July/ August 2014

10 July, Luanda Pet Motel is open again on Rua Rainha Ginga. (AKA our place). On Monday I picked up our two furry friends, Alfredo and Violetta who have come to stay for a few weeks.

Alfredo and Violetta

When they leave, we have another two guests arriving. 24 degrees today, the coolest time of the year in Luanda.

Unfortunately I won't be able to take these fella's in for some attention.

Street dogs next to our apartment. Our street has a footpath!

Keeping together
 

13 July, a busy weekend on Luanda city streets. Last night soccer which we can hear VERY WELL from our apartment...when there is a goal, when there isn't, when the music begins ...today music bouncing off the walls from 1000 and still going (1700 hours). There have been para-cyclists and go-kart racing, round and round the streets.  So, sitting here with my earplugs in and hoping the music will stop sometime tomorrow...or Tuesday...Yes Liam, a first world problem in a developing world country! I know the irony.

One of the lay-down wheelchair athletes

Keeping the streets safe

Special car flying Angolan flag

and they're off!

17 July, Jeroen's gone off for the helicopter underwater escape training. I found a few pics I hadn't added to previous visit to garden centre.

Porcelain Rose

Lame feral cat and kitten

Church on the streets

 18 July, Jeroen completed the underwater escape training. He was impressed with the 'just get on with it' attitude of the Angolans who were clearly also afraid.
One Russian man told that in his country the course was run by ex-military who kicked them off a 12 metre platform if they didn't jump voluntarily.
Their 'helicopter simulator' was an old military plane. The students had to escape from the back of the plane - Jeroen was happy to make the procedure in this open simulator.

Dunk-time

19 July, cats gone home. Some shots out and about Luanda.

Need a wig?

 This street was lined with similar billboards for wigs. This particular advertisement proudly states their wigs are 100% synthetic and fire retardant!

The Horse Riding Helmet!

Souper-Man!

 21 July, out walking with Mali to meet Bev and her two dogs, Molly and Milly. We saw these new sculptures on the Marginal made with scrap metal.

Queen Rainha Ginga

Very creative

Also these pedal-boats- Luanda is becoming a tourist destination! Maybe not quite yet.



Pedal-boat swans

and an updated picture of my other boy, Jed wearing his flash new swandri coat. Ok, he's Mam and Dad's boy now.

Swanky boy

 27 July, spent weekend going over tax returns and bank admin. Sad to hear one of the cats we were looking after (Violetta) has gone missing.

Taxi going nowhere and the fruit sellers commonly seen on all street corners

 30 July. Our next guests have arrived. Felix and Boris settled in very easily after checking out all cupboards and where the food was.
Sadly little Violetta has not returned home.

Boris and Felix, originally bin-kitties (street cats) from Oman.

 4 August. Very quiet here at Torres Atlantico as many people have gone away for the summer holidays.

Church neighbourhood

 5 August, Out for a visit to Cacuaco, one of the seven municipalities of Luanda. We visited the deficientes (wheelchair guys I visited soon after arriving in Luanda). The three adult men were became wheelchair bound from illness, gun fire and a fall. They live in a home where they also coordinate other deficientes in making crafts to sell. The guys have a flourishing business.
These young fella's were hanging around outside, curious about the visitors.

Happy playing in the dirt

 11 August, a quiet week with overcast weather, an AWOL driver (too busy to come to work as he had been drinking) and two busy cats that cause chaos.
Some images over the last week: a car burning on a main road with 100's spectators closed in on the scene so emergency services couldn't get near; truck tyres shredded all over the main road; a group of young guys partying on the Ilha at 0730...music blaring from their rundown car and dancing to the beats; men greeting each other with traditional handshakes, NOT the gangster greeting of the US black guy; street people, naked (or near) living in the dirt and keeping to themselves.. I wonder if anyone ever talks to them?; the three street dogs who live outside our apartment, who don't know what dog biscuits are. Off to Holland next week, yahoo will be able to ride and walk freely.

Home along with the moggies while Jeroen off to a training day.

Brotherly love (and hate)

16 August, been sick again. Thankfully got it all through my system. Out with Jeroen today to the supermarket. Supermarkets are definitely a place to be wary. Today instead of 4 tins of beans costing us $9 it cost us over $30. It's not unusual for extra items to appear on your docket. The other trick is to cover up some of your items -as you are franticly trying to pack your items the cashier will start placing the next person's order on top of your things or place a large stack of plastic bags on some of your items. Today I tried to get a photo of the skating supermarket worker (much to his happiness!) but sadly the image of his isle wheeling and dealing was not captured as his supervisor said NAO.

Some pictures of the market I mentioned that is in the derelict fair-ground. This one is still open but not for long. The guys in the front were not happy I took the photo's and they soon scarpered. Everyone is very sceptical about photography as street selling is illegal.




Loving sunglasses, bright clothes and shaved heads

Check out the mannequins

Off home

Tidy little church in back streets

Soccer on the basketball court

Siesta time

This chap was a bit worse for wear. It's typical to see men after drinking through the days and nights to be sprawled in the streets. This one was taking a nap in a chair with his toothpick hanging out his mouth, another common sight.

Shoe-shine