Will and I (chief interpreter) headed for the DRC embassy and got everything submitted easily. We should have our visas by 3 pm tomorrow which seems strange to me because it's Saturday. I'm not complaining, it's just rare. After, we went to Equitorial Guinée but had no luck. The country has only recently opened to tourists - we would be the first overland truck in but they assured us that requirements such as the complicated letter of invitation will change in the near future. That doesn't of course help us but future groups may get in. The Americans don't need visas so they will have the option of flying in if they wish to tick off the country.
After, we went looking for a good coffee. I had the name of a place from a local woman but out cabbie took us to a different one that was super expensive: $7 for a cup of coffee, $3.50 for a pain au chocolat and $7 for one Mille Feuilles! The best thing about it was we were very close to an artisan market. People are so funny. They have no idea where we have been and what we are used to. The woman at the restaurant suggested we take a cab because walking is "dangerous". I asked for clarification and she said we would be hassled and possibly pick pocketed. What's new I thought and the walk turned out to be uneventful. I'm looking for a beaded mask and didn't find one but bought 2 wooden statues that are beaded. The larger one has shells on top of its head in a basket. Of course I didn't take pictures of what I bought and they are now wrapped up but I did take pictures of other interesting pieces-
A beaded statue and lamp-
More beads-
Our taxi on the way home was a wreck-
I went to the supermarket, got my toes shellacked for $16 and stopped in a funeral shop. The wooden coffins come from Canada and cost $3000. Women are buried in white gowns that look like wedding dresses. I asked the woman if I died right now, if I'd be buried in a dress like this-
She replied that no, they also had some older styles that would be more suitable for me. Thanks I thought!
Near the hotel is a 24 hour bakery complete with chocolate shoes-
We ate supper at a Vietnamese restaurant- I had spicy squid that came with julienned carrots and green pepper. I was disappointed but the Orangina was awesome!
Tomorrow we have a truck clean after breakfast and then it will be a day of enjoying the air conditionning in my room!
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