Getting off the compound!!!

As I mentioned the other day, we went to the beach this morning. It was a good trip, and I thought I would share a bit about it.

First off, the funnest part to start with was that just as we were getting out of the heavy city traffic (even at 8:00am on a Saturday), we hit a roadblock. Man with gun was standing there, the road was blocked with signs that showed construction ahead, and there was a sign pointing to the left for a detour. So, we turn off the nice paved road, onto a sandy dirt path through the bush. I wish the camera hadn't died, and I had gotten a picture of the conditions we were driving through- but suffice to say, I'm not sure there was a road in that place before this morning when they decided they needed a detour. We made it through though, and then got back on the main road. About an hour later we arrived at the beach. Here are some pictures:

These were actually taken just before we were leaving...

Joel and another guy did surf, but the waves were not very big (as you can see in the background) and very slow today. I did see him catch a wave though!

These things behind me are the Angolan version of a beach umbrella. Basically, some sticks stuck together, with dried grasses piled on top. The local kids put em up, and at the end of the day, they just come up, and you pay em a few hundred Kwanza for using it for the day.

We walked all the way down to the point just behind my head. It's a nice walk, absolutely littered with little crabs skittering all over. We also came across a snake. Well, to tell the truth, some other guys came across it, and bashed it in half with their surf board- we only saw it in the aftermath, when it was still half alive... ugh...I just got shivers just thinking about it. It was gross. It was the first snake the other people we were with said they ever saw in Angola, and they've been here 3 years, so, it's good to know, it's not something that happens often.

Here's a snap of Joel in the car... :)

I tried to get a couple snaps of the landscape we were driving through on the way home. Of course, the pictures are taken through the car windows while we were moving, so...
The prominent tree in this picture is one you see a lot of. They are interesting because it looks like a normal tree trunk, but instead of leaves or branches, it looks like it has a cactus growing out of the top. And it has pretty magenta flowers growing on the top of the cactus branches.

Oh look, here's a closer picture of the same kind of tree.

The landscape is very muted brown and green- there are some colors that pop- bright pinks, yellows, oranges that are the blossoms on the trees and bushes- but otherwise, it's a pretty monotonous earthy feel of colors. The soil is quite red, but, you only see that when you get under the top layer of stuff.

On the road to this beach, you have to cross a big bridge over the river Kwanza. On the way there in the morning, the others said that sometimes you see monkeys around there, but we didn't then. But on the way home, we saw loads- lots of little black guys with really long tails scurrying around on the side of the road. We had to slow down to make sure we didn't make any monkey roadkill.

We stopped along the way home to see what those of us with us called, "a spectacular rock formation." Not really sure what it's from, but, it is beautiful! (And you can see the red soil.)

Where I'm standing just looks out over this space and onto the ocean. If you click on this picture to see the enlarged version, you'll be able to see the shimmer of the ocean on the left hand side of the picture.

And to end, the cute couple picture. :)

It was a very nice day. I got a bit of a sunburn on my face. I also got to know a few of my colleagues a bit better and got a few more invitations- to go to the fruit/veg market, to join a few people doing some yoga once a week, to come back to the beach anytime... :)

Tomorrow Shanan and Danielle are going to take us into the city. I don't know how many pictures we'll be able to take, because the city is the one place that they say you really, really do have to be careful- wear no jewelery (it is SO hard to try to get used to taking my engagement ring off), use no cell phones, carry no cameras, etc. But, maybe we can sneak a few pics now and then.