I got up at 6:25 and went to breakfast at 6:50. I returned to the cabin at 7:15 to gather my gear and went to the World Stage at 8 to wait for my tour. The ship was not cleared by local officials until 9 and my 8:30 tour was called then. They had already cancelled a tour to an island due to weather conditions. I got on the bus by 9:15 but they waited until 9:30 to begin. The weather was overcast, with rain and high humidity but the rain stopped as we started out. As usual, I chose the wrong side of the bus as the guide was pointing out things on the left side while I was on the right. We went to the San Miguel Fort for 30 minutes and I walked around and took some pictures but did not go into the fort. We drove thru the city to the Marginal Bay and stopped for 15 minutes at
the beach. I didn't get out since there wasn't much to look at, but
took some pictures from inside the bus. Our last stop was at the Agostinho Neto Mausoleum and we were told that we could take pictures outside, but none inside. After a 15 minute wait until other people left, they allowed us to get off the bus. I got out to visit the WC but the men's was locked, so I walked around the grounds and took more pictures. We got back to the ship at 12:30, so my 2 hour tour turned into a 3 hour tour.I uploaded my pictures and updated the blog entry which took until 2. I read until 4 and went to happy hour. As I was leaving, I found a notice that we had to have a temperature check tomorrow in order to meet the arrival requirements of Ghana. I went to the sail away at 5:10 and stayed until 5.45 when I went to the cabin to get ready for dinner. We sailed at 6:30. I went to dinner at 7:20. I returned to the cabin at 8:55 and read until 10 when I went to bed.
My tour was described as:
2 hour 8:30
Leaving the pier, you'll drive along Marginal Bay, with the commercial part of the city on the one side and views across the bay on the other. Watch for the Igreje de Senhora de Nazare -- a small, beautiful church that is a National Monument.
You will visit San Miguel Fort (1576) built to defend the port and the city from the French, Spanish and Dutch armies. The endeavor was successful until 1641, when Dutch forces seized Luanda.
Stop at the nearby Agostinho Neto Mausoleum -- a huge, stylized and rather impressive obelisk -- is the gravesite of Angola's first president and was a gift from Russia. Needless to say, President Agostino Neto had strong communist affiliations.
Head back to the ship past the pink National Bank of Angola building -- a marvelous example of colonial architecture. Note that, in spite of everything that has happened in Angola's struggle for Independence, a Portuguese insignia remains clearly visible above the main entrance.
Notes:
Not advisable for guests using a wheelchair or for those with mobility limitations. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Angola is a fascinating country and Luanda holds the dubious honor of being the most expensive city in the world. Prices here are fueled by oil revenues; the economy is very sensitive to movements in the price of crude oil. The tourism sector is in its early infancy; some basic tourism facilities such as curio shops are simply not available yet. Visiting Luanda is a rewarding experience, but it requires some acceptance and understanding that it is markedly different from some other ports. The trade-off for any inconveniences is that you are witnessing the current character of this developing nation, which will be lost to future visitors. Although basic, the coaches are maintained, but the quality can vary considerably. PA systems for commentary are virtually non-existent; however, some vehicles are equipped with a GPS-triggered narration system. There is no formal guiding qualification required for Angola and, in order to support the local community, the tour operator uses local guides. Some guides have had prior experience in guiding for visiting cruise ships, but some have not. Your guide will do his/her best, but please keep in mind that the limited tourism infrastructure here is part of your experience, and bear with any language or other difficulties he/she may encounter. English is the third language of Angolans. Government authorities reserve the right to limit access to museums and other points of interest. Road conditions are weather dependent. Many roads are paved, but potholes are ever-present. There are also a number of bumpy dirt roads, which will be navigated carefully. All timings are approximate, as the local traffic will have a direct influence on the overall schedule. Delays are to be expected. Please be advised that some of the monuments and attractions that are viewed may fall under the rules pertaining to military or state defense objects. You are not allowed to photograph such sites and ignoring these rules can lead to serious problems with the local authorities; please ask your tour guide's advice before using your camera at all. There are no restroom facilities available during the tour or on the transportation unless specifically stated otherwise. The tour operator reserves the right to cancel the tour due to changes in weather, road or access conditions. Because Angola is a developing country and things change rapidly, the tour operator also reserves the right to make changes to the itinerary.
