Planete Hollywood

There is a Planet Holly wood here in Djiboutiville. Not according to the thrice bankrupt company founded by Robert Earl, former president and CEO of the Hard Rock Cafe, with the cash from Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

From djib country

The logo is consistent, and there are pictures of stars in this "Planete Hollywood" but the service is typical of downtown Djibouti.

I ordered a Double Cheese Burger and got it. You would recognize its ilk if you have ever microwaved a single cheeseburger at an AM\PM Mini Mart. I peeled the top bun back and showed the semi hot Djiboutian waitress the single layer of of debatable meat patty. I said "I ordered a double burger. Double. This is SINGLE." She said "Djibouti Double." She didn't even smile. But she's right. Here in Djibouti they gladly charge you double, triple for nothing extra. You get more for less and nothing for more sometimes, I guess.

This country should be prosperous right now. It has a huge port and it is the only port that Ethiopia can use. Ethiopia used to think it had its own port in Eritrea, but the war put a lid on that jar. So many trucks move through here.

Many trucks, many military personnel. But the government here gouges as much as it can, and rather than taking advantage of a momentary window to create a vital economy, the gov't here chooses to squeeze everyone until they have to leave.

That is what is meant by a Djibouti Double. Nothing more for twice the price.

There is, in the same building as the one we live in, a "Djibouti Olympic Committee." It is right next to the disco "Club Hermes" which Ann and I have started to call "Club Herpes" because there are a lot of Ethiopian Hos up in that joint.

Update: I finally gave in and went back to Planete Hollywood to get a burger, this time I ordered two single burgers, thinking to double up the meat patties and toss the bun. On the menu, the single burger is 900DJF ($4.80) and the "double" is 1300DJF ($7.80). So I get the two burgers and they are exactly the same as the "double" I got twice before, as I pretty much expected. Then I pull the one meat patty from one, trying hard not to look at the yellow lettuce, and stick it in the other bun. I look up and the waitress looks astonished. "Why didn't you order the double?" I had to laugh as I tried and failed to explain to her...