Luanda

6 MAY 2023

Luanda is a city of raw contrasts. Rich from oil money, there is plenty of evidence of lavish expenditure on presidential buildings, towering office blocks and beautifully renovated Portuguese architecture. This is all adjacent to dilapidated 60s tenement blocks, shacks and empty properties.

The water side has been developed with a promenade running round the bay, edged with the larger buildings and appealing restaurants. The marine is full of large yachts and motorised boats.

At another level, you see plenty of people trying to make money from selling goods on the street side, collecting items to recycle or rummaging through bins. This is where those with access to money live alongside people who live each day from hand to mouth.