The van Dijks Go On Leave: July 2016

July 22, out to visit another fish restaurant...this time I ate the fish to the skeleton! Delicioso!

The Fish Snaffler...and Sandra

I saw and liked this photograph and article by Jo Ractliffe, a small but concise insight into post-war Angola.

Ghost's of dead men

I am continuing on with learning Portuguese and recently learned that the name for breakfast, pequeno almoco, has a local name, 'Matabicho'...mata - kill and bicho - beast...so, breakfast kills the beast. I thought it made sense as hunger can feel like a beast in your stomach. I recently learned however that you only have matabicho after a night of heavy drinking with your friends and that is what leads to needing the kill the beast the next morning. Always, there is danger in too little knowledge.

August 1, Millie's gone home after 3 weeks

Always trying to be closer

and seems Paco has become our dog, having been with us for a lot of weeks. I was told he doesn't like baths...but when I run the water, he is sitting beside it waiting for me to put him in. Lovely boy.

Supposedly I don't like a bath

Out on the boat again recently. Too cold for fishing but took some pics anyway. A nice refreshing day out and away from Crazy Town.

Kapassoka fishing villlage

Shacks on the beach

Waiting for lunch

One whale and 3 sharks is our total viewing today

Some funny stories:
I went with a friend to get some medications which normally would be on prescription, even here, and Rita managed to blag her way to receiving them without a prescription.

I saw a police officer riding a motorbike and stopping at red light (which uncommonly was working). Another motorcyclist was side by side, big guy, no helmet and giving the officer the glare...off he took before the light turned green and zoomed off into the distance with no reaction at all from officer.

On the subject of traffic lights: usually the lights on the marginal are not working. Recently all sets of lights are functioning and I note that pedestrians get 40 seconds to cross the road. The lane with the most traffic to turn right into our street receives 10 seconds. And so frequently there will be many cars pushing and shoving to get around the corner.

Crime is on the decrease, so we are told. However I think its just not been reported to us. A friend told how she hears a pop-popping sound when driving alone. She figured it was a motorbike., which it was. The pop-popping sound was coming from the Police officer machine gunner firing his gun at the escaping motorcyclist, the wrong way through the traffic towards her car.

Stay tuned for more stories from Lalaland.

August 11 and home from weekend away to visit Kalandula Falls and Pedras Negras in neigbouring provinces of Angola.

Mapa de Angola

We travelled with eco-turs and can whole-heartedly commend them on their attention to safety and packing in as much fun as possible into a weekend away. Thanks Paul and team!
After an early start and picking up people from city and south we headed east towards N'dalatano the capital of the Kwanza Norte province.

Tourist company in Angola

These children gathered to greet us. They are wearing the only clothes they own, donated from the last visitor.

Waiting for a visit from us

I took along stationery supplies plus some sweeties which they received gratefully.

Receiving stationery and sweets while trying to figure out what I'm saying!

This dear lady speaks only her native dialect but we still communicated

Travelling on we came to this site where a deserted tank sits. This lovely man guards it while selling fruit. He had so little but still offered me free banana's. Mucua, the fruit of the Imbondeiro tree is ancient and eaten for its health benefits. It has twice as much calcium as milk and is rich in antioxidants, iron and potassium and has 6 times more Vitamin C than an orange.

This man was so welcoming...his shack is behind

Backyard Angola relic of war-torn Angola

Mucua fruit...tastes sweet/sour and so healthy

Using the fruits

Walking to work...note the hanging 'mice'

RoseAnna and her mouse

Rats are used for mine detection in Angola. With only a small percentage of mines safely detonated Angola the countryside is a time bomb in many areas. We are warned to stick to well used tracks. Rats are also regularly eaten alongside goat, chicken, snakes and crocs.

Luz and I found a nice home

We entered the Botanical gardens in N'Dalatando, the capital city of Kwanza norte and formerly known in colonial times as Salazaar. Kimbundo is the native language here and the area is rich in natural minerals and production of corn, cotton, coffee...

bamboo grafitti

Giant bamboo

The Little People

Coffee beans

Wild bouganvilia

Tranquil spot in the reserve

Gnarly old trees

Back on the road...the whole family at work in the fields

Clean washing getting a sun-dry

Wash day posing

Everywhere there are people with disability

Very common to see people walking along the potted highway with machete in hand

Rainha Ginga, our road name-sake

Rainha Ginga's presence is seen and felt all over Angola. The Giant Queen who fought for the people.

Next, we travelled on to the Pedras Negras or Pungo Andongo are found some 116 km from the provincial capital of Malanje. They are a series of rock formations standing high above the flat African Savanna^.

Spectular vista in the distance

Enjoying the peace at the foot of the Black Rocks

Sun going down on Pedras Negras

We travelled on to the neighbouring Kalandula where we stayed at the half-star Hotel Yolaca in a bunk-room cabin. Great food. I was anticipating a peaceful country sleep however the nightclub came to town. So, it was less tranquil than expected and I slept with the mattress on the floor however a good night overall.

On Sunday morning we visited the church at Kalandula. Special to be able to join the service.

Igreja de Kalandula

Joining the service

I found these fun boys who had constructed this cool little trolley. They were giggling as they let me have a turn. What a hoot! Sadly they took off when a Police officer came to check I was alright.

Yee-Hah!

Trolley boys

The Engineer of the trolley did not want his photo taken (probably because of the Police nearby) but his happy chap was.

Next, we travelled to the main aim of the trip, Quedas de Kalandula...The Kalandula Waterfalls, 2nd largest (behind Victoria Falls) in Africa. The Falls on the River Lucala and are situated 360km from Luanda.

Our travel group from Colombia/USA/UK/Pakistan/Germany

Majestic

Heading to the falls

Lizards abound

Red-head

Cool fresh water

Loving the tranquillity (ok, too scared to go near the edge!)

Abandoned hotel with views over the falls

This abandoned hotel on the opposite side of the falls used to accommodate guests to the once bustling area.

Heading down to the water!

Can she do it?! So steep and along way to go down (after being warned to stay in a group as the Boa snakes would only attack if we were alone!) and I figured I couldn't do it....but....

..it was well worth the trip down.

Friends at the bottom of the falls

I had decided I would reward myself with a swim if I could make it down to the bottom. But, the resident water snakes were a deterrent and so we made do with some sun-soaking.

View from the old hotel on other side

View from a room

What a tremendous view from the old hotel. Each room had an uninterrupted vista of a world wonder.

On the road again

A market stop

A local hairdressing salon

Longa vida driving school

I had to chuckle at the name of this driving school...Longa vida = long life.

For some it's easier to catch a ride

Unceremonious tribute to a King

This is the roadside, dilapidated memorial to the first King of Angola. One of the many potholed roads in Angola. You could almost get travel sick with the vehicle constantly lurching from one side of the road to the other, all while avoiding oncoming traffic doing the same.

Pitted tarseal

Our drivers Neto (L) and Kikas

These motoristas (drivers) made our trip so much fun. So as a thankyou we gathered our Kwanza's and gave them each a gift. A fabulous weekend and planning our next one with eco-turs. Watch this space!

August 13, after a busy week its time to return for a massage at the Chinese Torture Chamber.