Limpopo!

I don’t have internet access at my apartment so whenever I want or need access, I use the WiFi at a friend’s place. But sometimes the house internet goes on the fritz. When this happens, I just connect to one of the unsecured networks in the area. My favorite one is called, “Limpopo.” It’s my favorite not only because it’s reliable, but because it is just so fun to say. Say it with me. “Lim-Poh-Poh!” Ain’t it great?!

We’ve been using that network on and off for months now but haven’t had any idea what it means, if anything. Until tonight, that is, when curiosity got the best of us. Tonight we used the mighty power of the InterWeb to do some sleuthing. Turns out, it’s not nonsense, or even a Spanish word like we originally suspected. “Limpopo” is the northernmost province in South Africa. A province named after a river by the same name.

But that’s not all! “Limpopo” is also the name of a Russian “Folk-N-Roll” band from the mid-80s. It’s actually on record that one curious Limpopo fan asked the band members what “Limpopo” meant. Apparently each one of them told the guy that it meant, “elephant butt.” And it gets even better…

I’m betting every single American over the age of 5 has actually heard this band before. By some stroke of luck, a big-time ad executive heard Limpopo play and liked their quirky style so much that he encouraged them to audition for a TV commercial spot. They got the gig. So does this sound familiar?

“Give me a break, give me a break. Break me off a piece of that KitKat bar!”

So there you have it. Limpopo. Unsecured wireless network. North African province. River. And the band responsible for the KitKat song.