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Meeting the Pope
My handshake with the Pope. I was somehow invited to meet the Pope during his visit to the DRC.
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Another year in the DRC gone by
Since the 1950s our family has been in the DRC, since the 1950s things have gotten harder for most Congolese. Seeing a country get worse and worse for 73 years can be heartbreaking. From the 50s there have not been many families that have stayed in the DRC for so long.
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A city stuck in traffic
Nowhere to go. Stay in your seat. Watch cars squeeze left and right. Watch motorcycles slide between you and your neighbours. You’ve got AC at least Yellow taxis on the left, military 4x4s and politicians jumping the queue. Everyone is hitting their horns. Your driver is also losing patience. “What on earth is stopping everyone?”you […]
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Visiting Jaune Congo, a farm outside Kinshasa
Jaune Congo is not an ordinary farm near Kinshasa. They grow fruits and vegetables and soon, palm trees for oil production in a unique and sustainable way, hand in hand with local partners and employees. It is located here. Take the Cico cement factory road after Lukala to get there and ask for “Antoine’s farm”. […]
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A Kinshasa shopping guide
A quick guide of shops to buy food, electronics, appliances, etc… in Kinshasa
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Discussion on power in the DRC
A quick guide to power generation issues and projects in the DRC in 2022.
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Remote life
Everything is remote these days Remote jobs Remote friends Remote girlfriend Remote dancing Remote life Remote sleep Remote fun Remote families Remote death Remote birth Remote holidays Always working and messaging Always on the phone Always distracted Maybe you are now your phone’s remote? When will we realise that remote means far and disconnected Be […]
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Hotel Metropole in Matadi
The Hotel Metropole in Matadi was built between 1925 and 1930. It seems to have officially opened in 1930 according to Wikipedia. It is a gothic revival styled building (Wikipedia) and apparently designed by architect Ernest Callebout.
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Mama Lufuma, a single mother and child shelter in Matadi
I recently went to Matadi to visit a non profit organisation helping young mothers and their children called Mama Lufuma (Website is in Flemish. A translation to English is in progress). There are 15 or so kids that are between 6 months old and 10 years old. Their mothers also live in the shelter. There […]
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Israel (Tel Aviv and Kfar Hanokdim)
A complicated place but worth a visit if you can stand the questioning at arrival and departure.
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Kinshasa : Fuel shortages, traffic and wewa godfathers
You wake up and step outside and notice a massive queue of cars around the block at the fuel station next door. You’re not sure what the cause is. You hear it is about unpaid government fuel subsidies, the war in Ukraine or some other confusing issue with fuel companies.
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Egypt – part 2
Photos of my trip to Egypt in August 2022. Khan El-Khalili Market, Coptic orthodox churches, northern Egypt beaches (Almaza bay)
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Egypt
There is now a direct flight from Kinshasa to Cairo with Egyptair! The flight is around 600 USD. It leaves at midnight and takes 5 hours and 50 minutes. The plane is a Boeing 737. It’s a bit old and there is no inflight entertainment. You can watch the overhead movies 😀 The food is simple. There are obviously no alcoholic drinks served. You can have a Pepsi or some juices.
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Emilio in Italy
Sometimes it’s nice to get away. Living in Kinshasa is a bit intense. Getting out here and there, if you can, is a good thing to reset your mind. The madness of the city and country can get you down and narrow your mind.
Emilio in Congo (DRC)
Ideas and stories of my life in the DRC
Emilio in Congo (DRC) 