Something about Libreville🌴/2

Hello everyone! thank you to pass by my little blog where I share my humble life, my experience and my thoughts In this post again I want to take you with me in my world. I want you to discover my little city. I live in a small country named Gabon. I live on a little town named Libreville the capital city of Gabon. I already told you the history of Libreville. A city on the coast where many many years ago there were slavery activities then later on French colonisation. Free slaves coming from Senegal built Libreville. They were autochtones living there already but not in that precised area of Libreville dominated by the French. If you want to understand, just know that Libreville was created on purpose. It was mostly for Political and economical reasons. Gabon itself was created for that matter. When the French put limits and borders they separated some families. Like my grand father on my mother side he lost his young sister and his mother. At that time according to the story I heard,She sent him to go find some natural medications because she was not feeling good at all. On his way back to his village he found some white people talking Spanish. He could not understand them. Then, their translaters told him that he belonged to the French part now. He never saw his mom ever again even after many years he tried to look for his village on a trip to find her and his sister in vain. His belongings was stolen so he had to go back to Gabon. it was an unsucessful trip. Still later on he got news that his mom passed away a long time ago but that his sister was still alive in another area of that country. She was married and had children. Years later again he saved enough and did another trip back to the now known as Guinea Equatorial to find out that his sister also passed away. He had a huge heartbreak (heart attack I might say because he suffered a lot from it and all his life he felt like he failed his young sister) that he never healed from it. He only found his nephews who later came to visit us in Gabon. This is how an example of how some families were separated. My grandfather grew up as an orphan to missionaries'settlement. * * * The American missionaries first came in Gabon after the Portuguese and the Dutch to share the Gospel of Christ. They built an old Protestant church called Baraka. My mother's parents, my mom and her siblings but also her cousins and aunts, uncle were among those who grew up in Baraka Missionary. There were plenty things the American missionaries were teaching them. My mom's aunt who was from the first generation living there almost married an American missionary. They were both in love but her family said No way! You are African you stay here! Just a little bit of history of my family.

A picture of Baraka missionary Below is one of my aunts at Baraka missionary 1961

and next my uncle her brother when he was a baby at Baraka

I will tell you more later about my family. Some of our stories. Also how we lived in other countries. I will tell you about my sister who went to discover the world (Italy, Singapore, Brunei, Spain, Netherlands, Ghana, South Africa...and the list goes on) my father who dreamed of America and went to study and lived there for a little while with his little family (my mom and my siblings) Then later on went to live in other countries. And me? What about me? O yes! Me who always wanted to be a journalist but never could lol! My passion has always been observing, analyzing and writing. Collecting stamps and postal cards of the world. I was so happy when looking at my collections. ***** Ok! Back to my little town Libreville. Whenever I was traveling it was so warm to see my little city from above in the plane (I know it looks like...nothing but that is where I grew up dear readers). The coast, the sea but today...but today things are really different. Not in a good way anymore. Libreville is no more the same... I was born here many years ago. I left for many years too. I left several times my city but when I come back I always remember the old good times. Libreville is no longer the same but still in my head I keep and cherish the beautiful memories of my life here. Memories of my free town. There is something about Libreville even though things have changed. there is a life here. This is not a big town but there is a life. There is life after work. There's life in the weekends. I try to show u the positive side. the good things in town. Before starting this post, I thought about sharing our new baby after Simba passed away. I wanted to share your Highness pictures

Your Highness, Altesse likes Opera songs. The opera.

that's what your Highness likes. ####****##### ok what is good about Libreville my little town I am sharing everything with you here: I went to visit some places and I went to eat at some places There's a place named Maison M Gabon. they make fine pastries

I like the place, the pastries and food they make

I went there to try what they have. I heard they were new in town. And I loved everything! the paris Brest, the Parisienne sandwich, the natural fruits juices. I mean it was delicious and I intend to go back there I went back home with my orders and it was good

Some fruits salad

I went to another place in town some days later on. just to discover something new. It was the Moulin d'Okala. The Moulin d Okala is in not far from the airport area

it was pleasant good service good food. I had my English breakfast. The week after I heard a place called The Montenegro Iceland glacier located somewhere in town center. I was curious to discover what they had to offer. We went there a Sunday morning after church. They make artisanal ice cream, crepes etc

Another place to go is the Bantu restaurant. It is situated at Glass area. That area of Libreville in the very old days was first owned by the English. As the name said Glass. you understand. According to History, they said they named that place after one of the native kings. He had his own name but the English named him Glass because he liked to drink (I guess it was alcohol. They gave him alcohol on purpose maybe...) That's what i read. That area was as well dominated by him and the English. People were speaking English in that area of town and French on the other side. Yes...that's a little bit of history of Libreville. At Glass there are many restaurants too but the particularity with the Bantu restaurant is the view. Outside on the back you have a good view of the coast an the sea. At night it is magical. The decoration in the restaurant is original as well.

what else? I like to take my breakfast in some other places in town.

The golf club of Libreville has a place to chill eat and relax that is called the Masaya's Garden. I loved spending time there. It is kind of away from the noise of town. You can go alone but I suggest you go with friends it is better.

the tsunami and their fast food time . With my friend we took our kids there twice now. It is kind of expensive but it worth it. My son enjoyed spending time there

Le moulin d okala

I discover this little place and store. it is like exotic, artistic somewhere not far from where I am living. Not far from the beach area. So when you walk downstairs u can see the sun and you can feel the sea breeze

The thing is to explore and discover new places, new activities etc. That is basically things you can do here. And by the way I hope to share some pictures of the cap Esterias and Santa Clara soon here. it is somewhere out and in Libreville. hmmmm ...how can I explain that? a cap

I will share what I discover again later and also how it is going so far with Donguila my village on my next post. These are some random short videos of my life here in Libreville my hometown. You can also visit my other site or blog: www.poshenvogue.com You might find it interesting because it is different from this one. Thank you for reading my post.

In this short video I went to take my breakfast alone in town at a place called Bodega.

When I take time for myself too. It is important.

My niece was dancing at her school. It was the last day and they had traditional dances to perform

When in France you see and you fall into a bicycle race lol! You don't miss the right moment

A little bit of Donguila in my next post. I went to spend a day there. In the village of my late father. The land of my father. I have a complete post for it coming. It felt kind of melancholic being alone there with the workers. It felt kind of nostalgic not being surrounded by my siblings and my parents there. Like we always used to do. But I must do what I am supposed to do. I DON"T KNOW HOW long left i HAVE HERE IN Libreville. In Gabon. I might be gone next year...but I will definitely be back soon as possible.

Now you read a little bit about the story of my grandad. How he was forced to grow up as an orphan in a missionary place. You read how he could never see his mom and sister because the Europeans cut territories and created borders painfully separating some families. You read how he died of sadness that ate him up all his life. You read the story of my grandmother who almost went to live in America with a young missionary but a love forbidden by her parents at the time. She was young and beautiful but she stayed home because she had to obey her parents. The young man left she could not go with him. You will read here more stories of my family soon maybe...Every family has a story to share. I had my aunt who had the same story but that one was really sad and painful. A French man wanted to marry her because he loved her so much but my grandfather and my grandmother said a big No. They could have escaped together because they were so in love but she stayed faithful to her family. She obeyed them. Unfortunately she later married a man from home who made her unhappy all her life. He abused my aunt all her life. A very violent man. They both had unhappy and fearful children. I can't tell the tragic end of the complete family. Look people! Love comes in any color. Do not stop your love . Do not put limit on your happiness just because the man or the woman comes from another land.

But in case you want to know the song in the video I was listening to, it is from the Gabonese author composer and poet that i like the most: Pierre Claver Akendengue. I share a lot about his songs here in my blog.

That song is Akewa meaning thank you. He says thank you for life the good and the bad things happening to us. Thank you about life coming from our dad and mom, from our friends and ennemies. Thank you for the loyal friends and those who betrayed us. Thank you for the success and failures because we learn from these experiences, thank you to the parrots of his land that were bringing spreading and taking news of his life....It is a beautiful song that always craddles me in the vibes of my roots. My gabonese roots. My proud roots and African roots. My culture. My Gabonese and African culture

Libreville. view from my window the sun is going to sleep in the arms of the sea and the night is coming little by little. Thank you for reading me and see you on my next post.