Impfondo

Impfondo is a thin stretch of city that runs along the Ubonga river, a tributary of the Congo. Across the river is the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that sends many refugees to the hospital. Every morning, I wake up early and ride my bicycle from the south side of the city through downtown to the hospital on the north end of town.

The main road skirts the river and is the only well paved street in the city. This road is buzzing with motorcycles, Toyota cars and busses, and two-man handcarts. Father up the road and away from downtown is a quieter scene with giant abandoned buildings built by the government. I suspect that at some point the president had grand intentions for Impfondo, intentions that never became a reality. Every day I pass the ruins of a cement machine slowly being devoured by the earth and jungle.

A few times a week I go to the market. I am told that most of the shops are run by muslims who have connections to other countries and are able to import goods. Canned and dry goods are for sale at evrey store, but the market offers plenty of fresh fruit and produce and a lot of fish.

The pineapples are huge and very delicious. We have papya the size of large watermelon that will be served as a side dish for a dozen people at lunch. Once when at the market I was trapped in a tiny hardware store by a huge rainstorm. 

The people in Impfondo are not starving, but there are a lot of attractive products competing for their grocery money that I think keeps malnourished children coming to the hospital. As in the US, everyone has and is expected to have a cell phone. Keeping your phone charged and full of minutes is expensive but it is nevertheless a priority for these people.

Here is a monkey I saw. 

Another monkey.

These monkeys were pets. You don't see monkeys running willd around town. I'm told that to see one in the wild you have to hike a day or two deep into the jungle. Below is one of the two jeeps owed by the hospital. Both are diesel powered and have their peculiarities. One has almost no breaks, another has no first gear.

Impfondo is a messy place, and the mess often gets buried in mud with the falling rain and then overgrown by the jungle flora. 

In case you didn't see my previous post: I just got engaged to the most beautiful woman in the world.