Day 113 – Luanda, Angola

As we have sailed up the west coast of Africa, we have visited British (Cape Town), German (Lüderitz), British again (Walvis Bay), and now Portuguese (Luanda) former colonial cities. This just reminds me how Africa was divided by European powers into a hodgepodge of 50 irregular countries that completely disregarded the cultural and linguistic boundaries already established by the indigenous African population.

We arrived in Angola this morning and docked in Luanda, the most populous Portuguese-speaking capital city in the world. That was a surprising fact. Founded in 1576, Luanda is Angola’s largest city and one of its busiest seaports.

Views of Luanda from Viking Sky

Tim and I headed out on the included excursion, “History, Architecture and Coastal Views of Luanda,” described this way:

Admire notable landmarks along the stunning Atlantic Coast during a visit to some of the Angolan capital’s top sights. Drive along Luanda Bay, past the 17th century Church of Our Lady of Nazareth, one of the oldest in the country and a national monument featuring ornate drawings on its walls and ceiling. Ascend above Luanda Bay for one of the area’s best views of the city at its former center of defense, the Fortress of São Miguel. After, trace the Ilha de Luanda, a sandy offshore spit-turned-hotspot for chic restaurants, upscale nightclubs, lovely beaches and high-end shopping. Cap your tour with a stop at the Dr. António Agostinho Neto Memorial—an obelisk-shaped mausoleum dedicated to Angola’s first president. Here, learn about the leader of Marxist organization Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola, who was at the forefront of this country’s fight for independence.

As we left the ship, we were greeted by a local dance group, which gave us a rousing welcome. We set out toward the downtown area, following Luanda Bay and its waterfront promenade. We passed several interesting buildings before stopping for a visit to the Church of Our Lady of Nazareth.

Welcome to Luanda

Downtown Buildings and Luanda Bay

A Few Buildings that Caught My Eye

The Church of Our Lady of Nazareth was commissioned in 1664 by Governor Negreiros of Luanda to fulfil a vow to the Virgin Mary that he allegedly made while sailing through a violent storm en route to Luanda from Brazil. This simple Baroque style church features a small bell tower on one side, as well as details that reflect the craftsmanship of the era in which it was built.

Church of Our Lady of Nazareth

As soon as I walked inside the church, I was struck by the beautiful blue and white Portuguese azulejos, or hand-painted ceramic tiles. I was curious about the tiled panels and did a little research. This is what I discovered:

Most interesting of all are the two blue and white tiled panels adorning the sanctuary which depict the long-ago exploits of Governor Negreiros. One wall shows his victory at Ambuila, with the Virgin Mary appearing in the sky over the Kongo and Portuguese soldiers. On the right side of the sanctuary, the decapitated head of the Kongos King is shown lying on the battlefield next to the crown and sceptre he had received from Pope Innocent X. After the battle, the Portuguese brought the Kongos King’s head back to Luanda and sealed it in the wall behind the painting, turning Our Lady of Nazareth into the ultimate symbol of Portuguese domination in its colonies.

Although I did not have good photos of these panels, I could still make out the images described above. That such scenes would be depicted in a church was a bit shocking.

Azulejos in the Church of Our Lady of Nazareth (not the ones described above)

Azulejo Panels in the Sanctuary Described Above

We soon arrived at Fortress of São Miguel, Luanda’s first defensive structure, built in 1575. The fort now houses the National Museum of Military History, and our guide walked us through some of the exhibits. He spoke about the Angolan War of Independence that ended in 1975, as well as the country’s subsequent civil war.

Fortress of São Miguel

National Museum of Military History, with Sculpture and Artifacts Belonging to Dr. António Agostinho Neto, First President of Angola 

Views of Luanda from the Fort

From the fort we drove along the Ilha de Luanda, a coastal area composed of a narrow strip of land that separates the city of Luanda from the Atlantic Ocean. The beaches along the ocean seemed to be a popular spot, offering many types of activities, including restaurants, beach clubs, and nightclubs. There was even one named “Miami Beach.”

Ilha de Luanda

The beach was also filled with fishermen, who launch their small boats in the hopes of bringing back enough fish to make a living. We learned that the fish are then sold by women who carry the fish in containers on their heads. Containers of fish were not the only things that women carried on their heads. It was amazing to me how they could balance such loads.

Fishermen Along Ilha de Luanda

These Amazing Women Can Carry Almost Anything on Their Heads

Our final stop was the Dr. António Agostinho Neto Memorial, an obelisk-shaped monument in honor of Angola’s first president and a symbol of the country's liberation. Here, we only stopped long enough to observe the memorial from outside the fence. In the distance, we could also see the domed National Assembly building, which was inaugurated in 2015.

Dr. António Agostinho Neto Memorial and National Assembly Building

When we returned to the ship, the dancers were still there, and we enjoyed watching them. As we sailed away from Luanda, Tim and I decided to watch Russell Lee’s talk on “The Sweet Story of Rum.” I think Russell could weave a good story on almost any topic. This one was no exception.

Welcome Back to the Port of Luanda

Sailing Away from Luanda

The Sweet Story of Rum

NOTE: Many of the photos in this post were taken through the not-so-clean windows of the motorcoach on a hazy day. I’m still including them to remember what we saw in Luanda.