Getting Reacquainted

On Monday, May 31, 2012 the church attorney, Jeff, and his wife, Marge, traveled from Johannesburg to Kinshasa to do some legal work here and in Brazzaville. It was wonderful having them stay in the mission home with us. These two graduated from Highland High with me and we hadn't seen each other in all those years. Now they have come to Africa.  What an amazing coincidence.  We enjoyed their company very much. It was fun to be with them and get reacquainted.

  

The ride from the airport is always a bit shocking to visitors and this was no exception for Marge and Jeff.  It's a crazy hour's drive that never disappoints in its ability to throw people into the Kinshasa culture.

 

    

   

  

 

 But then after driving down several miles of the wide boulevard on which we live and spending the evening in our very comfortable apartment, Marge, understandably, began to think that Kinshasa was a lot like S. Africa, where they live, and that the trip from the airport was not typical Kinshasa.

 

We also took them to our favorite Home Evening hangout which is a very nice place too.  It's called  Nice Cream. It's a winning combination and our favorite "p-day, good ice cream with good friends.

   

 The next day they crossed the Congo to Brazzaville where they spent a day and a half.

   

  

 

Back in Kinshasa we did a little ladies outing and took Marge to a few places to see the REAL Kinshasa while Jeff did his work. Sisters Stagg, Smith and Bingham joined us. Our first stop was the fabric marché. It had rained some the night before and the narrow path through the marché was a muddy mess, but it just added to the ambiance of the place. Congolese fabrics are beautiful, colorful and very important to the women here.  You can buy six yards of gorgeous material for $10-$12. If somebody  gives you a special gift in the Congo, it's usually fabric or clothes made from fabric bought at a  marché.

  

  

After the fabric market it was off to the craft and antiquities marché.  We call it "Thieve's Market" because if you don't "discuss" the price with the sellers and you pay the full asking price, you're getting robbed.
This is about my favorite place in all of Kinshasa. I love the things you see there, especially the antiquities. I love the people who are selling their wares and I even love to "discuss" the price. I can never get away without buying some little thing. I'm sure that I always pay too much since I'm obviously a foreigner, but it's still fun!

Brent HATES this place, so I'm glad when somebody will go with me.

Kuba cloth is one thing that is very typically Congolese. It's a hand-wooven, rafia cloth and, although not washable, it is very interesting and you just have to have a piece of Kuba cloth when you come to the DR Congo.

Wooden masks, statues, figures, canes, chief's scepters, dolls and animals of all kinds can be found at Thieve's Market.  There are some that are very old and come from the villages around Kinshasa and there are also new creations. All are most interesting, but if you look too long the vendor is bound to harass you and follow you around the market offering you lower and lower prices for his treasures.

.  I almost succumbed to this beauty. I still may go back for her. Since she still has her rafia hair she's special.

Wood carvings are made of ebony and wenge and are generally simple and somewhat modern in their character.

There are also always drums and other musical instruments. Marge got a great "finger piano" attached to a tortoise shell.  Sister Bingham picked up a few tiny wooden elephants to take home to grand kids and Sister Stagg always has a hard time resisting the fun African jewelry. 

Before we leave Congo I'm going to by one of the Amalicite solitar games in the bottom left corner of this  this picture. I'm hooked on it and the Malicite balls are mined in DRC. The bowls and plates are edged in silver or copper, which are also mined in the DRC. This poor country is very rich in natural resources.  

At one point Marge just stopped in her tracks and stood quietly. I asked if she was OK and she said that she was just  trying to take this all in and it really was a bit  overwhelming when you really see Kinshasa. It is certainly a unique place. She bought a few fun things to take home to remember our girls outing in the big city. So did all the rest of us. Never go to Thieve's market if you don't want to blow your budget!