Out of the Green Zone and into the Country

I was finally able to escape after almost 4 weeks in the “green zone” of Kinshasa, called Gombe. Celestin, a longtime diplomat driver, drove Ruksandra, Cecily, Cynthia, Tiffany, Becky and myself an hour outside Kinshasa. Our destination was N’Sele Farms, which had been a lavish residence of Mobutu’s when he was shaking the coins out of Zaire’s pockets in the 70s and 80s. This complex was a few kilometers from le grande flueve, and had been the site of his pineapple plantation and pineapple juice factory. Today, it rarely receives tourists judging by the overgrown parking lot and several residents coming out to greet us. Some men gave us a brief “official” tour of the grounds, walking us past the outbuildings which serve as the homes to several good looking families with lots of small children. The artificial pond is empty and much of the grounds are used to grow their manioc. The Chinese architecture had been meticulously stenciled with traditional Chinese and occasional African vistas. This had no signs but was right off the highway and recommended by our embassy as a Day-trip. Surely it was worth it!

After the tour, we tried to go down to a meeting complex WITH a sign “Centre Touristique” by the river, but a roadblock prevented us. Apparently they didn’t get our reservation. Celestin, the driver, masterfully handled several roadblocks, explaining we were “diplomatiques” with a certain destination. Nothing like an old guy with a lot of worldly knowledge!

We followed the well paved road with occasional large potholes past a steel mill, adjacent large village, and ended at a restaurant right on the river. We ordered some Maboke river fish and manioc. It took forever but it was a wonderful setting to sit by the river watching the water traffic: occasional barges, water taxis, pirogues, and some speedboats about a mile away along the Congo-Brazzaville coast. The river is just giant, if not for the current; one might think it was a finger lake.

After this we attempted to find the Congolese dance class, and were directed “Go right at the MONUC, down the bumpy road, take the fourth right at the blue Primus bar, and at the end of the street you’ll find a NEW theater”. It was dark, and we were in the middle of a bustling part of town, and managed to find our guy Jacques. He wasn’t teaching the normal class tonight, but we got to watch him and a student practicing their modern dance until the power suddenly went out. This gave us a chance to talk with him about his vision for the advertised group dance class. Not sure I’ll be any good but he is, and maybe I can be delegated to play the bongos instead. Today was a lot of fun, and finally felt like we got out into real DRC!