Emilio in Congo (DRC)

Category: Uncategorized

  • Music in the DRC

    Music in the DRC

    A short history of Congolese (DRC) music with a few classic tracks

  • Recommended bars and restaurants in Kinshasa

    Recommended bars and restaurants in Kinshasa

    Here are a few places I recommend in Kinshasa. You will quickly figure out that there aren’t too many places to go too but some are nice but somewhat overpriced compared to other places in the world! Avoid them when they are crowded! Try to go during office hours or really early. Most can deliver…

  • Photographs of the river loop before a storm

    Photographs of the river loop before a storm

  • Gbadolite, 2016

    Here are a few pictures of the city, the roads and the old Mobutu palace. Check out William Clowes’s excellent article on Gbadolite https://roadsandkingdoms.com/2015/the-ruins-of-dead-despots/ And Thomas Nicolon’s video report https://www.france24.com/fr/20181102-billet-retour-rdc-congo-nostalgie-mobutu-gbadolite-zaire

  • Coriander and green chilies omelette

    An Indian breakfast. My grandfather Sultan used to make this. Green chilies and coriander in an omelette with some chopped onions and served with some chapatis. Give it a go.

  • Kayser in Kinshasa

    Have you been to Kayser Kin Plaza? It’s the place to be apparently. Go there on a Saturday afternoon and you’re sure to bump into someone you know. A lot of people like to come here for the food and atmosphere. They make great bread. Their lunches are delicious too. It’s like you leave Kinshasa…

  • Internet problems in DRC

    Vodacom sent us a message that their fiber optic cables got cut🤦🏻‍♂️. Oh joy… It’s not rare to have internet issues here. It’s sometimes alright but it’s very hard to get affordable internet…

  • Driving in Kinshasa

    Driving in Kinshasa is a nightmare. There are no priorities. You constantly feel anxious. The police don’t help. They harass passengers and drivers. Courtesy is inexistant. It truly is remarkable how people go from their home to the office everyday without heart attacks or road rage. I don’t even imagine the difficulty of finding a…

  • Another Sunday in Kinshasa

  • Fruits in the DRC

    Take some time to enjoy the local food, specifically the fruits. It’s the beginning of the rainy season and it’s now mango 🥭 season! There are also delicious bananas but those are available year round. You can also make amazing fresh juices with local mint and ginger. Here are some pictures of what you can…

  • Confined in Congo

    What would you do if you were stuck in Kinshasa for 7 months? I worked, I played, I saw friends. It wasn’t too bad. I had a nice comfortable life. I can’t really complain. It could have been much much worse. How was your confinement? Are you even still confined? Now we are 7 months…

  • Des scènes de Kinshasa

    La route de l’aéroport est spectaculaire et présente d’une manière brutale et honnête la réalité du congolais. C’est à voir de soi- même l’esprit combatant du kinois. Voici quelques photos.

  • Thursday afternoon

    This Thursday I went for a run along the river. I got to see yet another lovely sunset. While the rest of the world closes down, the DRC seems to be reopening and returning to normal life. We have to fight with one another to make sure people wear masks or respect social distancing.

  • Sunday in Kinshasa

    It’s quiet today. It’s the best day to drive around and see the city. There’s no traffic or hardly any. You can take a few pictures without being harassed. If you want, you can drive out of the city but there’s tons of traffic as you leave the city centre… It’s getting warmer. The rainy…

  • Chez le Grecque

    Le restaurant grecque avec l’église sur le boulevard du 30 Juin est une institution. Ça vaut la peine de l’essayer. Ils ont des bons souvlaki mais demandez sans les frites! C’est un sacrilège.

  • Confinement in Congo (DRC)

    Streets are empty Or so they are supposed to be I see a mama selling bananas I see a drug dealer offering weed The city center is supposed to sealed off But a dollar into a cops pocket gets you in Entry passes are passed around Cases are increasing People are dying The poor are…

  • Poésie Congolaise

    Gombe La république de la Gombe Centre des affaires Centre des riches Centre des voleurs Grand lieu de rencontre de la masse Influx massif d’hommes et de femmes de la cité Lieu de répit de la crasse du reste de la ville Îlot de calme, de propreté et de richesse dans une marée de pollution…

  • 7 October 2020 – Mount Mangengenge

    This is the view from Mount Mangengenge. I hiked the mountain with some friends in early 2020. It is close to the Kinshasa International airport. It is worth the trip and the traffic on a Sunday!

  • 7 October 2020 – Post COVID life in Kinshasa

    Hi, This is an attempt at creating something new. I am in Kinshasa. I was raised here. I am now working here. This blog will serve as a chaotic board for anything I want to share with the world. Maybe some friends will see this site, maybe some strangers. I will try to stick to…