Category: thoughts
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Fally Ipupa’s Rumba Royale debut (review)
A mixed review of Fally Ipupa’s first movie, Rumba Royale
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Updates 2025
A quick update on my life and Congo in December 2025 with some photos!
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A little peace and quiet in the Kruidtuin of Leuven
Thoughts in a garden
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Le golf en République Démocratique du Congo
Saviez-vous qu’il y a 2 terrains de golf en République Démocratique du Congo? Oui, un à Kinshasa et un autre à Lubumbashi. Tous les deux sont des 18 trous!
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Leuven in pictures
Photos I took of the city since visiting it regularly since 2023. The main shopping street, the city hall, the library tower, streets and some food are featured in this post! Enjoy!
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Emilio in Leuven
Your dear author now has to share his time between Belgium, where my family is (a new father I am!) and Congo where work is never finished or missing!
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What’s happening in the Congo right now?
Thoughts on the Congo in 2025 : rebels, war, peace, future
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Le temps perdu
Un poème sur la vieillesse
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The current state of affairs in the DRC – November 2024
I sit here on an overcast Saturday in Kinshasa. It isn’t too hot. The weather has been a bit unpredictable with rains in the mornings and afternoons. We’ve had some sweltering heat as well. The sun has been brutal on some days.
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Kinshasa’s classic food dives and bars
The classic spots in Kinshasa
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What you can learn in the DRC
Sure, you think you’re all that because you grew up in a developed country that didn’t go to war, that is not completely corrupt, that has good roads, a working government, a history with plenty of culture, that was never colonised and then some.
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Electric Kinshasa on a Saturday night
What Kinshasa feels like on a Saturday night: terrasses, bars, clubs, traffic, parties, electric
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Kinshasa, a megacity of traffic, chaos, potholes, plastic and puddles
A rant about Kinshasa
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Mauritius and Reunion holidays
Our visit to Mauritius and Reunion in March 2024
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Le Jardin Botanique et Zoo de Kinshasa
Une visite du jardin botanique et le zoo de Kinshasa.
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Pensées un mardi des martyrs
Aujourd’hui, on se rappel des héros nationaux, Joseph Kabila et Patrice Lumumba (17 Janvier). Kabila père est mort en 2001, il y a 22 ans. Lumumba en 1961. Il y a 63 ans.
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Golf courses – photographs
Here are some pictures of golf courses in Africa and other regions, but mainly from Kinshasa, Lubumbashi and Johannesburg. DRC, South Africa, Belgium & Italy Nicaragua Nejapa golf course
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Dead bodies, filth, chaos, traffic, mangoes and corrupt cops. Another day in Kinshasa
I drove. Sorry, I didn’t drive. I was driven from Gombe to Limete to meet a client this morning. On the way there, we saw a dead body, motorcycles taking over our lane, some were even being picked up onto the sidewalks to avoid the traffic! There were also huge piles of garbage left and…
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Photographs of Kinshasa’s grimy streets
Kinshasa streets are grimy, dirty and smoggy. Tough people, rough edges, aggressive driving, dangerous motorcycle drivers. Seeing a white or mundele here is entertaining for most. You get all sorts of reactions: happiness, anger, curiosity, aggression, teasing, opportunistic and many others. Taking pictures is a cheeky business. If you’re caught you get in big trouble.…
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Internet speeds in the DRC (updated)
In January 2022, I wrote a post about internet providers in the DRC. I thought it was time to update it with only a few that I use regularly. Apologies if some others are missing. I have not used them. Without further ado, here are the results of tests done using fast.com on the 27th…
Emilio in Congo (DRC) 