First Evening In Bissau

Last night I consulted the Lonely Planet to get some options on where to eat, and headed out. My primary destination: the place described as the best pizzeria in town. The secondary place--a Chinese place supposedly next door to a Senegalese place. I couldn't find the pizza place. So I headed in the direction of the Senegalese place. On the way I saw a closed Chinese place called Dragon. I passed the Presidential palace not noticing that the roof had been destroyed during the civil war ten years ago. That's how beat up Bissau is--you don't even notice missing roofs off major buildings. I went up toward where the Senegalese place was. I passed a place called Bar Sara that had a couple tables of white people but it also had takeout pizza boxes. It was about a block before the Senegalese place but there was no sign of the Chinese place that's supposed to be next door.

So what to eat? It's funny, but I'm more self-conscious about going into a restaurant of white people in Africa than black people. Like if I walk in, they'll think "look a lone white guy. I wonder if he wants to talk to us. How can we get rid of him if tries?" But, the pizza boxes were calling. I went "in"--there is not really an inside. A woman, dark skin but not black said "ça va?" and I replied "ça va" and rushed past to sit down. I sat there for a while and she came over. She asked "ça va?" again and asked if I was going to eat. At this point I figured out she was the probable owner or manager. I'm not sure if her French was second language French. It seemed almost as awkward as mine for some reason. This place has no menu. You just sort of have to order. She listed a bunch of things one of which was pizza. I said pizza. Then we had to do toppings. We managed to come up with a light list of some sort of meat, onion, tomato, and mushrooms. I ordered a large. And a beer.

When the pizza arrived, it was missing the tomato and onion, but it tasted pretty good otherwise. The meal cost me about 3000 CFA (US$6).

I headed back and tried to find the Bonjour Supermarket. I thought I found it and it was shackled. I found another supermarket and entered. I decided to buy a can of ravioli in Italian sauce--maybe for later, maybe the next day. The restaurant situation seemed dire. I think the can was supposed to be 1500 CFA but I got 4500 CFA back from my 5000 CFA note.

Then back to the room where the power was not yet on.

August 19, 2008 16:00 Guinea-Bissau local time