Shopping ------ Luanda Style

Driving around Luanda gives a whole new meaning to window shopping. Sometimes I get whiplash trying to take in all the "sideshows" of vendors pedaling their wares. I'm not so sure we haven't run over the toes of a few of them as they wound their way in and out through the maze of cars. There are some fantastic photo ops, if you dare. The other amazing thing is seeing the women who balance a plastic tub on their head with a baby tied onto their back. I'm determined to get a good photo of one of them. (This photo was taken by one of the other expats.) It's not actually safe to roll down your window in the traffic. So we just look.


Eggs by the crate, glasses for eight
Clocks and locks, and fancy socks
Mops and brooms, shelves for rooms
Tables and chairs, onions and pears
Plastic flowers and eggs, newspapers and pegs
Bracelets and papers, math calculators
Wallets and panties, bug spray for “anties”
Fabric by the meter, a cool fan or heater
Toothbrushes and maps, soccer balls, caps
Remote controls and polish for toes
Doormats and floor mats, carpets and hats
Stereos for cars, hangers and bars
Perfume to wear, combs for your hair
Shoe racks and boards, screwdrivers and cords
Feather dusters and pens, and even live hens
Kleenex and wheels, all kinds of deals
Umbrellas and blades, charcoal and shades
Popcorn and pots, rope to make knots
Eyeglasses and drainers, ice cream and strainers
Curtains with rods, gym shorts for bods
Rulers and keys, and cell batteries
Hoses, suitcases, CDs and shoelaces
A complete set of dishes, all kinds of fishes
Petrol for your car, bikes to go far
Utensils to cook--- do you just want to look?
These things I have seen on the streets where we live
You can buy anything if the kwanzas you’ll give
Forget the small shops or browsing the mall
By drving the streets you’ll, no doubt, have a ball.