Luanda with an escort

We awoke to the sight of Luanda Bay as we arrived in Angola.

Angola was a Portugese colony until gaining independence in 1975. Upon independence, Portugal left Angola without establishing a new government, so Angola suffered 27 years of civil war, which left much of the country in ruins. Beginning in 2002 with a new constitution, Angola is still slowly recovering, with new high rises towering above shanty towns, and a beautiful beach front promenade running around the bay. It is, however, not yet regarded as a tourist destination (10 ships stopped here this year, and we are the last ship of the season).

The capital Luanda is the largest city in Angola (population 9.5 million), but is rated as the most expensive city in the world for expatriates and foreign workers to live, mainly due to the lack of quality housing.

We were on the first tour out today, in a convoy of 6 buses, with a police escort. First stop was Senhora de Nazare Church, built in 1664. After we were escorted back to the buses by police stopping the traffic for us to walk across the road, we headed to the San Miguel Fort, with commanding views across the city.

Built in 1576 by the Portugese to protect their colony, it was the major site for slave traffic that was exported to Brazil. For many years the fort was a self-contained town, protected by thick walls and cannons. Today it houses the Museum of the Armed Forces.

We drove along Ihla de Luanda, a narrow spit of land housing many beach bars and restaurants, before heading to Agostinho Neto Mausoleum, a rocket shaped structure and resting place of the first president of Angola. Unfortunately we couldn't enter, as repairs are currently being undertaken.

Again with our police escort, we returned to the ship in time for lunch, then headed straight back out on the shuttle bus to town. We are docked at an industrial pier, so were unable to walk direct from the ship, but had to catch a shuttle... which only took us to a shopping mall. The mall had very limited opportunities to buy any souvenir items, and even when I was approached outside the mall by a street vendor, they were moved along quickly by the mall security staff. The authorities are so keen to create a good impression, we were barely allowed to mingle with the locals, so unfortunately only saw a sanitised version of the city.Read more