Peace of Mind

The good thing about being alone is we can think about our inner self, that sometimes forgotten due to our hectic life. Being alone means an opportunity and plenty of time to contemplate about our being. To reflect what you already achieve in life and to embrace your only mind.

One of the special method is to release your mind to rest. To have peace of mind, by not merely thinking of what you are doing. And also to release your mind from thinking about the problem. The problem will complicate your mind and it will tend to increase your burning emotion. To release your mind means also to become more calm and hopefully, wiser.

To release the problem that created by our mind, we need to rest our mind and start to let the hearts talk by itself. Follow your heart, and you will have piece of mind.

I've tried once last night and it really works. Hopefully I can do it another time.

Lebanese Restaurant in Luanda

Lebanese are everywhere in Africa. Even in Liberia, the country where UN Volunteers like Luigi Pralangga working. The Lebanese in Liberia even already mixed culturally and genetically with Liberian people creating special mixed breed of mulata.

The Lebanese community aso exist in Luanda. One of the prominent business run by them is Bel France supermarket located near Alvalade area. The supermarket is quite modest in size, but they stocked up with necessary supplies. They have tinned food, frozen food, bakery (padaria), butcher, and other things.

The good thing about Bel France is their extensive stock of frozen chicken, ice cream, and other frozen food. They also provide several foods ranging from Arabic food (like foul and Arabic bread) and also Philippine's food. It means that there are also significant Philippine community in Luanda. Bel France also make a special cake, which is very tasteful and delicious.

There is also nice cafe in the Bel France, they serve mostly shawarma, burger, and other Lebanese delicacy. The cafe is quite popular and crowded with the people during lunch and dinner time.

Another Lebanese restauant is Al Dar Restaurant, located near Sagrada Familia/Maculusso area. They also serve variety of pizza, shawarma, kebab and rice dishes. The Al Dar restaurant seem to be slightly upmarket with speedy services.

The price for shawarma and kebab sandwich on both restaurants ranging from Kz400-600 (around USD5). For me, one shawarma or kebab sandwich already fill my stomach. But most people here takes two sandwiches with arabic bread for each meal.

The rice dishes which only available in Al Dar Restaurant, usually variety of rice with chicken or beef and vegetables will cost Kz1500 (around USD20). And my favorite part in Al Dar Restaurant is hoummous, a middle-eastern style appetite which tastes delicious.

Most people here will prefer to take elaborate rice dishes for their lunches, and they prefer sandwiches during dinner. Quite the opposite of the westerner's style.

Surprisingly, the business in Luanda, even for Lebanese restaurant are thriving. And thank you for them, we can have variety of affordable halal food in Luanda.

Cabo Sambras - Unexplored Beach

Angola is a beautiful long beach facing Atlantic Ocean. And the population mostly crowded Luanda city, therefore any unexplored beach is waiting for visit. One of them is Cabo Sambras, located in Kwanza Sul, around 3 hours drive south of Luanda. There is small sign for dirt road after Cabo Ledo that signify the Cabo Sambras.

The scenery along dirt road is just breathtaking and quite peaceful for a soothing eyes. A perfect path for easy ride on mountain biking.

It is really fortunate for me to visit Cabo Sambras. Unlike Cabo Ledo which always crowded with weekend visitors, Cabo Sambras is just peaceful. There was only our group and a village on the beach. All of the view of the beach will be a postcard-ready photograph.

The only commercial sign is a village people that offering their fresh lagosta (lobster). Oh, they sell "arang" too, may be just in case if we need to grill the fish and lagosta.

The village is remind me of Kole, a village in the boundary of Ethiopia and Somalia, that I visited last year. While Kole is located on the river bend, Cabo Sambras located on the beach. The houses are similar, very simple hut, remind me of the first civilization of Ages of Empire game.

The Atlantic Ocean are calm with one-two medium wave crashing along the beach. It is a perfect place to lying afloat on the water. Meditating and calming our mind from hectic Luanda. As always, Atlantic Ocean brings cool breeze of water awashed our body.

Hmmm... a nice visit, and we certainly crave for more.