Luanda beaches reopened, putting an end to more than a year of “suffocation”

Despite the still small number of people, taking into account the fact that it is a working day of the week, some people were informed, others not so, on the beaches of the island of Luanda, with some people selling food and clothing, or taking advantage of the temperature pleasant for a dip.

Some sellers were still questioning themselves about the news of the reopening of the beaches. "It is with great surprise, I left home, it didn't count and my colleagues told me that the beach is open", said Deolinda Francisco, a street vendor of clothes, among women with doubts about the opening of the beaches, who left home for work and "with much surprise" received the news.

Deolinda Francisco told Lusa that she lived months of "terror", during the period in which she was unable to sell her goods due to measures to prevent and combat covid-19, which is the only means of livelihood for food and education of the sons.

"We, who depend on sales from here on the beach, were very sad for us," said the merchant, claiming that she survived with the help of her husband.

The seller found that the beaches are still empty, which she justified with "fear of the police", stressing that, during the ban on the use of the beaches, many people were detained by police authorities.

Suzete Lopes, who is dedicated to a food sales business, also only learned today that access to the beaches was once again allowed, news that she received with satisfaction, as it is on the island "where she looks for bread" for her children.

"People will like it, we will have more customers, there will be a lot of change, especially on our side, because we need their money and they need our food, that's why we're happy," said Suzete Lopes, who stayed throughout the Prohibition time at home.

The merchant said that some colleagues during the ban were selling secretly from the police, but Suzete preferred to stay at home and "sell cracklings, just so she wouldn't run out of money."

In turn, Carina Alves, student and digital 'influencer', learned about the opening of the beaches from the news, expressing satisfaction, since the family has the habit of socializing on the beach.

"So I'm very happy, because we'll be able to be together again", said she, who had left the university for the island.

Asked about the period she lived away from the beaches, the student said she felt "very sad and suffocated". "Because the beach leaves me free and good, I think the whole world," she pointed out.

The same was done by Geovana Oliveira, a student, who traveled to the island of Luanda to enjoy the sea, even without knowing it was open to the public.

"I only found out after I was here. I really missed the sea, I wanted to smell this smell, the noise of the sea, that's what made me get here," explained the student, who was accompanied by a friend.

Geovana Oliveira, who thinks that the reopening of the beaches will make people "quite happy", is not afraid of an increase in covid-19 cases, although this was the reason for the closure in March 2020, when the first cases were notified in the country.

"First, because we already have the vaccines available and because everyone already knows the proper care they have to take, so I don't think it's going to increase in cases" of covid-19, she said.

Angola began testing this month a return to normality with new measures to combat the covid-19 pandemic, including the end of quarantine for those who have full vaccination and the opening of bathing areas as of today.