After getting up, the packing is one more time optimized; stuff from the small bag into the medium one, stuff i don‘t need anymore in the big green bag that is usually at the bottom in the cargo space of the plane. And then off to breakfast where rainer already sits at the table. Coincidentally he did exactly the same thing with the packing this morning; we are really like an old married couple!
The breakfast is very typical for siao tomé. Staff is already here. So are the fruits but there are no plates to put them on. When asking the girl where the plates are she says they are here; we tell her they are not and she is surprised and gets them. The coffee can is empty and the cook who should prepare the omelets is not here yet. More and more guests are showing up and there is simply no staff around anymore. Looks like they are all in the kitchen.
This is all „leve, leve“ which might be cool for them. But what they have not realized is that tourist destinations today have to compete globally. Tourists who can afford these 5 stars resorts compare sao tomé to mauritius, the maldives, seychelles, etc. And there prices are the same but service and infrastructure is much, much better. I guess these people here have to wake up to the real world; work a bit more and a bit less „leve, leve“.
The tower at the airport is exactly like the hotel: we are the only plane taking off but the guy does not have any information about us and is simply not prepared. We climb up to 19‘000 feet and fly above the clouds to libreville. And we are crossing the equator now! There the tower is very efficient and so is the handling on the ground after rainer‘s perfect landing. They speak a good french and get us through customs and immigration quickly. After a coke and seeing the gent‘s, we take off again and get permission to fly vfr (sichtflug) to lambarené.
We follow the coast on 1‘000 feet for 20 miles and turn inwards after crossing the harbor. It is a great feeling to fly so low and we can see the giants tree in this huge forest. The weather is better than expected but we still fly over lambarené airport to have a look at it. Handling on ground is again very professional and within 30 minutes we are in the hotel. „not really hyatt like“; another typical african place. Run down and no charm or care (gmüetlich und heimelig). The only nice thing about it is the pool.
After a short swim and lunch, our handler picks us up and we visit the albert schweitzer museum. First the lady who does the guided tour is really reserved but as she learned that we are from switzerland she gets much nicer. The swiss are financing the renovation of the museum which is currently taking place. The place is quite famous and has over 7‘000 visitors a year. The tour is very informative and the museum very well done. It is amazing what this man and his people did. He was a priest and professor in theology, then became a medical doctor and finally an architect. Since he was an alsatian, he had a tough time during the first world war and had to restart from scratch again. It‘s just amazing what they did with the means they had!!
After the museum, we visit the new albert schweitzer hospital. It is a hospital for the poor who can not afford the government hospital in town. We realize one more time how privileged we are to leave in switzerland. Or have the rettungsflugwacht in case we get sick here! We get a short city tour and are amazing how dirty the place is again! The local market is just disgusting and we want to see a local supermarket and buy some coke there. The place is actually ok and the owner has 3 ladies constantly sweeping and cleaning the shop.
Back in the hotel we feel like in an oasis, soak in the pool, shower, write diary and work on webpage. The food and service in the hotel‘s restaurant is as lousy as the hotel‘s interior; people are just not motivated. And sorry folks; no internet access today. You have to wait till luanda for the next upload.
