The Kassimbu seems on its way out. The past two days have seen temperatures skyrocketing and humidity levels stabilising around 70/80%. The African Summer is kicking in. "Friday !" I am thinking; looking through the office window staring at the horizon for rain clouds. The smooth ocean curve contrasts againsts the light blue glaze of the lower skies that stretch far away, maybe up to the Brazilian coast, to Recif. To the East, the high cliffs of Lobito reflect the bright midday sun in a yellowish halo ... but no clouds to be found either. Great!

I have yet to confirm my plans for the week end. But it is very likely that I will go do some apnea spearfishing on Saturday afternoon and an other Mountain Bike raid on Sunday morning. Both require bright blue skies for full enjoyment.
Parties are also scheduled for tonight, Saturday and even Sunday noon and night. That also demands loads of sun and warm seas for cool offs !

With the rain gone, the whole city of Lobito is metamorphosing. People stay longer in the streets after sunset, defying the dreaded mosquitoes (malaria is the principal cause of death in the country) chating or just for a "passear". The "passear" is an habit that has probably spawned off the Latin culture imported by the Portuguese colons. The Angolan have just taken it to its extreme.

Passear? (litteraly, walk / promenade) It mainly consists in cruising at night around the city at a very low speed - between 5 and 10kms/hr. And that is one of the very few things that I really cannot stand here. That just makes me mad. Everyday at night between 19.00 and 24.00 you'll find the streets filled with cars "passe"ing around the city. Usually a male and a female within. Most of the times "enamorando" (dating), or in fewer cases chating with a friend, drinking the local brew. No doubt it is the most dangerous moment for driving or even crossing the street. Most of the cars are in really poor condition (no lights, no brakes, different sizes of tires, broken windshields, etc..) and their drivers just don't pay attention to what's on the road. After all, they're on for a walk, aren't they? And it is not surprising to find some that ended up on the pavement, in a pole, or into a "passe"ing peer ... at the tremendous speed of 5km/hr.

Increasing amounts of passear is a good sign that the summer is approching. So is the increase on the number of parties and BBQs thrown during the weekends. That's why my weekend plans are filling up so quickly. I don't like "passear" much, but I really love Angolan for their friendliness and their sense of partying.