The Sagrada Familia Church – pics from the inside.
The Church of Sagrada Familia (The Sacred Family) was built in 1960 and is a Luanda landmark.
This Tip: Pictures from the inside.
The Sagrada Familia Church – pics from the outside
The Church of Sagrada Familia (The Sacred Family) was built in 1960 and is a Luanda landmark.
This Tip: Pictures from the outside.
O Cantinho dos Comandos
O Cantinho dos ComandosComandos are the special troops of the Angolan army. Its Association is located in Cidade Alta, near the Palácio Presidencial, and the restaurant located on its premises is open to the general public.
Wireless Internet is available in the premises and, for football lovers, two big screens are set up whenever there’s any major tournament going on. It seems this is going to be a very popular venue to watch the games of the next FIFA World Cup
Food being served is either of typical Angolan or Portuguese cuisine and a whole meal would cost about 1,000 Kwanzas (=aprox. 10 Euros).
Panoramic view over Luanda’s bay.
Panoramic view over Luanda’s bay.Prices: US$180 and up » Currency Converter
Phone: (+244) 222-327-470
Address: Av. Comandante Gika; Luanda; Republic of Angola
Other Contact: geral@halvalade.mstecom.com
Hotel Continental Luanda: Panoramic view over Luanda’s bay.
Unique Qualities: .
Contacts:
(+244) 222-334-241
(+244) 222-334-242
(+244) 222-334-243
(+244) 222-334-244
(+244) 222-392-384
(+244) 222-395-725
Fax: (+244) 222-392-735 -or- (+244) 222-392-890
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Theme: Hotel
Phone: (+244) 222-334-241/42/43/44
Address: Rua Rainha Ginga 18 / 20 – Cx. P. 5150; Luanda; Angola.
Website: Continental
Other Contact: email: reservas@hcontinental.com
Alvalade Hotel – The newest Hotel in town
Built 3 years ago and located in Luanda, just a few miles from the airport, the Alvalade Hotel is the newest hotel in town.
It’s 4**** Star Hotel and has 202 rooms.
Decoration is mostly on the African style and amenities required by the international costumer are all available at this accommodation.
Rates start at $200 USD per night.
The odd thing is that this price is considered normal for an Hotel in Luanda !!!
[Luanda is expensive. Gosh!!]
Novo Hotel Mundial: Novo Hotel Mundial
Address: Rua Conselheiro Júlio Vilhena, nr 14.; Luanda; Angola.
Other Contact: Email: hotelmundial@snet.co.ao
Phone: Fax: (+244) 222390460/222390561
Portuguese Products are popular
Interesting to see that Portuguese Products are quite popular in Luanda (and it seems that the same rule applies for all Angola in general).
Portuguese beers such as Sagres, Super Bock, and Cristal definitely lead the way.
Other products are also quite popular: Ramirez tuna canned fish, also Inês canned fish, Delta coffee, Mimosa milk, Compal fruit juices, some major portuguese branded wines, and also GALP gasoline stations, etc …..
Quilmes – Argentinean Beer
Angola in general and Luanda in particular is an huge market on beer consumption.
Quilmes – an Argentinean beer, is marketing hard in Luanda to get its own market share in this African country.
Blue Soda: Angolan Product + Brazilian Marketing
Once I got in Luanda I immediately noticed the cool Blue soda advertising billboards. This sodas’ street advertising is really, really good.
I found out later that Blue soda, which I tasted and found it extremely good, is produced locally, 100% Angolan, and marketed with Brazilian marketing !!!
This mix (Angolan product + Brazilian marketing) turn out to be EXPLOSIVE, eheheeh …
No wonder why those outdoor billboards keep being robbed by the locals for private home decoration.
“Advertising Painter.”
This shot was done today, 2 December 2010.
I’ve just saw this great sign on the Resolução de Outubro Avenue (aka: Airport Avenue), opposite to Clinica Girasol.
The sign advertises services for Painter, Designer, Simple or w/ Light Adds, House Painters, Stickers, etc, and they do also make License plates.
My whole attention goes for the painting itself (pictured). The one that did this job is definitely a good painter.
> Mario Ferreira, Luanda, 2 December 2010.
view from the island: “Luanda at night”
A good suggestion for dinner is to try a restaurant in the Island, which is right in the other side of the Luanda Bay.
There are several restaurants to choose from. So, options are various.
The restaurants located in the east side of the island offer this view (pictured here) of Luanda city.
“Driving is an headache !!!”
Driving in Luanda is an headache, despite being a major personal challenge as well 🙁
The goods news is, I feel driving in Luanda nowadays is not as bad as it used to be four years ago, in 2006, when I visited Luanda for the very first time.
Where is the local handcrafted “Pau Preto” Art ?
Unlikely in Maputo, Mozambique’s capital, in Luanda I couldn’t find local people selling their wood handcrafted ART in the street !!! – This fact was very disappointing since I was traveling to Luanda expecting to buy quite a few of those Pau Preto (“black wood”) handcrafted art pieces.
Only in some particular shops, at the airport for instance, I did find those art pieces for sale. And those folk art pieces were quite expensive at those shops !!! – Prices were $20 USD or $50 USD and up !!! .. /…. very, very disappointing …./
Due to its flat and open area and also to its proximity to Luanda, Viana involved itself as Angola’s industrial city.
Street Sellers – The road to Viana (from Luanda)
I’ve noticed that it’s terrible the traffic between Luanda and Viana. It looks like it is rush hour all day long !!!
Because cars are packed on the road and quite often traffic runs in low gear, street sellers take their chance. They walk on the road between cars and show off their various products trying to catch the interest of any potential buyer.
American Cola
Managed by Refriango – the same company of Blue Sodas, American Cola is produced in Angola under the license of the original American brand.
Blue Vans – private business for public service
To move around Luanda, local people use these Blue Vans private service.
At sight all the times, these Vans should numbered by the thousands in the whole city.
Maximum capacity of each vehicle is unknown (I’m kidding here) since one never knows how many people may fit inside 🙂
Each Van is managed by a 2-man team: the driver and the ticket-seller.
The deal goes likes this: at the end of each day the 2-man team is obliged to pay the Van’s owner the amount of $100 USD. So, since each ticket is 50 Kwanzas (approx $0.62 US cents), the Van needs to ride about 160 people just to even the payment deal with the owner. Anything behind that amount will make this 2-man their profit or salary.
This deal explains why those Vans are always rush driving and also why the ticket-seller really makes an effort calling customers trying to bring them in.
The 2-man team is responsible for washing the vehicle and also to pay for the Van’s minor reparations when needed.
This is the most inexpensive way to move around Luanda (50 Kwanzas per ride) and service pretty much reaches all areas.
However, my guess is visitors might find it unsafe and are likely to avoid its service.
