I just love my family, they bring me such joy and entertainment.  Came home early yesterday to find a very cheerful family.  Decy was especially proud of herself yesterday (Tues) having just completed a major coup.  She succeeded in finding (probably on the Luanda streets, not in the stores) some fresh chili.  She proudly showed me a 3 quart bowl full of fresh super-duper (thx Josh) hot chilis .... some green, some red, some yellow, some orange.  It looked like Christmas in a bowl.  And the best part ... Decy proudly proclaiming that the bowl full of chilis cost ONLY $30 .... watch out makers of now defunct Phen-Phen ... not only is this stuff cheaper ... and works better ... but on the bottom of each chili in very small print are the words "thou shalt not sue thy maker" ... honest ... go check for yourself.

Speaking of $30, things are incredibly expensive here ... its amazing for a country where most folks earn $100/month or less that everything I buy costs at least 3x what it does in the US.  Guess that is price (no pun intended) of buying Cholera-free, Marburg-free, and Hepatitis-free food.

Angolans are an incredible people.  The vast majority are cheerful, optimistic, hard working, and helpful.  They are a fun-loving group ... and very much enjoy their parties and family gatherings.  Unfortunately, Angola has been through about 30 years of civil war - this is devastated the country and its finances.  Progress is slow, but it is steady.  Things improve daily (literally) but there's a long way to go ... at least now there is food, clothing, and autos to buy (at least in the city) ... but adequate housing, medical care, water/electricity/sewage infrastructure, and roads are not yet easily available for the middle/working class ... someday ...