I was (office) and where I was going (hospital) we left in convoy. At the hospital we had to hand in our Identification papers (which we must carry with us everywhere) we had to wait until The Sister gave the ok for us to visit. Meantime, security checked us and asked if we had any guns or knives on us!
Visit completed in a very nice (although sparse, but I believe expensive, hospital) and thankfully the patient was on the mend.

Tomorrow we have the little dog back to stay for the week as her owner goes offshore. Goody!

7 May, I spotted Jeroen walking home from work (at another office for the day).

Not many tall blonde Dutchies wandering around Luanda

11 May, a quiet week with Mali.. out for walks and a couple of outings but mud everywhere so stayed home a lot.
A lovely weekend with Jeroen swimming at the apartment pool, repotting a lot of plants and reading.
Happy Mother's Day Mam and Mam!

Leisurely crawl and underwater man!

Ian and Jill staying at Pap and Mam's in Holland

Thinking of the kids on Mother's Day. Love you Liam and Shani

15 May, out for a day at the beach to Mussolo Bay where I went bird watching a while ago. Lovely to be free walking, picnic, paddling and chatting. Beautiful, quiet peaceful place and will definitely return there to recharge the batteries away from the big smoke.

Leisurely walk

Shelter shacks

No school today

Waiting for lunch

Jaa, Mali, Diane, Sarah and I.

16 May, Time for groceries and received my first 'change' made of sweets!
$22 for a 850g box of Weetbix. (first time I have bought -usually we bring in enough from NZ/UK but we ran out).
Driving to the supermarket and waiting for the truck in front of us to hoist the massive green rubbish bin off the side of the road. Firstly, one guy emptied all of the trash out of it on to the side of the 'roadside' (not really a footpath, just a dirt track). Then hoisted it with one hook up and over a parked car and smashed it on top of the other empty green bins going goodness knows where.


22 May, Happy Birthday Mam in Holland! Look forward to see you in August....
Out to visit Italian friend Ilenia today who is finally moving to her permanent home 1 year and 4 house moves with a young family later. She is very happy. Nice to get another cat fix with her two (Alfredo and Violetta). Tonight we are receiving our neighbours cat, Mojo to look after for a week.

School's out

Mojo's here!

Mojo

 

Cat on chair, human on floor...seems fair thinks Mojo.

23 May, Out on the street with the fruit-selling women across the road. It is great to be able to now ask for the things I like to buy in Portuguese.. They always sit in a group of 4-5 women and their babies.

Mojo's settling in...

Comfy bed

Look at me!

Today is World Turtle Day! We received a BP email about recognising World Turtle Day and ways we can preserve turtles.

Email photo's sent from BP

 

24 May,
Big Brother Angola hitting the screens soon ...that'll be a laugh.

Mojo just finding more ways to be at home.

Where's Mojo?

24 May, we walked up to the Fortaleza de São Miguel or Saint Michael Fortress which was built in 1576 by the Portuguese.  It became the administrative centre of the colony in 1627 and was a major outlet for slave traffic to Brazil. This massive fort was for many years a self-contained town protected by thick walls encrusted with cannons.Inside the fort, elaborate ceramic tiles tell the story of Angola from early years, and in the courtyard are large, imposing statues of Portugal's first king, the first European to reach Angola, Diogo Cão and others.
Until 1975, the fortress served as the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the Portuguese Armed Forces in Angola.
Today, it holds the Museum of the Armed Forces.
A beautiful, quiet and peaceful place.

Little Sharon and Rainha Ginga, Angola Queen

Beautiful view

Canon's on all sides

Strange dark room of the museum with nameless gold busts

One of many statues, some graphic photo's, and artillery in the museum.

A building of rooms full of blue and white ceramic tiles depicting life in early Africa
 

The tiled rooms lead onto a courtyard

 

Entrance to the museum with intricate mosaic murals on either side




 

26 May, we planned an outing on the BP boat with our Language teacher, Filipa and her family. Things didn't bode well at the beginning of the day with no transport (email request had been confirmed, plus phone call plus third party organising). Finally a driver to take us a 4 minute journey arrived to take us (which took 20 minutes) to the Club Nautico. The family were waiting for us and we began our search for the boat...half an hour later we found it. But no staff, no petrol, no preparation underway to take us out. More phone calls, coaxing, sitting in the sun...to no avail. So, instead we drove (Filipa's husband is able to drive here so we had a much quicker trip south than usual - BP drivers are not allowed to drive over 60 km/hour) to a beach and then on to the Kwanza River Lodge.

Tranquil setting of Kwanza River Lodge

These vegetation 'islands' float in and out with the tide.

Boats moored along the bay

In the cool shade

Jeroen was trying to tell me Hibiscus is called an Elephant...but wait, yes, there is an elephant!

Coconuts and nests

 28 May, I have organised a garden safari with a few friends in the building. Ok, it's more a garden pot safari where we will visit each other's apartments to look at what we're growing on our tiny verandah's. Icecream to follow!