Residence Les Voyageurs

HERE'S WHERE I'M STAYING in Kinshasa. It's a hotel with a pool, gym, tennis courts, and a bar. There are photos of the nondescript entrance, the courtyard, the doorway to my room, and those amenities.

Last night there was music playing outside the hotel bar and a lot of young Congolese hanging around. I was hoping to see some dancing; the Congolese are famous for that. But there was no dancing, just the sort of milling about you'd expect at, say, a Bar Mitzvah. Before the booze kicks in. I haven't run that analogy by any of the Congolese. Yet.

Anyway, the tennis courts seem to be clay courts, which I could confirm if I'd ever played on clay before. Yesterday I played with an instructor - le 'prof,' qui s'appelle Paul. His rate is 10 bucks an hour. He might be a good instructor; you should ask someone who can take instruction in French. The real bargain is the ballboy, who works at 2 bucks an hour.