Independence Day - Congo-style

Happy DRC Independence Day! The locals are out celebrating the 51st anniversary (that would make it 1960 as the day "freedom" arrived), but the expats like me are staying home because it could get a bit crazy - and not necessary in a good way. Solid history lesson by Walter.

Good chance to catch up on errands though.

PRICES: There are two types of prices - expats and locals. But upon further division, there are the local market prices and the expat grocery store prices. For instance, at one of the outdoor markets we stopped at on the way back 3 bushels of spinach and 3 heads of cauliflower cost 1000 FC (Francs Congolese), equivalent to about US$1. Of course, they start off with 4000 FC and negotiation takes place. At the expat store, Kivu Market, it would run about 5000 FC, or US$5. It really depends on one's comfort level at the various locations.

RESTAURANTS: B-, There are some pretty good restaurants here: many of the hotels have good food, particularly relaxing with a view of Lake Kivu. What I would love to find is an Indian restaurant - how are there none here? Expats love Indian cuisine.

Hotel Ituru for lunch.

SPORTS: Apparently there IS actually a Congolese football (soccer) league and the games cost 500 FC, or 50 cents, to enter. I will definitely be partaking in that once more info is given!

KIWANJA: How it differs from Kitchanga, upon first glance.

• Kitchanga: no electricity at all, cooler (60-70 degrees), maniacal parish father - head of the local church, lower prices, more diversity in vegetarian options
• Kiwanja: electricity, hotter (80-85 degrees), more global viewing parish father, higher prices, more dangerous, meat is omnipresent, many displaced persons

Campsites where many of the IDPs live.

They were all asking for biscuits, simply because I'm a mzungu. How did that myth even start?

Will answer trivia questions in next post. Go US Women's World Cup Team!

NB: Feel free to ask any questions - there's an anonymous/private method via the comment screen.