And the winner is...

Thirty-six suggestions (a third of which were provided by Nicole alone), and not a single one correct!

The correct answer is: a stalactite. More precisely, a stalactite taken from below in one of the Mbanza-Ngungu caves in Bas-Congo.

Since no one found the correct answer, first prize goes to creativity. And the winners are:

§ Carole and the polar bear footprint! Carole’s full answer was: « L'empreinte de la patte arrière droite d'un ours polaire qui, dans un effort désespéré d'adaptation au réchauffement climatique, a pris des vacances dans un Club Med Congolais où il s'est enfoncé profondément dans la boue en essayant d'apprendre à parler l'Hyppopotame local. »

Prize:

(One of five who live in our courtyard)

§ Close second is Dad and his bicentennial tree-cum-cheese platter: « C’est la coupe (section) d'un arbre katangais bicentenaire qui a vu passer Stanley lorsqu'il recherchait Livingstone dans le coin, et qui sert aujourd'hui de plateau à fromage »

Prize:

(From Madagascar)

I know, I know; the Congolese way is clearly seeping slowly through my skin and into my veins, and already I am handing out prizes to members of my immediate family. Worse, I set up a so-called ‘committee’ to bring a semblance of neutrality to the proceedings. We even have a name, le Comité des Loups-Garous, after a game a group of us played well into the night during our week-end trip to the Mbanza-Ngungu caves.

So in an attempt to redress the balance somewhat, I have introduced another prize category:

§ The prize for cleverness goes to Damien and his helicopter’s view of an open-cut mine.

Prize: A detailed, independent investigation into resource exploitation and conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Thank you all very much for being so responsive!