Congo Democratic Republic Travel Blogs, page 12

Africa » Congo Democratic Republic » West » Kinshasa July 29th 2008

In 2004 there were four or five what Europeans would classify as supermarkets in Kinshasa. Four years later, there are easily more than a dozen stocking every imaginable brand of imported wines and foodstuffs. It is a bit disconcerting to find things like Ecover detergents in Kinshasa (with the extent of pollution here there are much more effective ways of saving the planet) or the complete range of Cadbury’s chocolate (which I have never even seen in Brussels). The hic is of course the cost, with prices frequently more than double those in Europe. Nevertheless, this doesn’t seem to stop the up and coming Kinois and I have to admit that a trip to the supermarket is an experience in itself. Each aisle has a person responsible for stocking shelves and assisting customers in particular with ... read more

Quirks

Africa » Congo Democratic Republic » West » Kinshasa July 28th 2008

Mondelay

Countless hours are spent playing cards, yet cards are dealt and games are played in an anti-clockwise motion, cups and cutlery are always served on the left and locks frequently turn in unexpected directions. Must have something to do with life on the other side of the equator.... read more

Business in the Congos

Africa » Congo Democratic Republic » West » Kinshasa July 14th 2008

Cobbler BZV

Mondelay

Business takes place on the streets of Kinshasa. From haircuts to pedicures, sales of foreign and local currencies, mobile phones, bottles of petrol, repairs of electrical equipment, shoes and cars, photocopying and typing services. This is all in addition to the choice of bread, fruit, vegetables, drinks and the range of goods and services offered by rambling traders. No need for elaborate shopping centres, everything can be found by stepping out into the street.... read more

Respect

Africa » Congo Democratic Republic » West » Kinshasa July 14th 2008

Mondelay

The notion of all humans being equal conflicts fundamentally with the Congolese notion of respect. Respect is intertwined with power and is derived through a series of hierarchies based on money, status and age. Children are therefore subordinate to their elders, even more so those from less well off backgrounds. Children are continuously hollered at to fetch water, run errands and serve elders. Someone who has ‘done well for themselves’ and who is comparatively better off than other family members financially enjoys a commanding position within the family. Yet the system extends to Congolese society in general. A successful businessman or politician commands extraordinary power/respect, while those living in poverty, working as house servants or street traders are condemned to the lowest place not only on the social and financial hierarchies but also with regards simple ... read more

Public Transport

Africa » Congo Democratic Republic » West » Kinshasa July 11th 2008

Typical Street Scene

Mondelay

Public transport in Kinshasa consists of anything with a motor and four wheels. Taxis are shared, so forget about entering a taxi and being delivered to your desired address. At first glance the system seems chaotic, yet it meshes together to form a network capable of moving the masses from one end of the city to another. A series of hand signals are used by drivers to communicate their intended direction and any tree along the roadside constitutes a stop. No trip to the Congo is complete without squeezing into one of these bone-shaking rust buckets and trundling along with the masses (just make sure you are not in a rush.)... read more

The Paper Trail

Africa » Congo Democratic Republic » West » Kinshasa July 10th 2008

Mondelay

Communes, embassies and administration still based on manual entries into imposing black ledgers. While the pen and paper method creates employment it must render tracing of archives (if still existent) impossible.... read more

Distribution of Tasks

Africa » Congo Democratic Republic » West » Kinshasa July 10th 2008

Mondelay

Shops, travel agents and pharmacies have assistants to show you products and provide advice, a single cashier for all financial transactions, usually assisted by a receipt writer, a person to check that the goods you have received correspond with the handwritten receipt and finally a bag packer. It is all a conspiracy to make sure you get into the art of slow living. One of the more comical applications of task distribution is beer delivery. Naturally the driver is responsible only for driving. His convoy will certainly include several men sitting among the beer cases ready to load, unload and sample the cargo. ... read more

Children

Africa » Congo Democratic Republic » West » Kinshasa July 3rd 2008

Elastics I

Mondelay

Football, volleyball, draughts, ludo. It’s amazing how children the world over, rich and poor play the same games. A powerful reminder of what unites humanity.... read more

Slow Living

Africa » Congo Democratic Republic » West » Kinshasa July 2nd 2008

Mondelay

When I have learned to eat to the African rhythm, I will have mastered the art of slow living.... read more

The Dustbin on the West

Africa » Congo Democratic Republic » West » Kinshasa July 2nd 2008

Mondelay

POLLUTION EVERYWHERE. How can Europe allow our rubbish to destroy the planet? Car manufacturers and bureaucrats in Brussels haggling over new CO2 limits, it’s all pointless as long as our bangers are allowed to pollute another continent. Equipment and machinery no longer meeting EU norms (cars, refrigeration units, dry cleaning machines, airplanes) are offered a second life in Africa. Shame on Europe.... read more

Blogs from Congo Democratic Republic, Africa - page 12