And since I didn't know where Angola was on a map, let along Luanda, I didn't know if anyone else would either so thought I'd put one in here. The area has a long history with the Kingdom of Kongo or Ndongo going back to 1000 B.C. It's still part of the Skeleton Coast of West Africa, where the currents and weather have caused hundreds of shipwrecks over the centuries, giving the coast its nickname.
The origin of the name Angola comes from this weapon, the Ngola. This iron axe, which came in various designs, could only be held by the king or queen, and was their symbol of authority.
We were surprised to learn that Portuguese is the official language here, having been brought to the country in 1482. Luanda wasn't colonized until 1575, mainly as a slave export center for Brazil. Nowadays the economy runs on exports of oil and diamonds, such as the economy is. You may be surprised to know that Luanda is the most expensive city in the world for expats to live in due to high housing costs (lack of quality), and the cost of importing western goods. That was a shocker to us. This group was there to greet us as we walked off the ship.
Due to this being a commercial port we had to shuttle to a nearby plaza to catch our tour bus. There was apparently only one official tour company in Luanda so all the tours were in the same small buses, whether RCCL or private. The only difference was that ours cost $40 while the RCCL tours were $900!
We even got this nice little bag with snacks in it provided for each couple.
These are the kinds of buildings we saw in the main part of the city as we drove out of town. There are some that are more modern but many look like they've been around for a while.
Once we were out of the city things began to look a lot more like the townships we've seen in Africa, or as Karl said, a favela in Brazil. Our guide, Danny, eventually called these types of housing settlements favelas as well. Out in the countryside the only paved road was the main highway, all the roads leading off of it were dirt.
We passed eight or ten of these apartment buildings all grouped together that were empty, which seemed crazy to us when housing is at a premium. Danny said that they were inherited by and belong to the sons of the country's second president. Supposedly someday they will make them livable.
Some of the dirt streets. We were there on a Sunday and saw people out and about, many going to church. Most of the country is Catholic.
These are the first of a few Baobab tree photos you're going to see in this post. These giants just fascinated me with their different shapes and the girth of many of them. Records show that these trees can live to be a thousand years old. They were just beautiful.
Our furthest destination of the day was what they call the "Moon Viewpoint", the mountainsides that have eroded over the years. Anyone else see the similarity to Bryce Canyon? Only not quite as spectacular as Bryce.
Moon Viewpoint is near the seaside so you get some nice views of that in the distance.
There definitely was a "wow" factor as you walk to the edge and see the red and white cliffs, it was quite unexpected.
Looking back towards the south where we'd come from you can see that the erosion goes on for quite a ways.
This sign had me a little confused. It says "carpe diem" on it, which means "seize the day", but then has a picture of someone falling. So does it mean you seize the day by falling off the cliff?
A little closer view with a look towards the beach below.
No idea what this bug is but its carapace has an African look to it to me.
The obligatory "Viewpoint of the Moon" photo to prove we were there.
More Baobab trees in the distance.
Within camera range of the park were two shacks built at the cliff's edge. There were definitely people living in them. It was the middle of nowhere.
One more view of the sea and breakers nearby.
There was a random traffic stop on the highway as we drove back to Luanda. Half a dozen police were stopping cars in both directions. We never understood exactly why. Danny said some drivers would pay a bribe to get past but since we were a bus of tourists no payment was required.
More Baobab trees,
because I couldn't stop taking photos of them!
We passed this open market as we drove along. There were tons of fish laid out to dry near the market. Without refrigeration dried meats become a must.
Our next stop was the small, two-story National Slave Museum in Benfica, a small but interesting place to visit. The Angola flag could be found flying at many of our stops.
Before going into the museum itself we caught sight of this beautiful little bird on a tree outside,
plus I found another Baobab tree.
All of the slaves were baptized before they were sent across the sea, not because they necessarily wanted to but the Portuguese with the guns required them to.
A view to the sea.
There is nothing good about slavery but i think it's important to understand that many of those sold as slaves had already been enslaved by those in other African tribes. They were able to profit by selling their slaves to the Portuguese. It was a vicious cycle of power and wealth being held by just a few, something that still haunts many African nations today, including Angola. Slaves would be shackled together, and often hit with these types of wooden mallets, or whipped into submission.
Most of the tribes didn't stand a chance, even with their poison tipped arrows, against the firearms of the Europeans. Until they could trade humans for guns.
This is the type of ship that would have had hundreds of human beings crammed in its hold to make the crossing to the Americas as part of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Last Baobab tree, I promise! This one was at the foot of the museum stairs.
Across the street from the museum was the Benfica Craft Market. As we walked over there I saw this group of children sitting by the side of the road and asked to take their photo.
So many beautiful faces, including this little one and her mama,
and the nice guy who sold me my magnet that will be a Christmas ornament.
This was a new one, ice cream cones on the head!
I love all these colorful fabrics, I need to buy some before we leave Africa. I'm on the lookout for something with fish.....
We saw lots of soccer/football being played in different places as we drove along. It's a whole different game on a field like this. I didn't see anyone playing on grass.
We drove past the National Parliament Building. The lower photo is borrowed from a lecture I went to prior to our arrival in Luanda. You aren't supposed to take photos of government buildings, police stations, or military posts. The lecturer got his photo from the Angola government somehow. The building is extensive and sits atop a hill so that the dome is visible throughout the area.
Angola became independent in 1975. Independence brought almost 30 years of civil war, from 1975-2002, with three different factions that were backed by the U.S., USSR, and China. The latter country quickly bowed out but with troops from Cuba there on the ground, Communism ruled from 1975-1992. Their first president following independence was António Agostinho Neto, who was anti-colonial and had been instrumental in their fight for becoming an independent nation. He served for three years before beginning a battle with cancer that he would lose in 1979. The tall concrete memorial for Neto in this photo, which is also his mausoleum, has a design based on a poem that he wrote in his younger years, "The Path of Stars".
It stands 393 feet tall and shines like it is made of metal.. The memorial itself is called A Sacred Hope.
A statue of Neto stands on the extensive grounds.
It is easy to see the influences of the USSR in the national emblems of Luanda.
The large square in front of the memorial serves different functions, including festivals. It was quiet there that day because it was a Sunday. The only reason the guard let us in was because we were tourists.
Lots of laundry hanging out of this apartment building.
One of the more modern streets in Luanda.
We were headed up the hill to the Fortress of São Miguel, built by the Portuguese in 1576.
It now houses a military museum. The entrance was obviously added later and is quite unique.
Outside the walls there are various military vehicles, including a couple of airplanes. You can imagine that with civil war having concluded only 20 years ago there are some pretty fresh memories of that time in this country.
Just outside the fortress gate is this statue of Njinga Mbande who lived from 1583 to 1663. If you notice, she's holding the Ngola, meaning that she was a queen and ruler during her lifetime. She is remembered for her intelligence, wisdom, and military tactics, having battled with the Portuguese. While she fought the Portuguese, she also sold over 200,000 slaves to them.
These photos are of the three presidents Angola that have served since 1975. Neto is on the top right, the lower right is Jose Santos, second president of Angola. He was a controversial dictator whose efforts to bring about peace eventually paid off, but he also created one of the most corrupt regimes in Africa that lasted from 1979 until 2017. Remember those unfinished buildings I showed you earlier that belong to his sons? When he finally stepped down João Laurenço, pictured on the left, was elected and is serving his second term. Danny said his regime is corrupt as well, a problem that has plagues his nation for centuries.
I haven't had a good doorway to post a picture of in a long time.
Inside those doors is a room with these beautiful blue Portuguese tile walls.
The thing I liked about these was that they actually included scenes
and people that were African.
From the walls of the fortress you could see this nearby favela. It is its own self contained little community with people living and working there, having created their own small businesses to sustain themselves.
Since 2020 the government has been trying to relocate everyone in this particular favela to a site three hours away from Luanda because they want this prime real estate for tourism. The locals won't leave, saying their livelihoods are linked to this place and this city. Danny said that eventually they will be forced to relocate.
The fortress has several of these "points", giving a random shape rather than one that is rounded or square. This design helped keep enemy cannon fire from devastating the walls.
I got a nice view of Serenade from the top.
Some of the original cannon are still atop the fortress walls, although their carriages have been replaced. They sit along a cobblestone walkway.
I walked around the top of the fortress walls and then to the uppermost wall that you can see in the distance, where I took a photo of
Karl and Bob standing below me in the courtyard, who were telling me to hurry down because it was time to leave.
The entrance to the harbor is there in the distance and the way we would be going later that evening.
Our final tour stop was the Iron Palace, believed to have been designed by either Gustave Eiffel himself, or one of his students, or maybe not.
The whole story of the structure is really a mystery. No one knows for sure where it came from but supposedly the pre-built parts were on a ship, possibly headed to Madagascar, when it sank there on the Skeleton Coast off Angola. The parts were salvaged, brought ashore and put together to create this building. Currently it has a few art exhibits inside but nothing permanent.
Just outside the gates were these adorable Angolan Girl Scouts. Not sure why they were there, they weren't selling cookies, but they were wiling to let me take their photo.
Some of the ironwork and the tile floor.
Jane and Karl decided to pose for me, likenesses of the artwork next to them.
Then Karl and I posed for a bit nicer photo op.
Loved this archway.
We all posed for a "family" photo with Danny.
On. the way back to port we stopped for a quick photo of the enormous National Bank Building.
We also got a photo of these women carrying their goods on their heads. That is a lot of eggs to balance!
Couldn't finish a post without some flower photos!
And then there was the picture of almost everybody at the "I Love Luanda" sign, written in Portuguese. I don't know that we actually loved the city but we do love exploring and taking our photo in front of city signs.
Danny wasn't the best guide we'd had but he wasn't the worst either. He was a nice guy trying to make living.
Sunset came before we left port and it was a beauty. And we were off again, headed north to Ghana!
Another great post!!!
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