We arrived in Congo just after 6am in the morning. The airport is different than any I’ve been in before. Different describes pretty much everything so far.
I’m still taking in and processing everything I’ve seen thus far. In some ways, it is what I thought and in others, it took me off guard.
We’re staying with GiGi and Papa Gilles and their house is beautiful. Inside the white concrete compound is a beautiful, spacious, air-conditioned house. It’s relaxing and Zen-like in decor, color and layout. Our room us huge, with a large, well-stocked ensuite bathroom and a patio door leading out to the pool. Chloe is in the room next to us and her door leads out to the pool as well. We visited briefly and then had a nap. When we woke up, the “homme de ménage”, Kojo and his assistant, Effie, served lunch and then it was rest time again. During that time, Kojo had all our dirty clothing laundered, dried, ironed and delivered to our room today.
The pool in the yard is beautiful and warm; the littles and daddy enjoyed some time in it today. We also did a brief tour, visited the grocery store, a bakery and drove by the beach. We had dinner at an open air beachside restaurant where I had the most amazingly huge and delicious grilled shrimp; fresh from the ocean I gazed at from my table. Chloe also enjoyed the shrimp immensely.
The contrast is startling; from one side of the street to the other. Poverty is very evident yet, I want to be careful what I say because I’m outside, looking in.
Lack of materialistic abundance, like we as North Americans enjoy, does not mean a lesser quality of life. Sometimes {many times!} less is more.
Tonight as we ate, I watched little ones playing on the beach, laughing in the sand. Littles are all the same; we are all the same…
I love the second to last picture. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself (other than the plane mishap, of course.)