Wednesday, May 22, 2013

THE CITIES : BANGUI/BOSUM, CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 3




     We wandered around, looking at sites and people. The City Hall was the finest building in the city: it was made of alabaster marble, the perfect dome testifying to a Muslim influence in its architecture. 

images (287×175)     I pulled out my camera (the sad experience of almost getting beat up by a crowd for trying to take their picture taught me nothing). "Don't"- said the African brother. "Why", - I replied, - "the people of Bosum would, probably, be happy to show off their beautiful City Hall!" 
     The second that I took that picture, we were taken in custody and brought into the same City Hall for questioning by the Deputy Mayor. He took his time with us, covering his lofty behind, in case if someone asks, why he let some foreigners take pictures of their precious City Hall. I fell back on my memory of being questioned by the KGB and did fine, blinking like a naive idiot and spouting all kinds of flattery for Bosum, the CAR, the City Hall and the Deputy Mayor. Finally, he decided that he did his duty and sent us to register at the Police Department. We walked there under guard, who rode a bicycle, while trying not to drop a huge Russian rifle.      The guard directed us onto a path through a lot, overgrown by tall, man's height, grass. As we walked in the middle of it, he got off the bicycle and took off his rifle. "That's it" - I thought - "nobody will even know, what happened to us!"
                                                          images (284×177)
                                                                                         The guard was scary, but at least there was no                                                                                                                  rhinoceros!
     The guard said in French "You must now take my picture and send it back to me after you develop it!" Incensed, I attempted to tell him where I'd like to put that picture, but Gabriel, the African brother, wisely put his hand over my mouth and shut me up. The authorities triumphed over me again! 



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