Rio Longa

We were treated to 2 nights at an all inclusive ´resort´ last week with all the new teachers and our principals and the school´s Director.  It was about a 2 and 1/2 hour drive from Luanda across the Kwanzaa River, past Kisamma National Park and a 20 min. boat ride down the Long River (you can only arrive by boat).  The hotel consists of 8 canvas cabins and a dining/lounge cabin which sit on a small island on the river all linked by wooden planked pathways which are about 6 feet off the ground.  There is no electricity, which would have been really nice had there been clear skies while we were there.  It would be a great place for stargazing.  Fortunately, they have running water, hot showers, etc.

The area around the hotel was very scenic.  You’ll see in the pictures that the hotel is located where the river meets the ocean.  We saw lots of wildlife, mostly birds and crabs, but some people saw alligators and I saw a monkey on the river bank as we were leaving the hotel.  During the day we went kayaking, had long walks on the beach and sat around getting to know our new colleagues.  The food at the hotel was great!  They had 2 Phillipino cooks and they did a great job.  I ate about a million ginger cookies in 2 days…yum!

On the way back to town we had a quick stop at Caboledo Beach, which it apparently the surf beach.  It was beautiful and maybe Rodrigo will learn to surf and we’ll spend lots of time there🙂

Getting on the boat to get to the Rio Longa hotel

Bilbao trees and Angola women washing their clothes

Here we are at the dock arriving at the hotel

Rodrigo on the varanda of our cabin

Sea eagle searching for it’s next meal

I’d never seen freshwater crabs, but this one likes chillin’ on the lily pads

View down the river from our cabin

Nearby fishing village

The hotel cabins from across the river

Rodrigo on the beach pointing to the river on the left and the ocean on the right