(Keeping in mind that photography in DRC is against the law, I have been breaking my neck to get pictures for my readers!)
A tailor in the Kin market busy cutting Randy's fabrics. The yellow bits were supposed to be pants and the red supposed to be shirts. He made red pants and yellow shirts -- but, as David says, "In Africa some of it is good. Some of it is bad. But you know there will always be a surprise."
David seriously considered buying this yellow tuxedo. But didn't.
One of our two locals in Matadi
Every time on the road between Matadi and Kin -- in the pursuit of Angolan visas -- just as we thought we could not possibly be more uncomfortable in our shared taxi, we saw one that was heavier laden than ours, and we smiled
The dry season in Congo DRC is like dry season anywhere in Africa -- the long elephant grass burns easily and the countryside is quickly turned into a black, burnt landscape
At the end of a long day of shopping, the back streets of Kin resemble a scene from a post-apocalyptic film. The rubbish is swept into piles and set alight during the night, the embers and ashes blowing down the empty streets in the pre-dawn silence
Right behind the posh facade of the main Boulevard through Kin, you are back in the dust and dirt and potholes of African streets
Matadi is called the 'up and down city'. Built on hundreds of hills, the vista changes wherever you look.
Our shopping street in Matadi.
Would you like pelipeli salt on that hard boiled egg?
Kimbangu was a 'prophet' back in the 60's and 70's, until his assassination, but to this day his influence is as strong as ever and the Kimbanguiste churches can be found in every village -- in particular in the Bas-Congo region
Our 'salon' in Matadi - in the grounds of the convent. Waiting for visas has a different effect on everyone -- but mostly it is boredom, sitting around, reading, reading
Elodi, my very lovely and competent dress maker in the Kin markets. She is working on a reversible kimono I designed. Right up the moment when I put it on, she could simply not understand what it is that I wanted. Only then, when she saw that I intend to wear it with either one fabric on the outside -- or the other -- did the light go on for her! Already there is at least one copy of my African kimono and I suspect there will be many more.
An efficient -- but questionable method to rid a city of debris. The fires are usually lit at night -- but I managed to capture this one in daylight - when it is still possible to venture out on the streets.
My tent on the right - in front of the convent. I seriously wanted to record the beautiful matins singing of the nuns every morning at 6:30am and make that my alarm clock sound for perpetuity -- such a very beautiful way to be woken.
In the Congo DRC you drink Primus, Turbo King or Skol. The painting on the wall of the shebeen shows which is the favourite here.
If you have the skill (and this man does!), the material and the tools (medieval but efficient), you can set up shop on the pavement and start making beautiful french windows, panelled doors and bedroom furniture
A particularly ambitious -- and delicious -- dinner -- Orm rolling out the tortillas for a complete Mexican feast
$50 turns into a black bin bag full of francs. Here you draw dollars from the ATM and change them into local money at the men who sit on the pavements everywhere - and you buy Francs in bundles.
The view from our local in Matadi.
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