tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16889053434440836292024-02-21T08:40:29.813-08:00Stories to tell . . ."One's destination is never a place, but rather a new way of looking at things." Henry MillerStephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-57019306688148766032017-05-23T06:34:00.001-07:002017-06-16T08:00:48.901-07:00Letters from Russia - Following Tolstoy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/bHx55NNsLSFFScns7" target="_blank">Russia Photo Album</a></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">I travel light!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So - back in early
March I find myself sharing a train compartment with a Frenchman, we are on our
way to Varanasi, India. We start with the usual casual chit chat typical of 2
travelers just getting to know each other… where are you going, where have you
been so far, where are you from… the simple back & forth that quickly led
on to more interesting & in depth topics while we passed many more hours
crossing the countryside of Uttar Pradesh. Though we had a great conversation
of all the things I was stuck on was that he had flown Aeroflot via Moscow to
get from Paris to New Delhi. Hmmmm I kept thinking… Moscow… Russia… wonder what
that would be like, it sure can't be too far away then!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of the great
aspects of my travels this past year is having the opportunity to receive
inspiration from a wide variety of sources about potential destinations. I may hear about a country that I know little
about… perhaps some unique cultural traditions, perhaps a specific location or
an interesting creature or feature of wildlife.
I just pull out my smartphone & pull up Google Maps to see where
this potential new destination may be. A similar situation happened when I met
an Israeli & was then inspired travel a bit in the Middle East. Now Russia
- Moscow, St. Petersburg! I can do that!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-traVHegCFGA/WSQIiAAv_bI/AAAAAAAAWjg/dyyZy4R0PR06LzpxKwQlLuj6PJ6imCwTQCLcB/s400/2017-05%2BRussia%252C%2BMoscow%2B%252810%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="300" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">St. Basil Cathedral at Red Square, Moscow</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xj8zMR5AJs4/WSQGcvMTcrI/AAAAAAAAWhw/lmRrTbbAAfYVRFH2BYrz21Or7TmM5WAqQCLcB/s1600/2017-05%2BRussia%252C%2BMoscow%2B%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xj8zMR5AJs4/WSQGcvMTcrI/AAAAAAAAWhw/lmRrTbbAAfYVRFH2BYrz21Or7TmM5WAqQCLcB/s1600/2017-05%2BRussia%252C%2BMoscow%2B%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The transition from
Delhi to Moscow was intense! I left the 110 degree Fahrenheit temperature of
crazy chaotic crowded Delhi to land in the incredibly civilized organized
predictable city of Moscow. Every day has been such a pleasure getting around
on efficient metros, walking along spotlessly clean streets & canals
(believe me - there is no trash, not even a plastic bottle or plastic bag
laying around anywhere!). The weather has been mostly in the low to mid-60's F
with a day or two in low the 70's. The
sky is bright blue, no smog, & no haze. The streets are quiet - no horns! -
just occasionally I'll find musicians playing in the metro stations or on the
street - everything from pop, to jazz, to classical music. The sidewalks &
the streets are wide & large size cars are typical (motor bikes &
scooters are rare). People seem to enjoy
strolling so weekends are festive with families & young people filling the
metro & buses, the streets, restaurants, & the sidewalk cafes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The
Russian people seem to enjoy the historical sites - probably mostly tourists
from around Russia - and there </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">are so many palaces, museums, & monuments to
visit. I don't see too many modern buildings in the central part of the cities
- as the older buildings are beautifully restored but updated with all the
modern conveniences of electricity & plumbing on the inside. The shopping
malls here are very high end, with all the very best international designers
& brands. And yes the imports are very pricey.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Even ibuprofen - $8USD for 12 tablets!!</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh - but the rooms are heated & there is great
hot water & ample clean public bathroom facilities (remember, I have just
spent almost 3 years in developing countries so the availability of those
luxuries still surprise me). My hostels have been warm enough so that I only
need the duvet provided & not a mound of blankets as I did in the mountains
of India.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KFu-l4QaSks/WSQGiHII5dI/AAAAAAAAWiY/tuH52_UB1dYwDiTBHtRakPZj2Jb2dgPMgCLcB/s400/2017-05%2BRussia%252C%2BSt.%2BPetersburg%2B%25281a%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Moscow to St. Petersburg over 400 miles in 4 hours</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xj8zMR5AJs4/WSQGcvMTcrI/AAAAAAAAWhw/lmRrTbbAAfYVRFH2BYrz21Or7TmM5WAqQCLcB/s1600/2017-05%2BRussia%252C%2BMoscow%2B%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xj8zMR5AJs4/WSQGcvMTcrI/AAAAAAAAWhw/lmRrTbbAAfYVRFH2BYrz21Or7TmM5WAqQCLcB/s400/2017-05%2BRussia%252C%2BMoscow%2B%252825%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Moscow & St.
Petersburg share many similarities but there</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> are few easy to spot differences.
Moscow does seem more upscale in terms of the style of the local people whereas
the people of St. Petersburg like to say they are more relaxed & casual than
the Muscovites.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Typical street, Moscow</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Typical street in St. Petersburg</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In anticipation of
my visit I finished reading Dostoyevsky's <span style="text-decoration-line: underline;">Crime
& Punishment</span> & I have almost finished Tolstoy's <span style="text-decoration-line: underline;">War & Peace</span>. Tolstoy's depiction
of Moscow & St. Petersburg is easy for me to see as a tourist. I can follow
the streets he mentions as the members of the Bezukhov, Bolkonsky, Rostov, the
Kuragin, and Drubetskoy families move between Moscow & St. Petersburg,
country home & mansion, and boudoir & ballroom. The number of palaces, mansions, &
majestic state buildings that line the streets, rivers, & canals is
incredible - the stereotypical Soviet bloc buildings must be located in the
outer reaches of the cities as they sure do not mar the beauty of the cities.
The love of the French esthetic from those early days is apparent in the
architecture & furnishings - the Russians seem to value the grandeur as so
much seems to have been restored to its original state.</span></div>
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x174rKWCMBE/WSQGbuT2kSI/AAAAAAAAWhs/UYBtFxRbNOQAPYRySZ5PP4w-Zgficy1JACLcB/s400/2017-05%2BRussia%252C%2BMoscow%2B%252820%2529.JPG" width="300" /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Orthodox
Cathedrals though are uniquely Russian & they are so many throughout the
cities. The fanciful onion shaped spires with whimsical colors & patterns
create an impressive contrast to the baroque & neoclassical architecture of
the private & public buildings. The artwork inside the cathedrals is
incredible - intricate mosaics & paintings create realistic depictions of
the religious figures in the icons that adorn the walls; there are very few
statues like what we would see in Christian & Catholic churches. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">All the art in this cathedral is mosaic</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Bolshoi Theatre where I saw an opera by Mozart!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are more than
enough historical sites, many that have been converted into well-stocked
museums - it would take weeks & weeks to see everything. The Catherine the
Great's Hermitage in St. Petersburg & the Pushkin Museum of Art in Moscow
are exceptional - both of these have very impressive collections of
Impressionist artists, while the Hermitage has an extensive collection of the
old European classical masters of the 1500-1700's including Rembrandt & Da
Vinci. Though slightly smaller in scale than the Louvre, the Hermitage
collection offers the palaces as a backdrop for the art. The rooms that you
pass through have been restored to their original splendor (though I had to
avoid dwelling on the opulence & how that was all acquired!). </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">At the Bolshoi - small theater</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Picasso at the Pushkin Museum, Moscow</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hermitage, St. Petersburg</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hermitage</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Faberge Egg at the Faberge Museum in St. Petersburg</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Moscow Metro Station</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though I have really
been awestruck by the beauty, organization, & cleanliness of Moscow &
St. Petersburg - I have missed getting to know the Russians I meet casually.
English is not well spoken here at all in spite of the socio-economic status -
so it is very difficult to have a conversation with people I meet. It's often
very difficult to do much more than point to something I need or want - I use
Google Translate for even simple exchanges. Fortunately a few folks have been
come forward to help in in the Metro stations when it was painfully obvious I
was having trouble. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In spite of the language barrier seeming to put some
distance between me & the local people I meet - I do see people in the
streets & cafes as very warm & charming with their friends. And, again
because this is not so typical in Asian & African countries, I see so many
couples on the streets holding hands & being very affectionate - it is as
if the beauty of the cities just brings out that romantic nature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am really so happy
that I made this short 2-week trip to Russia. Who knows where our politics will
take us - but for me it was a lovely spring adventure in a beautiful beautiful
country. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Matryoshka - traditional Russian wooden nesting dolls</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Classic Borscht ` beet soup</span></td></tr>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-21782226596301330882017-04-30T21:56:00.000-07:002017-05-08T23:19:45.203-07:00Letters from India - The Mountain Trail<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><br /></b>
<a href="https://goo.gl/photos/AfCYo4WTxdzhAPBV7" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>India Photo Album</b></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I often dread
writing - though I force myself to write something each month - it takes some
discipline to keep up these narratives that I write to stay connected to friends & to remind me of the places & people I have come to know. But I had a long cold day
in Leh, settled in my hard hard bed but with a spectacular view of the
Himalayas so I decided to get this started and then it just seemed to write
itself. The challenge in writing about India is to be honest about the
challenges of being a traveler here while still trying to convey what an
incredible country this is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">By the time I leave
India I will have been traveling 10 months - even when I write these posts I
find that the days & weeks spent in various countries & places is
becoming a blur. I look back at the simple snapshots I have taken to help me
remember some amazing adventures. If all goes well I will be able to get a visa
from the Russian Embassy in Delhi & will take off for a week to Moscow on
May 13 & then travel to St. Petersburg by train for another week. Yes - I
still want to keep this crazy lifestyle going longer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now into my second
month of travel in India, over 1,300 miles so far, I was feeling fairly comfortable with the ins and outs
of travel in northern India - even taking in stride, as an example, the
overpacked, overnight 108 miles (174 km) local bus from Dharamsala to Kullu
that would take almost 8 hours (gives a good example of how slow the mountain road trips are). I thought I would miss seeing the beautiful
mountain scenery by traveling through the night - but actually bus trips mean
just a constant barrage of towns along narrow roads with little scenery to see. At least travel by night gives one a chance
of getting somewhere without the constant surge of traffic & pedestrians
that happens amid blaring horns during the crazy pre-midnight hours. Between 8
pm & midnight, depending on the size of the town, the traffic eases up as
the shops & street vendors have packed up & everyone is heading home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">India surpasses all
the Asian & African countries I have visited so far in the intensity of
homes & businesses & vehicles & people & cows & dogs
competing for limited space along existing, incredibly narrow & poorly
maintained roads. Without sidewalks, pedestrians & animals have to weave
among the cars & rickshaws & motorbikes & food stalls with their
vats of boiling oil for samosas & pots of boiling milk tea. There is little
to no difference between the roads within towns & those that pass between
towns - it's a maze of pot holes & irregular surfaces with piles of bricks,
dirt & rock for construction heaped just about everywhere. The rule of the
road is the </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">game of chicken as
drivers dare each other to see who will pull over or back up at the last minute
to let the other pass. To say the Indians drive aggressively is an
understatement. It's a given that there will be shouting on both sides for
minor accidents that are basically just shrugged off as who wants to get
insurance companies & police involved. Pedestrians understand they have
zero priority but they play the game of chicken too & ignore the vehicles
which causes drivers to lean fiercely on their horns. And so it goes. I seldom
enjoy going for walks here because it is such a struggle dealing with the
traffic, the constant blaring horns, & the uneven roadways with little
place for escape.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Like most of the
developing countries I have visited in Asia, one really has to wander far off
the main transportation lines by private car or take an overland trek to a
remote village to find something even close to what we might call charming; as
in the sense of an old colonial village in Mexico, an indigenous village in
Lesotho, or a medieval village in Spain. In all but the most rural & rustic
hamlets, there seems to be little preservation of the look & feel of
traditional neighborhoods. Newer buildings are crowded in wherever they can be
fit. Everything takes on a shabby look as it seems there is little regard for
maintaining - anything. Advertisements are painted onto buildings or posted on
makeshift signs. Dirty windows, unfinished buildings, shabby restaurants &
hotels, small shops selling the same chips & sodas line the streets; it's
all a repetitive blur. Trash - yes, the bane of developing countries, is
everywhere. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So how can you
understand or appreciate India if you can't go past what you see on the
streets? It is a challenge to everything we know & love about our (mostly)
clean, well-organized, predictable western world. India is a challenge more
than any other country, because there just so many people & the chaos is
accepted. The volume of life here is so intense & so overwhelming. And so I
am constantly intrigued by what I see when I am out. The craziness that I feel
is just what is "normal". If the people around me are stressed or
annoyed by the blaring horns, the traffic, the chaotic-seeming manner of
"non-queueing", the yelping dogs, the on again off again electricity
- they sure don't seem to show it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I don't want to
assume that I understand the culture but… the chaos of the outside world does
not seem to be reflected in the individuals that I have met or observed.
Whether Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or Buddhist there is certain calmness, a
peacefulness and genuine kindness that I can easily feel when I talk with
individuals & small groups. People here struggle with the economy &
lack of resources but they don't seem to struggle with life. It seems too
simple to say but maybe there is a safety net that the extended family &
their religion offers & that helps maintain some equilibrium &
perspective. There is so much apparent energy - people seem to work hard &
are productive - the shops & markets are always so full of "made in
India" goods - abundant fruits, vegetables, eggs, & milk products (the
best fresh yogurt!), finely crafted cotton & woolen garments, beautiful
hand crafts - rugs, weavings, embroidery, wood & metal work, to name a few.
And of course super creative & prolific literary, music & film artists.
But so many people also seem to take time for their spiritual life as well -
even if just to stop by a temple for a quick prayer or touch their hand to the
threshold & then their forehead in a sign of respect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Indians love of
country & heritage is also very apparent. Outside of major cities like
Delhi, I rarely come across western (American) fast food joints (thank god).
Each state has a clear identity that is apparent through unique, brilliantly
colorful traditional dress, language, & delicious food. Indians enjoy being
tourists & traveling to regions often at great distance from their own
state; they bring their kids & extended family & often take up several
rooms in the hotels. During most of my trip I have spent more time with locals
in hotels & have found they treat the hotel like their homes. They leave
their doors open so family members can move in & out to visit & share
meals. Life happens in the hallways too - it's not uncommon to find someone
walking around the hallway brushing their teeth in their jammies. And, they are
always kind & friendly to me - much more so than even foreign travelers who
are often in their own bubble of isolation. I can't even count the times I have
been given a business card by an Indian father traveling with his family with a
heartfelt invitation to come for a visit should I travel someone's home state.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is very easy to
meet local Indians here & I have visited with numerous families in their
homes. When someone invites me to come to their home - they are being genuine
& sincere - there is no hidden agenda. The visit will include tea &
I'll bring cookies & sometimes I can pull out a balloon from my bag for the
little kids. With an array of parents, in-laws, adult & young children,
cousins & neighbors there is always someone who can speak even a little
English or be fairly fluent. Even if we can't speak more than a few simple
sentences, friendship & hospitality are clearly communicated.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Eleven weeks in
India, covering an additional 4,000 miles, has passed at a very slow pace. I have had the chance to see &
experience so many different regions, some like Kashmir & Ladakh that I
knew I wanted to visit; others like Varanasi & Dharamsala that I never
imagined I would; & still others like Khajuraho, Orchaa, the Kullu Valley,
& Amritsar that I had never heard of.
Looking beyond the craziness & disorder can be a challenge but once
I do the magic of India is right there to enjoy. The heritage of India, led by
the Moghuls, shahs, & religious leaders, found incredible ways to blend
man-made elements with the natural beauty of India. Palaces, forts, temples,
stupas, & monasteries were built in harmony with spectacular settings. The
princes of Varanasi built noble palaces, gates, & walkways along the sacred
Ganges River to pay homage to the gods, yet allow access to the river for all
worshippers. Khajuraho is home to the intricately carved Jain temples &
tombs silhouetted among beautiful gardens.
Leh's Buddhist monasteries are built on rocky crags rising over the
barren plains with stunning views of the Himalayas; but the Hemis monastery,
the largest in Ladakh, was built in hidden niche of the Himalayas at 12,000
feet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Northern India is
rich in waterways & fertile soil. Being here in the spring I've been able
to watch the slow transformation of the farmland as farmers prepare & plant
the fields & tend the orchards. In the mountain region of Kashmir I enjoyed
the full bloom of the tulip gardens & watching the fruit & nut trees
bud & then blossom. Over 3 short days camping in Naranag, Kashmir I was
able to watch the signs of spring taking back the land from ice & snow. Our
camp sat along a fast moving river - runoff from the melting Himalayan snow -
that had begun to chip huge chunks of ice from the frozen remains of the
winter's avalanche that not so long ago had stopped the river's flow &
backed up the river high onto the rocky banks. I am sorry though that I'll miss
the blooming of Kashmir's saffron fields in October - when vast stretches of
land turn purple & fragrant. I'll also miss the hatching of the baby hawks
whose nest I watched their parents build in a tree just outside my window in
Srinagar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though I travelled
generally in the north & covered a lot of ground - I have always felt safe.
It's as if the Indian people placed me in a protected bubble. I always have had the sense that people have
kept an eye out for me, not because they feared I could be hurt or threatened
but rather because they saw I was alone & felt I needed the comfort of
their family.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though I have many
stories to tell about my experiences over the past 4-5 weeks, here are just
some highlights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kullu & Manali, Himachal Pradesh</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Two smallish towns
in the Kullu Valley at the base of the Himalayas. Manali even has a small ski
resort & offers tandem paragliding. I spent over a week in Manali visiting
the nearby hamlets & taking walks up to a very old wooden Hindu temple above
the town. In Old Manali I met a friendly fellow who invited me for tea - we sat
on the rooftop terrace of his hotel with the best view of the valley possible.
He is a musician & had many stories to tell about performing locally &
in Europe. He even hosted an even with Anoushka Shankar (daughter of the famous
sitar artist Ravi Shankar) in Manali. Well - I like to believe most of what he
said was true! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amritsar, Punjab</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">An important center
of Sikh culture & home of the Golden Temple. I have read that the Golden
Temple receives an average of 100,000 people a day, more visitors per year than
the Taj Mahal. Fortunately I arrived in the early evening to be there for the
sunset so it was not too crowded. I only had to wait in line about 30-40
minutes to get into the very small temple where the sacred books are held. Sikh
priests play traditional instruments & sing the verses night & day
(broadcast all day on national TV). The pilgrims who come to the temple from
great distances are clearly in awe & spend the day in prayer in the open
areas that surround the temple. This temple is reported to have the largest
kitchen in the world; serving a complimentary meal to all visitors who come to
the dining area. I took a day tour of the city that brought me to the
India-Pakistan border for the grand ceremony where the border guards retire the
national flags for the day. A real spectacle & show of national pride on
both sides of the border. High stepping, decked out soldiers - prance &
preen at each other in a showy display of might as they open & close the
ceremonial gates to retire the flags. The grounds are set up with a stadium
that seats several thousand people (more on the India side) to watch the
nightly event. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kashmir, Jammu-Kashmir</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This large sprawling
city sits along the banks of several rivers & a couple of beautiful lakes
& is rimmed by the Himalayas - a very scenic location. It's population is
over a million & overwhelmingly Muslim. The Kashmiri have a very different
look about them - they say it is more of a Persian rather than a Hindu
appearance. The city does not have modern buildings, rather, most building are
no more than 5-6 stories & quite worn down. It is the summer capital of the
state of Jammu-Kashmir & the site of numerous Mohgul palaces & gardens.
My home was the cozy & comfy Kashmir Inn for almost 3 weeks. The owners,
brothers Fayez, Riyaz, & Niyaz, & staff, Khursheed, Riyaz, & Adil,
became my buddies who looked out for me. </span><br />
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gulmarg & Pahalgam</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Day trips outside Srinagar
included visits to the hill towns (mountain hamlets is a more descriptive
term) of Gulmarg & Pahalgam that pass through farms & orchards to
reach impressive mountain gorges & high peaks streaked with numerous
waterfalls & whitewater rivers. In Gulmarg it was entertaining to see
the Indian tourists from the south playing in the snow for the first time.
Many of the local tourists were decked out like snow bunnies after renting
full snow gear from the stations along the road who catered to mountain
novices from the tropics.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Naranag Mountain Trek</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Riyaz (staff) is a guide
during the summer months & I was his first client for the trekking
season this year - he was my guide for a 3-night trip to Naranag in the
mountains. The first night I slept in his rustic home (tiny open hearth
for cooking, no heating, no running water except a faucet for the squat
toilet) in the "gypsy" village (his term) where his family
lives. The mountain areas have so many rivers with extremely fast moving
white water coming from the incredibly steep peaks above - I remember
thinking as we came into the area that there must be quite a few injuries
& deaths since the villagers rely on the rivers for fish, water, &
driftwood. As we came into his village we found out that just that day a
2-year child had fallen into a stream near his home & drowned. The
child's family lives right next to Riyaz's family & so from my guest
room window I was able to watch as the child, wrapped in a shroud, was
brought back to the house from the hospital (which is almost an hour
away). Over the next hour people from all over the village - some from
higher up on the slopes - came pouring into the family compound to pay
their respects & attend the funeral. The child was taken into the
home, bathed & wrapped again, while a grave was dug just outside. The
child was buried within an hour. Throughout the day, evening, & into
the night, the village imam, local leaders, family, & friends kept
vigil with the boy's parents. The whole village mourned. The next day we "trekked" only
a short distance along an easy path to our 2-night campsite; pack horses
carried all the provisions. Riyaz
was cook, guide, friend, & tent mate (it was a huge tent) who treated
me like a queen - making sure I was always warm & well fed. It rained
intermittently & so I kept to short walks on the trails along the
river with Riyaz's son & his friends for company.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sufism in Srinagar</span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">O</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">ne of the
brothers, Niyaz, kept me entertained. He invited me to accompany him to
meet his friends & attend Sufi gatherings. There is an easy
hospitality in India that makes befriending strangers so natural. Sufi-ism
is strong in Kashmir, it is a variation within the Muslim faith
characterized by strong sense of self-knowledge & personal peace
gained through meditation & spiritual poetry & music. Unlike the
dervish of Turkey, the Kashmir Sufi don't seem to incorporate dance in
their prayer. I was invited to a couple of Sufi events where spiritual
songs are performed - and I was the only woman attending (only possible
because as a foreigner I don't break cultural taboos that separate Muslim
men & women). The first was a smallish event of about 30 men and the
principle performers were talented but considered non-professional. This
event was during the day & we stayed just a couple of hours. The
second event of about 40 men was hosted in honor of a local "baba"
(spiritual guide) who is highly respected by his group of followers, of
which Niyaz & his friends belong. We met first at the baba's very
simple, hermitic home with a small group of followers & then we all
went on to the home of the family hosting the event. This gathering was a
demonstration of devotion to & respect of the baba. A full wazwan
(traditional Kashmiri dinner) was served. The Muslims in Kashmir eat meat
unlike most of India's Hindi - and the Kashmiri Muslims love meat!! We sat
along the wall on the floor covered in carpets, I was given a seat of
honor next to the baba (I took it as it had extra cushions!!). Long
stretches of fabric were spread in front of us to serve as a table cloth.
First a helper comes along with a basin & pitcher to pour water over
each person's hands to wash and then the procession of food began. A large
plate of rice is placed on the cloth for groups of 4 to share; then at a
slow & comfortable pace servers come with large metal urn-like
containers filled with meat stews of various types; mostly mutton &
some chicken. The stew is placed in the center of the rice, which is
replenished generously as needed, so that we can all scoop up a bit with
our fingers (right hand only of course). One dish after another comes -
maybe 6 dishes in all. The helper comes back at the end of the meal with
the water for washing hands & to pick up the table cloth. Finally, we
have sweet milk tea & everyone settles back to relax a bit before the music
begins. For this event a group of professional performers was hired to
play for the baba. The music started at about 11 pm and did not end until
5:30 am. The music & singing was constant - no breaks between songs
& only 3 short breaks for tea the entire night. For these Sufi - it is
interesting to note that hashish plays an important role in these events.
The bowl of the shisha (the hookah water pipe) is filled with loose
tobacco & a bit of hash & passed around. An alternative, especially
for large groups, is tobacco/hash cigarettes. The hash is just an aid in
the spiritual experience. During one of the breaks I was invited to go
upstairs to the family's living quarters to meet the women. It was a party
of greetings & selfies until the younger women stole me away to meet
with them separately in their own room. The host came to collect me though
to return to the music. The whole event was beautiful! By 4 am I was
nodding off so someone brought me an extra pillow for my head & I
vaguely remember someone putting a blanket over me as I nodded off almost
immediately.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Ladakh, Jammu-Kashmir</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sometimes
you just have to go south to go north! Though I had hoped to drive or fly
directly east from Srinagar to Leh (less than 45 min by air) it was just not
possible. This year the winter snow was particularly heavy & the road
between the two cities was not yet open. And - for some reason, there were just
not any flights available so I had to fly south back to Delhi, spend the night,
then take a flight early the next morning north to Leh, Ladakh. I had come to
India to see Leh and had </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">been traveling
slowly the last couple months so I could reach Leh when in spring - so I just
had to make it!</span></div>
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</h4>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Leh</b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The flight coming into
Leh, which sits at 11,500 feet, passes along the Himalayas & is
gorgeous. Rather than the forests & rivers of Kashmir, Ladakh is a
moonscape more reminiscent of Tibet - a high desert without much sign of
life - but beautiful in its own way. Ladakh is a predominately Buddhist
district with only 30% Muslim. There is a strong Tibetan refugee element
but still the majority of the population has an Asian appearance that is
so unlike the Hindu population. Like Tibet, stupas, monasteries, prayer
wheels, & prayer flags seem to be everywhere. The architecture is
Tibetan with typical traditional Buddhist painting & wood work inside
& outside monasteries, homes, & businesses. Unlike the typical
Indian city - Leh appears to managed by city planners! There is a pleasant
central market area that is closed to traffic. At one end is a lovely
mosque & the whole market area is situated under a scenic view of two
monasteries perched high above. Work is under way to improve the roads
& flow of traffic & there are a lot of cars here! Signs to keep
Leh clean & beautiful are everywhere as are garbage cans (very rare in
other cities)! The city streets & neighborhoods are really very clean.
Leh is small & cozy - no high rises but lots of guest houses &
hotels. Their success with city planning is likely due to the strong
economy derived from eco-tourism & trekking. The roads in/out of Leh
are completely closed off for 3-4 months each year. Only 2 roads, one from
Srinagar & one from Manali, service Leh. All other transportation is
by air until snow plows clear these 2 roads. I was here for a week in late
April during the shoulder season & I saw very few foreigners as the
trekking season would not start until the roads & trails open towards
the middle of May. I was the only guest at the Dorje Guesthouse &</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">was well pampered; 3 meals a day,
frequent servings of tea, & lots of attention. The first few days were
lovely - clear blue sky & great starry nights. The weather changed as
mountain weather does but even when the clouds came I had great views from
my room with floor to ceiling windows on two walls. I had plenty of
opportunity to get out & see the sights - mostly monasteries - but I
never seem to tire of the artwork that is so important in Buddhist temples
& of course the views of the mountains that change each moment with
the available sunlight.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Nubra Valley</b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A highlight of
the visit to Ladakh was a visit to the Nubra Valley just about 80 miles
east of Leh. To get there means crossing the Khardung La pass which is one
of highest motorable roads in the world. Though the signpost </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">at the summit
boasts the altitude is over 18,380 feet, most references report the
altitude is just a mere<br />17,582 feet.
My driver for the 2-day trip to Nubra was Stanzin, a sincere young man who, in
spite of driving a little fast, actually drove much slower & more safely
than many of the vehicles who passed us. He had a funny habit of talking out
loud to himself and I only hoped his choice to play Buddhist chanting while we
crossed the high winding roads was a good omen. The road is narrow & with
the heavy snow traffic much limited to one-way traffic. The traffi is
controlled well before the pass in each direction; vehicles must pass the
checkpoint before 11am heading toward Nubra and returning vehicles can only
begin the journey after 2pm - this minimizes the flow of 2-way traffic. The day
was bright & sunny & the snow pristine as we drove eastward across the
pass. Stanzin put chains on & took them off at the right points; unlike
some drivers who risked the roads without chains. Thank goodness for the chains
because even with them we hit a few icy patches & slide around a bit - I
had great views of the very steep drop-offs over the low berms that created the
only barrier along the road (ok - I admit it, I closed my eyes a lot!). With
all the stops & starts, those 80 miles took us over 5 hours! Our planned
stops along the way included the requisite photo opp at the summit & we
stopped for lunch along the way at an outpost town for momos (Tibetan style
veggie dumplings) & nice hot, sweet milk tea. There was still time after
arriving in Nubra to go out to visit the dunes that cover a good portion of the
valley floor & see the changing mountain light as the sun setting behind
the immense mountains & gorges that have created the valley. The mountains
show off very active & diverse geological changes - some layered ridges
pushing up at dramatic angles, other steep mountains letting fine sand slide
down from incredibly steep heights, & winding & flowing along - a
shallow but clear & blue narrow river. To please us travelers, wooly
Bactrian (2-humped) & long skirted yaks graze along the banks of the river.
All very impressive & beautiful. The next morning we left in time for me to
explore the 14th century Buddhist monastery that sits in an auspicious location
partway up a mountain ridge with an impressive view of the valley. As usual, I </span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">17,582 feet.
My driver for the 2-day trip to Nubra was Stanzin, a sincere young man who, in
spite of driving a little fast, actually drove much slower & more safely
than many of the vehicles who passed us. He had a funny habit of talking out
loud to himself and I only hoped his choice to play Buddhist chanting while we
crossed the high winding roads was a good omen. The road is narrow & with
the heavy snow traffic much limited to one-way traffic. The traffi is
controlled well before the pass in each direction; vehicles must pass the
checkpoint before 11am heading toward Nubra and returning vehicles can only
begin the journey after 2pm - this minimizes the flow of 2-way traffic. The day
was bright & sunny & the snow pristine as we drove eastward across the
pass. Stanzin put chains on & took them off at the right points; unlike
some drivers who risked the roads without chains. Thank goodness for the chains
because even with them we hit a few icy patches & slide around a bit - I
had great views of the very steep drop-offs over the low berms that created the
only barrier along the road (ok - I admit it, I closed my eyes a lot!). With
all the stops & starts, those 80 miles took us over 5 hours! Our planned
stops along the way included the requisite photo opp at the summit & we
stopped for lunch along the way at an outpost town for momos (Tibetan style
veggie dumplings) & nice hot, sweet milk tea. There was still time after
arriving in Nubra to go out to visit the dunes that cover a good portion of the
valley floor & see the changing mountain light as the sun setting behind
the immense mountains & gorges that have created the valley. The mountains
show off very active & diverse geological changes - some layered ridges
pushing up at dramatic angles, other steep mountains letting fine sand slide
down from incredibly steep heights, & winding & flowing along - a
shallow but clear & blue narrow river. To please us travelers, wooly
Bactrian (2-humped) & long skirted yaks graze along the banks of the river.
All very impressive & beautiful. The next morning we left in time for me to
explore the 14th century Buddhist monastery that sits in an auspicious location
partway up a mountain ridge with an impressive view of the valley. As usual, I </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">followed my nose to the rustic
kitchen area to watch phe monks making momos & enjoying the tea they
offered me. We were at the checkpoint at exactly 2pm to begin the return trip
in plenty of time to beat the sunset. What a change a day in the mountains can
bring! As soon as we passed the checkpoint big gray clouds began to gather
& we found ourselves behind a long train of vehicles constantly having to
stop & wait while a caravan of 10-15 army trucks slowly plodded along the
road between frequent stops to dig out of deep trenches. I only hoped we would
be back on the paved road before dark.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It seemed iffy to me - I was not looking forward to spending the night
in the car - but maybe with a little help from the Buddhist chants we made
across the summit & Stanzin was able to take the chains off once we reached
the paved road & the trucks were moving freely again.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We were back at my lovely little Dorje
Guesthouse by 8:30pm - more than 9 hours of travel!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Dehli</b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Leaving
Leh was a little iffy too! Though the vast majority of my days in the mountains
had plenty of clear sky & weather, my departure day started with rain &
wind & I sure hoped the storm would pass before my 10:30am flight to Delhi.
But - the mountains just seemed to comply & the weather began to clear
& after only a slight delay the plane took off & I made it safely to
New Delhi & the 100+ degree temps.
Fortunately a buddy I made in Srinagar (the one who introduced me to
Sufism) was coming into Delhi & we arranged to meet with a friend of his
who owns a lovely cottage about 30 miles outside of Delhi. We passed a couple
great days there enjoying the pool & a variety of interesting locals &
foreign travelers coming to enjoy the pool under starlight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My
last few days in Delhi are simple & easy but I'm limiting time out in the
heat - thank goodness I have already spent plenty of time sightseeing here in
the past! I submitted an application for
a visa to Russia & will pick up my passport & visa on Friday so I can
fly to Moscow on Saturday May 13. I have a few days in a comfy hotel with AC
& wifi so I can try to do some planning for a trip to Colombia &
Ecuador in September-October.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My
visit to India has been wonderful - long & fulfilling. Taking the slow road
has given me so many opportunities to experience life in such a wide variety of
Indian cultures & to have met & befriended some very kind &
interesting people. I'm not sure when or if I'll be back to India & Asia -
there is so much more to explore - but for now I am satisfied with my travels
here and am looking forward to returning to the western world of Russia &
Europe & eventually on to the Americas. </span></div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-38279227208362117182017-03-29T07:00:00.000-07:002017-05-05T06:07:11.736-07:00Letters from India - The Pilgrim's Trail<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/AfCYo4WTxdzhAPBV7" target="_blank">India Photo Album</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I left Vietnam on
February 25 for another long, multi-stop series of no-frills flights for India.
I am getting better at the very unglamorous routine of traveling budget
airlines & finding ways to entertain myself in various airport terminals
during incredibly long layovers. With my 6-month India visa in hand it felt
great to be unencumbered by the series of 30-day visas I had in Southeast Asian
countries. However, in Southeast Asia I was motivated to be on my way out
before the really hot, humid weather was expected to begin in March. I had my
sights set on the cooler weather in the districts northeast & northwest of
Delhi; I figured I would see what I could see in about 2-months' time. I
checked into Workaway volunteer options but the most common options for the
eastern areas were yoga teacher or meditation guide - uhhhhh neither of those
quite fit me. Other than farming, the options were limited.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Realities of Traveling in India</span></h3>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My timing was not
great though as late winter is way too early for the northern mountains so I
knew that I would need to explore some more of the north eastern areas, south
of Himalayas, while waiting for the weather to warm & the roads to clear of
snow before heading to Jammu-Kashmir. I think of myself as an experienced
traveler, especially since in recent years I lived in Lesotho & traveled
solo & independently through parts of Africa, the Middle East, and
Southeast Asia. I felt I should be
prepared to wing it, but was I really ever prepared for solo travel in India? </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I thought I was
getting off to a great start on the "new-in the last 9 years" Delhi
metro until I disembarked underground at the main central station…but then the
full frontal crush of India fell over me… so many meters below the city
streets. The volume of people, platforms, exits, & options was really
overwhelming. Not surprising it did not take long before a "friendly"
"station agent" offered his assistance to get me to the
rickshaws/tuk-tuks on the streets above. Though I'm used to touts &
tricksters that prey on tourists - sometimes I find it just makes sense to get
"caught" in their net & get pulled along, which in this case, if
I hoped to ever get to the street, I figured would be the best option. The sad
(but protective) thing is that I really can't tell, initially, if someone is
being friendly & helpful or trapping me in a tourist scam. The result is
that I'm generally distrustful of everyone.
But, better to be caught up & out of the metro than flopping around
like a fish out of water. It never ceases to amaze me just how wide the tourist
net extends. But, making it to the street was hardly any better than the chaos
of the metro station. It still bewilders me how people can function in such a
state of random motion & cacophony of sounds. The Indians just seem to take
it all in stride, seeing the logic & flow so that they can weave along to
their destination without much effort or angst. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My friendly
"agent" found me a tuk-tuk (no tip required!) & I presented my
hotel's address & directions - but the routine when a driver catches a
foreigner is to take the tourist directly, "do not pass go", to a
travel agent. Well, at least I was prepared for that & actually a bit
relieved… after the experience in the metro, the reality of solo travel in
India seemed daunting (just buying my metro ticket was challenge communication
& crowd control). The end of this story actually worked out well for
me. After a brief explanation of my
interests & timeframe I think the travel agent sized me up pretty well, or
maybe he just offered up what the stereotypical older, female, solo traveler is
looking for…a little bit of the "Eat, Pray, Love" experience. He took
into consideration the time needed to elapse before arriving in the far north
& he gave me a fantastic route that I would not have figured out so easily
on my own. Sure I paid a commission but we do say "time is money" and
for me it was "predictability versus chaos" and so far the itinerary
the agent worked up for me has been perfect. He solved the problem of
transportation by pre-booking my transportation on trains, buses, &
flights, station drop off & pick up, & hotels. I still travel independently & solo and I
don't have to worry about figuring how to get from point A to B. After 7, now 8 months of travel, it was easy
to accept a break from all that day-to-day planning & struggle, and that
was in significantly less chaotic countries (relative to Africa not Italy!).
Since I have several overnight trains, one of the best features is that someone
will meet me at the train station to take me to my hotel & again when I
leave, I am driven back to the station. Most of the transport between station
& hotel is quite far & mostly pre-dawn & late evenings. I'm not
following the backpackers ethic but heck it's such a treat to be relieved of
having to find & negotiate everything every day. The upside/downside of the particular budget
hotels that were arranged for me is that for the most part I am staying in
hotels more typically used by Indian tourists & not in the usual
backpacker/independent traveler hotels
that can be found in Booking.com & HostelWorld. The good news is
that I meet a lot of Indian travelers - they are super friendly & love
being tourists & traveling about their own country, the bad news is that I
sometimes miss the socializing that comes from staying in backpacker places
offered up in the commonly used Booking & HostelWorld hotel booking
websites.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I'm now one month
into my two month+ journey. I have managed to figure out the train stations
fairly well - even when the electronic board listing trains & platforms is
not working (not infrequent); the trains - knowing which end of the very long
train my assigned coach will be located (the trains are super long); and the
sleeper berths - how to manage sleeping in the top or the bottom bunk (the top
always seems to sway more), & that I actually won't get sick if I order a
chai (tea) with milk and a dinner that will be picked up along the way by the
coach attendant. I have also managed to refine my techniques for ignoring or
putting a stop to touts, tricksters, & hawkers. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The street beggars
are a different story & I think I'll never feel untouched by the many poor
souls I see. It's possible, in many cases, to distinguish between the
professional beggars who live on the street from those who seem genuinely
destitute, hungry, often disabled, & in need of a handout - there is more
than you would imagine of each. There are just so many street people here
without the family structure in place to care for needy relatives. Wheelchairs
are rarely seen - it's not only an impossible expense but the streets &
buildings just are not set up for them. I can't get over seeing the disabled
who are incapable of walking due to injury or birth defect, scooting themselves
along the ground using only their hands. Only rarely have I seen fortunate ones
who have a little wheeled trolley to help maneuver themselves about. The elderly & mothers with their tiny,
skinny little babies are especially heartbreaking for me. I try to give a little
something or a lot depending on what the circumstances are. For every
"yes, I'll help", there are so many more that I have to say
"no" to. Certainly I know that
there are many beggar scams - fake wounds dressed up in bandages covered in
fake blood & children sent to work for money, & alcoholics just asking
for change to "eat". But
really - seeing a little child that is clearly undernourished - well, that's
something just too impossible to ignore. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The mothers who beg
for their children, especially the babies & toddlers, will ask you to buy
milk not just give a few rupees; they are so aware that we tourists are
skeptical of scams. There was one mother & child so far, likely there been
more, who particularly touched me. I did not quite understand at first - but
then once she made it clear by coaxing me to follow her to a street vendor to
point to powdered enriched milk - I realized I could help her at that moment on
that day. The vendor tried to sell me milk for a child over 12-months. I looked
at the child & said no way - you must give us milk for a baby under
12-months. A passerby stopped to help & asked the mother how old was the
child - over 1 year said the mother. I could not believe this scrawny little
baby could be that old - wasted little body, light as feather, thin little face
with big eyes. Heartbreaking. I bought the milk, the mother thanked me kindly
& we both wandered off separately. I
did not know if that mother would sell the milk or give it to the baby - but I
had to hope she would do the right thing. A little later the mother found me to
show me that she had prepared the milk & the baby was drinking it from a
small bottle. I believe she really wanted me to know that her need was genuine
& that she was a good mother.
Following that though came the next plea - she tugged at the babies
dirty t-shirt, the only thing he was wearing - would I buy him some
clothes. At that point I had no problem
- "let's go". She pointed to a clothing store. We started to enter
& the shopkeeper shouted at her to get out (whether it was because she was
a beggar or a lower caste - I did not know). I had to show him that she was
with me. Our clerk was rude but we managed to pick out an inexpensive top &
shorts for the little guy. Both mother & baby were smiling - again we went
our separate ways, only I was followed by yet another mother asking for milk,
but this one I did not help. It's really hard to order a cheap lunch or snack
when I think about the hardships people here face. But - it’s all the more easy
to offer some of what I buy, an orange or a snack, to someone looking like they
would appreciate it. I do see a few
people giving money or food to the beggars - maybe they are less fearful of
being scammed or robbed, or because they see, there are just too many & the
need is so great. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This type of poverty
is far less than I have seen in other countries; in India the volume is just so
overwhelming & the level of need so deep; the truly needy, mothers with
infants, elderly, disabled, may just be faced with no other alternative but to
beg. It is an aspect of traveling in India that makes the inconveniences of
travel here pale. It's something one just has to accept as part of the
experience and we each have to find our own way of making peace with it. The
poverty & disability people suffer is a fact of life here - it is not
invisible, nor are the people. I find that as difficult as it is, I have to
accept it as a condition of India - it's this sprawling stifling majestic dirty
impressive colorful magical tragic place that draws you in & pushes you
away all at the same time.</span><br />
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<h3>
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<h3 style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Pilgrim's Trail</span></h3>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can characterize
my first month in India as the Pilgrims' Trail as I have visited some of the
many sacred & revered Sikh, Hindu,
Jain, & Buddhist sites in this part of India. Each place has offered some
unique opportunities to learn more about India & its people, but I'll try
not to make this any more of a travelogue & just mention a few of the
particularly interesting events that I encountered.</span></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>New Delhi</u></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sikh temple &
center for learning. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Interesting for me to learn that the devout come to
honor & listen to the words of their prophet, Guru Nanak, that are
contained in books that are at the center of the temple. The
"word" rather than icons, images, or statues are revered. The
prophet's teachings are read aloud every day & the devout come to
listen & </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">contemplate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>Orchha, Madhya Pradesh</u></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ancient Hindu temples & </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">tombs. This small rural town is an important
site for weddings & people flock to the Hindu Ram Raja Temple to get
married. On some days there was a steady of weddings from morning until
dusk. There is a great deal of fanfare for each wedding; family &
friends create a procession, drumming & dancing all the way to the
temple & afterward until the early morning.</span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh </u></b></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jain temples & tombs famous for intricate Kama Sutra carvings (yes
some of which are those sex & sexually charged poses you have heard
the Kama Sutra is famous for!). There is a lovely park at the main temple
site. </span><br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j6uFyR2UaBE/WOg9SntC4BI/AAAAAAAAVfM/foYZAzYHA6MA1SIhZ1I97ppZGfP9Ja0DgCLcB/s1600/2017-03%2BIndia%252C%2BKhajorahu%2B%252834%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After visiting all the temples, I spent the day reading in between
frequent interruptions by Indian families wanting "selfies" with
me (this happens all the time!). I always wonder what the heck they do
with those photos. Khajuraho is surrounded by beautiful farmlands &
small villages. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The owner of the hotel where I stayed invited me &
another hotel guest to his home for dinner. He made an incredible fresh
chutney of minced ginger, green onions, & green mango to go along with
the home-cooked all veg dinner.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One
of the other guests was his friend, also a hotel owner who ended up
befriending me & taking me on a couple of motorbike tours of the
surrounding area, his family's farm, & the small village where he grew
up. In the village he showed me examples of the types of homes associated
with the different castes & we had a long visit with a family who
farms his land. The homes are made of mud & dung bricks that are
plastered over by a smooth dung mixture that is painted white. Each home
has an entry that opens onto a small terrace bounded by work areas to dry
grain, weave, & create tools; small rooms; & a cooking area. Every
week it’s the job of the females to resurface the flooring of the terrace
& rooms.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They coat the flooring
with a dung mixture, smoothing it out until is as slick as a tile floor
& then painting decorative edges in white. The walls & flooring
don't smell at all & they create a smooth heat resistant surface to
help cool the compound. While the rest of the family are working n the
fields or gathering water, the matriarch & perhaps one nursing mother
will remain at home to work. They seem always busy - drying & sorting
grain, preparing meals, & cleaning & maintaining the
compound.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On another day, one of
the staff of my new friend's hotel invited me to his sister's wedding - an
incredibly lively celebration with drumming & dancing & great
food. The partying starts in the evening & goes on before the wedding
which takes place in the wee hours. I skipped the ceremony so the family
could party on without worrying about me.</span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh</u></b></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> Ghats (broad step structures that extend for blocks along the river bank),
crematories, & Hindu temples along the sacred Ganges (Ganga) River.
This large city is amazing but over the top!! I limited myself to walks
along the narrow cobblestone lanes just along the river in the oldest part
of town. The number of cows, bulls, & dogs that wander along these
narrow streets (wide enough for one motorbike in some places) is
incredible; people just step over or around the animals & all that
they leave behind (watch your step!).</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is a very important religious site & hosts thousands &
thousands of pilgrims. Life just happens along the river. In Varanasi,
wealthy noblemen & rulers built impressive gates & multi-stories
temples & palaces along the riverbank. Along the ghats people are
praying, bathing, shaving their heads to mourn their dead relatives who
will be cremated at the river's edge, attending sessions with gurus,
meditating, eating, celebrating, oh and doing laundry, eating, boating,
all of life just happening on the riverbank. I had a sweet little room
with a window looking out on the Ganges - fascinating from dawn to dusk.</span><br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>Rishikesh, Uttarakhand</u></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Located north of Varanasi, also</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">on
the Ganges, the center for teaching yoga & meditation in northern
India with dozens & dozens of ashrams & schools. It's a lovely (as
in Indian-lovely) small town with lots of foreigners, many on a
spiritual</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">quest. I participated in
daily yoga sessions that were held at my hotel. I happened to be there
during the last week of a month long teaching event by the Guru Mooji Baba
- Moojiji for short. A native of Jamaica, he lived much of his life in
England but now has a center for teaching & meditation in Portugal. He
has a large & growing following and his daily sessions in Rishikesh
were attended by over 2,000 people. The sessions were quite comfortable
& personal in spite of the number of people; I attended 3 days of 2-3
hour sessions - all very interesting. His message comes from a holistic
perspective incorporating many religions & spiritual sources. At its
simplest is (as I interpreted it) - let go of those things that are
interfering with your happiness & ability to live at peace: jealousy,
insecurity, hate, fear, narcissism, pride. Be in the moment with a clear
head & heart. Easy message, common sense - hard work! He is a very
charismatic teacher with a simple straightforward style of communication
who appears genuinely interested in helping people achieve a more
peaceful, "awakened" state of mind.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was great to see this amazing little
town that brings so many people together who just want to make a better
life for themselves - some wounded, some recovering, some actually
enjoying life (I put myself mostly in that later group).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><b style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><u>McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala,
Himachal Pradesh</u></b><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></h4>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Set in the foothills (6,000 ft. in the
"lowlands") of the Himalaya, it's </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">the home of the Dalai Lama
& the spiritual & administrative seat of the exiled Tibetan
Buddhist community. Such a fascinating place! McLeod Ganj, just outside
Dharamsala, is the center of the Tibetan community & a small town
clinging to some very steep mountain cliffs. The general area brings lots
of Indian tourists - more than foreigners - who come from all over India;
perhaps because it is relatively easy to access the cooler temperatures of
the Himalayas. There is an important, very old, Hindu temple honoring
Shiva, the Buddhist monastery, & a waterfall but not much else. Most
people come for one night & then move on. I was here for a week so had
plenty of time to make a routine of visiting the Dalai Lama's monastery
where I could enjoy the</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> sun & the mountain views while reading my
book.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I felt so lucky as one day I
was able to see the Dalai </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lama</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> returning to the monastery after attending
a conference in another city. I was among a small crowd who had gathered
to watch him pass by as his car drove him slowly past the compound's gate.
Many of the Tibetan devout held prayer flags - I believe His Holiness was
blessing us as he drove past with his hand raised & a very sweet grin
for us.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<br />
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The first half of my trip has taken me across 1,300 miles. The second half of
my trip, another 1,700 miles, will take me northward & deeper into the mountains!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Kullu, Himachal
Pradesh > Manali, Himachal Pradesh > Amritsar, Punjab > Srinagar,
Jammu-Kashmir > Leh, Jammu-Kashmir. </span></div>
</div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-90288010080632336752017-02-25T02:22:00.000-08:002017-06-20T15:33:11.482-07:00Letters from Myanmar - A Thousand Pagodas and More<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="margin: 0in; text-align: left;">
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<a href="https://goo.gl/photos/VHkWWgzTuk3Dzw8t5" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Myanmar Photo Album</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><i>Myanmar</i></b> is the kind
of place that grows on you - slowly at first, even tentatively. At least for
me, maybe because there were many things I did not expect. First of all - the
weather was fantastic! A bit hot but not humid during my 25 days. Second, I thought
that because it seemed to have opened so slowly to tourism it would be rough,
less developed, perhaps with more hardships than other South East Asian (SEA) countries. But Myanmar, rich in agriculture & other resources, &
situated between China & India is in a position to grow its economy
rapidly. The vast stretches of road work now underway is incredible & is
making much of the central & southern regions more open. New cars &
big rigs are signs of an emerging wealth. The north however,
remains a bit of a mystery & in many areas travel can require a special
permit or be inaccessible to foreigners. Talk of the conflicts with the
Rohingya Muslims, the most recent, where hundreds of Rohingya were killed and
raped between October 2016 and February 2017, is just about non-existent.
It certainly seems that the average person is not well informed or at least unwilling to discuss the situation. One can
assume the limited news is to hide human rights abuses. This horrible situation
& the treatment of the Rohingya places such a dark stain on what otherwise
seems to be a peaceful nation. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Myanmar offers many
surprises and many inconsistencies - but the constant is the pervasive
influence of Buddhism.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Myanmar is a land of
thousands of Buddhist pagodas and even more monks. The pagodas are tucked in
each neighborhood & stand out prominently on hilltops & ridges
throughout the country. The monks can be seen everywhere - especially in the
mid-morning when the streets are full of the monks seeking alms. Shops &
households freely & without hesitation give to the monks -it is just
expected. All young children are given the opportunity to experience the life
of a novice by joining a monastery. Most
of the children will spend only one week in the monastery but there is no time
limit on how long they can stay. During this time they learn the Buddha's
teachings & ways of a good & productive life: honesty, faithfulness,
respect, compassion.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Mandalay</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ea6Xz6XQBywIGVxqra6Kj47OXc9KwGqtYkWsXXwJTWSxtQH1ats-SMjBFS1xA7StYT5p5_Mj3AhfG0PYmgOmles0vxCQRibivijh9mRVLkm4lwavGXDOAt0N5JE-o9zeMPLOvqfdomLR/s1600/2017-02+Myanmar%252C+Mandalay+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ea6Xz6XQBywIGVxqra6Kj47OXc9KwGqtYkWsXXwJTWSxtQH1ats-SMjBFS1xA7StYT5p5_Mj3AhfG0PYmgOmles0vxCQRibivijh9mRVLkm4lwavGXDOAt0N5JE-o9zeMPLOvqfdomLR/s400/2017-02+Myanmar%252C+Mandalay+%252811%2529.JPG" width="300"></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My first stop was
Mandalay - such a beautiful, romantic name.
I spent my first day on the back of a motorbike taxi I had hired to take
me to the major sites within the city. We stopped at all the well-known and so
many lesser known pagodas that the distinctions between them became a blur. The driver was determined to give me a good tour and to fill my day so that we
could reach the last pagoda on a prominent hilltop just in time to watch the
sun setting at 6 pm. Riding on a motorbike is such a great way to sight-see, I could get a feel for the rhythm of the city and all the various neighborhoods and
business districts. We passed the marble masons who cut hundreds of look-alike
Buddha statues without protective gear and so covered, head to toe, in fine
marble powder each and every day. We rode through the large crowded city
wholesale produce & flower market that sells restaurants & street
vendors all that they need for the day's business. We made our way to quiet but
ancient monasteries tucked away under sacred banyan trees where resident monks
quietly attend to their daily routines.</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mandalay a small
city trying to build rapidly in spite of poor roads & infrastructure. I was not expecting modern multi-storied
malls crowded with shops and shoppers looking for electronics and the latest
sports clothes - especially when outside there is a distinct smell coming from
poor sewage lines along the city streets. Many of the streets are poorly developed and often
just partially paved and yet… And yet there is a comfortable order to it all
unlike the craziness of cities in Vietnam and even Sri Lanka. The traffic is
orderly - drivers keep their cars and motorbikes within the lanes and actually
stop at traffic lights! The speed of traffic is calm, there is relative quiet
in the streets since horns are just tapped when necessary rather than blaring
constantly. People walk comfortably along day or night. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unlike some SEA
countries, street food snacks are not</span><br>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pHNp9P_7IEA/WMK9KXqw8wI/AAAAAAAAUtY/ynQ_D9J_hpk472WjGPA1jimsmvOGXPJawCLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BMandalay%2B%252823%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pHNp9P_7IEA/WMK9KXqw8wI/AAAAAAAAUtY/ynQ_D9J_hpk472WjGPA1jimsmvOGXPJawCLcB/s400/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BMandalay%2B%252823%2529.JPG" width="400"></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">common but little sidewalk restaurants
and tea shops are everywhere. If you are going to eat something - the
expectation is that you will sit for a while & enjoy your meal - what's the
hurry? A typical lunch or dinner meal is a multi-course production of small
plates surrounding a generous plate of rice. A bowl of soup, one or two plates
of veggie, some salad greens, and a plate of chicken, pork, or fish curry.
Spoon up just a bit of each to put on your rice & then use your fork to
scoop food onto your spoon to eat - slow & easy. Complimentary </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">green tea is
always available at the table. Tea shops serve green tea or the sweetened
strong tea with milk (sweetened condensed milk is the best!); small plates of
fried treats like samosas are placed on the table & you'll be charged just
for the items you eat. Or you can order up small plates of seasoned noodles or
spring rolls - all delicious.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dBcZiKwZYYM/WMK9GdRzePI/AAAAAAAAUtU/3qJfPQdBJGMthAAeiCsjEUgcGTIqDmw5ACLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BMandalay%2B%252833%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dBcZiKwZYYM/WMK9GdRzePI/AAAAAAAAUtU/3qJfPQdBJGMthAAeiCsjEUgcGTIqDmw5ACLcB/s400/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BMandalay%2B%252833%2529.JPG" width="300"></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fortunately for me I
was able to join up with a couple of Peace Corps Volunteers that I had met
while I was training in The Gambia in May 2015. Jess and Tyler had recently completed
their service and were traveling SEA before returning to the USA to
start their Master's programs. We had kept touch on Facebook and since we were
landing in Myanmar within days of each other we teamed up for a week or
so. Jess is a foody and found the most incredible places for us to eat. She also set us up in a cooking
class in Mandalay. I had never taken a cooking class - though so many people rave about
them. It was really a terrific experience - a full day of shopping in the
market learning about all the produce & spices, an extended break in a tea
house to taste numerous small plates, then on to a rustic setting in the country
outside Mandalay for our class under a palm leaf terrace. We made such
delicious dishes - incredible flavors with relatively few spices! My favorite
then & throughout my travels in Myanmar was Tea Leaf Salad - made from
lightly fermented tea leaves, tomatoes, garlic, onion, chili pepper, oil, and
covered with chopped peanuts! The day ended with trip to another hilltop pagoda
to see yet another sunset. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7JLrbaJRYPM/WMK9bmn089I/AAAAAAAAUtc/8lYCfozrWSkOVdf9D9LPG1k1rbAvTR4JQCLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BMandalay%2B%252866%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7JLrbaJRYPM/WMK9bmn089I/AAAAAAAAUtc/8lYCfozrWSkOVdf9D9LPG1k1rbAvTR4JQCLcB/s400/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BMandalay%2B%252866%2529.JPG" width="400"></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After another day of
sightseeing in Mandalay & of course yet another sunset - ok, they really
are beautiful in Mandalay - we headed south west by bus to the World Heritage
site of Bagan. </span></div><div style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br></span></div><div style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Bagan</b></span></div><div style="margin: 0in;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Bagan is an ancient capital
on an expansive plain along the Ayeyarwady River. It is famous for its more
than 2,000 remaining Buddhist pagodas that were constructed between the 9th and
13th century (there were over 10,000 pagodas & monasteries at one time).
The pagodas were built by the wealthy to honor & receive "merits"
from Buddha; a little down payment for a more enjoyable reincarnation. Jess & Tyler were a little under the
weather - so I rented an electric powered motorbike to tour the area; a great
way to see the major pagodas & yet veer off on to little roads to see the
smaller ones. The most interesting pagodas were the ones that still have
remnants of the original Buddha statuary and murals & it was a treat exploring to find the ones that had these treasures.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Jess & Tyler had
planned to stay about a week & then to head south to volunteer in a
charitable organization through Workaway.
Since I was ready to move on after a full day & 2 nights in Bagan I
left early one morning for the highland area of Kalaw in central Myanmar. </span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br></span>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YpNC8TB82Qo/WMLAfK_9qoI/AAAAAAAAUuE/rEuUahyzfEIX5fapNEhFlK-gCiTd3C3dgCLcB/s1600/2012-02-10%2BMyanmar%252C%2BBagan%2B%252819%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YpNC8TB82Qo/WMLAfK_9qoI/AAAAAAAAUuE/rEuUahyzfEIX5fapNEhFlK-gCiTd3C3dgCLcB/s400/2012-02-10%2BMyanmar%252C%2BBagan%2B%252819%2529.JPG" width="300"></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Kalaw</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PBNobGevew4/WMLDT6shOkI/AAAAAAAAUuY/Ju5JcO21jNUhr8JiKks1gPiNYUF3KP-qgCLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BKalaw%2Bto%2BInle%2B%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PBNobGevew4/WMLDT6shOkI/AAAAAAAAUuY/Ju5JcO21jNUhr8JiKks1gPiNYUF3KP-qgCLcB/s400/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BKalaw%2Bto%2BInle%2B%252810%2529.JPG" width="400"></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was wonderful to escape the hot dry plains for the cooler mountains - time to put on long sleeves, long pants, & fleece. The major attraction of this
region for tourists is to trek 2-3 days from Kalaw to Inle Lake & pass
through the villages & farmlands of several ethnic tribes. I opted for a
2-day, 1-night, 20 mile trek & it was just about right. Fortunately the
paths were not wet or too steep so my thin little travel shoes were good enough
(I abandoned my heavy trekking shoes long ago in Jordan). The trek was well
planned so that our cook - could meet us with perfectly timed meals
along the way. We spent the night on mats on the old wooden floor of a hilltop
monastery - with of course - another perfect sunset view. Our group of 6 travelers included 3 young
Israelis (who had just completed their 2-3 military service & were taking a
typical trip to Asia as a reward), a Czech woman in Myanmar for volunteer work,
& a 50+ French botanist & organic farmer. It was a great time getting
to know each other & learning so much about their lives & travel experiences.</span><br>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x-s8Zrkb4Hc/WMLCKweo25I/AAAAAAAAUuQ/5DmWOrqoVrIJ4YznMMOmnBOb9nCotwxBQCLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BKalaw%2Bto%2BInle%2B%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x-s8Zrkb4Hc/WMLCKweo25I/AAAAAAAAUuQ/5DmWOrqoVrIJ4YznMMOmnBOb9nCotwxBQCLcB/s400/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BKalaw%2Bto%2BInle%2B%252811%2529.JPG" width="400"></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: large;">On the trek we
passed through lovely country with great views of mountains, rice paddies, and
farmland. It was typical to see whole families in the fields - parents &
older kids working while grandparents looked after the little ones & worked
on less arduous tasks. The tribes still seem untouched by the emerging
westernization of the country. Native dress, traditional manual farming
methods, simple rural communities are still the norm. Our guide, a young
22-year old shared lots of information about the region's plants, agriculture,
and village life. He was very much at home with the local families &
stopped frequently to talk with people working in the fields or traveling along
the paths. His approach showed a lot of respect to the tribal folks &
helped reduce the feeling that our little group was trespassing. Folks seemed
pleased to show us their work & let us spend a little time talking with
them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Inle Lake & Nyaung Shwe</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxSrutbbxxM/WMLExn2aN4I/AAAAAAAAUuk/wSIGybWGxn4TF-eoGEXTeyETmW63qYkiwCLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BKalaw%2Bto%2BInle%2B%252822%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fxSrutbbxxM/WMLExn2aN4I/AAAAAAAAUuk/wSIGybWGxn4TF-eoGEXTeyETmW63qYkiwCLcB/s400/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BKalaw%2Bto%2BInle%2B%252822%2529.JPG" width="400"></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We reached our
destination, Inle Lake & our lunch spot, just in time for a torrential
rain. There was little choice so after lunch we climbed into our small,
motorized, wooden longboat & took off for the 2-hour trip across the lake
to the town of<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> Nyaung Shwe</span>. Fortunately the boat had umbrellas that we
tucked ourselves under & even better, the rain came to an abrupt end about
30 minutes into the trip. There are small shops & fisher families </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">living
along the lake & they have created an amazing way to farm by creating
floating gardens. The shores of the lake have a rich supply of a type of water
plant & on top of that, farmers will scoop up sediment from the shallow
lake bed to pile on top of these plants until finally there is sufficient soil
to plant a great variety of veggies. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a couple
nights in <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">Nyaung Shwe</span>
I headed south to explore an area around Loikaw that was recommended by a
British tour guide I had met in Bangkok on my way to Myanmar. Her specialty is
SEA & she was on her own exploratory trip, her 1st, with a friend to get to
know Myanmar better before she started leading group trips. Loikaw sure looked
like it was along a highway on the east side of the lake that leads further
south to my next stop of Hpa-An. Well - something curious about Loikaw - it may
be easy to get to Loikaw but it sure is not easy to leave Loikaw! I figured something was up when I found I was
the only foreigner traveling to Loikaw. It was a lovely 7-hour bus ride through
the mountains but I soon found out there were no bus routes continuing on south
of Loikaw as I had hoped. After a
short stay I ended up spending 26-hours to get to Hpa-An by completely
retracing my steps & heading well north of Inle Lake, where I came from before finally turning
south to my destination. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can't really get
upset when these kinds of things happen. For the most part I have had great
success with all my travels & I have to expect that sometimes you just have
to go north to go south.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Hpa-An</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wx7pHf3aQ6I/WMLHV1zxG0I/AAAAAAAAUu4/EdcHzGgrTVYMP7DVS2FmutT74ReDb-DSgCLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BHpa-An%2B%252822%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wx7pHf3aQ6I/WMLHV1zxG0I/AAAAAAAAUu4/EdcHzGgrTVYMP7DVS2FmutT74ReDb-DSgCLcB/s400/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BHpa-An%2B%252822%2529.JPG" width="400"></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And it was all worth
it! Hpa-An is situated in a lovely region just east of the Gulf of Martaban
along the Thanlyin River; it is the
gateway to the beautiful vast beaches of the south & a short distance to
the Mae Sot border where travelers transit to Chiang Mai, Thailand. The town is
small & easy to walk around - not much going on. I spent a couple of easy
days… watching life in the town from the
terrace of the hostel while I drank coffee in the mornings & seeing sites a
little later in the day. The hostels set up transport so small groups of 6-8
people can share a ride & visit the sites. I was with a small group for a
full day of getting to all the special attractions - it's a great way to save on the
transportation costs of seeing the remote sites & it’s always fun to spend
time chatting with travelers from all over the world.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hFnnBCwEeI4/WMLHWErsRGI/AAAAAAAAUu8/rDy99Iow6f89hXGrzBUQAv41gXNzZ0oGgCLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BHpa-An%2B%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hFnnBCwEeI4/WMLHWErsRGI/AAAAAAAAUu8/rDy99Iow6f89hXGrzBUQAv41gXNzZ0oGgCLcB/s320/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BHpa-An%2B%25288%2529.JPG" width="300"></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Hpa-An region
has beautiful green karst mountains along the river, great stretches of rice
paddies - some green, some ready for harvest, & lots of caves to </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">explore.
Buddhist temples have been created in the larger caves - images of Buddha have
been carved into & out of the sandstone rock. The best experience though was
visiting the Bat Cave at dusk! Thousands of bats exit the cave right on time
and fly out in formation across the river and over a bridge where they finally
begin to disperse to feed on insects for their dinner. It was amazing - no
sound at all as the bats fly out of the cave - they have their routine down to
perfection.</span><br>
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UuluIWRxzTw/WMLHG8sQRcI/AAAAAAAAUu0/V_szEbpZK0kiRMf72fdOZWYB7TUKoZLdwCLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BHpa-An%2B%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UuluIWRxzTw/WMLHG8sQRcI/AAAAAAAAUu0/V_szEbpZK0kiRMf72fdOZWYB7TUKoZLdwCLcB/s320/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BHpa-An%2B%25286%2529.JPG" width="400"></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br></b></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Yangon</b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After traveling more </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">than 1,000 miles over 21 days my last stop in Myanmar was Yangon & it was a
perfect place to end the trip. As with all the places I visited, life seems
productive in Myanmar but not too stressful. The businesses that benefit from
tourism: markets, restaurants & shops, </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">are </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">friendly & not pushy. </span><br>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cOlVF_RAdRk/WMLLPBGO7OI/AAAAAAAAUvM/k5wXT6BPjz0b-eY3tLvea7SNxKbpXmE5QCLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BYangon%2B%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: left; float: left; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cOlVF_RAdRk/WMLLPBGO7OI/AAAAAAAAUvM/k5wXT6BPjz0b-eY3tLvea7SNxKbpXmE5QCLcB/s400/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BYangon%2B%252825%2529.JPG" width="400"></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The
streets feel safe so being out after dark - when most of the towns & cities
come to life - is comfortable. Yangon has lovely sections of town with lots of
trees, parks, & water. The inner city is vibrant & streets are busy
with produce street vendors & sidewalk </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">restaurants. It's a great city to
walk in & spot the colonial buildings &
temples tucked here & there (more pagodas!!). The finest landmark is
the Shwedagon Pagoda which is a spectacular complex of pagodas. The complex is
beautifully maintained & wide marble walkways comfortably accommodate all
the foreign & local visitors & devotees. Of course - one must be there
for sunset & I was among hundreds who come to stroll or pray at that time
& to watch the fading light work its magic on the golden domes.</span><br>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br></span>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8RTEiq6hJ1k/WMLK-o3fLUI/AAAAAAAAUvI/1BD8efBJjDMiIWNOEtgNucW35sqOCrSMwCLcB/s1600/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BYangon%2B%252819%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8RTEiq6hJ1k/WMLK-o3fLUI/AAAAAAAAUvI/1BD8efBJjDMiIWNOEtgNucW35sqOCrSMwCLcB/s640/2017-02%2BMyanmar%252C%2BYangon%2B%252819%2529.JPG" width="480"></a></div>
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<br>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My goal was to exit
South East Asia before March & the coming of the really hot, humid weather
and so on February 25 I departed on another long series of flights &
layovers for northern India.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Myanmar… a few stats</b>
from the 2014 Census, INDEX Mundi</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Population (of 242
countries): ranks 24, over 55.7 million (USA ranks 3, almost 320 million)</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Population density
(of 242 countries): ranks 117, 82 people per sq. km; (USA ranks 176, 33 people per sq. km)</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Poverty (of 215
countries): ranks 56, 32% (USA ranks 127, 15% ), population below poverty line</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Literacy (of 215
countries): ranks 122, 93% (USA ranks 45, 99%)</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">HIV adult prevalence
(of 169 countries) ranks 66, 0.6% (USA
ranks 62, 0.6% ) </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life Expectancy at
birth (of 221 countries): ranks 168, 66 yrs. (USA ranks 41, 79 yrs.)</span></div>
</div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-73362997095512800482017-01-31T00:01:00.000-08:002018-09-06T07:33:10.130-07:00Letters from Vietnam - South to North and Back Again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://goo.gl/photos/R4LM2jt2xFmNaQ4n6" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;" target="_blank">Vietnam Photo Album</a></h2>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dZxCr6c10l0/WKgA5uuV-oI/AAAAAAAAUls/7ScYz6CFKtkz9Kk47wWCNbdRVM6y8VlmgCEw/s1600/Map%2BVietnam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dZxCr6c10l0/WKgA5uuV-oI/AAAAAAAAUls/7ScYz6CFKtkz9Kk47wWCNbdRVM6y8VlmgCEw/s400/Map%2BVietnam.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At 12:01 am New
Year's Day I was flying somewhere over the Bay of Bengal on my way to Ho Chi
Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. For those
awake there were a few cheers, but mostly from the Westerners. The travelers
from Asia were saving their celebrations for the Lunar New Year, the year of
the Rooster, on January 28.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Vietnam has a
special draw because, after living through the nightly news of the war during
the 1960-1970's and then the vast immigration of refugees through the
1980-1990's, I wanted to see how the country has fared. I learned quite a bit
about Vietnam from the perspective of locals and guides. It was interesting to
learn (though it did make sense) that what we in the US refer as</span><span style="font-size: large;"> the <u>Vietnam War</u>, </span><span style="font-size: large;">they refer it as the <u>American War</u> . Also, that ancestral "worship" or reverence has
had a stronger impact than Buddhism since the mid 1940's famine.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a7pBDpwyQEE/WKf_057BL9I/AAAAAAAAUlI/nUP_AeJKehsY1QjYmMl5HguMw6MxfdMzwCEw/s1600/2017-01%2BA-Saigon%2B%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a7pBDpwyQEE/WKf_057BL9I/AAAAAAAAUlI/nUP_AeJKehsY1QjYmMl5HguMw6MxfdMzwCEw/s400/2017-01%2BA-Saigon%2B%25284%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Streets of Ho Chi Minh City</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">It is amazing what
peace can do for a country! Vietnam is vibrant, with a strong middle class,
socialist government, mostly well-developed infrastructure (good roads,
transportation, utilities), and finely-tuned tourist industry. All that and a
population of over 93.4 million in a country slightly smaller than California
with a population of almost 39 million. North Vietnam has 11% of its population
below the poverty line while the US has 15%.
In spite of development the culture and traditions seem to be surviving
and not caving in to an all-Western model.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">My goal was to see
as much of the country as possible during my one-month visa; to travel by land
from Ho Chi Minh City to Sapa in the north. After a quick 2-nights in HCMC to
get oriented I took off on a 7-hour daytime sleeper bus to the south central highlands
and the city of Dalat. The sleeper bus
is a comfy option for very long trips - rather than being packed in like
sardines, each person has their own cushioned "lounge chair" that
stretches 3/4 length to accommodate sleeping.
There are 3 rows, double-decker & even a bathroom on some of the
buses. Well timed rest stops are made to eat and take a bio-break (the Vietnamese
call the bathroom a "happy room").</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The country side of
Vietnam is lovely - lots of very steep mountains covered in varying degrees of
tropical foliage (bamboo, palm, ferns)
or forest (pine, hardwood trees). Interspersed are small valleys covered
in rice paddies and small villages with
personal vegetable gardens. Water buffalo do the heavy lifting. Papaya, mango,
pineapple, guava, lychee, coconut, and other tropical fruits can be found just
about everywhere and are delicious. Vietnam is also a country of rivers and
small lakes where fisherman casting their nets adds to the beauty and charm of
the countryside. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--sIBpoVXcuk/WKf_2fHCIZI/AAAAAAAAUlI/X5ROp-83FQQ-9RIamvPguUg-HiR-xcbNwCEw/s1600/2017-01%2BB-Dalat%2B%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--sIBpoVXcuk/WKf_2fHCIZI/AAAAAAAAUlI/X5ROp-83FQQ-9RIamvPguUg-HiR-xcbNwCEw/s400/2017-01%2BB-Dalat%2B%252811%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Linh Phuong Pagoda</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">Dalat is known for
its mild climate and is famous in Vietnam for production of flowers and even
wine. I'm drawn to temples so I spent my
time exploring the two main Buddhist sites. The Linh Phuong Pagoda, built in the
early 1600's is a beautiful complex that
is completely covered in mosaics of broken ceramics - it's really flamboyant
but seems to exude the cheerful and whimsical nature of Buddhism. I found the
most scenic way to get there and back to Dalat was to take the restored 1930's
French built train, a short, sweet 20 minute clickety-clackety ride past
hillside homes and gardens. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129;">The second stop was Thiền Viện Trúc Lâm </span>Monastery,
completely different in tone and architecture. It is a modern Zen monastery
built in the early 1990's that provides a home to a couple hundred monks and
nuns who also lecture on the teachings of the Master <span style="background: white; color: #1d2129;">Trúc Lâm</span> and offer guidance on meditation.</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Bs-GWU73sY/WKf_6qvHhoI/AAAAAAAAUlI/WHl6dZVCLYYp3wUUaGHfZqpt_fGoOOO6wCEw/s1600/2017-01%2BB-Dalat%2B%252814%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7Bs-GWU73sY/WKf_6qvHhoI/AAAAAAAAUlI/WHl6dZVCLYYp3wUUaGHfZqpt_fGoOOO6wCEw/s400/2017-01%2BB-Dalat%2B%252814%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129;">Thiền Viện Trúc Lâm </span><span style="text-align: start;">Monastery</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I had such an
incredible visit to this Zen monastery. I wandered into what I thought was a
little restaurant on the grounds & was served a delicious lunch only to
find out the monks provide food to guests if asked. Wanting to reciprocate in
some way I asked the Guest Master, Thich Tinh Dam, (the monk who is charge of public relations with guests to the monastery) what I could do and he was more than
glad to accept my offer. I ended up spending over 2-hours with him suggesting
vocabulary & grammar edits to the English translation of a spiritual guideb<span style="background: white; color: #1d2129;">ook he was creating, "Lightly Open the Dooor to Zen". What a thrill to
see his translations of Buddhist teachings intended for novices studying Zen
Buddhism at this large monastery. Typical to the communication style of many
monks, he laughed quite a lot when explaining the Zen parables that were not
always so easy to put into simple English. </span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">A gondola takes visitors to/from the monastery. My
late, solitary gondola ride back created a perfect time to reflect on the
experience. As the gondola flew over the tops of a beautiful pine forest, I
thought back to the simple, yet poetic life & teachings of the kind
charming monk I had spent the afternoon with. </span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">From Dalat I continued on by bus northward, descending
over 5,000 feet through incredibly steep
lush mountains to the seaside town of Hoi An. Hoi An is one of the major
tourist attractions in Vietnam and, though crowded with international and local
tourists, it is old-worldly and lovely. The small old-town is a World Heritage site as it has kept so
much of the architecture of its glory days when it was an important port. The old
buildings are packed with great shopping so it was really a bit of an effort to
keep looking upward at the beautiful 1600-1800 era buildings. The streets are cleared of traffic for
portions of the day and evening so everyone can walk about easily under the
hundreds of paper lanterns that decorate
the shops and hang over the streets. </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qYOqKfS4jWs/WKgAcCJXOdI/AAAAAAAAUlo/rQ7zybWR2W47MSrb7tExSlHfDYdRDWu1ACEw/s1600/2017-01%2BC-Hoi%2BAn%2B%252819%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qYOqKfS4jWs/WKgAcCJXOdI/AAAAAAAAUlo/rQ7zybWR2W47MSrb7tExSlHfDYdRDWu1ACEw/s400/2017-01%2BC-Hoi%2BAn%2B%252819%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hoi An at night</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"></span>
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"> Come nightfall, all the lanterns are lit and even lighted paper lanterns
are placed to float in the waterway that leads to the sea. It's really
charming.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qYOqKfS4jWs/WKgAcCJXOdI/AAAAAAAAUlo/rQ7zybWR2W47MSrb7tExSlHfDYdRDWu1ACEw/s1600/2017-01%2BC-Hoi%2BAn%2B%252819%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">The town is a center for tailoring, shoe-making, and
very cool ready-made cotton/silk clothing. I finally found some clothes to
replace the remaining few funky & well-worn Peace Corps remnants I had been
traveling with. I even had a pair simple, purple, sandals custom made for me!
Finally - I felt a little more presentable!!</span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GcBqnLHFMCs/WKgAfXfzXdI/AAAAAAAAUlo/8a_xAGmJqqU5WmxpZRWCicD5-B0FsTYIwCEw/s1600/2017-01%2BD-Hue%2B%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GcBqnLHFMCs/WKgAfXfzXdI/AAAAAAAAUlo/8a_xAGmJqqU5WmxpZRWCicD5-B0FsTYIwCEw/s400/2017-01%2BD-Hue%2B%25286%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Hue Citadel</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">From Hoi An I traveled by train along the steep cliffs
of the coast to the next stop of Hue - an historical capital with a Citadel
(palace and administrative center) and several important religious sites and
emperor tombs. Then on to the Phang Nha national park known for caves.
Supposedly the world's largest known cave is in the area but only very high-end
private tours are available. I made friends with a German couple & we
rented motorbikes for a day of exploring the park and the caves available to
the public. It was great to be out on quiet roads & passing through small
villages and away from cities at last. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VV8Jtakt9Cc/WKgAf1BU9rI/AAAAAAAAUlo/eI7IPVohPq4bnyfqwSVp1DScYflSj5LjQCEw/s1600/2017-01%2BF-Phang%2BNha%252C%2BVietnam%2B%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VV8Jtakt9Cc/WKgAf1BU9rI/AAAAAAAAUlo/eI7IPVohPq4bnyfqwSVp1DScYflSj5LjQCEw/s320/2017-01%2BF-Phang%2BNha%252C%2BVietnam%2B%25288%2529.JPG" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Phang Nha</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nr7QjJGsGQk/WKgAsspap6I/AAAAAAAAUls/rXp6G08RLzsRbfX91gA6ym6GoB9RXU3fQCEw/s1600/2017-01%2BG-Ninh%2BBinh%252C%2BVietnam%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: white; clear: right; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nr7QjJGsGQk/WKgAsspap6I/AAAAAAAAUls/rXp6G08RLzsRbfX91gA6ym6GoB9RXU3fQCEw/s400/2017-01%2BG-Ninh%2BBinh%252C%2BVietnam%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ninh Binh</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"></span>
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">After a short stay in Phang Nha I was
off by an overnight sleeper bus to Ninh
Binh which is known as the Ha Long Bay on land because the karst peaks are
scattered across paddy fields and along the river banks. This time I just hired
a driver & motorbike to take me on a daylong tour of the area. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;"> We stopped at all the major pagodas &
temples (of course) and I had a really great tour of more caves that were only
reachable by rowboat. Vietnam seems to everything so well organized - the
rowboat site is set up to handle hundreds of tourists flawlessly without quite
seeming to be overly like an amusement park.
Helping our female "captain" row (we paddled) and ducking as
flat as we could possibly get to float through well-lit caves was really a
distraction & so we hardly noticed all the other boats cruising along.</span><br />
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nr7QjJGsGQk/WKgAsspap6I/AAAAAAAAUls/rXp6G08RLzsRbfX91gA6ym6GoB9RXU3fQCEw/s1600/2017-01%2BG-Ninh%2BBinh%252C%2BVietnam%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">From the peaceful countryside I traveled on to
old-town Hanoi. What a great place old Hanoi is!! Narrow windy streets, packed
with motorbikes, sidewalks packed with street-side eateries (noodles galore!),
shops teeming with locals and foreigners. The Vietnamese keep all the coffee
houses & restaurants full throughout the day & into the late
evening. The street around a central
lake (a bit smaller than Merritt Lake in Oakland) really comes alive at night
as families and young singles go out to stroll, visit, and eat. The Vietnamese
don't seem affected at all by tourists & foreigners - they take it all in
stride and get on about their business. Sure they are kind & willing to
help but in no way impressed by the multitude of foreign languages and
personalities of us travelers. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">Since I had to traverse part of the city to get to the Indian Embassy to apply for a visa I
had to take a motorbike taxi. I was able
to see quite a bit of Hanoi from the back of a motorbike & experience the
sensation of gliding through the crush of motorbikes. The city has its own
rhythm and flow that just seems to move without chaos or even too much noise
(Sri Lanka & Lesotho have so much more noise). </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">Each day the city's preparation for the Tet Lunar New
Year </span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V6zArBasMNY/WKgAvihB8gI/AAAAAAAAUls/2hJu4WTtNU4tbCAS1d2bJEs7_NXbYb_nACEw/s1600/2017-01%2BI%2BHanoi%2BTet%2Bprep%2B%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V6zArBasMNY/WKgAvihB8gI/AAAAAAAAUls/2hJu4WTtNU4tbCAS1d2bJEs7_NXbYb_nACEw/s400/2017-01%2BI%2BHanoi%2BTet%2Bprep%2B%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Tet Festival Preparation - Hanoi</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">celebration expanded - street vendors selling everything from red paper
lanterns to fanciful dressed chickens to paper ancestral offerings being burned
in little stoves along the street. Food & restaurant prices were going up
while big big sales brought clothing prices way down. I even picked up a $12
down jacket to take with me to the cold northern region of Sapa.</span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">I made Hanoi my hub so I could take a couple of short trips out to Ha Long Bay in the east
and Sapa in the north. It was great to leave my suitcases in a Hanoi hotel
& just carry a daypack. Ha Long Bay is gorgeous. Though I was there in
winter with mist and fog it was still absolutely beautiful. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OxFGdJNaYAc/WKgA330nR8I/AAAAAAAAUls/L0M8cDLhBIsKwhRZtnktXfu2nApjopx2gCEw/s1600/2017-01-18%2BVietnam%2BHa%2BLong%2BBay%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OxFGdJNaYAc/WKgA330nR8I/AAAAAAAAUls/L0M8cDLhBIsKwhRZtnktXfu2nApjopx2gCEw/s400/2017-01-18%2BVietnam%2BHa%2BLong%2BBay%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ha Long Bay</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<br />
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">The trip to Sapa
meant more cold and more mist and fog but it was charming. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">Sapa is one of the regions that is home to
various "hill tribes" such</span><br />
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YQra7fOgcdc/WKgA6p1qh_I/AAAAAAAAUls/9sBudDIMPf0uJH5MxTF1YNit5Fxuu_KwwCEw/s1600/2017-01-21%2BVietnam%2BSapa%2B%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YQra7fOgcdc/WKgA6p1qh_I/AAAAAAAAUls/9sBudDIMPf0uJH5MxTF1YNit5Fxuu_KwwCEw/s400/2017-01-21%2BVietnam%2BSapa%2B%25285%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Sapa Trek with Hmong</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"> as the Hmong. I joined a small group for a
2-day trek up and down pretty steep and muddy trails to several villages in the
remote countryside. Hmong ladies typically follow along with the trekkers and
are ready to jump in as "porters". I had no problem hiring a porter
to help me keep upright along the slippery trail. I was one of the few who made
it without earning a badge of honor - a big fat swath of mud on my rear from
falling! We spent one night in a village guesthouse where I had the best dinner
yet. It was a lot of fun for me to join
a group of travelers (all 20-something) from the Netherlands, Germany, and
France. The guesthouse served us plenty of homemade local rice wine that made
us all toasty! After the wine wore off I still survived the cold night by
filling up 7 plastic water bottles with hot tap water and putting them in my
bed - a trick I learned in an even colder guesthouse in Tibet!</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pX4RiuIZz6g/WKgA7_3SWZI/AAAAAAAAUls/IHLE8ssqNvcAiI6f0mtXs0bKUrmCZuhIwCEw/s1600/2017-01-21%2BVietnam%2BSapa%2B%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pX4RiuIZz6g/WKgA7_3SWZI/AAAAAAAAUls/IHLE8ssqNvcAiI6f0mtXs0bKUrmCZuhIwCEw/s400/2017-01-21%2BVietnam%2BSapa%2B%25289%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">70 year old Hmong woman along for the trek</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-size: large;">Another long bus ride back to & overnight in Hanoi
& ready for my flight back to HCMC. </span><span style="font-size: large;">My last couple of days in HCMC
were spent with a former Peace Corps Volunteer I had met in Lesotho; I was just
arriving as she was ending her service but we remained Facebook friends and
followed my travels. She has been teaching English and trying to make a life
for herself in HCMC. It was great to have her show me various neighborhoods
that I would never have discovered on my own. She even took me to a natural
healing institute for a traditional foot treatment that included an herbal soak
and acupressure massage and then took me to a couple of small tucked away
restaurants for some interesting &
delicious new southern Vietnamese dishes.</span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And
so, after 25 days, <span style="background: white;">I had traveled overland more
tha</span>n 1,600 miles from south to north and now back again to see the
beautiful lowland countryside, the highlands and mountains, beaches, and bays.
I even reached my 6-month mark of travel since leaving my home in Lesotho.
Tired of travel you may ask - well no actually!
So on to the Philippines!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Vietnam… a few stats
from the 2014 Census, INDEX Mundi</b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Population (of 242
countries): ranks 14, over 93.4 million (USA ranks 3, almost 320 million)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Population density
(of 242 countries): ranks 44, 282 people per sq. km; (USA ranks 176, 33 people per sq. km)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Poverty (of 215
countries): ranks 138, 11% (USA ranks 127, 15% ), population below poverty line</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Literacy (of 215
countries): ranks 118, 93.4% (USA ranks 45, 99%)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">HIV adult prevalence
(of 169 countries) ranks 84, 0.4% (USA
ranks 62, 0.6% ) </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Life Expectancy at
birth (of 221 countries): ranks 127, 73 yrs. (USA ranks 41, 79 yrs.)</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Philippines - sea creatures great & small</span></h2>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/ySe39Z1EydBL2W9g9" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium;" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Philippines Photo Album</span></a></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3smkhdAd5_k/WKf-AIsNO4I/AAAAAAAAUkM/lF2HVmrCzOYUGt-9DSYVauHmYuAiq0hAQCEw/s1600/2017-02%2BPhillipines%2BMap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3smkhdAd5_k/WKf-AIsNO4I/AAAAAAAAUkM/lF2HVmrCzOYUGt-9DSYVauHmYuAiq0hAQCEw/s400/2017-02%2BPhillipines%2BMap.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; margin: 0in;">
<div style="font-family: calibri;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I left
the craziness of Ho Chi Minh City and landed in the laid back island of
Malapascua, a tiny island just off the northern coast of Cebu, an island in
southern region of the Philippines. I
arrived just a couple days in advance of friends & SCUBA buddies Carole
& Barry - so I had a couple days to adjust to the humidity and longs days
at the beach. The island is very tiny, it takes only a couple hours to walk all
the way around it. Perfect tropical island of clean white beaches with fishing
& dive boats scattered about, coconut palms, simple wooden homes in dense
neighborhoods. There are still signs of recovery as the residents continue to
repair the larger structures still showing sign of damage from Typhoon Yolanda
(also known as Haiyan) that hit in November 2013, one of the most severe on
record in the Philippines.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wzsQL4TyGWg/WKf-Ak7Gf0I/AAAAAAAAUkQ/qGrhYPKvrXEskUdLdEVBfxTsHhVzgbt5gCEw/s1600/2017-01-28%2BPhilippines%2BMalapascua%2B1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wzsQL4TyGWg/WKf-Ak7Gf0I/AAAAAAAAUkQ/qGrhYPKvrXEskUdLdEVBfxTsHhVzgbt5gCEw/s400/2017-01-28%2BPhilippines%2BMalapascua%2B1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Coming in to Malapascua</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4M9ufcyedXc/WKf9-q3FZRI/AAAAAAAAUkI/fg9vT9iAojYSWkTuCoXpLAeOiUhzbqAZQCEw/s1600/2017-01-28%2BPhilippines%2BMalapascua%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4M9ufcyedXc/WKf9-q3FZRI/AAAAAAAAUkI/fg9vT9iAojYSWkTuCoXpLAeOiUhzbqAZQCEw/s400/2017-01-28%2BPhilippines%2BMalapascua%2B2.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Blue Coral Inn and our beach</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0adB0stZwrY/WKf-B6FE2FI/AAAAAAAAUkU/8s39WPPvGdY_2y4zdIP0kmhGYORLzD37QCLcB/s1600/2017-01-28%2BPhilippines%2BMalapascua%2B3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0adB0stZwrY/WKf-B6FE2FI/AAAAAAAAUkU/8s39WPPvGdY_2y4zdIP0kmhGYORLzD37QCLcB/s400/2017-01-28%2BPhilippines%2BMalapascua%2B3.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">View from Blue Coral Inn</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Seeing
Carole & Barry again was a real delight!! It hardly seemed like almost a
year had passed since we had seen each other; we quickly got into our dive
buddy roles and enjoyed a week of diving with the Thresher Shark Dive center.
The days passed lazily - even more so because TSD starts their dives later than
I'm used to. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #1d2129; font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The
dives were good - the visibility a little poor, the water temps a little cool
but not too bad with an extra few millimeters added to my dive suit, and the
fish a little sparse. However - the sites I saw made it all worthwhile. Pygmy
seahorses!!!! Incredible and so much smaller than I ever imagined just hung
tenaciously to the thin lacy branches of colorful fan corals. Thresher Sharks!!
Very large (up to 20 feet), majestic, graceful sharks that come up from their
deep feeding grounds to 50-90 feet to be attended at cleaning stations by
little wrasses whose job is to dutifully pick off parasites and what-not from
any and all locations on their huge bodies. </span><br />
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TvHqOAnR-e4/WKf9wQ6YUlI/AAAAAAAAUkE/Phq9IA33tTYajeaSmSXAzEWXogHPZUyywCLcB/s1600/2016-02%2BPhilippines%2BPygmy%2BSeahorse.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TvHqOAnR-e4/WKf9wQ6YUlI/AAAAAAAAUkE/Phq9IA33tTYajeaSmSXAzEWXogHPZUyywCLcB/s400/2016-02%2BPhilippines%2BPygmy%2BSeahorse.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UdhCNzMw4o/WKf9uqh3GYI/AAAAAAAAUkA/aPXh8TtZdTYSsqIZCXSHdCkMDdTcVnGBwCLcB/s1600/2016-02%2BPhilippines%2BThresher%2BShark%2B1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6UdhCNzMw4o/WKf9uqh3GYI/AAAAAAAAUkA/aPXh8TtZdTYSsqIZCXSHdCkMDdTcVnGBwCLcB/s400/2016-02%2BPhilippines%2BThresher%2BShark%2B1.PNG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 11pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">In
between & after dives we sampled local foods (I admit there was one a
fairly authentic Italian dinner!) and we resumed the Bubbly 6 happy hour
tradition of past dive trips with the whole gang. It was great way to break up
the routine I have established with solo travel and reconnect in person with
dear friends. But - the easy beach &
diving life had to end and we had to make our way back. Carole & Barry headed home to California
while I was venturing off to Myanmar.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: large;"> <b style="font-family: Calibri;">Philippines… a few
stats from the 2014 Census, INDEX Mund</b><span style="font-family: "calibri";">i</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Population (of 242
countries): ranks 12, over 102.6 million (USA ranks 3, almost 320 million)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Population density
(of 242 countries): ranks 34, 358 people per sq. km; (USA ranks 176, 33 people per sq. km)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Poverty (of 215
countries): ranks 79 26% (USA ranks 127, 15% ), population below poverty line</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Literacy (of 215
countries): ranks 95, 95% (USA ranks 45, 99%)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">HIV adult prevalence
(of 169 countries) ranks 150, 0.1% (USA
ranks 62, 0.6% ) </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Life Expectancy at
birth (of 221 countries): ranks 132, 72 yrs. (USA ranks 41, 79 yrs.)</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-63590935730908563182016-12-31T00:53:00.000-08:002017-03-29T04:07:26.151-07:00Letters from Sri Lanka - Neon Buddha<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://goo.gl/photos/JyUhMMqMzezYuRt27" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Sri Lanka Photo Album</span></a></h2>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-79Nr8eRxOzs/WMZjx7xapUI/AAAAAAAAU6w/EVA5TTrpnH4Gr4G1v9QfwzA2ZyZjWCIPgCLcB/s1600/Sri%2BLanka%2B-%2BMap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-79Nr8eRxOzs/WMZjx7xapUI/AAAAAAAAU6w/EVA5TTrpnH4Gr4G1v9QfwzA2ZyZjWCIPgCLcB/s400/Sri%2BLanka%2B-%2BMap.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just before coming
into Sri Lanka I was able to set up volunteer work on Workaway with a
family-owned hotel in Tissaramahama near the southeast coast. That was the only thing I did to prepare for Sri Lanka - I was ready to be surprised about the country would offer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I landed at the
international airport near Colombo & then began a very long journey to
Tissa by bus. The first thing I learned about Sri Lanka is that they love to
surround images of Buddha with colorful, flashing neon lights. I noted this on
my first bus ride - there was a lovely image of Buddha sitting in a preaching
pose surrounded by… flashing lights! The Sri Lankans have a particular flair
for dressing up Buddhist (& even Christian) images and temples; more
lights, more gilding, more color, more…everything. The second thing I learned
about Sri Lanka is that the bus drivers are crazy!!</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The bus route to
Tissa was along the coast - terrific! I got to see the lovely beaches on one
side & the beautiful palms & tropical foliage on the other. But yikes!
The 2-lane road passes through almost a continuous stream of small towns and
all the buses, cars, & motorbikes honk their horns incessantly! The buses come barreling through towns &
if not honking & passing constantly, they are stopping abruptly to avoid
collisions. Seven exhausting hours of this later - I arrived at the sweet
little town of Tissa that would be my home for the next week. I had a week of
small town life and no buses!</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a7bi5gz963M/WNX4XP9V0jI/AAAAAAAAU9U/UF9vrBm_1dgCyhVjaJh0j_20ht2XI1N-gCLcB/s1600/2016-12%2BSri%2B%2BLanka%252C%2BTissamaharama%2B%25280b%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-a7bi5gz963M/WNX4XP9V0jI/AAAAAAAAU9U/UF9vrBm_1dgCyhVjaJh0j_20ht2XI1N-gCLcB/s400/2016-12%2BSri%2B%2BLanka%252C%2BTissamaharama%2B%25280b%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had accepted the
volunteer position of being a housekeeper in a 7-room hotel with some
trepidation. I have had such great Workaway experiences in the other inns &
hostels that I thought I should get a feel for other hotel jobs. I knew it
would be risky for me - cleaning rooms? - but I figured it would be an
eye-opening experience & a chance to experience some, uhhhh, humility! The host family is lovely - a 30-something
married couple with 13 & 10 year old sons - all very sweet. Early the next
day I found myself being trained to clean the rooms. Now really, I am a good
housekeeper, I am organized, efficient, & can tell what is clean & not
clean. Well - apparently not so much! Asanka, the wife, & Kapila, the
husband have very specific instructions on how to do everything & eagle
eyes that catch every water spot or bit of dust I left behind. I cleaned, then
they inspected, & …I cleaned again!
Humility yes - but that only lasts a day or two. Their expectations were
totally fine though - who would not want the most clean, tidy, water spot free
hotel room. I never faulted them for their expectations - I just had to tame my
own dang self to accept their perfection. I think the real challenge was the
heat & humidity - that would challenge any northerner. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In truth the job
overall was a good one & taught me yet another side of hotel work. I
started work around 7am but finished by 11am and in between Asanka served me
delicious chai (sweet milk tea) and a curry breakfast. Well she did add on more
jobs - cleaning the office & patio - but heck I am here to work. Asanka is a great cook &amp</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VFwoFX4JYQQ/WNX4ue3M4hI/AAAAAAAAU9g/zqXgXaBJB_UYmqyQNoBNWyFe8pONU-XOQCEw/s1600/2016-12%2BSri%2BLanka%2B%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VFwoFX4JYQQ/WNX4ue3M4hI/AAAAAAAAU9g/zqXgXaBJB_UYmqyQNoBNWyFe8pONU-XOQCEw/s400/2016-12%2BSri%2BLanka%2B%252810%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">; I loved the
meals (breakfast, lunch, & dinner) she prepared for me. I usually ate with
her & sometimes the kids in their home above the hotel. After work I was
free to explore the town & surrounding area & before I left they gave
me a discounted safari in the Yala National Park to see the resident leopards,
elephants, and loads of peacocks. Tissa
is lovely little town with a </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0pxV9SMY0uI/WNX4v13Yv6I/AAAAAAAAU9w/qXS6jAUi0CI-vA71DvyopP1vfk8u6iDWgCEw/s1600/2016-12%2BSri%2BLanka%252C%2BTissa%2B%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0pxV9SMY0uI/WNX4v13Yv6I/AAAAAAAAU9w/qXS6jAUi0CI-vA71DvyopP1vfk8u6iDWgCEw/s400/2016-12%2BSri%2BLanka%252C%2BTissa%2B%25285%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
large lake, several beautiful ancient Buddhist
stupas, & it's surrounded by rice paddies. I also found plenty of time to
chat with travelers passing through. In the evenings I helped Asanka &
Kapila with their online booking applications; we managed to update &
improve the content in their Booking.com & TripAdvisor pages & they
were very happy about that. After 5-days
of work & 2-days off I fulfilled my work agreement & was ready to start
exploring Sri Lanka. And, oh by the way, I don't think I'll be looking for
anymore hotel housekeeping jobs for a while, maybe there is another way to
learn some humility!</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NFAGVDMLPMU/WNX4uTI_E4I/AAAAAAAAU9w/lyysrmmS_dAhGrDFmeOrAVFLfXYLxVI3wCEw/s1600/2016-12%2BSri%2BLanka%252C%2BTissa%2B%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NFAGVDMLPMU/WNX4uTI_E4I/AAAAAAAAU9w/lyysrmmS_dAhGrDFmeOrAVFLfXYLxVI3wCEw/s400/2016-12%2BSri%2BLanka%252C%2BTissa%2B%25284%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fortunately, decent
bus & train services make Sri Lanka a very easy & safe country for
independent travel on public transportation. The island is fairly large and has
a variety of regions and lots of coast to explore. The coastline is extensive &
most of it can be reached easily but I decided to focus my remaining 3 weeks in
the central area, mostly in the cooler highlands. Traveling through the tea
plantation districts in central Sri Lanka was definitely a highlight. There are
vast stretches of tea plantations & rice paddies that are managed by hand -
planting, fertilizing, & harvesting. The vistas are beautiful & it's
easy to hike along the paths that border the fields. Sri Lanka is very
picturesque - flowers, forests, fruits & plantations, homes & Buddhist
stupas tucked among the foliage & little villages hug the rail lines &
roads. The pace is mellow & seems unhurried but there are still signs of
busy work & productivity. Harvesting fruit & vegetables, drying coffee,
fishing, & selling products along the road & in town. Tourism is
helping the economy & finding a tour offering or independent guide is easy
- for me, when needed, it was easy enough to hire a tuk-tuk driver to take me to
local sites.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Although the
temperate zone of Ella, highlands rich in tea plantations & incredible
landscape rich with forests, fruit trees, & palms, was the most scenic area
I visited, it was the Buddhist cave temple of Dambulla farther north in the
more tropical lowlands that was the most impressive & my favorite site to
visit. The caves that make up this World Heritage Site were originally used as
a monastery in the 2nd & 3rd century BC; they were transformed into a
temple sometime during the 1st century BC.
A series of 5 contiguous chambers sit deeply in the underside of a
natural rock that rises 500 feet over the valley below. Over 80 holy caves are
scattered across this small mount. Along
the long steep walk up to the rocks is the modern (1990's) Golden Buddha, a 100
foot gold-plated statue of the Buddha in a sitting pose with his hands in the
dharmachakra mudra (a pose that represents the teaching of the wheel of Dharma)
serenely looking out over the plains below. Except for being incredibly
over-the-top big & gold; this statue does creates a peaceful mood &
certainly is an easy landmark - you can't miss getting to the caves if you can
see this Buddha.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I found the cave
complex to be really magical. Arriving very early, I walked through the
chambers without crowds so that I had plenty of time to take in the stillness
& aura created by Sri Lankan artwork. Each cave is filled with dozens &
dozens of statues of the Buddha; most are identical though varying in height to
accommodate the slope of the cave walls; a few vary by depicting different
mudras (hand poses depicting a spiritual state: compassion, teaching,
grounding). The ceilings are covered with thousands of repeating images of the
Buddha - it made me think that both the painting & the viewing of these
images was a form of mantra or chant. There is just something so simple &
peaceful about the caves; it's apparent a great deal of devotion was present in
the building of the temple. I spent several hours at the site - enough time to
walk through caves a second time & then sit & watch people come
struggling up the hill & then easing into the quiet setting as they
wandered through the caves. The site is a pilgrimage for Sri Lankan Buddhists,
so people of all ages & abilities make their way up the trail to the caves.
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">From Dambulla I
travelled on by more crazy buses to a suburb of the capital of Colombo where I
spent my last few days on the west coast beach. I suited up for couple of scuba
dives with other foreigners we were fortunate
to find only moderately bleached coral
(bleaching occurs when prolonged warm water kills the colorful algae that cover
& feed the coral, the coral appears white & will eventually die if the
water temps stay high). I spotted some new-to-me species of fish, not too many
unfortunately but colorful & interesting. The last few days were pleasant
& lazy; walking along the beach & enjoying the sunsets.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In all the areas I
visited I found the Sri Lankans to be </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MCemLw-spLs/WNX4uRMkK7I/AAAAAAAAU9w/oGxFTUlZvAUXAHc3lGF5rXxSek9TRQZRQCEw/s1600/2016-12%2BSri%2B%2BLanka%252C%2BTissamaharama%2B%25280c%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MCemLw-spLs/WNX4uRMkK7I/AAAAAAAAU9w/oGxFTUlZvAUXAHc3lGF5rXxSek9TRQZRQCEw/s400/2016-12%2BSri%2B%2BLanka%252C%2BTissamaharama%2B%25280c%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">exceptionally friendly & helpful, but very independent; they are not keen on being compared to Indiana. From my outsider perspective they seem to have an easy & natural balance to
daily life. Family is of course the priority, so it's common to see extended families
living & socializing together. The cities & towns are fairly well
developed & there is a feeling of comfort & prosperity. I could see
that the Sri Lankans keep busy with work & productivity - but at a relaxed
pace. People take the time to stop & have tea & a snack with friends
during the day, there were always plenty of people taking walks & having
picnics along the lakes or parks. I even ran into groups of people who </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w3FbaE4U17U/WNX4wM-LaeI/AAAAAAAAU9w/axTELjnCy0EIavM_2eBpZ_YUVfNKWAE-ACEw/s1600/2016-12%2BSri%2BLanka%252C%2BTissa%2B%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-w3FbaE4U17U/WNX4wM-LaeI/AAAAAAAAU9w/axTELjnCy0EIavM_2eBpZ_YUVfNKWAE-ACEw/s400/2016-12%2BSri%2BLanka%252C%2BTissa%2B%25288%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
would
travel as a small group to visit a park, jumping out when the spirit moved them
to turn up the radio & dance! And, especially endearing, was seeing
families & friends gathering at a canal, river, or lake to soap up &
bathe (modestly covered!). That was an especially common sight in the late
afternoons in Tissa where the weather is warm. The waterways could be filled
with people taking a bath right outside.
That was also a great opportunity for roadside food vendors to offer
tea, fried treats & amazingly delicious buffalo yogurt for a snack.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have a wonderful
last memory of Sri Lanka as I was heading for the airport on my last day. I
took the train from the suburb into Colombo - jumping on at a small station. It
was just before dusk & we stopped at many villages along the way picking up
people who were on their way to the capital for an evening of pre-New Year
celebrations. Our
train passed along the beach where the tracks ran; with windows & doors
open, the people, silhouetted against the beach, settled </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: large;">silently</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: large;">into the
ride, the breeze, & the setting sun. It seemed that they could simply enjoy
the train's rocking & the quiet stillness of an evening at home in Sri Lanka.</span></div>
</div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-68038699088261932832016-11-25T00:33:00.000-08:002017-03-24T22:02:32.997-07:00Letters from Egypt, Jordan & Israel - Desert Treasures<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Egypt - The Pyramids of Cairo</span></span></h2>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> <a href="https://goo.gl/photos/BsEgq4iwCew7qq6t5" target="_blank">Egypt Photo Album</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ckxaNZgJT58/WMZX4rO_ylI/AAAAAAAAU4c/8eqI87ItvYY3RX-oaJpCT9MxqnkHz_GaACLcB/s1600/Egypt%2B-%2BTravel%2BMap2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ckxaNZgJT58/WMZX4rO_ylI/AAAAAAAAU4c/8eqI87ItvYY3RX-oaJpCT9MxqnkHz_GaACLcB/s400/Egypt%2B-%2BTravel%2BMap2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well - I actually
did make it to Cairo, fast & furious - never sleeping Cairo! The traffic is full tilt 24 hours a day but
absolutely bumper to bumper during peak hours. I was still struggling with my
fears of crossing the streets and would typically shamelessly shadow any man,
woman, or child who was crossing the street. And, if solo, I sometimes would
even take the long way just to avoid having to cross a street.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkwBttudgzU/WMZenOx8mFI/AAAAAAAAU5g/30226UJghbgK6zSmM_bdHKveDIF2yRGGACLcB/s1600/2016-12-05%2BCairo%2BMuseum%2Bof%2BEgyptian%2BArcheoloy%2B-%2BKing%2BTut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pkwBttudgzU/WMZenOx8mFI/AAAAAAAAU5g/30226UJghbgK6zSmM_bdHKveDIF2yRGGACLcB/s400/2016-12-05%2BCairo%2BMuseum%2Bof%2BEgyptian%2BArcheoloy%2B-%2BKing%2BTut.jpg" width="325" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My hotel was just
around the block from the national archeology museum so that was my first stop
and I did not have to risk getting killed to get there. The museum is of course
what you would imagine in terms of the age & volume of important ancient Egyptian
art & treasures. It was so much
better than the reviews I had read that complained about poor organization and
labeling. The building is huge and is well organized, the ground floor by era
& the top floor by ruler. The King Tutankhamun display is really impressive
and yes - I really did get to see his gold & jeweled burial mask. Except
for King Tut's mummy, which is still sleeping in his tomb in the Valley of the
Kings near Luxor, there are so many artifacts from Tut's tomb that you really get a feel for the life of
the privileged in ancient Egypt in the early-mid 1300s BC. I was glad that I had seen so many of the important
tombs & palaces in Luxor before coming to the museum as I actually had some
basic knowledge of the era's & rulers of the new kingdom.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gpjoGL27W2mSEmvcyUDawYQZf7p8pvcw3yC8LFroTNqUoG-FoRshdpq_EMrqE_xUl1qa8Ilaq3SaeQGZ1nTOzXiMQ3BszMXESCQ59GMTAHdlnnLDRcgAtNbYAf4RrhtI9uHT13utu_Ua/s1600/2016-12-05+Giza+Pyramids+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gpjoGL27W2mSEmvcyUDawYQZf7p8pvcw3yC8LFroTNqUoG-FoRshdpq_EMrqE_xUl1qa8Ilaq3SaeQGZ1nTOzXiMQ3BszMXESCQ59GMTAHdlnnLDRcgAtNbYAf4RrhtI9uHT13utu_Ua/s400/2016-12-05+Giza+Pyramids+1.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I ended up meeting a
professional, bona fide guide while trying to cross some complicated streets
while walking about Cairo. An older gentleman offered to help me… now I know
that is usually the way the touts find vulnerable tourists but this fellow, Rashida,
was really genuine. He ended up telling
me about his business but asked that I look at this web site and reviews before
making any judgments. His personally guided tours of the pyramids were a much
better deal than what was being offered at the hotel. Best of all - he would
take me to see not just the Giza pyramid complex, the big 3 (Cheops, Khafre,
& Menakaure) & the Sphinx, we are so used to seeing in travel
photographs, but he would take me outside the city to see the earliest pyramids of the old and middle
kingdoms. Once he picked me up he gave me a pad and pen so that I could take
notes - like a historian he pumped me full of dates, names, and places of the
ancient Egyptians throughout the day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uNN8LHbX8zo/WMZeyZul8DI/AAAAAAAAU5k/k6slt112gfcuiCqcHPzFtm-3RcqcCZAeQCLcB/s1600/2016-12-05%2BDashur%2BWhite-Bent%2BPyramid.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uNN8LHbX8zo/WMZeyZul8DI/AAAAAAAAU5k/k6slt112gfcuiCqcHPzFtm-3RcqcCZAeQCLcB/s400/2016-12-05%2BDashur%2BWhite-Bent%2BPyramid.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Did you know there is a Bent Pyramid of
Dashur? This design signified an
important transition in the evolution of the now classic triangle shape we are
most familiar with. The ancients were learning from design & structural
flaws as early as 2,600 BC.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One of the sad
realities of the world is the sporadic terrorist attacks that take place. After
leaving Cairo I found out that one of the Coptic Christian churches in old
Cairo that I had spent some pleasant quite time in -just to chill out - was
bombed a few days after my visit. It is was fairly empty when I visited but in
order to make a spectacle the terrorists chose a time when parishioners fill
the church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I left Cairo on a
night bus headed to the Sinai - one that would take me all along the coast of
the Red Sea's Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba & up to the small charming
beach town of Dahab. The sea is beautiful there and the town takes advantage of
good diving and great fishing by offering lots of quaint inns & beach side
restaurants. But I had my sights on
reaching Jordan so after a short stay & continued on up the coast by bus to
a port and then by ferry on to Jordan. I teamed up with a couple of
20-something Japanese to share a taxi to Petra and so enter the highlands and
cold temperatures that I had not experienced for a long, long time.</span></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Jordan - Sandstone Tombs, Temples, and Treasury</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/355XgRtkvF1Rr6ES9" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif;" target="_blank">Jordan Photo Album</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QmlpmKdbmPA/WMZXnQIP7kI/AAAAAAAAU4Y/KMW44DEYiT8QZ_-36gveXRf7rIIX_ktUACLcB/s1600/Map%2BJordan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Petra is an
absolutely amazing spectacle of landscape, rock, & architecture created by
the nomadic Nabataeans over 300 years BC. Though nomadic, the Nabataeans developed incredible skill in sculpting whole cities of sandstone rock & creating highly efficient canals for distributing water. Petra was able to flourish under this tribe. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The shuttle from my hostel dropped
our little group off just as the site was opening so we were the first to enter
the deep slot canyon entrance to the tombs, temples, & palaces. A cold, crisp, totally enchanting walk
through canyon in no way prepares one for the first site - absolutely stunning.
It's impossible to really describe the incredible workmanship & beauty of
the structures c</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">arved right out of/in to the colorful sandstone cliffs. The
site is immense & I was able to wander totally alone to the very end taking
in the views as I climbed up & up to a vast vista point over the Wadi
Araba. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyUyiQ2ypa1lAVQb_bkQXzUnxJIm8QzawxqznZM7wIqFr-Uindy718t9RSLNUEuI44kRMZN6zZeZizuK1DNSrWtyyq9DcshwEj0R_n-I9re4oA6TvY_BUgl3qwpwvyzhEBs4ZE-Gcd2lV/s1600/2016-11+Jordan%252CPetra+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmyUyiQ2ypa1lAVQb_bkQXzUnxJIm8QzawxqznZM7wIqFr-Uindy718t9RSLNUEuI44kRMZN6zZeZizuK1DNSrWtyyq9DcshwEj0R_n-I9re4oA6TvY_BUgl3qwpwvyzhEBs4ZE-Gcd2lV/s400/2016-11+Jordan%252CPetra+%252810%2529.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At the tip top of one of the last
cliffs is a tent shop of sorts - the Bedouin who sits there offers tea but no
expectation to buy anything. Of course I had to sit & drink tea, 3 cups of
tea, as we shared stories about life & adventure.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Coming back down off
the cliff I could see that visitors were now beginning to arrive so I stopped
for a cup of Turkish coffee & to chat with a fellow from Pittsburg,
California! This fellow is on a quest to
see the 7 "new" manmade wonders of the world & Petra was his
latest conquest. Not knowing what these new 7 were - I had to google to find
the list included: Petra-Jordan, Machu Pichu-Peru, Great Wall of China, Chichen
Itza -Mexico, Christ the Redeemer-Rio Brazil, Colosseum-Rome Italy, & the
Taj Mahal-India. The Great Pyramid of Giza holds an honorary 8th spot - it is
the only one of the original 7 wonders still standing. Turns out, with Petra, I have now seen all 8!
The first, Machu Pichu, I saw in 1973 when I was 20 years old. It has only
taken me 44 years to see them all!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">From Petra I
traveled on to Amman, the capital of Jordan from I had planned to just hop over
the border to visit Jerusalem. Silly me, it was not so easy for a variety of
reasons but I was able to jump over lots of hoops and made my way into
Jerusalem for a short visit. It was cold & damp!! </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Israel - A Day in Old Jerusalem </span></span></h2>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/EdTVvjsEcYhzzaa58" target="_blank">Israel Photo Album</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I
spent all of one day wandering around the narrow winding streets of Old
Jerusalem - trying to remember what I could of actual history & Bible
stories. I was surprised to see that Old Jerusalem is probably much like it was
during the time of Christ in that it is a busy town with shops & vendors
& bakeries & cafes & markets all competing for space as much as it
is a busy neighborhood with kids playing or heading to/from school, residents
visiting neighbors & shopping & just living their lives.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For some silly reason I was imagining something more like Petra where the historical buildings sit empty & quietly while tourists come to marvel at what once was. Old Jerusalem is charged up & hectic!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Motorbikes, carts, & all forms of devout &
clergy navigating among neighbors & vendors & tourists. Example - the
stations of the cross are well </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">marked…in between vendor stalls! Ok- it's kind
of a mad house! The Christian, Muslim, & Jewish sectors each have their own
style. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Christian area is the most chaotic & </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">commercial with souvenir
& candy shops everywhere. The Jewish section is very refined - museums, art
galleries, fine craft & expensive jewelry shops, interspersed with good
cafés.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> I did not get a chance to see the Muslim sector as it was Muhammad's birthday & open only to those coming to pray. The historical highlight for
me was the Church of the Holy Sepulcher as under one cathedral are the sites
where Jesus was reported to have been crucified, cleansed after death, &
then entombed (all within a fairly compact space). Though the faithful are
mixed in with the curious - it is impressive to see how meaningful these sites
are to the devout.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My trip back to
Amman, Jordan was not so easy is my arrival - I'll spare the details - as I had
to exit Israel through a border several hours to the north rather than the one
I had entered. However, the few buses that I took to get back allowed me to see
a little more of Israel. The intense contrast of the desert juxtaposed to
agricultural areas is impressive. The Israeli's sure have some impressive water
management & greenhouse systems to enable the rich farm lands that produce
tons of tomatoes, eggplants, date palms, & on & on. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was a little
relief to come back to Amman - the downtown area where I stayed is small but
fun. Lots of shops, people on the streets, cafes, & restaurants. At night,
people come out into the streets to stroll. It seemed to be a favorite activity
to buy some of the delicious Jordanian sweets & stroll around while eating
from paper plates. The food is really delicious and eating out in local
restaurants - trying to figure out how to manage the plates - was a great
experience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though I probably
had one too many falafels during my stay in Egypt, Jordan, & Israel - all
in all I had a wonderful experience in these Arab countries & I can highly
recommend travel here. The people are kind & friendly to foreigners & I
was never made to feel anything but welcome. Sometimes people would express
their disfavor of the US government but I never heard anything but respect for
the people of the USA (well I should say most people who talked about politics
expressed disbelief & dismay that Trump won the election & that's still
hard to explain!). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But now it's time to
leave this cold weather and so I turn my sights eastward. Hmmm, where shall I
go? Ahhh… Sri Lanka looks interesting!</span></div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-41475963172134100572016-11-09T02:28:00.000-08:002017-03-24T22:03:17.003-07:00Letters from Egypt - Walk Like an Egyptian<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">From the sands of the Sahara & banks of the Nile</span></h2>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/photos/BsEgq4iwCew7qq6t5" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Egypt Photo Album</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My flight to Egypt took me first to Cairo and then after a long lay-over on to Luxor where I had arranged another Workaway volunteer assignment at the Bob Marley Peace/Boomerang Hotel. What a change in absolutely everything!! The lush greenery of Uganda with moderate climate & the familiarity of the more southern African nations gave way to the hot, dry desert and the Egyptian & Arab culture. But - it was comfortable & exciting in its own way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I became totally immersed in life at the hotel where my<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Mansoor, Amr, Sala, & Linda from Scotland</span></td></tr>
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volunteer assignment (for room & board) was fully devoted to the reception tasks of managing the reservation requests coming from emails or booking websites such as booking.com & hostalworld.com as well as the hotel's own websites. It was really a challenge to come in to a place that, though functioning perfectly well on its own, seemed convoluted to someone like me who, I suppose, prefers tighter organization and structure in the workplace. But, I kept my calm and it was fun; my days were filled with meeting travelers from all over the world and working with the Egyptian staff who were always so kind to me. Over time I went on just about all of the local tours & explored the sites of Luxor and then, with firsthand experience, I was able to help new hotel guests plan their own tours. It was great work & helped me feel a part of the local community in my own small way.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">My Luxor Neighborhood</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Neighborhood</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Luxor is a busy city but not too big. Its super easy & safe to walk around at just about any time of day or night. The traffic is a bit crazy and sure the vendors in the bazaar are aggressive but the city is vibrant & never dull - kids running here and there, women shopping for eggplant & pomegranates, men smoking shisha & playing Backgammon in the local tea cafés (no alcohol here!), falafel vendors & bakers peddling their wares on every street, and of course the constant barrage of the horse cart drivers, "Only 5 pounds, Only 5 pounds". It comes to life as the hot afternoon sun wanes & a light breeze from the River Nile begins to cool the city. No matter where you are you are within range of the competing carriage drivers and shop vendors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tourism fell to pretty to almost zero after the 2011 Revolution, as many Egyptians call the military coup prompted by millions protesting in Cairo to oust Morsi. The recovery has been extremely slow and an area like Luxor is hit particularly badly since they have relied on tourism to the historical sites for so long. Hardy tourists are now trickling in but most of the once-packed tombs & temples are still a breeze to visit - no crowds, no lines, plenty of tour offers. The government is still struggling and there is a lot of frustration that the recovery is too slow. When I arrived on the first of November the exchange was $1USD=8LE (Egyptian Pounds). Trading for dollars on the black market at double this rate was the norm. To stabilize the economy, the official rate was changed about a week later and now fluctuates around $1USD=16LE.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Luxor seems to be the hub for travelers wanting to see the major historical sites within town. I lived on the East Bank of the Nile River and just a 15-minute walk from the Luxor Temple and a 15-minute mini-bus ride from the Karnack Temple. On the West Bank of the Nile, just a short drive from the city center, are many tombs and temples. The first historical site I visited in Egypt was Medinet Habu, the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III, and that first site makes a huge impression - it was hard to believe I was actually in Egypt seeing such an ancient temple. The architecture and craftsmanship is so impressive and so much more beautiful and immense than I expected. Also on the West Bank is the Valley of the Kings, where for over 500 years (1539 BC to 1075 BC) the great pharaoh's tombs, such as the various Ramesses & Tutankhamun, were dug deep into the limestone mountains. Sometimes the tomb tunnels were so deep and tortuous that new when new tombs were dug their tunnels collided with older tombs. Only a few tombs are open at any given time to reduce exposure. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eIPTIj6I0ms/WDcxXb5Y62I/AAAAAAAAQ6E/nOBIhtZqhUk--Fm58d2ymq56t-35Hid2gCLcB/s1600/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BDendara%2BTemple%2B%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eIPTIj6I0ms/WDcxXb5Y62I/AAAAAAAAQ6E/nOBIhtZqhUk--Fm58d2ymq56t-35Hid2gCLcB/s400/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BDendara%2BTemple%2B%25284%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The amazing thing about all the historical sites is how rich </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">they are with hieroglyphics and reliefs, wall to wall, floor to ceiling, and rising up from top to bottom of immense pillars. They all seem to share the same highly structured and consistent style - as if not much changed in religious symbols such as the ankh, the key of life & the lotus symbol of love; and depictions of the gods, Horus, Isis, Osiris, over the 2-3,000 years of the pharaoh's rule. Even the clothes seem to remain the same over the hundreds and hundreds of years.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Abu Simbel Temple, near border of Sudan, Nile River</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3NZzbj9ioY/WDcwmbrb5CI/AAAAAAAAQ6s/Sj0AxMNo1sQemkNRjWms0_mRCJIzlq-_ACPcB/s1600/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BAbydos%2BTemple%2B%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3NZzbj9ioY/WDcwmbrb5CI/AAAAAAAAQ6s/Sj0AxMNo1sQemkNRjWms0_mRCJIzlq-_ACPcB/s400/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BAbydos%2BTemple%2B%25284%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Abu Simbel, Ramesses with Horus</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Nubian Village, Aswan</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Th4rQNbxzRc/WDcxujyH0sI/AAAAAAAAQ6s/zRYRZJx5EzgzMg5dW5aF3EzeC_tA_bjjACPcB/s1600/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BLuxor%2BTemple%2B%25283%2529%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Th4rQNbxzRc/WDcxujyH0sI/AAAAAAAAQ6s/zRYRZJx5EzgzMg5dW5aF3EzeC_tA_bjjACPcB/s400/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BLuxor%2BTemple%2B%25283%2529%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Karnak Temple, East Bank Luxor</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">King Tut - Karnak Temple, East Bank Luxor</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kqEDXJwJgIU/WDcxvWcpO_I/AAAAAAAAQ6s/jPTA-_PEffMS6ieTJWUiXUjGbXu-gDX9wCPcB/s1600/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BLuxor%2BTemple.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="391" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kqEDXJwJgIU/WDcxvWcpO_I/AAAAAAAAQ6s/jPTA-_PEffMS6ieTJWUiXUjGbXu-gDX9wCPcB/s400/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BLuxor%2BTemple.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Karnak Temple</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIGbFhznZ5zWanQwcNEImjEoo49b6qRnL3cqnQHxXiGJnTSxZ0Lj6f1w_g-ftoGuIAe3mbu7YuwOKf-Kr8wMFOs8qmv3iCo1g2LoE6280yRwHI68Ccdf5vHmkKK9pjqJiy_9XnduKch1-/s1600/2016-11+Egypt+Luxor+Temple+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIGbFhznZ5zWanQwcNEImjEoo49b6qRnL3cqnQHxXiGJnTSxZ0Lj6f1w_g-ftoGuIAe3mbu7YuwOKf-Kr8wMFOs8qmv3iCo1g2LoE6280yRwHI68Ccdf5vHmkKK9pjqJiy_9XnduKch1-/s400/2016-11+Egypt+Luxor+Temple+%25284%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Luxor Temple, East Bank Luxor</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eIPTIj6I0ms/WDcxXb5Y62I/AAAAAAAAQ6E/nOBIhtZqhUk--Fm58d2ymq56t-35Hid2gCLcB/s1600/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BDendara%2BTemple%2B%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can go and on about all the temples and tombs - I think I </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_virFttMvA/WD7Dm6eEpVI/AAAAAAAARAA/qCvxMBfubSIm8t3BxvjtquLDXgdaR1VcACEw/s1600/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BAbu%2BSimbel%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "times new roman"; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_virFttMvA/WD7Dm6eEpVI/AAAAAAAARAA/qCvxMBfubSIm8t3BxvjtquLDXgdaR1VcACEw/s400/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BAbu%2BSimbel%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Abu Simbel & reconstructed mountain</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">saw all the most significant ones from just north of Luxor all way down to Aswan but I will spare you. Well except for Abu Simbel which is just 25 miles (40KM) from the border of Sudan. You may remember that this huge temple in honor of Ramesses II and the smaller temple for his wife Nefertari next to it, carved into the side of a mountain along the Nile, were going to be flooded by the Aswan High Dam to create Lake Nasser. The entire temple complex was removed from the mountain and in a race against time was moved uphill into a new artificial hill piece by piece. Both the engineering effort and the tombs are awesome. It is quite a journey to get out to Abu Simbel - tourists are picked up from their hotels as 3:30am and then the transport vans meet up to create a caravan to make the 3-hour drive south across the desert toward Sudan. It all seemed pretty safe but the vans travel this way to avoid any potential border issues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After 3-weeks of living at the Bob Marley Peace Hotel and being immersed in both the hotel business and the ancient sites, it was time to move on. I had wanted to get to the Red Sea to do a little diving while the weather was still ok as the water starts cooling in November and winds pick up for a couple of months. I ended at the comfy little Rihana Guesthouse right off the beach where I stayed for 4-nights, Ibrihim, the owner, set me with up a great divemaster, Ahmed from Monkey Diving to do a little diving andspend a day snorkeling with dolphins in a natural lagoon. The water was not too bad with the water temperature about 78-79F and I had one day with 2 shore dives in very calm water. I saw some great fish that were new to me as about 20% of the fish are endemic to the Red Sea, a beautiful huge green</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nhy8YRXzy8Y/WD7ExwkQE7I/AAAAAAAARAM/5_jRySURYeI3_mtkCYSTYz1Axwuj0bTywCLcB/s1600/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BMarsa%2BAlam%2BGreen%2BTurtle.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Nhy8YRXzy8Y/WD7ExwkQE7I/AAAAAAAARAM/5_jRySURYeI3_mtkCYSTYz1Axwuj0bTywCLcB/s400/2016-11%2BEgypt%2BMarsa%2BAlam%2BGreen%2BTurtle.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Green Turtle of the Red Sea</span> </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OwV66xT-BDCKIcSpa8tz33qtSilyk9qzgzCXy-iuMbvQvnQTSsk6y3AU1RuIFGlabtfWAQE7XU3mbtxwcDhm6m47dRYzgfHefQF0YRUSJmIqaMXploeClQ9-omWbtxJngIxpI0WzGFmb/s1600/2016-11+Egypt+Marsa+Alam+Dolphins.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2OwV66xT-BDCKIcSpa8tz33qtSilyk9qzgzCXy-iuMbvQvnQTSsk6y3AU1RuIFGlabtfWAQE7XU3mbtxwcDhm6m47dRYzgfHefQF0YRUSJmIqaMXploeClQ9-omWbtxJngIxpI0WzGFmb/s400/2016-11+Egypt+Marsa+Alam+Dolphins.png" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> turtle, lots of skates, and vast stretches of beautiful coral. The variety of the hard coral was super impressive - every square inch of a huge reef was covered. The next day was a long trip out to see the dolphins but the drive and boat ride were worth it. The lagoon is a within a circular reef, it's relatively shallow with gorgeous white sand below. The </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">water is super clear so I makes spotting & following the dolphins so easy and all the more beautiful. We had plenty of time in the water to watch the dolphins swim about, play, nuzzle each other, and come up to the surface for a little "air time". The great thing about this experience was that it was in the dolphin's natural habitat & the marine preserve has tight guidelines for protecting the dolphins from boats that the tour operators all seem to follow closely as illegal activity has stiff penalties. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Coast of Red Sea near Marsa Alam</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">While in Marsa Alam I was able to make another Workaway volunteer connection, this time in the Bahariya Oasis so I moved on quickly; 10-hours traveling north by bus, following the coast of the Red Sea to Cairo. I arrived at midnight and since I had to take the 7am bus west to the Bahariya Oasis in Bawiti and the traffic in Cairo even at that hour is horrific, I decided just to wait the 7-hours in the bus station - nodding off as well as I could. Then on to another bus for the 5 hour drive across the desert to Bawiti, a village in the Bahariya Oasis. Sometimes travel like this is just worth it get from point A to B with the least hassle. It helps so much learning from others how to maneuver the transportation & what to expect in new place. Ibrahim recommended that I use Uber in Cairo and it turned out to be just the perfect thing. Not only is Uber easy & you know exactly how much to pay my driver was such a nice fellow that I took his number so I can arrange rides with him again when I return to Cairo.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Along the road from Cairo to the Bhariya Desert is desert, </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Desert just past the Bahariya Oasis</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">desert, DESERT! Absolutely no sign of life until reaching the basin where the oasis sits, an unexpected find in the middle of nowhere. Fed by natural hot mineral springs the community living in Bahariya uses simple techniques for irrigation to farm veggies and grow lots and lots and lots of palm dates.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Glimpse of the Bahariya Oasis in the Desert</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My new job is helping a Loly, a young 30-something husband/father of 3, owner/manager of the Egypt Western Desert Tour company (</span><a href="http://egyptwesterndeserttours.com/" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">http://egyptwesterndeserttours.com/</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">) expand a new venture, Desert Oasis Dates, into an international export business (here is the simple WIX website I built for him </span><a href="http://desertoasisdates.wixsite.com/desertoasisdates" style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">http://desertoasisdates.wixsite.com/desertoasisdates</a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">). Like many Egyptians struggling to make a living in tourism, Loly intends to make this new business a way to replace if not supplement his desert tour business. To paraphrase him, "I am a Bedouin and dates are a way of life not just a business". As I ask a thousand questions to try to understand this business he teaches me so much - most importantly though is that the date one of the first foods eaten in the evening after the day's fast during Ramadan - it is rich in flavor & high in calories and was also a favorite of the Prophet Mohamed. Dates are so important that during Ramadan, the shops can even run out of dates!</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m2nwwkJPBEE/WD_0ZTsYqsI/AAAAAAAARB0/n17hGoRpfnYBgGq4XjyRycVW56rU5Mz3wCLcB/s1600/Date%2BPalm%2Borchard4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m2nwwkJPBEE/WD_0ZTsYqsI/AAAAAAAARB0/n17hGoRpfnYBgGq4XjyRycVW56rU5Mz3wCLcB/s400/Date%2BPalm%2Borchard4.JPG" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">To teach me the business, he has taken me to one of his </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">extended family's orchard where Ahmed, his uncle, climbed up in a tree to pick both fresh and naturally dried dates for me to try. Theses are the dates Loly will export as they are the best of the best - and wow! they have an amazing rich flavor & soft thick texture. It only took a couple to feel satisfied.</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l1mDhaoCUX4/WD_0e3yTScI/AAAAAAAARB8/cleRrtRjT6Ye6eTFuRyIwcH0XBt7mzH6QCLcB/s1600/IMG_8147.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l1mDhaoCUX4/WD_0e3yTScI/AAAAAAAARB8/cleRrtRjT6Ye6eTFuRyIwcH0XBt7mzH6QCLcB/s400/IMG_8147.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Of course very little time passes in Egypt without a stop for sweet tea. I sat for tea with the fellows and then joined Ahmed's wife & mother in a private enclosure for tea with them. Men and women don't mingle in this traditional community. And when engaged or married/adult women are out, they always wear their burka.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next stop was to visit several of the local shops that sell dates to see just how they can be packaged:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">A Bedouin and his dates - Loly!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VZKynetngOw/WD7ESnUEAfI/AAAAAAAARAU/q_RX_1G1iGIsXXiutW3quzfFRm8yCNtEQCEw/s1600/2016-11%2BBawiti%2BBahariya%2BOasis1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VZKynetngOw/WD7ESnUEAfI/AAAAAAAARAU/q_RX_1G1iGIsXXiutW3quzfFRm8yCNtEQCEw/s400/2016-11%2BBawiti%2BBahariya%2BOasis1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Date vendor in Bawiti</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76gAeM-lganCgatkkcWT2rr6nneKRuamUB7lycPJuu6OWqpMmlbt0tcGZDNnOvvTV5hVz_lR4aP0B2rBjs9du4XY7Epy-fK5x062Ag6tW1NJQSVjdTHdUyHmg0LHW_D27hb1dMaTSAPo6/s1600/Logo+draft3+square.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: x-large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76gAeM-lganCgatkkcWT2rr6nneKRuamUB7lycPJuu6OWqpMmlbt0tcGZDNnOvvTV5hVz_lR4aP0B2rBjs9du4XY7Epy-fK5x062Ag6tW1NJQSVjdTHdUyHmg0LHW_D27hb1dMaTSAPo6/s400/Logo+draft3+square.jpg" width="348" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So for the first several days here we spent time chatting about his dreams for his business. One important option to </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">export to Muslim countries such as Indonesia who he expects will have the same appreciation for dates that Egypt has. In just a couple days of pretty intense work - I took a lot of photos, created a logo (at last a draft to get started), set up a Facebook page, created a very simple Wix website, and did a lot of searching on the internet for dried fruit importers. I will be sending as many inquiry letters as possible while continuing to search for more importers and wholesalers. W</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">e are hoping for the best - that at least we'll get a response or two to get the ball rolling. Of course I have lots of questions about exporting licenses, quality control, health certification, etc. etc. - but for now he is satisfied to begin the search and deal with the details as they arise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had planned on staying only one week to work and maybe a couple days to catch one of his tours to the Black Desert and the White Desert. But now Loly is asking me to stay a little longer as a friend from Indonesia has arrived with a couple folks who, among other things, are interested in coming out to the Bahariya Oasis to see Loly's palm dates & discuss business. Loly thinks I have something to offer and so I'll stay a bit longer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have found out that with a basic gutsy "just do it" approach - the businesses I have come across with Workaway have been surviving. Perhaps our western thinking around product development, marketing and sales management (even what a non-professional like me can offer) seems to impress the folks I work with. Loly in particular appreciates what he calls thinking out of the box which just means the Egyptian box. They just all have this sense, though not sure how right, that the western way of thinking offers more. Maybe they will change their minds when they actually see what our efforts actually provide - maybe the western approach will just take them down the rabbit hole of excessive work hours and endless preoccupation with work. The one consistent message I hear though is that, in spite of being incredibly industrious and motivated they really don't want to sacrifice peace of mind and a life rich in time spent with family and friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I am getting cooking lessons from Do-ah - I watched and helped a little while she made a delicious stuffed cabbage dish. She's also promised to show me baba ganoush, that mush eggplant side dish / spread that she makes to perfection!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Fresh tomato pure' added to crisply fired onions</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Simmer until sauce has reduced, add parsley & uncooked rice</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Gently steam a cabbage, separate leaves & make small rolls with rice mixture</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Add broth and gently simmer until rice is tender - Delicious!!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">For those who keep asking - where am I going next? I'll give the same answer - I don't know where or when exactly. Of course I still need to visit crazy Cairo & the pyramids and from there … probably follow the Sinai coast to Dahab and then on to Jordan and Israel.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Interested in a few comparisons with the USA</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Egypt… a few stats from the 2014 Census, INDEX Mundi</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Population (of 242 countries): ranks 15, almost 86,895 million (USA ranks 3, almost 320 million)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Population density (of 242 countries): ranks 115, 86,77 people per sq. km; (USA ranks 176, 33 people per sq. km),</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Poverty (of 215 countries): ranks 95, 22% (USA ranks 127, 15%), population below poverty line</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Literacy (of 215 countries): ranks 166, 73.9% (USA ranks 45, 99%).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">HIV adult prevalence (of 169 countries) ranks 123, 0.1% (USA ranks 62, 0.6% )</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life Expectancy at birth (of 221 countries): ranks 120, 73 yrs. (USA ranks 41, 79 yrs.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Until the next time!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hope all is well in your world!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Love - Stephanie</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Walk Like an Egyptian!</span></div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-30225804005545908832016-10-31T03:22:00.000-07:002017-03-11T00:47:04.547-08:00Letters from Uganda - Goodbye Pearl of Africa<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One last look at Uganda's treasures</span></h2>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/xe2r1zHaCVR8ZDAv8" target="_blank">Uganda Photo Album</a></span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/CZ6S9UGfegHQbGMz5" target="_blank">Uganda Safari Album</a></span><br />
<a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHskJZZF5r" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uganda Villa Katwe Photo Album</span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Time flies!! The last time I wrote, October 16, I was getting ready to leave Villa Katwe in Masaka, Uganda and head for another safari, visiting the Kibale Forest and Murchison Falls. Here it is November 30 and I have been too busy to write! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I spent my last few days in Masaka saying goodbye to the people I had spent time with, they were so kind to me that it made saying goodbye difficult. Will you come back they asked - what can I say... </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Villa Katwe Staff</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Wycliffe & Robin, Owners of Your Way Tours & Villa Katwe</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The trip to Kibale Forest to track the chimpanzees was just perfect! My 5-day, 4-night safari arranged by Wycliffe at Your Way Tours was excellent! Though I was the only one to go, my guide, William was both great company and an expert in Ugandan wildlife and culture. We traveled the southern route from Masaka to Fort Portal and then on to Kibale, passing through the lands of ankole and dairy herds, sugar cane, and cotton. Our first stop was the Kibale Forest Camp where I spent a couple nights in a comfy tent set in a tropical forest with the lovely sounds of creatures big and small coming to visit the little stream just outside my tent (what a treat!!). The second half of the trip was spent in Murchison Falls National Park with bush drives to see the wildlife near the Nile River.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I was up early the first morning at Kibale to join a group at the national forest for our trek. Kibale is one of two or three sites where chimps can be observed but at Kibale there has been years of work habituating the chimps so there is always a good chance of seeing these primates. But, just the day before, groups had not been lucky and had come back to the camp so disappointed that they had missed the chimps. Luck was with us though, and almost immediately after our briefing we began to hear the calling of the chimps and we knew this was going to be a great day! This experience was so different that the trek to see the mountain gorillas where, after a couple hours climbing the mountains, we found the gorillas sitting quietly & peacefully in one spot, eating and grooming. The chimps in Kibale Forest however live in both the trees and on the ground and are fast movers! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SK1Q_5Su0n8/WD6vk05qHHI/AAAAAAAAQ_E/BLWsyBXL4v8D-1_qMsV-kAM60rE_cUQ4ACLcB/s1600/2016-10%2BUganda%2BKibale%2BChimps%2B%2B%25280%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SK1Q_5Su0n8/WD6vk05qHHI/AAAAAAAAQ_E/BLWsyBXL4v8D-1_qMsV-kAM60rE_cUQ4ACLcB/s400/2016-10%2BUganda%2BKibale%2BChimps%2B%2B%25280%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a>Fortunately the terrain is fairly flat but the vegetation is very thick. Our guide warned us that we would have to move quickly to keep up with the chimps who move from tree to tree either up in the canopy or on the ground. We really did have to move fast (practically running!) to keep up but the sightings were so amazing and entertaining. In the early part of the morning the chimps are up in the trees eating fruit and their favorite leaves. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The males move quickly and independently and as they do remnants of fruit come raining down. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Clusters of females with with babies move patiently, following the directions for best food called out by the males. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The chimps are noisy & loud; communicating through hoots and cries where the best fruit is and if there is something potentially dangerous coming their way. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The females and their babies stay up in the trees to keep their babies safe but the males are busy after their morning feeding session and come down from the trees to groom and move about more freely. We spent most of our half day trek within sight of chimps and came away with an incredible sense of awe of this habitat & respect for the work that Uganda is doing to protect these amazing creatures.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3RQzwA2ffSc2BZlT3r0k2DByLqUV5xDiJFquoFaS6gtjXcSWKdGXbSnsj95zoOrvZ9KSPvvJmL6qwF-Rx7O_i2J_DFTnJ0JwWcynMfTkbl72pPX_T3CiW4sUGDnFbXW-KkNF-R3nlkAO/s1600/2016-10+Uganda+Kibale+Chimps++%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3RQzwA2ffSc2BZlT3r0k2DByLqUV5xDiJFquoFaS6gtjXcSWKdGXbSnsj95zoOrvZ9KSPvvJmL6qwF-Rx7O_i2J_DFTnJ0JwWcynMfTkbl72pPX_T3CiW4sUGDnFbXW-KkNF-R3nlkAO/s400/2016-10+Uganda+Kibale+Chimps++%25288%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qope2siOPmc/WDdEeurng1I/AAAAAAAAQ-E/D3-uGrUNDN0vGzIC7nQUJjYJ3sh6pE3FQCPcB/s1600/2016-10%2BUganda%2BMurchison%2BFalls%2B%25288%2529d.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qope2siOPmc/WDdEeurng1I/AAAAAAAAQ-E/D3-uGrUNDN0vGzIC7nQUJjYJ3sh6pE3FQCPcB/s400/2016-10%2BUganda%2BMurchison%2BFalls%2B%25288%2529d.PNG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Near the Kibale is a community development </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">wildlife/wetlands park that trains & employs local residents to guide walks into the park. My guide was a wonderful young fellow who absolutely loves his work and mixes in stories of traditional culture while pointing out the wildlife and plants. He was a fantastic spotter! In addition to seeing several monkey & colobus species he stopped me abruptly to wait for a green mamba snake to pass from a tree to the ground & slither away within just a few of us! And then, he turned to show me an African Scops Owl tucked way up in a tree. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Ankole</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The trip northward to Murchison Falls National Park took the good part of a day but along the way we passed through rolling hills with grazing ankole, plots of maize & cotton, and of course, banana plantations. We arrived at the Murchison Fort lodge and again I had a comfy tent to call home for a couple days. The lodge is right along the Nile River where you can hear and spot hippopotamus, egrets, herons, stork, and fish eagles. William had us leaving early for a sunrise bush drive to spot elephants, giraffe, plenty of antelope, cape buffalo, and as always spectacular birds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">William showed me the mating grounds of Uganda's antelope, the kob, which are fairly unique among antelope. Rather than banding in harems with a dominant male and a small herd of females, the kob females band together in large herds separately from the male. They create a large oval in open space where the females will congregate at mating time. The males then enter the space, if dominant enough, to mate. Murchison had a couple of these mating grounds that were close enough to see and it was fascinating watching the maneuvering of the males around and in the open space in their coy attempts to attract the females.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One night while in Murchison we had heavy rain and though most of the roads into the park were passable in the morning, by evening the road we needed to get back to the lodge was flooded with water from higher ground. William was cautious and he would not take his 4x4 through the high water for fear of getting stuck. After some negotiating and a couple of hours of waiting in more rain, there were enough people to fill the park's open cab safari vehicle with enough clearance to cross. Thankfully we had this heavy duty vehicle as the flooded areas on the road seemed to offer a perfect place for several very large crocodiles to settle in. A little too up close & personal with crocodiles swimming alongside this open cab vehicle but we made it through!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Murchison Falls, Uganda</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Murchison Falls, Uganda</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Last Sunset - River Nile, Uganda</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After two months completely enjoying Uganda, it was time to say goodbye and continue on. William my guide dropped me off in Kampala at the end of my wonderful safari - from there I traveled a few hours by public mini-bus on to Entebbe where the international airport is located. At 2:45 am on November 1st, I waved goodbye to the Pearl of Africa as I headed north to Egypt.</span><br />
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-66856362050466232016-10-16T10:28:00.001-07:002017-03-11T00:49:18.593-08:00Letters from Uganda - Life is Oh So Sweet in Masaka<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">October 16, 2016</span></h2>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/xe2r1zHaCVR8ZDAv8" target="_blank">Uganda Photo Album</a></span><br />
<a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHskDzUTux" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uganda The Pond Photo Album</span></a><br />
<a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHskJZZF5r" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uganda Villa Katwe Photo Album</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">46 days and counting
- Uganda is an easy place to live, the days keep rolling by. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since arriving in
Masaka in early September after the gorilla trek and safari I have kept busy
with volunteer work but it's been easy to settle into the comfort of
"home" in this lovely town. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cYUto_5qms8/WAOzqrwv-xI/AAAAAAAAQ2k/hSlTv27N8OYu9PsnCwMBp_FbgZUSxZwCQCLcB/s400/Masaka%2Bwalk%2Bto%2Btown%2B2016-10%2B%25282%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Walk into Masaka town</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cYUto_5qms8/WAOzqrwv-xI/AAAAAAAAQ2k/hSlTv27N8OYu9PsnCwMBp_FbgZUSxZwCQCLcB/s1600/Masaka%2Bwalk%2Bto%2Btown%2B2016-10%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Masaka, the Masaka
District capital, is large because it is spread out, encompassing many small
villages, but the town center seems small for a city with a population of over
100,000. The town center is limited to a couple dozen blocks that lie within a narrow
depression with green rolling hills on either side. It's not so pretentious
that cattle can't graze on the central park that borders the main road into
town. Just now the jacarandas that line this road are blooming and their
beautiful pale purple blossoms are scattered about like confetti - even
decorating the cattle who look ready for a fashion parade. The huge marabou
stork that crowd the large trees clack their heavy beaks in approval from their high perches.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9gG4yRi43LM/WARYm7xPCuI/AAAAAAAAQ3M/ahtyfgt8-lUXgVY9E2vUMkQiGkUvWSIMwCLcB/s1600/2016-20%2BGomesi%252C%2BUganda%2Bdress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9gG4yRi43LM/WARYm7xPCuI/AAAAAAAAQ3M/ahtyfgt8-lUXgVY9E2vUMkQiGkUvWSIMwCLcB/s400/2016-20%2BGomesi%252C%2BUganda%2Bdress.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The mature ladies
(nyebo) and gentlemen (sebo) walking into town are also decked out ready for
the parade. Folks here love to dress up in their best for trips to town. The
men are in western clothing but the ladies wear the traditional, elegant <span style="font-style: italic;">gomesi</span>, a 2-piece outfit with a matching
headscarf fancifully tied. The blouse has high, pointed, capped sleeves with a
long skirt and an elaborate, very wide & very long fabric belt that is tied
with a huge loop in the front. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-align: center;">The fabrics are lovely; always brightly colored
in large print and sometimes in silky synthetic fabrics. I'll see wedding
parties sometimes with the ladies glittering like crazy with shiny fabrics and
elaborate jewelry. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Masaka's downtown
streets are crowded with small shops, each street specializing in a different
product. The main street is lined one after another with "fancy"
fabric shops and tailors. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uI1qSyww1AU/WARfOiJOntI/AAAAAAAAQ3c/dOsyXIKaPTcLDqjMiTKl9yaFuMxvvkMZQCLcB/s1600/2016-10%2BBold%2BUgandan%2Bprints%2B%2526%2Bhead%2Bscarves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uI1qSyww1AU/WARfOiJOntI/AAAAAAAAQ3c/dOsyXIKaPTcLDqjMiTKl9yaFuMxvvkMZQCLcB/s320/2016-10%2BBold%2BUgandan%2Bprints%2B%2526%2Bhead%2Bscarves.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love the prints - though they are way too bold,
big, and bright for me. There are also several multi-story open walkway
"malls" (don’t think western mall) with tiny little shops selling
second hand clothes & shoes & plenty of beauty salons (called saloons
here) for getting braids & extensions woven in and nail salons - all part
of the effort for the more affluent Ugandans in Masaka to show some style. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6oDaYKLpkdI/WARfO-RQFoI/AAAAAAAAQ3g/Mj1gwo1Hu8QiedHigfsqLjptKbBY_KsXgCLcB/s1600/2016-10%2BCool%2Bdress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6oDaYKLpkdI/WARfO-RQFoI/AAAAAAAAQ3g/Mj1gwo1Hu8QiedHigfsqLjptKbBY_KsXgCLcB/s320/2016-10%2BCool%2Bdress.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The
younger generation - like everywhere - tries to be as cool & modern as
possible with jeans & hip-hop t-shirts - especially important when they go
out "clubbing" on weekend nights.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vUArByNHhPg/WAO0xAethaI/AAAAAAAAQ24/kkOgxxZS8NYM96UI3_fqDpp7YkhhAvzjwCLcB/s1600/2016-09-21%2BPond%2BShopping%2B%2526%2BPrep%2B%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vUArByNHhPg/WAO0xAethaI/AAAAAAAAQ24/kkOgxxZS8NYM96UI3_fqDpp7YkhhAvzjwCLcB/s400/2016-09-21%2BPond%2BShopping%2B%2526%2BPrep%2B%25288%2529.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Boda-boda - Silvia returning to The Pond</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Local transport is
the boda-boda, motorcycle taxis, which carry everything from whole families to
livestock (ever see a pig riding a motorcycle?) to building supplies across
paved roads in town to single track dirt roads in the villages. A short ride
across town will cost 30 cents. Riding on the rough dirt road to The Pond, the
restaurant where I have been volunteering, is a bit of a nail biter for me so I
ride them only when necessary, otherwise I walk the short 15 minutes into town
or the 40 minutes to The Pond. Walking is always more entertaining as I can
usually get chuckles from the adults as I mispronounce greetings with my poor
accent and the kids never tire of greeting me with Muzungo Muzungo (Swahili for
"white person") no matter how many times I stop and talk with them
(or more precisely - stop to tweak their noses to make them giggle). </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though
this town has other expats and foreign volunteers, a Muzungo walking through
the villages always seems to be a curiosity. I can't recall any time that I
have not been treated kindly, or at least with </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">just</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">benign curiosity.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F9WMYNZ0ZlU/WAOzmWNDnTI/AAAAAAAAQ2g/yzS7wj0Oqw4THrPYXRmdSugFy9gByUMlgCLcB/s1600/2016-10-15%2BUganda%2Bful%2Bmoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F9WMYNZ0ZlU/WAOzmWNDnTI/AAAAAAAAQ2g/yzS7wj0Oqw4THrPYXRmdSugFy9gByUMlgCLcB/s400/2016-10-15%2BUganda%2Bful%2Bmoon.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Full moon over Saaza village</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life seems slow
& simple in the villages near Masaka and The Pond. Most homes are brick, or
stone, or cinder block with tiled or corrugated roofs. Most have a plot for vegetables and banana, some have small areas set up for passion fruit
- a favorite here. 69% of Uganda's people rely on subsistence farming. Gardens
may have papaya & mango trees but those can be found scattered about. Cooking is done outside on small charcoal
fueled braziers. Tiny vegetable & dry good stores are here & there and
there's usually a simple restaurant or two. Kids are everywhere; 55% of the
population is under 18 years.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uganda… a few stats
from the 2014 Census, INDEX Mundi</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Population (of 242
countries): ranks 35, almost 36 million (USA ranks 3, almost 320 million)</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Population density
(of 242 countries): ranks 76, 149 people per sq. km; Uganda is about the same
size as Great Britain (USA ranks 176, 33 people per sq. km), </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Poverty (of 215
countries): ranks 86, 24% (USA ranks 127, 15% ). </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Literacy (of 215
countries): ranks 168, 73% (USA ranks 45, 99%). </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">HIV adult prevalence
(of 169 countries) ranks 10, 7.2% (USA
ranks 62, 0.6% ) </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life Expectancy at
birth (of 221 countries): ranks 207, 54 yrs. (USA ranks 41, 79 yrs.)</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgtrN5fviJI/WAO0LrYZnsI/AAAAAAAAQ20/iyFEd4X6z20yru2QkkYiZ4D6BJUAiq13gCLcB/s1600/2016-09-22%2BAndy%2B%2526%2BDogs%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="383" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgtrN5fviJI/WAO0LrYZnsI/AAAAAAAAQ20/iyFEd4X6z20yru2QkkYiZ4D6BJUAiq13gCLcB/s400/2016-09-22%2BAndy%2B%2526%2BDogs%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Andy with his dogs on his compound</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">While staying with
Andy at his large compound, I never cooked. My one room with a cold shower was a
separate apartment so I only used the kitchen in the main house to
make coffee - delicious Ugandan dark roast coffee brewed to perfection in my
treasured Aero Press (yes that is my daily treat and addiction). Uganda's mountain climate is perfect for Arabica coffee beans & the growing, harvesting, & drying of coffee beans is an important source of income for thousands of farmers. For meals - I usually make
a trip into town to eat in one of 5-6 restaurants I have found. My
favorite is Rebecca's restaurant, tucked under an outside stairway. Rebecca is
kind and gracious and loves it that I like her Ugandan food the best. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Typical
meals include at least 2-3 staples (<i>matooke</i>-steamed mashed plantain, rice,
<i>Irish</i>-red potatoes, or <i>posho</i>-maize, like papa, a very thick polenta)
heaped on one plate plus a stew of beef, port, goat, fish, beans, or ... more plantains! Though
veggies are rarely served in the simple local restaurants there are plenty of
veggies for sale in the markets. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Thursday is the big wholesale market day and
the open air market is filled with farmers bringing their produce: tomato, onion, ginger, eggplant, bell pepper, cabbage, potato, avocado (huge & delicious), passion fruit, orange, small round watermelon,
sweet banana, plantain, and small quantities of a bitter green that I don't
recognize. It's all inexpensive; avocado
is 15 cents USD but one small imported apple can be 30 cents USD. </span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BgLuYokvG2Y/WAO0GvGl-xI/AAAAAAAAQ28/1xPD4mqgbds7_UYQdkhmuNrp4qmHfyaawCEw/s1600/2016-09-21%2BPond%2BShopping%2B%2526%2BPrep%2B%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BgLuYokvG2Y/WAO0GvGl-xI/AAAAAAAAQ28/1xPD4mqgbds7_UYQdkhmuNrp4qmHfyaawCEw/s400/2016-09-21%2BPond%2BShopping%2B%2526%2BPrep%2B%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">S</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">hopping with Silvia & Sara for The Pond</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Around town there
are plenty of vendors selling local treats such as samosas, fried bread balls
(like makuenya in Lesotho), not too sweet mango & pineapple breads, & pork kabobs (with big globs of fat included). Neighborhood markets also provide
the veggies in addition to cooked foods such as: chapatti (imagine a flour
tortilla but fried), Rolex (very popular; a chapatti role with fried egg & shredded cabbage & carrot inside - cooked on the spot), fried Tilapia ($1.00 USD for an 8-inch fish - very good!), "baked" plantain, and
plenty of Ugandan dishes including plantain & stews. I quickly converted the traditional Rolex to
one, Mexican style, with fried fish, avocado, shredded cabbage - yum!</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I have been busy,
productive, and learning so much… Most days I'm challenged trying something new
and that has been rewarding. But, every
day I am challenged to be open to a culture, currently Ugandan, that can be so
different from my own. As I learn & experience more about the cultural
differences, the frustrations ease as patience & acceptance grow.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k6B0PTnw-5o/WAO0F4q8mmI/AAAAAAAAQ28/xNPfsmHq6-kT6t3LUk65Cakw-OMQgsrlgCEw/s1600/2016-09-21%2BPond%2BShopping%2B%2526%2BPrep%2B%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k6B0PTnw-5o/WAO0F4q8mmI/AAAAAAAAQ28/xNPfsmHq6-kT6t3LUk65Cakw-OMQgsrlgCEw/s400/2016-09-21%2BPond%2BShopping%2B%2526%2BPrep%2B%252813%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Helping peel plantains for matooke at The Pond</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The work at The Pond
over the past month resulted in some useful improvements - especially with the
addition of shelves and work-spaces to help improve efficiency in the kitchen.
The space is very tiny so we implemented ways to maximize shelf & floor
space to move about more easily, to keep produce & supplies put away to
avoid cluttering the work space. We added new shelves for plating the
dishes & put up nails to hang utensils & pans. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Now </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">all the empty soda <span style="text-align: start;">&</span> beer bottles <span style="text-align: start;">&</span> crates are outside <span style="text-align: start;">&</span> no longer taking up
precious space,</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">a wash station is in
place outside, covered baskets are available to store potatoes <span style="text-align: start;">& </span>produce, <span style="text-align: start;">&</span> a designated bucket stores dry goods. The staff are just used to
making do with what they have <span style="text-align: start;">&</span> they are not inclined to ask for tools to
assist them (for example, they did not have metal strainers <span style="text-align: start;">&</span> containers to
catch dripping oil after frying fish & chips - but now they do!). They are
very hesitant to ask for useful kitchen aids that "cost money";</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Andy is working with them to speak up.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Also - the management of garbage was an issue
for me - food scraps seemed to be everywhere inside and outside and required
multiple steps to clean up.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">It was so
simple to ask them to peel veggies directly into a bucket
that could then be emptied as needed for disposal. Solutions that seemed simple
to me were not obvious to the staff as households <span style="text-align: start;">& </span>roadside restaurants
just let garbage pile up. I'm not sure which new practices they will actually
adopt long term - that will be for Andy to determine what's important.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">But - the staff seemed grateful for the
improvements and that their needs are being considered even if they think some of my ideas are nutty.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPM_9tBPoQU/WAOzv69b62I/AAAAAAAAQ2o/oxtWq_0OvW8dmLZ3rZvyaamzsIMlrnU_gCLcB/s1600/2016-09-21%2BGuests%2B%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OPM_9tBPoQU/WAOzv69b62I/AAAAAAAAQ2o/oxtWq_0OvW8dmLZ3rZvyaamzsIMlrnU_gCLcB/s400/2016-09-21%2BGuests%2B%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Johnson & Namaganda enjoying fish & chips at The Pond</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The biggest
challenge for me was actually helping out during the big parties that Andy
hosted or were arranged locals. The team is amazing to watch as they patiently
get through the cooking. On the other hand I was a nervous wreck trying to
"waitress" & manage capturing the orders. I kept it together but
was mentally pooped at the end of these big parties. It was reassuring to see
that over time our improvements to the kitchen were useful and Andy became very
involved in assessing the stumbling blocks that delayed food delivery. I could
go on about all the restaurant workflows - but suffice it to say, the
restaurant business is a challenging one and being out on the front line is
probably something I won't seek out.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I admit, I like the
back office work and now have tried new skills at marketing & working at
Villa Katwe. I am now living just a
short walk from Andy's at Robin & Wycliffe's (Wickie) Villa Katwe, a bed & breakfast. Wow! Comfy room, hot showers, full use of the living quarters
and kitchen. I even cooked a veggie dish last night. The staff is great and I
am helping more each day: greeting & checking in on guests, helping just a
little in the kitchen & on the grounds when possible, helping to lock up at night,
etc. They offer me light meals even. </span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--vF4rjp4BQ4/WAOzYlowiTI/AAAAAAAAQ2U/0jqXxNOQSvAmpexo8KIvVDsin_Q-p5yAwCLcB/s1600/Villa%2BKatwe%2B-%2Bvilla%2Bentry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="357" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--vF4rjp4BQ4/WAOzYlowiTI/AAAAAAAAQ2U/0jqXxNOQSvAmpexo8KIvVDsin_Q-p5yAwCLcB/s400/Villa%2BKatwe%2B-%2Bvilla%2Bentry.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Villa Katwe - the main house</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since being in
Masaka, I created a Facebook page for The Pond,
tri-fold brochures for The Pond, Katwe Village B&B, & the safari
company, reworded and added content & offered design suggestions for the B&B & safari websites. Most of the
website work I do is to "smooth" out the verbiage as English is
Robin's (Dutch) and Wickie's (Ugandan) second or third language. I also suggest
content to add and ways to make the sites more reader-friendly. In addition, I
designed a new menu & created a new guest guide book for the B&B. It's fun, the business owners seem to like my
work - especially since I encourage them to customize it all with their
personal, more "current" style. The web sites have not
yet been fully updated, though Villa Katwe is almost complete. You can check
out <a href="http://www.villakatwe.com/">www.villakatwe.com</a> (it's not yet set up
for mobile phone) and <a href="http://www.yourwaytours.com/">www.yourwaytours.com</a> (edits pending). All this has kept me busy and entertained and
I am learning more about this type of marketing & design work & Uganda
while I'm at it. Overall the experience &; people I have met have been
great.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PvhIQoUhJ1M/WAOzcgbyg-I/AAAAAAAAQ2Y/7rVu0D843WUaiQCyv_k1pgf6ASdmeENegCLcB/s1600/Villa%2BKatwe%2B-%2Bgarden%2B%2526%2Bvilla.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PvhIQoUhJ1M/WAOzcgbyg-I/AAAAAAAAQ2Y/7rVu0D843WUaiQCyv_k1pgf6ASdmeENegCLcB/s400/Villa%2BKatwe%2B-%2Bgarden%2B%2526%2Bvilla.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Villa Katwe garden & compound</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Robin & Wickie invited me to come live at Villa Katwe, in exchange for the work that I am doing for them. Though I was sad to leave my first home on Andy's compound, I admit the Villa is charming, comfortable, & surrounded by a lovely garden. I see Robin & Wickie most days - they are so wonderful, & the staff is great and I enjoy getting to know them as they patiently teach me Ugandan culture. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Masaka seems to be a
hub for the community development & aid programs in the area. In addition, it is home to numerous expats mostly
from the Netherlands, Canada, and England. Except for an occasional Peace Corps
Volunteer I have met only one American here working on her PhD in sustainable
agriculture (fascinating work!). There are several businesses in town, The Pond included, that are
owned & operated by expats - most are hosting some kind of a community
development project in some form or another; many see Uganda as their forever
home.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately my
trip to Ethiopia to meet up with Jodie from California is now off due to the
ongoing political strife there. We have delayed several times now and though
Jodie hopes to make it by the end of the year I figure I'll just continue
heading northward to Egypt once I leave Uganda. I'll stay in touch with
Jodie (she is a wiz at Facebook communication) to follow her progress making her NGO, Humani Villages, an organization
based in Ethiopia that provides vocational training to women, a reality (check
out her website <a href="http://www.humanivillages.org/">http://www.humanivillages.org/</a>)</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-myESlDs6Jrs/WAOzlquazrI/AAAAAAAAQ2c/H0LrQqDLQ-IIyPLqavsU2_IYh5FnOF66gCLcB/s1600/2016-09-28%2BMasaka%2Bmonkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-myESlDs6Jrs/WAOzlquazrI/AAAAAAAAQ2c/H0LrQqDLQ-IIyPLqavsU2_IYh5FnOF66gCLcB/s400/2016-09-28%2BMasaka%2Bmonkey.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Monkey greeting me on my walk into Masaka</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though Uganda has
been a wonderfully pleasant place to stay, I am now getting itchy to move along
but first I am waiting to set up dates with Wickie for a safari to see the
chimpanzees at Kibale National Park and the cascades of the Nile River at
Murchison Falls National Park. I'll make my way to Entebbe airport after the
safari so that I can be on my way to
Egypt.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hope all is well in your world!</span></div>
</div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-16476505799851757132016-09-19T05:31:00.000-07:002017-03-11T00:43:16.671-08:00Letters from Uganda - Gorilla Safari & Settling In<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">September 14, 2016</span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Two weeks in Uganda, just the beginning</span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/CZ6S9UGfegHQbGMz5" target="_blank">Uganda Safari Photo Album</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/xe2r1zHaCVR8ZDAv8" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Uganda Photo Album</span></a></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHskDzUTux" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Uganda The Pond Photo Album</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hello Hello!</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3B3n7XRlLuPa0yeSJW0134Cs8w40rDNpAcvDC5-6Hf3_UG8N4CiYyUvPEifZDpbs90wkssvx8tnMPapa3baWQHXllZtbiRUmqe8tA0VRCv8j3bDdO8-IkeAGIAZCMl0CNCGcp8k0rItF/s1600/Uganda+Map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE3B3n7XRlLuPa0yeSJW0134Cs8w40rDNpAcvDC5-6Hf3_UG8N4CiYyUvPEifZDpbs90wkssvx8tnMPapa3baWQHXllZtbiRUmqe8tA0VRCv8j3bDdO8-IkeAGIAZCMl0CNCGcp8k0rItF/s400/Uganda+Map.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I sure could not
tell from landing at Entebbe International Airport and then taking a long late
night drive (25 miles, 60+ minutes) to the capital of Kampala for my first
night's stay that Uganda would be so wonderful.
That long drive connecting Entebbe & Kampala means a very narrow
road crazy with dust, smoke, motorcycles, crowded streets, pedestrians dodging
traffic, as well as restaurants & street food vendors catering to large
numbers of people… and <span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">then</span>
we had to cross the city of Kampala. I
could not tell at the late hour that morning would begin with a new perspective
& that the day would show me a whole new side of Uganda.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">At dawn the next
morning I woke to the most beautiful call to prayer I have heard a <span style="font-style: italic;">muezzin</span> sing. It was only as the sun edged up
that I could see a rose tinged mosque rising from the morning mountain
mist. Later, I learned from Jimmy, my
safari driver & guide, that Kampala was founded on seven great hills though
it has now spread to over 20 hills. My guesthouse, high on the 4,134 ft.
Namirembe Hill has the distinction of being one of the original seven hills
& home to St. Paul's Anglican Cathedral, but it was the dawn <span style="font-style: italic;">adhan </span>that set the tone for the rest of the
day.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokgKo0qt_MQdjOC0Iysuo5hjrl0eZtM3fFbC5x0lHK1505t20NT_qgTkyAngjwYEt9FGNzNR1Nj80V3EZfKQb66VYd6905HXh25_a7gtvMZ9lMVVPskzP_gHuliK_fKG8sSKE0Mdqr-Q8/s1600/2016-09+Uganda+%252828%2529+Safari+Crested+Crane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgokgKo0qt_MQdjOC0Iysuo5hjrl0eZtM3fFbC5x0lHK1505t20NT_qgTkyAngjwYEt9FGNzNR1Nj80V3EZfKQb66VYd6905HXh25_a7gtvMZ9lMVVPskzP_gHuliK_fKG8sSKE0Mdqr-Q8/s400/2016-09+Uganda+%252828%2529+Safari+Crested+Crane.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Crested Crane - National Bird of Uganda</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Traveling without a
guide book & with limited internet access on my </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">smartphone to research my
destinations leads to many surprises, mostly pleasant ones. Though I was able
to set up a local Ugandan 5-day safari to travel west to the Queen Elizabeth &
Bwindi Impenetrable national parks while still the Seychelles, I was not
prepared for such diverse & beautiful countryside nor how pleasant the
climate would be so close to the equator. The high altitude keeps the humidity
& temperature relatively low.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JpM266ca6Tw/V9lP3bTJF6I/AAAAAAAAQxg/21i_OTyWhzMscVXgjfBca4pKnyRPTRxcwCLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%25282%2529%2BSafari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JpM266ca6Tw/V9lP3bTJF6I/AAAAAAAAQxg/21i_OTyWhzMscVXgjfBca4pKnyRPTRxcwCLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%25282%2529%2BSafari.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I found my safari
buddy, Cesar, to be an interesting & charming young fellow from Mexico who
has been working as a mechanical engineer for the oil industry in Kuwait on a
2-year contract. But, this job was just a way to make some big bucks so he could
finance his real passion of starting a business that is bringing the electric
car recharging infrastructure to Mexico. We shared the same interests in
"freestyle" travel & science so had plenty of great conversations
along the way. Our driver/guide, Jimmy, is an enthusiastic & engaging
fellow who made sure to keep us entertained while learning about the culture,
geography, food, & wildlife of Uganda. Jimmy loves bananas - the staple
food of Uganda - and I think Jimmy showed us at least 4 ways Ugandans prepare
& eat bananas on our first day (mashed & steamed, stewed in light
tomato sauce, stewed in a peanut sauce, baked)! I don't think eating so many
bananas in one day was that great for my tummy!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gLitUT0VPISvGwmPzdVIa1PniIWRqSguDI3P-Y-j_hWg5I4YjHTGCpaWIGzghep3X8VAwhaY2preAszzXn7bjfTAcZITWbCk0MXtCLzaGqRE0GX3wJaNl7uT5u30vURgUgA4joRGaMla/s1600/2016-09+Uganda+%25285%2529+Safari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9gLitUT0VPISvGwmPzdVIa1PniIWRqSguDI3P-Y-j_hWg5I4YjHTGCpaWIGzghep3X8VAwhaY2preAszzXn7bjfTAcZITWbCk0MXtCLzaGqRE0GX3wJaNl7uT5u30vURgUgA4joRGaMla/s400/2016-09+Uganda+%25285%2529+Safari.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We safari took us
through beautiful countryside as we headed east to west</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> towards the border of
the DRC - Congo. From open plains, desert-like highlands, on through rolling
green hills, and finally to the more lush tropical mountains along the border.
I was surprised to see the highest peak was over 16,000 feet. The temperature
was great given the altitude, warm but not too hot and not humid (and not
buggy!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0BqevUwrfaE/V9lP10aOF3I/AAAAAAAAQxc/1mEDyzoXYtcLYryMtS471ONW5MJ_3BmggCLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252824b%2529%2B%2BSafari%2BCrested%2BEagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0BqevUwrfaE/V9lP10aOF3I/AAAAAAAAQxc/1mEDyzoXYtcLYryMtS471ONW5MJ_3BmggCLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252824b%2529%2B%2BSafari%2BCrested%2BEagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zJ9BQT7eSL8/V9lP3iJinCI/AAAAAAAAQxk/F9OGKrhxXtEfyeEcSpKNM9R0fdpopW2XACLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252813%2529%2BSafari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zJ9BQT7eSL8/V9lP3iJinCI/AAAAAAAAQxk/F9OGKrhxXtEfyeEcSpKNM9R0fdpopW2XACLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252813%2529%2BSafari.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We spent our first
two nights in a lovely safari lodge and visited the Queen Elizabeth Park to see
the Tree Climbing Lions, a somewhat unusual behavior for lions that exists in
relatively few prides scattered about Africa. But of course the highlight was
heading south along the border to the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, National Park
to see the mountain gorillas. And the park really </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">does </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">deserve that name. The
forest is made up of incredibly steep hills/mountains, over 4,000 ft. - the
incline sure looked well more than 45 degrees - and the dense trees and foliage
was intimidating even when seen from a distance far below. The village of
Bwindi hugs the roadside with steep climbs or drops on either side. The climate
was pleasant but a little cool. Our lodging was fixed tents with en suite
bathrooms and they gave us hot water bottles & warm blankets for the cool
nights.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0BqevUwrfaE/V9lP10aOF3I/AAAAAAAAQxc/1mEDyzoXYtcLYryMtS471ONW5MJ_3BmggCLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252824b%2529%2B%2BSafari%2BCrested%2BEagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0BqevUwrfaE/V9lP10aOF3I/AAAAAAAAQxc/1mEDyzoXYtcLYryMtS471ONW5MJ_3BmggCLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252824b%2529%2B%2BSafari%2BCrested%2BEagle.jpg" width="392" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Crested Eagle</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The morning of our
trek we were up early for breakfast & the lodge provided us each a generous
boxed lunch before off we went for a short drive to the Park. You may have
heard that the gorilla trek is expensive - well yes, the park entrance &
guided trek together is a whopping $600 (not including lodging &
transportation) considering that once you encounter the gorillas the visit is
limited to one hour. However, to the Park's credit, it seemed extremely well
cared for and what trekkers don't see is all the infrastructure that is needed
to keep the Park navigable & the wildlife protected. There are crews of rangers that are fulltime
in the field, even camping in the wild. They are on rotating 5-day shifts &
their job is to stop poaching & observe/report on the overall health of the
wide range of wildlife - much of which most trekkers won't even see, such as
the unhabituated gorillas & chimps, small mountain elephants, cats, etc.
Next are the spotters who track the eight or so groups of habituated gorillas
every day rain or shine, trekkers or not. Their tracking begins in the early
morning at the spot where they last saw the gorillas bed the evening before.
They have to go every day, every day, to be able to keep tabs on them. It's
crazy to see how thick the forest is - vines that try to trap you at every
turn, steep steep rocky slippery paths, foliage so thick you can't pass without
chopping away at it with a machete. And on top of that they have to watch out
for the aggressive mountain elephants!
Two armed guards are needed for every trekking group - they would only
shoot in the air to fend off aggressive elephants. And then the guides - really
they must have sent them all to charm school! So polite, so thoughtful, and
certainly so knowledgeable. And finally - the porters! The porters are not paid
by the Park, they are trained local citizens who are for hire to carry
trekker's backpacks (lunches, cameras, water, rain gear) & to lend a hand
or push up the steep terrain. The
trekkers are given a lot of encouragement to hire porters because 1) their
employment helps the local economy tremendously (& therefore reduces
poaching) and 2) they really help get all us trekkers up those steep, vine
tangled paths. The organization of it all was amazing. I don’t know if they
were fully booked the day I was there but there were at least 5 trekking groups
that were organized in groups of 8 plus one guide, 2 guards, porters, & a
group of at least 4 spotters per group in the field. Once we started our trek
we never saw the other trekking groups so we felt we were alone in the forest
with the wild creatures.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVnOYwSAQso/V9lP8LY0FQI/AAAAAAAAQxw/_5jmmO-ki4As1vKWG2zq8O8uT6Ydylf7gCLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252831d%2529%2BSafari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVnOYwSAQso/V9lP8LY0FQI/AAAAAAAAQxw/_5jmmO-ki4As1vKWG2zq8O8uT6Ydylf7gCLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252831d%2529%2BSafari.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well you may wonder
if I opted for a porter - heck yes!! The going rate is $15 USD & so worth it (plus I gave my fellow,
Emanuel, a big tip along with tips for the spotters). I was nervous that I
would slow the group down if I had to carry a pack & maneuver the steep
hills. But -the guides have that figured out too; they put the weakest link in
the front so the pace is set by the slowest and the end of the line is the
strongest so groups can more easily stay together. Guess who they picked for the lead position -
the "old" gray haired lady - me!!
Emanuel was a dear & gave me a helping hand over the really rough
spots but I'm happy to say I really wasn't the slowest - it was the
30-something couple behind me! They were troopers though and pushed through
when they thought they would have to give up.
I have to admit though, there was a time or two that the porter behind
me gave me a little butt boost when she thought I needed it! The porters were
terrific.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After about 2 hours
of hiking on increasingly narrow & more difficult paths the guides began to
veer off into the wild bush. Being in front I could tell that the guide &
spotters were spending more time talking on 2-way radios & even cell phones
when reception was poor. The trail was very difficult and it was hot - plus we
were all bundled up in long sleeve shirts & long pants with our socks
pulled up over the pants to ward off fire ants - we were all pretty much soaked
with perspiration. Cesar did not bother
to pull his socks up over his pants & look nerdy like the rest of us - we
made up stories that the guides would ask the trekkers to do ridiculous things
just to see if we would follow their instructions & look silly. It was fun
to laugh about but I still was going to follow whatever the guides told us to
do… it was a jungle out there!</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AX8otKPcyJQ/V9lP8XtuvPI/AAAAAAAAQx0/afYxEigpKM045E3Ew62euUoYGBJcR00wACLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252843%2529%2BSafari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="367" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AX8otKPcyJQ/V9lP8XtuvPI/AAAAAAAAQx0/afYxEigpKM045E3Ew62euUoYGBJcR00wACLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252843%2529%2BSafari.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IM8xhcKDOEY/V9lP8zYKARI/AAAAAAAAQx4/U44XE7qx3UEB7Gia4REaLz7Px6Y2h01cgCLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252833%2529%2BSafari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IM8xhcKDOEY/V9lP8zYKARI/AAAAAAAAQx4/U44XE7qx3UEB7Gia4REaLz7Px6Y2h01cgCLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252833%2529%2BSafari.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ok ok -so what about the gorillas!! So finally at
about 2.5 hours in we spotted the spotters & we knew, this is it!! The
spotters had cleared a small open space where we could all gather for our final
briefing, e.g. how close we could get, how not to use flash, how to move or not
move, how to store our packs, etc etc. We could not see a thing beyond this
small opening… and then we passed through the brush and, it was like walking
into a cathedral! We were all so awed, we did not make a sound… there they
were, our little family of giant gentle creatures! One massive silverback, 3
mamas, 3 infants … just doing what gorillas do… eating, playing, scratching,
farting, picking their noses, cuddling their little ones … so at peace, so at
ease. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">They are not shy with eye contact
- but seemed completely content and unperterbed - so much so the babies could
roam around just out of reach of the silverback & the mamas. It was as if
they were more comfortable than we are in knowing that our DNA is just a few
percentage points off theirs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L78ms5SU1X8/V9lQAuYidqI/AAAAAAAAQyA/jKIIdST5pYMR1STRFuosP9kzq4jGA5X4ACLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252847%2529%2BSafari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L78ms5SU1X8/V9lQAuYidqI/AAAAAAAAQyA/jKIIdST5pYMR1STRFuosP9kzq4jGA5X4ACLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2B%252847%2529%2BSafari.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We stayed for our
full allotted hour in this relatively small space - just mesmerized &
enchanted. We even had a few close encounters with a mama and then the
silverback as each moved within a few feet of our group to seek out better
foliage to eat. The silverback even passed by & brushed the legs of two
women in our group - we were all so stunned but the guide just spoke softly
telling everyone it was ok and not to move. With the silverback's movement we
could really appreciate how massive the male gorilla can get - for being a
vegan that fellow was solid muscle! Interestingly, as the end of our one hour
came up, it seemed that the gorillas knew our visit was at an end & each
group … human and primate began getting up to wander off along our own separate
paths.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">September 19</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now to shift gears
completely…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had arranged
before arriving in Uganda that I would do some volunteer work with a young
British fellow, Andy, who has set up a community development business in the
small city of Masaka in the south Central district of Uganda. Andy works for a
British charitable organization that collaborates with Ugandans to host the
annual Uganda Marathon which serves as a fundraising organization for various
non-profit groups. He has lived in Uganda 2 years but in the past 6-months or
so has set up a parallel, non-profit fish farm & restaurant known as The
Farm. The type of community development methodology that Andy follows is one in
which local businesses are launched to create jobs & become
sustainable. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jbz2NgIu_ow/V9lSrHWu6yI/AAAAAAAAQy4/-qUjigqcECAkQbxk7W82F46xNOzMsPMfQCLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2BThe%2BPond%2B%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jbz2NgIu_ow/V9lSrHWu6yI/AAAAAAAAQy4/-qUjigqcECAkQbxk7W82F46xNOzMsPMfQCLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2BThe%2BPond%2B%252815%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">His fish farm was built by
& is fully staffed by local Ugandans. The effort to dig the pond was
massive - it is amazing to look at it and realize that it was all dug by hand.
The business has only been operational for 4-months or so. The farm was stocked
with 5,000 Tilapia which will be harvested in the next couple months & then
will be restocked. </span><br />
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<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KiWikFJtS3k/V9lSq1z9dWI/AAAAAAAAQy0/Uove3lN8SAwUslZWIpGO3Gu0gkdh9GlggCLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2BThe%2BPond%2B%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KiWikFJtS3k/V9lSq1z9dWI/AAAAAAAAQy0/Uove3lN8SAwUslZWIpGO3Gu0gkdh9GlggCLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2BThe%2BPond%2B%25280%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Pond Restaurant</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A quaint little
wooden shack kitchen was built & the business model is Catch & Cook -
guests come to fish for their own dinner; seasoned fried fish and chips (AKA
French fries). There is a small covered area with bar & bar stools &
then several areas of cushioned seating where folks can gather. The intent is to cater to locals & charge
local prices but Mzungo (foreigners) come too!</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T6ZM_SrlwSI/V9lSrWfS9bI/AAAAAAAAQy8/vVYpvWJ517MHCviR8QxmsGYSngR_jpEzgCLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2BThe%2BPond%2B%252849%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-T6ZM_SrlwSI/V9lSrWfS9bI/AAAAAAAAQy8/vVYpvWJ517MHCviR8QxmsGYSngR_jpEzgCLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2BThe%2BPond%2B%252849%2529.JPG" width="300" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I came on board to
help assess kitchen workflow to speed up the time it</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> takes for the freshly
caught fish to be served to the guest. The restaurant is only open Friday,
Saturday, & Sunday so it took a little while to get to know the staff &
gain their trust as I was helping & observing their restaurant
processes. They work amazingly well as a
team but I was able to identify some stumbling blocks and recommend some
operational & structural modifications which I documented in a 10 page
formal business document & reviewed with Andy today. It is of course a
challenge with the cultural differences & expectations that we Westerners
& the Ugandans have - but that makes it all the more interesting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am not quite sure
how long I will work with Andy - we are still figuring that out. It could be a
week more perhaps, I don't know yet. Meanwhile though I am making a connection
with a bed & breakfast nearby - I have already reviewed their web site and
will meet with them tomorrow to suggest edits to some of the English verbiage
which only suffers a little from being written by folks who speak English as
their second language. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EKF0fGFuivo/V9lRsUkOc-I/AAAAAAAAQyg/SYpq_a6BRE4GRamWigCAtRIGWJJjsHM6QCLcB/s1600/2016-09%2BUganda%2BMasaka%2Bhome%2B%25280%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EKF0fGFuivo/V9lRsUkOc-I/AAAAAAAAQyg/SYpq_a6BRE4GRamWigCAtRIGWJJjsHM6QCLcB/s400/2016-09%2BUganda%2BMasaka%2Bhome%2B%25280%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Andy's compound, my room is under the trees</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Part of the deal
working with Andy is getting free room and I may work out a deal with the
B&B to stay there if the work with them goes on into October. I am happy to
get the chance to learn about the restaurant & hospitality business. It's
all a challenge but fun.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Hope to get back to
you all soon after my next adventure of going to visit habituated chimpanzees
at the Kibale National Park and daily life in Uganda. It is very beautiful here
and very easy to get used to. The people are kind and many speak English!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wish you all the
best!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Plantains for sale everywhere</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Getting around town</span></td></tr>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-82348497575768638802016-09-01T06:46:00.000-07:002017-03-11T00:50:20.987-08:00Letters from Seychellles - Island Paradise<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473581601727_7083"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">September 1, 2016</span></b></h2>
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<span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1473581601727_7084" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Two weeks in Seychelles</span></span></h3>
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<a href="https://goo.gl/photos/o1JLKewPwsShWoti6" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seychelles Photo Album</span></a><br /><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-POwOQmSmLO8/V9aj799gvfI/AAAAAAAAQvk/n3ZpFyjUysct9xPemkMg3nw9CJNRGngQACLcB/s1600/2016%2BSeychelles%2BMap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-POwOQmSmLO8/V9aj799gvfI/AAAAAAAAQvk/n3ZpFyjUysct9xPemkMg3nw9CJNRGngQACLcB/s320/2016%2BSeychelles%2BMap.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since I was in the
general vicinity & since the </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Seychelles have been famous for great SCUBA
diving it was easy enough to catch a plane from Antananarivo, Madagascar to
Mahe, Seychelles via Nairobi, Kenya.
It's about a 3 hour flight from Nairobi and there is not a thing in the
Indian Ocean along the way, but flying into the Seychelles island cluster is a
great experience. The Seychelles is made up of numerous very small mountainous
islands with beautiful white beaches which are bounded on one side by clear
turquoise water & coral reefs & on the other side by lush tropical
forests cascading down steep mountains.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6TgAXWCw2i8/V9k9vc2Rb9I/AAAAAAAAQw4/DY6lqvWUB_UxfYQwUUmUqqrUbRWs-tKuACLcB/s1600/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6TgAXWCw2i8/V9k9vc2Rb9I/AAAAAAAAQw4/DY6lqvWUB_UxfYQwUUmUqqrUbRWs-tKuACLcB/s320/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I had the chance to
visit both coasts of the main island and the capital, Mahe. On the southeast
coast I rented a comfy 2-bedroom AirBnB house just a couple short blocks from
the beach. Judy, the owner, is super friendly & since she was doing some renovating
on 2 other units on the property we got to visit every day & she gave me
great insights into life as a Creole on Seychelles. I also spent a week in a self-catering studio
on the northwest coast where there were more dive options than on the west. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lyeXY4Peka8/V9aj756m7jI/AAAAAAAAQvo/9jx8hAeFYbwHtu-i8urvZzDTupBEyZXDQCLcB/s1600/2016%2BSeychelles%2BGoogle%2BMap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lyeXY4Peka8/V9aj756m7jI/AAAAAAAAQvo/9jx8hAeFYbwHtu-i8urvZzDTupBEyZXDQCLcB/s320/2016%2BSeychelles%2BGoogle%2BMap.jpg" width="206" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Traveling Mahe is easy easy - there is a very convenient public bus service
that is the only inexpensive thing on the island. You can get just about
anywhere on the island for a dollar or less. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The dive operator,
Big Blue, is wonderful. A very small center with super friendly staff &
great service. Though it had been about 3 years since my last dive I was so
thankful to find that diving came back to me easily. The dive-masters at Big
Blue are great and really take the time to spot out the creatures & make
sure everyone has a wonderful experience. Because there are many islands, most
of the divers I met were island hopping & so with limited time to get to
know each other, we packed our time with conversations about life & travel.
Though I had planned to complete 10 dives over the course of the week I stopped
after only 4 dives. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wanfqcTa4I8/V9k94v8rztI/AAAAAAAAQxI/Cqq3_lmH4D4xmkVQL9a9Ew5xtmiB6FhLQCLcB/s1600/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wanfqcTa4I8/V9k94v8rztI/AAAAAAAAQxI/Cqq3_lmH4D4xmkVQL9a9Ew5xtmiB6FhLQCLcB/s320/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%25289%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The fish were great
but the sad state of the coral was really depressing. The Seychelles have
suffered terribly from several years of warm waters caused by El Nino; the
result has been significant coral bleaching caused by the loss of normal algae,
the coral then turns white & will die if cooler temperatures don’t return
soon. It appeared to me that over 90% of
the coral was affected. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GOczhTCMQNA/V9k9uOxh4YI/AAAAAAAAQww/Ju5lOnp2CJsaF7sbijdxb16OyjuuWggrgCLcB/s1600/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%252818%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GOczhTCMQNA/V9k9uOxh4YI/AAAAAAAAQww/Ju5lOnp2CJsaF7sbijdxb16OyjuuWggrgCLcB/s320/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%252818%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Though I cut my
diving short I did have the chance to see some of the beautiful sea creatures
of the Indian Ocean: shoaling Bat Fish & Coronets, lots of Angel &
Butterfly Fish varieties, Lion Fish, large numbers of schooling Jacks &
Snappers, White-tipped reef sharks, Manta Ray, and turtles. </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvShBw8pwNg/V9k90LBwCnI/AAAAAAAAQw8/YA8ohH638f8AsmnWMtrcC60v-bZzvVWwgCLcB/s1600/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%252821%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SvShBw8pwNg/V9k90LBwCnI/AAAAAAAAQw8/YA8ohH638f8AsmnWMtrcC60v-bZzvVWwgCLcB/s400/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%252821%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">But - I was able to
find other distractions… well, if sitting on the beach reading, taking long
beach walks, watching sunrises & sunsets count. There are also some
challenging mountain hikes on the island; the one I tackled was a steep hike up
Copolia for a great view of the east coast.
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JtHrSoYTsmE/V9k905GQI_I/AAAAAAAAQxA/U5-8A8uURVkLa5EFutORudDRpL6TznKngCLcB/s1600/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JtHrSoYTsmE/V9k905GQI_I/AAAAAAAAQxA/U5-8A8uURVkLa5EFutORudDRpL6TznKngCLcB/s320/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%25287%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Life is simple on
Mahe but oh so expensive! I managed by cooking for myself and using the bus
system to tour the island. There is not even one spot on Mahe's coast or
central mountains that is not gorgeous.
The sand is soft & white & clean. The beaches are bordered by
those lovely curving coconut palms & lush foliage. But - except for diving
I am not so content with beach life & so I started looking at travels in
Uganda; 2-weeks was a good enough stay in the Seychelles for me. </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4kC6teZoyBA/V9k95loNqSI/AAAAAAAAQxM/SV5PY8nVOLAp2mhQc14amjn8Ilr0f6ROACLcB/s1600/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4kC6teZoyBA/V9k95loNqSI/AAAAAAAAQxM/SV5PY8nVOLAp2mhQc14amjn8Ilr0f6ROACLcB/s400/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%25288%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Traveling without a
specific plan or timeline allows me lots of flexibility. So far I make flights
just point-to-point, one way between nations but I am careful to research visa
requirements as they can vary dramatically by country. I don’t even have a travel
book (the Lonely Planet Africa was just too huge to carry) so I rely on
conversations with other travelers & Google searches. I had hoped to travel
to Ethiopia this fall to meet up with Jodie whose NGO, Humani Villages, is
under development. Unfortunately, there
are currently some political issues there that are yet to be resolved so that
plan is on hold. Jodie & I remain in
contact & hopeful.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NCFSGutqhZc/V9k9uxnw9rI/AAAAAAAAQw0/LL0iCmf52Y8X7DDf_5gAOjLRvwcpwj82wCLcB/s1600/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NCFSGutqhZc/V9k9uxnw9rI/AAAAAAAAQw0/LL0iCmf52Y8X7DDf_5gAOjLRvwcpwj82wCLcB/s320/2016-08%2BSeychelles%2B%252814%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">After talking with
an Israeli on a dive, I am now considering Egypt, Israel, & Jordan. And,
after a Facebook posting of a
friend-of-a-friend, I'm also considering the Azores! And what the heck, I hardly know Europe so
should think about that as well. So… if you have travel suggestions for me
please send them along. Thanks - Carole
for the tips you have shared about the Middle East so far.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Next stop … the
mountain gorillas of Bwindi National Park, Uganda!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1469719493767_4196"><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1469719493767_4195"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1469719493767_4494">Stephanie </span></b></i><i id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1469719493767_4194"><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1469719493767_4193"> </b></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><i id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1469719493767_3930"><b id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1469719493767_3929"><span id="yui_3_16_0_ym19_1_1469719493767_4453"><span style="font-size: large;">Sweet Seychelles </span>🌴🌴🐠</span></b></i></span><br />
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-45140391197920742122016-08-17T01:34:00.000-07:002021-04-26T06:20:31.205-07:00Letters from Madagascar - Mora Mora, Easy Easy<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">August 17, 2016</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><br></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://goo.gl/photos/oKR4Fompz81FJXcL8" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Madagascar Photo Album</span></a></span></div>
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<h3 style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Time to say goodbye
to Madagascar</span></h3>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">One month is just
too short a time to explore this amazing island nation. I'll post the highlights first & then if
you are still interested you can scan through the details.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Highlights</span></h3>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dBj8EZW7VxA/V9aXRhTl-OI/AAAAAAAAQt4/1ukhf6YqSrUzeTfuNmnslh8MeIor9u0jgCLcB/s1600/2016-07%2BAndasebi%2BPark%2BMadagascar%2BIndri%2BLemur%2B%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dBj8EZW7VxA/V9aXRhTl-OI/AAAAAAAAQt4/1ukhf6YqSrUzeTfuNmnslh8MeIor9u0jgCLcB/s320/2016-07%2BAndasebi%2BPark%2BMadagascar%2BIndri%2BLemur%2B%25286%2529.jpg" width="226"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Indri-Indri Lemur</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">I traveled long
distances from the central capital to the northeast coast & then back
through the capital down the central highlands to the southwest coast:</span></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VeY6oaITRlY/V9aXVLjOpEI/AAAAAAAAQuA/lyhB3hNiFhcXZHAvSkJf5qhQ-dkaKzktgCLcB/s1600/2016-07%2BAndasebi%2BPark%2BMadagascar%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VeY6oaITRlY/V9aXVLjOpEI/AAAAAAAAQuA/lyhB3hNiFhcXZHAvSkJf5qhQ-dkaKzktgCLcB/s320/2016-07%2BAndasebi%2BPark%2BMadagascar%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Andesibe Park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Andesibe Park</b></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> in the
central mountains, a few hours from the capital where I got to see Brown &
Indri-Indri (the largest) Lemurs hiding out in a rain forest</span></span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e6YUGRjrv5w/V9aXTR2NfhI/AAAAAAAAQt8/zmQVBDSSSdEQkDwKDycelPpGd7hbDWDSgCLcB/s1600/2016-07%2B%2BMadagascar%2BIl%2BSt.%2BMarie%2Blodging%2B1%2B%2528800x600%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e6YUGRjrv5w/V9aXTR2NfhI/AAAAAAAAQt8/zmQVBDSSSdEQkDwKDycelPpGd7hbDWDSgCLcB/s400/2016-07%2B%2BMadagascar%2BIl%2BSt.%2BMarie%2Blodging%2B1%2B%2528800x600%2529.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Ile St. Marie - west coast</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Il Saint Marie</b></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">, an
island off the northeast coast where I spent several hours watching humpback
whales courting from a smallish motorized boat. </span></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Watching the whales breach & flash or slap their fins </span><br>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">& tails was exciting </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">but the real treat was listening to their mating calls via a microphone placed in the water.</span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XVn9VzkgPpwETiTJFR_YBLWWefpaD22bKeDyuysr0GzgaYzrUj4EMU5BVDXp3zRkor7R8coKZTb0NUedztIIuuqK6ZX7wSkI_tI7B3qvdapBmLzYSC91TZyidJ_BU7Suavsma7QIt-rR/s1600/2016-07+Il+St.+Marie+Humpback+Whale+tail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5XVn9VzkgPpwETiTJFR_YBLWWefpaD22bKeDyuysr0GzgaYzrUj4EMU5BVDXp3zRkor7R8coKZTb0NUedztIIuuqK6ZX7wSkI_tI7B3qvdapBmLzYSC91TZyidJ_BU7Suavsma7QIt-rR/s400/2016-07+Il+St.+Marie+Humpback+Whale+tail.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Humpback Whale watching - Ile St. Marie</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;"><b>Anakao</b></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">, a small beach
village an hour boat ride from Tulear in the southwest where I saw more
humpbacks from a traditional pirogue (handmade dugout outigger with square
sails) that took me to Bird Island to see nesting seabirds. The beach at Anakao
was lined with the colorful pirogues of local fisherman who repaired their nets
& then set their sails to go out to sea to fish & return with the
morning & afternoon winds & tides.
At the end of the day there was plenty of fish & some shellfish to
sell to the local restaurants. I spent 3 nights in a simple shack bungalow
(Peace Corps style) with buckets of water warming in the sun for my evening
bucket-bath. Days were spent walking the shelled beach, chatting with
adventuresome folks sailing in on catamarans from South Africa & the one
Australian spending a month kite surfing, and of course watching the kids play
in the waves before the sun set.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NhN7NY1UK7w/V9aYMhfpczI/AAAAAAAAQuY/lUXEh5TWxPw0pZx1Aez6V5_fyooSptWzwCLcB/s1600/2016-08%2BMadagascar%2BParc%2BIlsao%2B%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NhN7NY1UK7w/V9aYMhfpczI/AAAAAAAAQuY/lUXEh5TWxPw0pZx1Aez6V5_fyooSptWzwCLcB/s400/2016-08%2BMadagascar%2BParc%2BIlsao%2B%25286%2529.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Isalao Park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Isalao Park</b></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
southwestern dry zone with unique sandstone cliffs that are desert-like on top
yet hide narrow canyons below that hold waterfalls, natural pools, & unique
palm, bamboo, & fern groves. I hiked up & down the canyons to find Brown &
Sifaka (aka Sefika) Lemurs bouncing from one tree to the next.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pgHTvwmTAIw/V9aYVAiQddI/AAAAAAAAQuo/_hFurz0F-QM9Zs8GKJK1Vw6YGrGu3B9KQCLcB/s1600/2016-08-09%2BMadigascar%2BAnja%2BParc%2B%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pgHTvwmTAIw/V9aYVAiQddI/AAAAAAAAQuo/_hFurz0F-QM9Zs8GKJK1Vw6YGrGu3B9KQCLcB/s320/2016-08-09%2BMadigascar%2BAnja%2BParc%2B%252812%2529.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Anja Park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Anja Park</b></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">,
southcentral lowlands, with immense solid rock formations (small versions of
Yosemite's Half Dome) & a lovely little forest where we spotted Ring-tailed
Lemurs sunning themselves in the morning hours & chameleons snapping at bugs.
I hiked up up up up with an interesting Spanish couple from Barcelona to
find amazing views of the rice paddy terraces rimming the valley below. </span></span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztsDkiH0UgtUMLc28M8HWw065OdMc8GhgewYg_cmHqoG9XPJKBeguuhBc8ZFkt1YzNwAJ4-_hvNheiaacijI7n3ssDt80Z-_q9odTZSwoU1bXuJIGVLZnFLldihxBHXsETNeXcMDiHow2/s1600/2016-08-09+Madigascar+Anja+Parc+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztsDkiH0UgtUMLc28M8HWw065OdMc8GhgewYg_cmHqoG9XPJKBeguuhBc8ZFkt1YzNwAJ4-_hvNheiaacijI7n3ssDt80Z-_q9odTZSwoU1bXuJIGVLZnFLldihxBHXsETNeXcMDiHow2/s320/2016-08-09+Madigascar+Anja+Parc+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Ring Tailed Lemurs - sun salutation</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
park is owned, managed, & staffed by the community. Proceeds from the park
entry & guide fees are reinvested into the community, park, & training
programs for guides & spotters.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xhVKivKHuGE/V9aZAIWGADI/AAAAAAAAQvM/6W7iWZ8mQnU52OOzQ52C1NmZJ3L2Tox6ACLcB/s1600/2016-08-09%2BMadagascar%2BAmbalavao%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xhVKivKHuGE/V9aZAIWGADI/AAAAAAAAQvM/6W7iWZ8mQnU52OOzQ52C1NmZJ3L2Tox6ACLcB/s320/2016-08-09%2BMadagascar%2BAmbalavao%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Ambalavao</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Ambalavao</b></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">, a quirky
little southcentral town where I got to watch dozens of small zebu herds arrive
for the weekly sale. This was actually fascinating to watch as the herds were
driven in from the lowlands onto the high plateau. All the herds were jammed
next to one another & so the shepherds were constantly having to un-mix
& sort their cattle. It was a zebu cowboy roundup without the horses but
the dexterity & quick footedness of the shepherds made it exciting.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WkgH4Rr1yx8/V9aXP2VYaCI/AAAAAAAAQt0/4xK-aKPaWbcfYS_BcF1xqC2cuxG26I_jwCLcB/s1600/2016-07%2BAndasebi%2BPark%2BMadagascar%2BBrown%2BLemur%2B%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WkgH4Rr1yx8/V9aXP2VYaCI/AAAAAAAAQt0/4xK-aKPaWbcfYS_BcF1xqC2cuxG26I_jwCLcB/s320/2016-07%2BAndasebi%2BPark%2BMadagascar%2BBrown%2BLemur%2B%25287%2529.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Brown - red crested Lemur</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b>Ranomafana Par</b>k</span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> a
beautiful very steep mountain rain forest in the central high plains where I
hiked & spotted Sifaka, Brown Bamboo, & Red-bellied Brown Lemurs. </span></span><br>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2fdkmSdXMo/V9aXX0_1J8I/AAAAAAAAQuM/HsAXZY_ierEM2nAa32UPx7OSuILTskZZQCLcB/s1600/2016-07%2BMadagascar%2BBrown%2BLemur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-m2fdkmSdXMo/V9aXX0_1J8I/AAAAAAAAQuM/HsAXZY_ierEM2nAa32UPx7OSuILTskZZQCLcB/s400/2016-07%2BMadagascar%2BBrown%2BLemur.jpg" width="400"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Brown Lemur</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Since
this was a large park & very challenging to hike, spotters were used to go
out early to find the lemurs & then communicate locations with guides - all
so organized…but we still had to maneuver the steep jungle making our own
trails.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The nation's
culture, commerce, & poverty is easy to see from the road:</span></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Zebu grazing in
small groups attended in many cases by youth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Little children
pushing dirt into the potholes in the roads as a way to get tips from truck
drivers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Low wooden carts
with a crazy steering & braking system being used extensively up & down
the mountains</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Most everyone
walking, very few personal cars</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Women cooking meals
in heavy cast iron pots on charcoal-heated braziers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Fruits, eggs,
veggies, charcoal for sale on the roadside</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Tiered rice paddies
up & down the hillsides</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Malagasy singing
along to all the songs played in the </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal;">taxi
brousse</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Snack breaks all day
long along the road - small bites with coffee</span></li>
</ul>
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<h3 style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Overview</span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4EyT0Lia4sk/V9aXXwk3iUI/AAAAAAAAQuI/iOh2Qg-kD0gXRsu0mj0uLFPZnlI87pa-wCLcB/s1600/2016-07%2BAntananarivo%252C%2BMadagascar%2B%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="294" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4EyT0Lia4sk/V9aXXwk3iUI/AAAAAAAAQuI/iOh2Qg-kD0gXRsu0mj0uLFPZnlI87pa-wCLcB/s320/2016-07%2BAntananarivo%252C%2BMadagascar%2B%25288%2529.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Malagasy couple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Madagascar is the
4th largest island in the world (a little smaller than Texas) with a population
of more than 22 million people. Poverty is visible everywhere in Madagascar, it
ranks #22 (the US is #127 of 162 countries) on the list of poorest/richest nations
in the world with approximately 50% of its people living below the poverty line
(defined by the World Bank as an income of $1.90 a day or less). Unfortunately
the Malagasy, even from their very early history, have relied on slash &
burn farming and that, coupled with high a rate of poverty, population growth,
over grazing their cattle, & reliance on charcoal for cooking; the result
has been a 90% decimation of the island's natural forests.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In spite of these
hardships Madagascar is a beautiful country with friendly & kind people
& a fascinating and diverse geography. 90% of Madagascar's wildlife &
80% of its plants are found nowhere else in the world. Though the high central plains show the
greatest evidence of deforestation, the vast coastal areas are rich with jumbo
size palms, ferns, bamboo, & a wide range of fruit trees. The country is
mountainous as well, and even traveling cross country there seems to be little
distance between mountain ranges, rolling hills, high plains, deserts, &
tropical coasts. The look & feel of villages & homes changes as quickly
as the terrain. Simple raised wooden houses in the tropical areas, thatched
huts in the dry lowlands, & 2 story,
balconied, brick homes in the central areas.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I spent quite a bit
of time on the road traveling from northeast to southwest & back again. The
biggest obstacle was that I don't speak French which is the Malagasy's second
language. Fortunately I met many very friendly European tourists who were more
than willing to help me out; several times we teamed up to travel together
and/or share a guide in one of the national parks. I was always impressed by
the Europeans, mostly French, Spanish, & Belgium who could speak 3 or even
4 languages. It seemed only the Italians were as limited in French as I was,
though I picked up enough French words to get by.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The effects of the
colonization by the French can be felt in small ways - especially with the
food. Baguettes & small pastries</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">were for sale
everywhere, but also lots of little fried foods & samosas. Mini street
stands always seem busy selling small bites with coffee. My favorite was
delicious fresh yoghurt offered up in small glasses. The meals are simple: for
breakfast a rice soup with green veggies and for lunch or dinner zebu (a
humpbacked species of cattle originating from South Asia), duck, or chicken
stew or soup with rice (the staple) & vegetables.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Traveling through
Madagascar is a real adventure. Public taxi vans, <span style="font-style: italic;">taxi
brousse (bush taxis) </span>can be dilapidated & prone to breakdowns yet
are packed tightly (4 persons to a 3-person bench) even for long distances.
Fortunately the service is fairly organized with reserved seat tickets &
baggage carried on a roof rack. Since
distances between cities & villages is fairly great, the taxi fills &
unloads in specific towns rather than making numerous stops along the way.
During long distance trips; for example when I travelled overnight between the
east coast & the central mountains) the driver will make periodic stops for
meals & breaks. I found another option early on when the <span style="font-style: italic;">taxi brousse</span> I was on broke down &
everyone had to hitch for a ride. Fortunately most everyone got a ride quickly,
usually for a small fee. I was picked up by chauffeur/guide who was driving
"empty" from the capital to the west coast to pick up tourists who
were flying to the coast one way and returning to the capital on a multi-day
tour with the guide. Though I had planned to go only a short distance, I
quickly changed my plans & opted to ride with him all the way to the coast,
a two-day drive, for a fee. "Driving back empty" & picking up
tourists who just want a ride turned out to be a great way to get through
difficult routes and it made a nice break from the cramped <span style="font-style: italic;">taxi brousse. </span>Tuk tuks, bicycle or foot
powered, known <span style="font-style: italic;">as pousse-pousse,</span> are
very common in the smaller towns. They can be the only way to get around some
towns as cars are not that common. Outside of the capital most people walk or
use carts human or cattle powered.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The great thing
about traveling long distances through the various regions was that I got to
see people working in a variety of ways: weaving sisal or palm baskets,
planting, harvesting & preparing rice, making charcoal & bricks, even
operating stills of illegal sugar cane liquor (illegal but ignored). It was odd
to see brick making taking place in the rice paddies; apparently it is more
lucrative for farmers to make bricks and so the country has to import rice from
Asia. I did not notice as many schools as I was used to seeing in Lesotho - in
principle public education is free but many families can't pay for school
uniforms & books and/or have difficulty keeping their kids in school
(issues include tropical storms, transportation, inaccessibility, insufficient
teachers). </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0in 0.375in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I departed
Madagascar on August 18 for Seychelles, another island and a completely
different world. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Malagasy cuties</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giant Leaf Ginko</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Chameleon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JEeR8X2w38o/V9aYYrfB-jI/AAAAAAAAQus/CVJaBZtn2JMvOkl184pFf4SbF5RRXEPUACLcB/s1600/2016-08-12%2BMadagascar%2BAmbalvao%2BZebu%2BMarket%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JEeR8X2w38o/V9aYYrfB-jI/AAAAAAAAQus/CVJaBZtn2JMvOkl184pFf4SbF5RRXEPUACLcB/s320/2016-08-12%2BMadagascar%2BAmbalvao%2BZebu%2BMarket%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ambalavao Cattle Auction</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-972UfUnFwkc/V9aYY62i-8I/AAAAAAAAQu0/5KpRyk1I4g0KmKq-akhfmUVsJW7SUbmcACLcB/s1600/2016-08-13%2BMadagascar%2BRanomafana%2BGolden%2BBamboo%2BLemur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-972UfUnFwkc/V9aYY62i-8I/AAAAAAAAQu0/5KpRyk1I4g0KmKq-akhfmUVsJW7SUbmcACLcB/s320/2016-08-13%2BMadagascar%2BRanomafana%2BGolden%2BBamboo%2BLemur.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Bamboo Lemur - Ranomafamo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r4rHZhbT9hw/V9aYbvf8WEI/AAAAAAAAQu4/iHjs8a2-SJcDs3ds4CRMvxPkWA18TYfOQCLcB/s1600/2016-08-13%2BMadagascar%2BRanomafana%2BSifaka%2B1.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r4rHZhbT9hw/V9aYbvf8WEI/AAAAAAAAQu4/iHjs8a2-SJcDs3ds4CRMvxPkWA18TYfOQCLcB/s320/2016-08-13%2BMadagascar%2BRanomafana%2BSifaka%2B1.PNG" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sifaka Lemur</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ranomafano Park in background</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Madagascar Travels</td></tr>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-55458533946837071812016-05-31T10:00:00.000-07:002016-07-19T00:17:46.510-07:00Lesotho - Finding Normal…Beginning of the End<h3 style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Turn Around & Life in Lesotho is the New Normal</span></h3>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I know it did not
happen overnight - of course not, but there I was walking my usual path into
Mohale's Hoek and it struck me… This is my home, this is my community with all
the familiar faces of children & adults I see every time I walk. Maybe
because my neighbors & the children no longer think I am the oddity, the
lekhoua (English speaking white person),
passing through. Maybe because I too stopped thinking of them as part of
a unique but temporary experiment of
living in Africa. It was just a long
process, one without issue or angst, of slowing becoming a part of my lovely
Lesotho home. This is my new normal.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Basotho often ask me
what I like about Lesotho - actually it comes out more like "what could
you possibly like". I can't help but say the first thing is the vast
vistas of rugged terrain on rolling hills & mountains, the clear blue blue
sky; the abundant aloe, flowering in the spring, dying out in the fall; the
rugged dongas (very large gullies), a constant reminder of erosion; the
picturesque rondevals with thatched roof & herd boys with their cattle, a
symbol of a traditional way of life for the Basotho but an ever present
reminder of how hard it is for this country to overcome lack of resources &
poverty. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes the people too -
and they are as varied & comples as the vistas. The Basotho are homogeneous yet complex; with a culture that continues to baffle & amaze me. Helpful, generous, at
times suspicious & wary. Their heritage is a people who sought refuge &
safety in the mountains protected by King Moshoeshoe yet today sometimes seem trapped inside by those same mountains with little access to the world outside.
Cultural practices & norms are so strong & pervasive - they are the
Basotho's strength but also their weakness… questioning the status quo &
seeking change are new behaviors struggling to emerge… or so it seems to me if I observe things
well.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And then the children!
Wow - they are so energetic, so friendly, so dear. But I have to be thoughtful
- many will automatically flinch if I raise my hand to pat their shoulder; they
have learned a raised hand is mostly for delivering a blow as punishment in class
or at home. It pains me to see that - I have to tell them I am only delivering
a kind touch & then all is well. I compliment them on the car toys they
create out of scrap metal wire or the futbol made from plastic bags compressed
into shape. Aside from those - I rarely see toys but I do see friendly kids who
love to say "Good Morning" no matter what time of day it is and who
respond "We are fine" in a group response just like they are expected
to say every day in class; the collective "we" that is parroted back
to the teacher.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And so I go along
into town, the street vendors acknowledge me as I try to divide my purchases
among vendors but my favorites know I'll stop so they can pick out the best
onions & tomatoes for me. They'll call out to me when they have a rare
supply of peas, eggplant, or green beans; they take care of me that way - this
is my town after all.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A walk through Mohale's Hoek:</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Close of Service Workshop</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On May 2-4th my
cohort, Healthy Youth 2014 met for our COS workshop at the Thaba Bosiu
guesthouse. This is the site of first cultural tour when we were in training
almost 24 months ago & so it seems we have come full circle. A few of the
original group have departed - Britney, Jenea, Edward, & Tyler. My training
village cohort is just missing Britney - we are the Ha Taaso five: Nick, Jody,
Tracy, Eloise, & me. The original Bo 'M'e are together again & we sit
outside in the crisp evenings to share stories & drink wine. We three
pulled through - we made it! Only 2 1/2 months before we begin to head our
separate ways & back to the lives that no longer include each other. Will
we still chat on our What's App group, the HeYo Bo 'M'e, checking in to see how
each is doing: what crazy stories Tracy has to tell, what new event Eloise is
attending with her friends from church, what the sweet St. Camillus kids are up
to now. This strange & challenging, yes even surreal life we have been
living brought us together & perhaps we will always be the Bo 'M'e of Ha
Taaso. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Tracy will be the
first to leave on the first date possible, July 15. She will take a COS trip to
Ireland & Iceland before returning to Ohio to start life again with Carlos
& enroll in a massage & crystal therapy course. Eloise is the last to
leave of us to leave, she will depart on August 12. She will move immediately
to Virginia to complete her Master of Public Health at Liberty University. I'll
head to Madagascar on July 20 to begin my half-baked plan to explore who knows
what or where. We are so different in so many ways but we found each other just
we needed to and I think we will all be forever thankful, forever grateful of
that, as Eloise likes to say.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next few months
will be a slow whirl - quick trips & slow days of transitioning work.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_zX78uVbD1E/V3VWxwQ7_oI/AAAAAAAAQmk/0xVvCkb4swM-5aI-Ouz4S0gAIyFZsKQ9QCLcB/s1600/2016-05%2BCOS%2BHa%2BTaaso%2BBo%2BMme%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="444" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_zX78uVbD1E/V3VWxwQ7_oI/AAAAAAAAQmk/0xVvCkb4swM-5aI-Ouz4S0gAIyFZsKQ9QCLcB/s640/2016-05%2BCOS%2BHa%2BTaaso%2BBo%2BMme%2B2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ha Taaso Bo Me: Eloise, Tracy, Stephanie</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0gh1VOx9Hqs/V3VW28iHC-I/AAAAAAAAQms/SmyMEi-TLKMT-vWwFQEexb5cPVQ4gHr-wCLcB/s1600/2016-05%2BCOS%2BHa%2BTaaso1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="341" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0gh1VOx9Hqs/V3VW28iHC-I/AAAAAAAAQms/SmyMEi-TLKMT-vWwFQEexb5cPVQ4gHr-wCLcB/s400/2016-05%2BCOS%2BHa%2BTaaso1.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ha Taaso 5: Eloise, Tracy, Nick, Stephanie, Jody</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H129QGH0xNA/V3VXbVHJ48I/AAAAAAAAQm4/SCcJpbujJIUlsCrN0odtSvUbYTN4cx2rACLcB/s1600/2016-05%2BHeYo%2B14%2BCOS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H129QGH0xNA/V3VXbVHJ48I/AAAAAAAAQm4/SCcJpbujJIUlsCrN0odtSvUbYTN4cx2rACLcB/s640/2016-05%2BHeYo%2B14%2BCOS.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">HeYo 2014, Lesotho 82<br />Back: Tracy, Emily, Jody, Nick, Eric<br />Taylor, Eloise, Dani, Beth, Stephanie, Yolanda, Caroline, MacKenzie, Torle</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mountain Bushfire</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">On May
26 I set out on a road trip with PCVs Patricia, Jillian, & Hanna; our
destination, the Mountain Bushfire Music Festival, May 27-29; our road name
thanks to Patricia, Bush Fire Babes; our mascot, a Bush Baby! We made our way
from Maseru, through Clarens & the Golden Gate Highlands National Park in
South Africa, and on across the border of Swaziland to our charming bunk house
at Sondzela in the Mlilwane Wildlife
Sanctuary. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The festival was amazing! Patricia & I shared a ready-set up tent in the "Forest" section of the campground - away from the grounds and very peaceful. Each morning we were up early to find the best coffee and watch the festival come to life. There were three major stages with a shows from 11am to 3am - mostly African bands, all terrific. Great music, delicious food, plenty of drinks, high quality crafts, and best all lots of folks enjoying the great weather and dancing to an eclectic array of talented musicians. </span></span></span><br />
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-20760945629321505002016-04-30T05:29:00.000-07:002016-10-21T07:48:28.543-07:00Lesotho - Woman of Courage<h2 style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">April 14, 2016 - the day the Ambassador came to visit</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The day we had been
planning & waiting so impatiently had now arrived. US Ambassador Matthew
Harrington arrived with his entourage of US Embassy & Lesotho media to
honor Sr. Juliana with the US Embassy's 2016 Lesotho Woman of Courage award.
There to meet him were Bishop Joale Tlhomolo, Sr. Juliana, Sr, Gertrude, the
members of the St. Camillus Board, and other VIP guests. After a long welcome by the Bishop in his
offices, Sr. Juliana led the VIPs on a tour of the children's home and farm.
The weather served up a perfect day to showcase the gorgeously rich &
abundant fruits of the garden, the St. Camillus kids were polished up like the
little jewels they are, and the home and I all the grounds were in perfect
condition. A beautiful tent had been
erected & decorated and a delicious feast had been prepared. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sr. Juliana looked a
bit fatigued by all the stress of the planning & preparations but she
orchestrated the day to perfection. Behind the scenes she had organized a
little army of supporters & staff to complete all the prep work of making
the grounds shine & setting up the ceremony. Rethabile designed, printed,
& delivered lovely invitations & the program. The Mohale's Hoek police
even got involved as once Sr. Juliana informed them of the ceremony, they were
on hand to escort the Ambassador to the Centre & remain during the
festivities as his security force (a ceremonial honor as there were really no
security issues).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ambassador appeared
to thoroughly enjoy the tour & the ceremony. He gave a gracious speech that
honored Sr. Juliana personally but also honored the whole community of Mohale's
Hoek. We had expected him to depart at the conclusion of the ceremony but instead
he settled down to enjoy the fabulous feast & good cheer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Background: In
November 2015, due to Wendy Van Damme's,
Lesotho Peace Corps Country Director, encouragement to the PCVs to submit
nominations for the Woman of Courage award, I submitted the required 1-page
nomination letter. I found out in February 2016 that Sr. Juliana had been
selected! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Here is the 2-page
biography that Deanna Anderson wrote about Sister Juliana; she was artfully
summarized the information from the documents I had created: the St. Camillus
Retrospective & Woman of Courage
Nomination</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sister Juliana Manele</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Founder and Director </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">St. Camillus Centre for Orphans and Vulnerable Children </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Mohale’s Hoek, Lesotho</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">March 2016</span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">BIOGRAPHY</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sister Juliana Manele is a native of Lesotho, the
small “Kingdom in the Sky” located within Southern Africa. Born in 1949, she
grew up in a small mountain village just outside Mohale’s Hoek District
Capital. In her early twenties, Sister took her vows as a nun in the Catholic
order of the Sisters of the Congregation of the Holy Cross. Living in the
Congregation’s convent in the small village of Thoteng, near her birthplace,
she has spent the last 14 years advocating and caring for victims of Lesotho’s
HIV/AIDS epidemic.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Call to Respond to the HIV/AIDS
Crisis</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In early 2002, as the HIV/AIDS epidemic was raging in
Lesotho, Sr. Juliana was appointed to represent the Congregation to work with
international aid organizations to address the crisis in rural communities.
Because available medical services were insufficient, she realized that a
village-centered approach to caring for AIDS patients was needed. As a result,
Sr. Juliana, along with then Bishop Sebastian Khoarai and the Sisters of the
Congregation of the Holy Cross, co-founded the St. Camillus Home Based Care
Centre. Sr. Juliana has represented the Congregation and served as Director of
the Centre since its inception.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Leading Home-Based Care</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">With hospitals overflowing and many AIDS patients
unable to travel the long distances to health care services, Sr. Juliana
developed a model for home-based care. Volunteers from villages in
Mohale’s Hoek were trained to care for critically ill AIDS patients and
their families. Special attention was given to the ill in remote mountain
villages where access to health care was extremely limited and travel is
primarily on horseback. The Centre began to minister to the spiritual and
physical needs of those suffering from the HIV/AIDS disease using several
approaches:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="disc">
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gaining
the support of village chiefs and obtaining their permission to enter
their villages</span></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Educating
the community to abandon the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and seek help</span></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Collaborating
with international aid groups to acquire resources</span></span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="background: white; color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Recruiting,
organizing, educating, and providing medical supplies to home-based
caregivers</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Between 2002 and 2011, Sister enlisted the help of
national and international aid organizations to train over 150 caregivers who
treated hundreds of patients in more than 50 villages. As the organization
matured, caregiver training expanded to address community issues such as HIV
prevention as well as the legal and healthcare rights of AIDS patients and
orphans.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">As the caregivers became increasingly independent, Sr.
Julian turned her focus to another problem caused by the HIV/AIDS epidemic –
orphaned and vulnerable children.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Providing for Orphaned &
Vulnerable Children</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 2011, Sr. Juliana modified the St. Camillus
constitution and petitioned for re-certification to provide resident care
and fostering to needy children while still facilitating the home-based
caregivers. Today the Centre is a full-service home to a fluctuating census of
18-24 resident children, from infants to 18 years old. It also provides food,
clothing, education funds, and rent money to 15-20 children living in foster
homes in nearby villages. Additionally, it provides food, supplies, and rent
money to over 24 destitute individuals living with HIV/AIDS in the
community. St. Camillus is one of the few orphanages in Lesotho that cares
for children under the age of 5. These children typically arrive traumatized,
malnourished, significantly underweight and often developmentally delayed.
Local health care organizations have been tapped to teach the staff how to care
for these children and bring them to a state of health and happiness.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Striving for Sustainability</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">During the spring of 2015, Sr. Juliana worked with
Bishop Tlhomola, her Congregation, and several organizations to raise funds to
expand the Centre’s small farm to become commercially viable. Sr. Juliana’s
goal is to make St. Camillus a self-sustaining organization by selling
nutritious farm produce to the community, reducing dependency on donations and
ensuring the children have enough food year-round.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The drought of 2015-2016 has caused tremendous
hardship for the Basotho, the native people of Lesotho. There are food
shortages because water for home gardens is scarce and the maize fields that
normally supply the traditional staple, papa, are barren. Sr. Juliana has met
nature’s challenge and installed a new well, an irrigation system, and a
greenhouse. The Centre’s water supply is now adequate to supply irrigation to
the commercial fields and the children’s home.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today the farm includes a dairy cow, pigs, a peach
orchard, vegetable gardens. Preparations are underway to restore a chicken coop
and purchase poultry layers. There is enough food for the children and the
Centre has the potential to make a small income from commercial sales. The
expanded farm also provides jobs to people living with HIV/AIDS, boosting their
self-esteem and enabling them to be productive and contribute to their own
family’s needs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #444444; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sr. Juliana’s spiritual foundation, dedication,
ethics, and talent for finding solutions stem from her childhood on a farm in a
small rural village. The vows that she took over forty years ago still guide
her and she in turn has engaged and provided for the community of Mohale’s
Hoek. As a result, Sr. Juliana was named Lesotho’s Woman of Courage 2016 by the
U.S. Embassy.</span></span></div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-5514328212387840412016-03-31T05:00:00.000-07:002016-10-21T07:49:51.704-07:00Lesotho - Goodbye & Hello Again<div style="border-width: 100%; direction: ltr;">
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<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Goodbye dear Dad</span></span></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fyJVIQJgE9w/V0GbdPS4w3I/AAAAAAAAQiQ/rjKh6FUJwVg1UaGc8csWPOHgzhib7WgxACLcB/s1600/Lou%2527s%2B90yr%2Bportrait%2B2014.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fyJVIQJgE9w/V0GbdPS4w3I/AAAAAAAAQiQ/rjKh6FUJwVg1UaGc8csWPOHgzhib7WgxACLcB/s320/Lou%2527s%2B90yr%2Bportrait%2B2014.PNG" width="238" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Lou 90 years</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I found out from my
mother, Marta, that in the middle of February hospice care had been arranged
for my dad, Lou. During weekly calls home since my arrival in Lesotho in June
2014 I was aware of Lou's failing stamina & health, he had after all reached
his 90's. He often said to me that he
wanted to be home to greet me once I completed Peace Corps service in August
2016, and he was so close to doing so. I notified the Peace Corps Country
Director within the week to arrange for an emergency leave to go visit Lou; PC
was great and as quickly as was possible they received approval from PC
Washington DC and arranged my flights. PC has a 2-week emergency leave policy
for this type of situation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--0VXfOZU0_A/V0GbymgwzcI/AAAAAAAAQiU/womM6c1ygRko8Ut_mORL_MzqIvtOECEzgCLcB/s1600/1930%2527s%2BLou%2Bwith%2BDog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--0VXfOZU0_A/V0GbymgwzcI/AAAAAAAAQiU/womM6c1ygRko8Ut_mORL_MzqIvtOECEzgCLcB/s320/1930%2527s%2BLou%2Bwith%2BDog.jpg" width="204" /></a><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/--0VXfOZU0_A/V0GbymgwzcI/AAAAAAAAQiU/womM6c1ygRko8Ut_mORL_MzqIvtOECEzgCLcB/s1600/1930%2527s%2BLou%2Bwith%2BDog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once back in
California I was able to spend all day, every day with Marta & Lou. Though
Lou slept a lot, we were able to talk quite a bit during the first week. He
really enjoyed learning about my work in Lesotho and with Sr. Juliana at the
St. Camillus Centre. He had so many questions about the kids, the farm, and
life in Lesotho from seeing the slideshow of photos I had brought. He seemed to
present in the moment, content, relaxed, not worried - though always a little
wistful in knowing why I was there and what the coming days would bring. By the
second week his condition deteriorated and he began that slow slide into
another world. Sometimes he would verbalize his thoughts but mostly he just
seemed to drift. Marta said she was so appreciative of our time together and I
knew that my visit was as much about being with her as being with Lou. We had
wonderful care by the staff of Merrill Gardens, the senior residence where my
folks live, and by the nurses of Kaiser Permanente's Hospice program. The
treated Lou lovingly & eased his last journey. Lou passed away the evening of March 4 with
Marta, Sande (sister), and Christine (friend) there to care for him. I believe he was completely at peace.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ACxTK3ENzco/V0GcL4zRoEI/AAAAAAAAQig/yGrgBZUyTCsIDSiQizLeeI6M8SoqEVaygCLcB/s1600/2015-03-25%2BMarta%2B%2526%2BLou%2BMerrill%2BGardens%2B001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ACxTK3ENzco/V0GcL4zRoEI/AAAAAAAAQig/yGrgBZUyTCsIDSiQizLeeI6M8SoqEVaygCLcB/s400/2015-03-25%2BMarta%2B%2526%2BLou%2BMerrill%2BGardens%2B001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lou 91 years</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E1hIN8xj1io/V0Gb83WYU2I/AAAAAAAAQiY/nLlFaPqDJqIByvYUeLisWbSkaOwOhI3VwCLcB/s1600/2015-08-27%2BLou%2527s%2BBD.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E1hIN8xj1io/V0Gb83WYU2I/AAAAAAAAQiY/nLlFaPqDJqIByvYUeLisWbSkaOwOhI3VwCLcB/s400/2015-08-27%2BLou%2527s%2BBD.JPG" width="376" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Lou 91 years & Marta 87 years</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">My visits with my
family was my priority so I did not venture out much. Mike & Deanna once
again opened their home & hearts to me - I'll forever appreciate their
kindness. Dear pals came by to visit which helped make the days & nights go
a bit easier.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Home again to Lesotho</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Flying into Lesotho
brought mixed impressions… the beautiful, now green mountains & hills
framed by that fabulous blue blue Lesotho sky were so comforting &
welcoming but the vast stretches of barren maize fields seemed so unreal &
out of place. Where there should have been corn stalks shoulder high competing
to fill out each fertile field there were sparse patches of stalks & some
fields were not even plowed as if there was not even the will to try
planting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The St. Camillus Centre & Farm appeared to be an oasis in this desert of barren fields. The new borehole was supplying ample water to the irrigation that reached all the vegetable plots. Greens, cabbage, green peppers, and even flowers were thriving in the rich Lesotho soil. Making progress on establishing a successful sales approach was slow; Mme Maletuka was still carting green peppers into town on her head. However, she was making progress building relationships with the local vendors that would hopefully result in greater sales during future harvests.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The best news all month was that the new Toyota truck was delivered in late March by the Maseru sales manager. Sr. Juliana was thrilled to see a beautiful new truck, the latest model even, with all the new electronic devices included - electric windows!! The kids were now riding in style to and from school.</span></div>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-15650616942371106082016-02-29T08:07:00.000-08:002016-10-21T07:50:37.117-07:00Lesotho - Farming is Tough<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">St. Camillus Farm - Meeting Lots of Challenges</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In spite of the
fabulous early days of huge cabbages & initial sales, we quickly found that
finding & sustaining a market were extremely challenging. One large market,
the Catholic schools in the neighborhoods near St. Camillus, was totally unavailable
due to the 3 month summer holiday. Though Thabang had assured us vendors would
come from the north & south districts (Maseru to Quithing) & throughout
Mohale's Hoek, we did not experience the big sales that we had anticipated.
Rethabile & I created flyers & walked from market to market &
street vendor to street vendor promoting the farm. We showed photos of the
large "farm fresh" cabbages & green peppers & discussed
price. We promoted the concept of buying locally, Lesotho produce, rather than
imports from South Africa. But, vendors wanted St. Camillus to bring the
veggies to them in town. Our competitors
were doing just that - setting up stations where the town vendors could just
walk over & pick up their stock from trucks that would come a couple times
a week. Street vendors & many
markets rely on walking to the trucks. With no refrigeration on the street
& most markets, it is extremely difficult to keep fresh veggies fresh for
more than a couple days - so a steady supply of smaller quantities is preferred
over large loads. Finding the right sale price was a challenge too. Our initial
sale price was based on what we thought the standard price was but that was
always a moving target. We were having big trouble gaining a loyal client
base. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoVLf9vf2G5o6iV-uFBPHLb8W0clhs3y6QNjLlHJbohnv6U-TZBimjblpuqFFEYWEO8t0Xk0q3aD6UtUFsAposqEycRp7d4f6GxQDbZSYPmX1yEIQJTFXB6O61F9ZqG-BlfN5W26vL0Mu/s1600/2016-02+Green+Peppers+%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoVLf9vf2G5o6iV-uFBPHLb8W0clhs3y6QNjLlHJbohnv6U-TZBimjblpuqFFEYWEO8t0Xk0q3aD6UtUFsAposqEycRp7d4f6GxQDbZSYPmX1yEIQJTFXB6O61F9ZqG-BlfN5W26vL0Mu/s400/2016-02+Green+Peppers+%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Abundant, beautiful green peppers</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-susgtodlW60/VyS-Jb70W-I/AAAAAAAAQgY/2p9cysOjuXIeaF2-dO1AOhtQvZ5e1b1WQCLcB/s1600/2016-02%2BGreen%2BPeppers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-susgtodlW60/VyS-Jb70W-I/AAAAAAAAQgY/2p9cysOjuXIeaF2-dO1AOhtQvZ5e1b1WQCLcB/s320/2016-02%2BGreen%2BPeppers.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Ausi Rethabile & Mme Maletuka discussing sales</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The irrigation,
though a miracle of readily available water, was a challenging new concept for
Ntate Komitse, the farm hand responsible for managing the sprinklers. Watering
after a rain, watering on windy days, watering during the heat of the day;
numerous conceptual issues. Managing the pests was another; the outer cabbage
leaves were becoming riddled with pest holes.
Huge volunteer squash & sunflower plants as well as weeds were
invading the green pepper field. The volunteer plants were thought to be
welcome additions to the harvest as the farm workers were new to commercial
farming & did not appreciate the negative impact of this overgrowth. Ntate
Thabang, our Conservation Agriculture consultant, was dismayed & counselled
Sr. Juliana & the farm workers but they were slow or resistant to adopting
new behaviors. The huge cabbages early
in the season were now gone & vendors would tell us the remaining crop was
unsuitable for their stalls & shops.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_rZZeZ6NxQ/VyS-OGYSWPI/AAAAAAAAQgg/424Maw0zXkMqqgz0fE6jMmQoSY1pauncACLcB/s1600/2016-03%2BBorehole%2Btanks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K_rZZeZ6NxQ/VyS-OGYSWPI/AAAAAAAAQgg/424Maw0zXkMqqgz0fE6jMmQoSY1pauncACLcB/s640/2016-03%2BBorehole%2Btanks.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The new 60 meter borehole ensures the whole farm can be irrigated</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Bridging the
transportation gap became a huge issue as well. After the accident, the truck
had mechanical issues. Though Sr. Juliana began to take veggies to the villages
to sell, it was not long before the truck needed serious repairs & was out
for repairs. We soon found out the truck needed an engine overhaul & would
be left at the Toyota service department for weeks. Sr. Juliana & Mme
Maletuka would push a wheelbarrow full of green peppers, or carry a basin full on her head, the 2 km into town -
they were becoming exhausted. </span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mGPyvv7ahIA/VyS_XhB1y5I/AAAAAAAAQgw/hxa88xU6e18TiVJ9t0sFzd5cHK03t7IxwCLcB/s1600/2016-02%2BGreen%2BPeppers%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="556" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mGPyvv7ahIA/VyS_XhB1y5I/AAAAAAAAQgw/hxa88xU6e18TiVJ9t0sFzd5cHK03t7IxwCLcB/s640/2016-02%2BGreen%2BPeppers%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mme Maletuka carries the peppers 1.5 miles into town to sell - we need transportation!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sales plummeted.
Rethabile & I crunched the numbers & found that we had only sold 12% of
the projected cabbage harvest as the season was nearing its conclusion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;">Time to face the challenges & learn some
critical lessons about commercial farming</span></div>
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<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;" value="1"><span style="font-size: large;">But can we considering these
cultural, environmental, & socio-economic norms</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: large;">Removing barriers to
innovation, re-tooling, efficiencies, success through failure</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: large;">Unlearning behaviors that
were essential for subsistence gardening & reliance on rain to embrace
conservation agriculture with its managed crop rotation</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: large;">Adopting supply & demand
& for-profit marketing & sales methodologies in order to shift
away from practices associated with a life of poverty</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: large;">Releasing the fear of
spending money to make practical decisions about hiring labor, purchasing
tools, getting produce to market</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; vertical-align: middle;"><span style="font-size: large;">Confronting & then
managing staff performance issues or replacing staff when training proves
ineffective</span></li>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;">t<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_N0PJhgk_TY/VyS9WoXOJhI/AAAAAAAAQgQ/_96uUfNV06ospkRR9S4EJQSVL1wqEEMXgCLcB/s1600/2016-01-20%2BSt.%2BCamillus%2BGreenhouse%2B0%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_N0PJhgk_TY/VyS9WoXOJhI/AAAAAAAAQgQ/_96uUfNV06ospkRR9S4EJQSVL1wqEEMXgCLcB/s640/2016-01-20%2BSt.%2BCamillus%2BGreenhouse%2B0%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The greenhouse will ensure crops during the cold winter</span></td></tr>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-90728868386738905642016-01-31T08:06:00.000-08:002016-10-21T07:51:38.047-07:00Lesotho - Rain at Last<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Water, Precious Water</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Collecting, storing,
rationing, using, … all became an obsession for me during the drought. It was
so depressing, first to see the long lines of villagers scavenging for meager
drops of water at broken water lines, creeks, or dripping taps, and the wasting
of the livestock; and then second for me to have to manage this precious
resource for myself. There have been
reports of quite of few villagers getting sick from poor quality water, even a
death in my neighborhood.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kj8ZZdNAPNw/VySs7ieVcTI/AAAAAAAAQdI/88p7qOShk90OKzONavrdXtiP4y9pfd5VQCLcB/s1600/2015-11-14%2BPC%2BDelivers%2BWater%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kj8ZZdNAPNw/VySs7ieVcTI/AAAAAAAAQdI/88p7qOShk90OKzONavrdXtiP4y9pfd5VQCLcB/s320/2015-11-14%2BPC%2BDelivers%2BWater%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Peace Corps delivering much needed barrel of water</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Some PCVs in the
neighborhood have not had water from their taps since September. A few other
PCVs were actually moved to a new home in a different location entirely when
their water source completely became unavailable. I consider myself fortunate as I had some
water, usually for an hour 1-2 times a week through November. But, in December
& most of January, I had no water from my tap at all. That creates a
particularly bad situation because I have a flush toilet and no (water-free)
outhouse. I just knew that whenever I could find water I should fill up every
container possible</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, life without
water, what's that like? Or… Just how many buckets can I fill?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I admit to myself
that I am a Cost-Co consumer. I rely on the certainty of a never ending supply
of toilet paper and countless "soft sheets" for the dryer, as well as
the comfort that an extra-large bottle of olive oil provides. </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kMlNA9Nm2N8/VyS3XAZ_BLI/AAAAAAAAQfE/yIxsXkDHdA4yAPogDXkKy01_GYIanKYkACLcB/s1600/2016-01-16%2BRain%2Bwater%2Bat%2Blast.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kMlNA9Nm2N8/VyS3XAZ_BLI/AAAAAAAAQfE/yIxsXkDHdA4yAPogDXkKy01_GYIanKYkACLcB/s320/2016-01-16%2BRain%2Bwater%2Bat%2Blast.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just how many
buckets & containers do I have…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3 extra large</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 medium</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">4 medium small*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 small</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 tub for the mop*</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">2 wash basins*</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3 kitchen pots</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">3 water jugs,
5-liter</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 large canister
supplied by PC for filtering boiled water for drinking</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 very large barrel
supplied by PC</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">1 extra barrel
supplied by PC that was intended for another PCV but not needed</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">*without lids</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And did I ever run
out? Absolutely!</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">In spite of trying
my best to conserve & reuse every drop of water, after a couple weeks
without any water from the tap, I ran out. Flushing the toilet once a day is
the biggest water hog - My new source of water became the tap from the borehole
at St. Camillus Centre. While Sr. Juliana had her truck she could have the kids
collect the water & load the buckets on her truck to bring back to me. Once
the truck was out for repairs I had to hire a driver (about $8 USD) to make the
round trip to haul water for me from the Centre. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Life with limited
water:</b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Drinking: take water
only from a good source like a tap, boil & filter always</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Cooking: don't
bother, get food that does not need to be cooked & use the minimum of pans
& utensils</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Laundry: don't
bother; wear t-shirts 2-3x & pants even longer (use up my full supply of
undies until water comes)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Showering: go to the
hotel in town or to the Centre where they have the borehole</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Toilets: eeeewwww,
no more than once a day, light incense when needed, burn all possible tissue</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Vegetable garden:
use gray water from dishes as long as the taps supply at least some water, then
stop watering</span></li>
</ul>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g_UFhJwZNMM/VySzzFfxgCI/AAAAAAAAQek/3fM74qlWvPExZqDpSFLzVARHoOF5NquLgCLcB/s1600/2015-11-22%2BMohale%2527s%2BHoek%2BDrought%2BWater%2BGathering.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g_UFhJwZNMM/VySzzFfxgCI/AAAAAAAAQek/3fM74qlWvPExZqDpSFLzVARHoOF5NquLgCLcB/s640/2015-11-22%2BMohale%2527s%2BHoek%2BDrought%2BWater%2BGathering.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Queuing up for limited water - Mohale's Hoek</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<ul><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3scGXMFZAIE/VyS4-lALHDI/AAAAAAAAQfc/YE4Pt6Z8AaMFJrrw9mLospHqcCSfcQF1gCLcB/s1600/2015-12-04%2BMafeteng%2Bwater%2Bshortage1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="443" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3scGXMFZAIE/VyS4-lALHDI/AAAAAAAAQfc/YE4Pt6Z8AaMFJrrw9mLospHqcCSfcQF1gCLcB/s640/2015-12-04%2BMafeteng%2Bwater%2Bshortage1.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Queuing<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> up for water from broken drain pipe - Mafeteng</span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v74ZZc8MfaA/VyS5dlej5SI/AAAAAAAAQfk/CWQwCH01aJYq4c-Yb07bNQJEeKo6TDkDwCLcB/s1600/2015-12-04%2BMafeteng%2Bwater%2Bshortage2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-v74ZZc8MfaA/VyS5dlej5SI/AAAAAAAAQfk/CWQwCH01aJYq4c-Yb07bNQJEeKo6TDkDwCLcB/s640/2015-12-04%2BMafeteng%2Bwater%2Bshortage2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</ul>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">And then the rain came!</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The first heavy rain
near the end of the month was like a miracle. Not even forecast, a huge rain
came! Water poured across the field next to my house, flooded my yard, &
poured into the next field downhill. I gathered up every empty bucket & container
and put them outside to catch the rain. Every time one filled I dumped the
water in a huge empty PC barrel and was to fill every available container &
the toilets. I rushed to do laundry, shower, & wash my hair using the rain
water so I could refill the buckets! The
safe tap water, reserved for boiling & filtering, remained in just a couple
containers as I would not drink rain water, especially that which I captured
from under the eaves.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Off & on for a
week of so the rain came intermittently. My tap water came back on as the
source reservoir began to fill. The rivers began to flow & I could see
waterfalls from the mountains nearby. My few squash plants flourished &
grew huge & the fields turned green. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If only it would
last.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9truwA9ACkY/VyS6BF-TzkI/AAAAAAAAQf0/ejjXMDckJeA22kYuks9AXYM9WTiU3qbGgCLcB/s1600/2016-01-21%2BPeach%2BTree%2Brain3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9truwA9ACkY/VyS6BF-TzkI/AAAAAAAAQf0/ejjXMDckJeA22kYuks9AXYM9WTiU3qbGgCLcB/s640/2016-01-21%2BPeach%2BTree%2Brain3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-17798974863076372672015-12-20T03:50:00.002-08:002016-10-21T07:54:36.475-07:00Lesotho - Days of Heat & Dust<h2>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Endless Dry Summer</span></h2>
<h2 style="clear: both;">
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">December 19, 9am, 90 degrees</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">… Even the typically short southern
Africa spring was eclipsed months ago by long, hot, dry days and now the summer
season marches on relentlessly to the hottest months of January & February.
October through April is typically Lesotho's rainy season, when 85% of the
rainfall should occur in the less than 65 days per year when the sky is not
sunny & clear. But, we learned through government warnings months ago that
there would be no rain and we should all prepare for a long drought - at least
through March.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Parched land equally distributed</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">I ask the elders, "Ntate, have you seen such drought"; they
say, "Mme, never in my lifetime". I ask, "Ntate, where will you get
water"; they answer, "Mme, there is water underground but we don't have
enough wells, we must share what little we can find". I ask, "Ntate, what
will you feed the precious cattle, cows, horses, and sheep"; they reply,
"Mme, there is no grass, they will grow thin & some will die". I ask,
"Ntate, what about the maize fields"; they say, "Mme, we cannot plant
without rain". I ask, "Ntate, what will you do next year when there is no
maize grain for papa"; they say, "Molimo oa ka we do not know, we must
pray". And so they look to the sky
& pray.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">It is
painful to see the beautiful landscape of Lesotho now parched & crackling…
the maize fields plowed & ready, yet there are no beautiful stalks pushing
up higher each day & the peach trees actually wilting with their hard small
unripe fruit when they were so full with juicy peaches this time last year. It
is painful to see the livestock growing thinner & thinner, their ribs &
hips rising sharply as their bellies & haunches shrink. It is painful to
hear the neighbors' wheelbarrows rolling along dirt roads at all hours of night
& day; filled with buckets, now empty now full, back & forth as they
seek out a community well or creek that trickles water; waiting in long lines
for their turn to scoop a cup or quart full of water into their containers. It
is painful to see little kids catching & drinking small quantities of dirty
runoff. We have heard of deaths due to
drinking contaminated water & many more cases of dehydration & diarrhea
- the neighbors know they must now boil their water, though they did not do so
before, but sometimes one is just too thirsty to wait.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fEXcJWi7l8w/VnaTaBpCBbI/AAAAAAAAQEs/71F8ddRrq80/s1600/2015-12%2BDust%2BStorm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fEXcJWi7l8w/VnaTaBpCBbI/AAAAAAAAQEs/71F8ddRrq80/s400/2015-12%2BDust%2BStorm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Dust Storm</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">We even have some fierce dust storms. One evening St. Patrick's Church bell was ringing non-stop warning the community to prepare for a wind storm… the tin roofs are known to fly off so folks were warned to get ready. The air was so thick with dust that we couldn't see the usually brilliant night sky & in the morning the sky remained tinged red-brown for many hours</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Certainly
all my California friends & family have experienced drought and this fourth
year with below normal rain has been particularly severe. We have seen the
reservoir levels shrink, the lawns turn brown, the farms, fields, livestock
& crops suffer. The farmers see the
harshest effects all around them, those of us in the urban & suburban areas
feel the impact but less intensely. We do our best to conserve with all the
water saving technology we have implemented over the years. New California laws
to manage farm & orchard water usage are discussed - we talk about ways to
improve. But, we always seem to have the essential… clean water coming from the
taps in our homes.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Lots of water but none to spare</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Lesotho
raises millions of dollars each year through the sale of water to the Republic
of South Africa (RSA) through the Highlands Water Project, Africa's largest
water transfer system. The project's water is currently unavailable to the
Basotho though the nation does benefit from the hydroelectric power that is
generated. Another project, the Metolong Dam is expected to be completed by
2020 but will primarily supply water to just the urban area around the nation's
capital of Maseru. Most Basotho will continue to rely on ground water through
creeks, rivers, and wells. Many rural residents, especially those in the
mountains, walk long distances to retrieve their water supply. Meanwhile food
& feed prices are rising…</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">PCV life</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">So -
what is life for me, a "privileged" Peace Corps Volunteer. Yes, I am
privileged because I am one of the minority PCVs who has indoor plumbing.
Earlier in the year I had a sink installed in my makeshift kitchen and the hot
water heater repaired. During the winter months after I returned (June-August)
I enjoyed hot showers & the comforts of a "modern" kitchen.
However, since September, the water flow is inconsistent & limited & I
have to store water in buckets; collecting the water from the indoor tap when
the water flows for a short while every week or two. The joy of having a flush
toilet soured a bit since, without the back-up of an outhouse, I have to use a
precious bucket full of water to flush (ok it is still worth having a flush
toilet!!). Peace Corps provided PCVs
large barrels to store water, but we have to rely on our neighbors &
organizations to fetch the water. If I run out of water I ask Sister Juliana to
drive me to/from the children's home (just 1.5 miles away) with my buckets to
fill from their well. I can shower at the children's home or at the hotel in
the nearby district capital of Mohale's Hoek (1.5 miles away)…usually every
other day with daily touch-ups/spit baths in my home. Other PCVs are hauling water from taps near
& far. We are all conserving every drop.
I did plant my vegetable garden in late October - silly me. Obviously
without rain just a few squash & watermelon seeds pushed up hardy plants;
for those I just dole out a cupful or two of gray water every other day to keep
them going - at least something surviving brings hope.</span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5gYcIFORDeM/VnaVaLnIn9I/AAAAAAAAQGY/vKWLEiJzhPk/s1600/IMG_4083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5gYcIFORDeM/VnaVaLnIn9I/AAAAAAAAQGY/vKWLEiJzhPk/s400/IMG_4083.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">My garden - a few hardy plants</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The sad dry gardens surrounding my home & </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">the few hardy squash & melons that are fighting to survive with gray water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center;">
</span></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kj8ZZdNAPNw/VySs7ieVcTI/AAAAAAAAQdI/88p7qOShk90OKzONavrdXtiP4y9pfd5VQCLcB/s1600/2015-11-14%2BPC%2BDelivers%2BWater%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kj8ZZdNAPNw/VySs7ieVcTI/AAAAAAAAQdI/88p7qOShk90OKzONavrdXtiP4y9pfd5VQCLcB/s400/2015-11-14%2BPC%2BDelivers%2BWater%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peace Corps delivering a barrel of water</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zI3g1hdfcrg/VySsk8Gc_mI/AAAAAAAAQdA/jOkY_RqdnLIDxSrT5V8jUVP9zAag9cFFQCLcB/s1600/2015-11-14%2BPC%2BDelivers%2BWater%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zI3g1hdfcrg/VySsk8Gc_mI/AAAAAAAAQdA/jOkY_RqdnLIDxSrT5V8jUVP9zAag9cFFQCLcB/s400/2015-11-14%2BPC%2BDelivers%2BWater%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Joy still to be found</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Now
looking back I can see what a lucky or blessed (reader's perspective) series of
events occurred that brought us our new irrigated commercial farm! </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">This
past June when I returned to Lesotho & winter was bearing heavily down on
us (we had shortages of nutritious food & formula, one child was
hospitalized for malnutrition & others very underweight), Sister Juliana
met with Mme Marengue, a manager at the Ministry of Agriculture & a long
term friend of St. Camillus. Sr. Juliana was asking for a contribution of seeds
for the spring planting. During their chat, Mme M suggested that Sister submit
a grant for a greenhouse to the Ministry of Agriculture & any NGOs we could
find. Mme M & Sister agreed that with a greenhouse, the farm could supply
year-round vegetables for the children as winters are too harsh for most
produce. Mme M referred Sister to Ntate Thabang, a successful, local farmer who
has a very large greenhouse for a seedling business. Nte Thabang could surely
advise Sr. Juliana on how to write a grant for a greenhouse. The way I see the events now looking back is
that though Rethabile & I did proceed to write a greenhouse grant
(submitted to the Ministry of Ag & other NGOs but never funded) - Nte
Thabang had a much grander vision. He had taken one look at the St. Camillus
property and saw a world of potential! The Centre has water supplied by a
borehole (a well that pumps water into tanks) & two large fields totaling
over 4,400 square meters of fertile ground.
Field 1 had been used for maize (the dry corn harvested & milled for
papa, the Basotho staple carbohydrate) while chard (sold for meager cash to
local neighbors) had been planted on Field 2. Neither field was particularly
productive nor contributed to the Centre's income. Nte Thabang suggested that
with irrigation & planting commercially desirable crops (cabbage, green
peppers, tomatoes, peas), the farm could become profitable. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Sister
Juliana was inspired - she has the soul of a saint but the genes of a farmer
& business woman - and planning began. Nte Thabang was trained in
Conservation Agriculture in Canada & would be our consultant, install the
irrigation, & supply us with seedlings (a win-win for all). I asked Nte to develop a 3 year plan for crop
rotation, all expenses, & potential income. Meanwhile I had just completed
a workshop for Peace Corps sanctioned grants and I had the information needed
for Rethabile & I to write a grant that would be funded by PEPFAR (a US
program: President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief). We wrote the grant & got $3,750USD (plus
used the Centre's own investment of $1,250USD) to irrigate Field 1 & plant
cabbage seedlings.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">So, long
story cut short… here we are in the middle of a drought, local folks are not
able to plant their maize fields nor their home vegetable gardens, and St.
Camillus is selling <span style="font-style: italic;">"farm fresh
vegetables"</span>. Customers
include markets from Mohale's Hoek & as far away as Maseru (2 hr drive),
local street vendors, schools, & neighbors.
The Centre is helping the community by supplying Lesotho grown fresh
produce (rather than importing from RSA) & providing guaranteed full-time
work for current farm staff plus part-time work for the needy that Sister
Juliana has under her wide wings (the destitute, people living with HIV/AIDS,
the under-employed). </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u0V0dc3c5Jk/VnaUrhDdy6I/AAAAAAAAQF0/W_atMWydfME/s1600/St.%2BCamillus%2BFarm%2BSign%2B2015-08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u0V0dc3c5Jk/VnaUrhDdy6I/AAAAAAAAQF0/W_atMWydfME/s320/St.%2BCamillus%2BFarm%2BSign%2B2015-08.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Follow the sign to St. Camillus</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"></span><br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PtdGl3KrvKk/VnaU1URkLKI/AAAAAAAAQGA/QzszkEUc9XA/s1600/2015-11-14%2BFirst%2BSale%2Bof%2BCabbages%2B%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PtdGl3KrvKk/VnaU1URkLKI/AAAAAAAAQGA/QzszkEUc9XA/s640/2015-11-14%2BFirst%2BSale%2Bof%2BCabbages%2B%25284%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Basotho love the big cabbage!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">The Centre is also making money!! Well we have not yet turned a profit & we are still in a risky position as new commercial farmers. Can we keep the veggies pest free? Will there be enough customers? Are we able to hire enough staff to harvest? And on and on and so it goes.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">More stable base for managing the </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">business</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">I often
tell Sister she has a very large & complex business to run: providing a
home to orphans, managing a commercial farm, & providing charitable aid to
people living with HIV/AIDS. It has now been a full year since we began taking
baby steps to build a financial infrastructure to support this business… a year
of trial & error, confronting cultural norms, moving away from guessing
monthly expenses to setting up a budget, using tools (yay for Excel
spreadsheets!), putting money in the bank rather than hiding little bundles of cash in secret places! Bank
deposits are being made for the first time as the Centre actually has an
income! The goal is to reduce our heavy dependency on donations from The Lesotho
Connection & NGOs, & though we are still a long way out, that goal is
clearly in our sights. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DviKxEIOAmA/VnaT9LlPOoI/AAAAAAAAQFQ/PU2zgEhsMUc/s1600/12152015_LesothoSpotlight_SSales02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DviKxEIOAmA/VnaT9LlPOoI/AAAAAAAAQFQ/PU2zgEhsMUc/s320/12152015_LesothoSpotlight_SSales02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Rethabile managing farm sales</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">The real strength behind our business management achievements is Rethabile, she is my counter-part (partner, co-worker) who now runs the Centre's "business office". This marvelous 23 year old is so intelligent, wise, talented, & eager to learn. We have steadily moved forward so that she has assumed full accountability & I am available to her as a consultant as needed. These days I ask her to give me work & direction! </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">And our darling children</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bkKz2J8hq1o/VnaT0eXGhNI/AAAAAAAAQFE/wY6ovJBARc0/s1600/12152015_LesothoSpotlight_SSales04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bkKz2J8hq1o/VnaT0eXGhNI/AAAAAAAAQFE/wY6ovJBARc0/s320/12152015_LesothoSpotlight_SSales04.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Monthly Weighing Session</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Six
months ago we were struggling with food shortages & malnutrition. Our
monthly weighing sessions are a delight now - the kids love the attention &
the matrons are taking pride in their weight gain. Comparing June to December weights - the
infant to 5 year old group, has, on average, increased their weight by 21%. The
two infants (one 7 months, the other 1 year) have caught up & have doubled
by 6 months & almost tripled by 1 year their birth weights respectively.
Progress is very slow & we still have children under five who fall below
the "low normal" weight for their age while the remainder hover just
above that marker. In June 67% of these children were below normal but December
weights indicate that number has dropped to 56%.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sfmORF3z6nk/VnaX2N8tjdI/AAAAAAAAQGw/3rOGo6rAr_Q/s1600/12152015_LesothoSpotlight_SSales16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sfmORF3z6nk/VnaX2N8tjdI/AAAAAAAAQGw/3rOGo6rAr_Q/s320/12152015_LesothoSpotlight_SSales16.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Best kids ever!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Other December stories</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">More Grants </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Rethabile
& I submitted two new grants. We have already received the good news that
one for approximately $1,400USD has been approved by 10,000 Gardens in Africa,
a Slow Food-Italy program. This grant will fund next year's seedlings &
tool. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">The
second grant request was submitted to Peace Corps for another $3,750 & we
are all optimistic it will be approved soon. It will be used toward drilling a
second & deeper borehole (well), completing the irrigation system, &,
we hope, partially funding a small greenhouse.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">These
grants will help us complete the work started in July-September with funds from
Peace Corps & the GoFundMe effort led from the USA by very good friend
Deanna Anderson.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Visitors</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Ska Moteane</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> is our
local contact for the Slow Food-Italy program and she is a renown Lesotho
chef who won the 2013 Gourmand World Cookbook award for best African cookbook
for her book of Lesotho traditional recipes, Cuisine of the Mountain Kingdom.
We invited her to come to St. Camillus to put on a cooking
demonstration/workshop for our matrons & other invited guests. She came!!! </span></span><br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4iOlH7Bcx7o/VnaVfwe8W6I/AAAAAAAAQGk/ynkDMGqsnt8/s1600/12152015_LesothoSpotlight_SSales01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4iOlH7Bcx7o/VnaVfwe8W6I/AAAAAAAAQGk/ynkDMGqsnt8/s400/12152015_LesothoSpotlight_SSales01.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">She arrived on Dec 2 to visit the Centre, meet the children, & tour the garden. She & her friend Ma-lord (who was involved in publishing her book & consults with small Lesotho businesses to improve their markets) spent the night at my home. We had a full house for dinner & sleep over with Linda from TLC, PCV pal Tracy, & Rethabile. We had fabulous discussions over dinner & breakfasts. </span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7yFymh247xM/VnaUeSf_HvI/AAAAAAAAQFo/peQxbY7B9RA/s1600/IMG_3920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7yFymh247xM/VnaUeSf_HvI/AAAAAAAAQFo/peQxbY7B9RA/s320/IMG_3920.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Ska was up at 4 am to start her slow food - slowly simmering the dish she would demo. Meat bones simmered for hours to create a rich broth in which sorghum grain, carrots & celery were added for more hours of simmering. She charmed a small group of wary matrons, a St. Camillus Board member, a local farmer, and us PCVs with stories of her past & how she became a chef. She so inspired the matrons that they cooked the same dish that same night for the kids.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">Linda
Henry</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> also was here, mid-November to mid-December. She stayed at my house &
spent most of her time with the children & managing the shopping while
Sister Juliana took a much needed 10-day vacation (she spent the time resting
knitting & praying in the quiet of a nearby convent. Linda is well known & well loved by the
St. Camillus children & most of the Mohale's Hoek community. There seemed to be a steady stream of
visitors, old & young, coming to visit her or greeting her in town. With
donations from her family, she led the effort to help the older kids pick out
their Christmas outfits & make sure all the kids had some wonderful clothes
& toys for Christmas day. Linda was here last January - at the time that I
had my fall - so she ended up spending much of that time managing the place on
her own while Sister was on vacation.
She had a little easier visit this time as we buddied up to get things
done when possible. Linda was instrumental during the design & build phase
of the new orphanage in 2013 - she spent six months at the Centre finding &
working with the contractor & Sister Juliana.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mpvxVVM5J7k/VnaTizf6BQI/AAAAAAAAQE4/Qi9sdMFCSb8/s1600/2015-12%2BShort%2BRain%2BRainbow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mpvxVVM5J7k/VnaTizf6BQI/AAAAAAAAQE4/Qi9sdMFCSb8/s400/2015-12%2BShort%2BRain%2BRainbow.jpg" width="286" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Pray for Rain!<br />A double rainbow frames St. Patrick's Church after one 30 minute rain!<br />Linda's Photo</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Holiday get away</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Tracy & spent the holidays in the little town of Clarens, RSA - just across
the border a few hours away from Maseru. It is a lovely and quite civilized
"artist's" town that is a great get away spot for local South
Africans & tourists traveling
through the Free State of RSA. We hiked the nearby parks & Tracy coaxed me onto a river rafting day-trip.
We have a fabulous time - great countryside, wonderful hikes, & even great food!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lxhAl2zrLcs/VyS4sPOnHgI/AAAAAAAAQfU/kE_0fBCPX0oGK1-GBI3gBhnTwF8qgvtlgCLcB/s1600/2015-12%2BClarens%2Bwith%2BTracy%2B%25283%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lxhAl2zrLcs/VyS4sPOnHgI/AAAAAAAAQfU/kE_0fBCPX0oGK1-GBI3gBhnTwF8qgvtlgCLcB/s400/2015-12%2BClarens%2Bwith%2BTracy%2B%25283%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Golden Gate Highlands</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Cathedral at Golden Gate - a precarious way up!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">San Paintings </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">A walk with a shaman to learn about medicinal plants</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Tracy in front, I'm cowering in the back</span></td></tr>
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</h2>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-80064816478420808542015-11-30T08:05:00.000-08:002016-10-21T07:55:15.811-07:00Lesotho - Tragedy & Prosperity<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Real Dangers of the Lesotho Road</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As Peace Corps
Volunteers we are limited to using public transportation in Lesotho. Peace
Corps tells us that navigating the Lesotho roads is much too treacherous &
dangerous for us; there are just too obstacles & uncertainties that put us
at risk. And so we travel in public taxi
vans & cars, or some PCVs hitch in private vehicles. The roads though are the same - whether we
drive or not. Winding, 2-lane roads, speeding taxis & cars, poorly marked,
herd boys & their sheep or cattle off the shoulder, kids walking to/from
school, pot holes, unmarked speed bumps, rocks, donkeys carrying loads, bricks,
dead animals; all everyday conditions we must ignore or else they will
make us crazed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">When Tragedy Strikes</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sr. Juliana &
Ntate Mahase often make the trip to/from Mohale's Hoek to Mafetang or Maseru to
bring home groceries, farm supplies, & animal feed. Sr. trusts Ntate; he is
a slow, careful driver, confident yet respectful of the dangers of the road.
They have travelled together for many such trips to meet the needs of Sr.
Juliana & the Centre. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;">All can change in a moment</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Towards the end of
October….Totally without warning a young student, 17 years old, ran out from in
front of the taxi van that has dropped him off on the highway in front of his
village. He does not look at the traffic,
he does not suspect Ntate Mahase is just a second away. The poor young fellow
was hit by the Toyota truck that Ntate was driving & in just a moment all
lives are changed forever. The young man was mortally wounded. Basotho stopped on the highway & the
young man was whisked away to the hospital in Mafetang. He dies early the next
morning. Sr. Juliana & Ntate Mahase are forever spiritually &
emotionally wounded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This tragedy sets
off a long period of consoling the family, managing their own recovery, and
facilitating the funeral efforts & legal proceedings that result. There was
a rallying of support for both the boy's family
& for Sr. Juliana & Ntate Mahase. The Sisters of the
Congregation of the Holy Cross & the Bishop stood by Sr. Juliana to buoy
her. But Sr. Juliana had to take on the brunt of the interactions with the
family & the legal system. At the
family's request she provided what the family requested for the burial service:
all of costs for managing the boy's body & the funeral, the rental of the
large public tent for the ceremony, the
purchase of all the food & supplies needed for the family to host the
burial services (which typically includes providing food for the entire village
& family who attend). She visited frequently over a number of weeks to
console the family. She appeared numerous times in court for legal proceedings.
From the moment the police arrived at the scene of the accident through all the
legal meetings, the police ruled the boy's death an accident without culpability
on the part of Sr. Juliana or Ntate Mahase.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Harvest Time… Cabbages for Sale</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Juxtaposed to the
tragedy was another unexpected event.
The hot weather at the start of the summer along with the abundant water
from irrigation has caused the cabbages to grow so fast that now they are huge
& ready for sale. We were not ready! Rethabile & I thought we had time
to work with Sr. Juliana & Mme Maletuka to set prices, market the produce,
& set up the tools we needed to manage the sales. No matter, we had to just do it, Basotho
style - as they just imagined it should be done, as it has always been done.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Ntate Thabang
stepped up to help, he contacted a merchant in Maseru and the first sale of 180
huge luscious cabbage was made on a hot afternoon. Thabang, Maletuka, farm
hands & the merchant all worked together to cut the cabbages & load up
a small Toyota truck for the 2 hour drive back to Maseru. The Centre's first sale has been made!!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ntate Thabang, our Conservation Agriculture consultant with Mme Maletuka</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mme Maletuak managing receipt of first sales</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2SgBwLJgxE0/VySnp6J3WuI/AAAAAAAAQbc/ZUfIBvHgPSo8R1lYl7Qwoyx8biMtPgyzgCLcB/s1600/2015-12-06%2BFarm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2SgBwLJgxE0/VySnp6J3WuI/AAAAAAAAQbc/ZUfIBvHgPSo8R1lYl7Qwoyx8biMtPgyzgCLcB/s400/2015-12-06%2BFarm.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local indigent women earning a small salary & a lot dignity working on the farm</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Linda Visits!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The beginning of the
month started with the much anticipated arrival of Linda H from Ohio. Linda is
the much loved friend of St. Camillus who <span style="font-size: 11pt;">helped Sr. Juliana
through the design & building of the new children's home, who is frequent
contact with Sr. to facilitate resolution of issues & to coordinate
communications with The Lesotho Connection. Linda stayed for about 3 weeks -
during which time Sr. Juliana left for her own retreat (vacation). Having Linda
stay at the Peace Corps House was a treat. She is a great person, loving,
friendly, devoted to the Sr. Juliana & the Centre. She is always a huge
help to Sr. Julian - such that Sr. J can confidently leave for her retreat
knowing that Linda can handle any issues at the Centre plus drive the truck
wherever needed to transport the kids & shop. On her last day, she rented a
jumping water playhouse that the kids were crazy for!! They exhausted
themselves playing & then stuffed themselves on a wonderfully nutritious
meal prepared by Sr. Juliana. Linda said
goodbye to the kids with promises to be back later in the year. </span></span><br />
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-8518999671962797562015-10-31T07:33:00.000-07:002016-10-21T07:56:48.882-07:00Southern Africa - A Real Vacation<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">On the Road with Friends from Back Home</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Finally! The
vacation planned eight months earlier became a reality:</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Thanks to the
careful planning of Mike, Deanna, Carole, & Barry - Mary-Anna & I had
only to show up & off we went for 22 incredible days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Zimbabwe-Zambia:</span> Victoria Falls </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Mike, Deanna,
Mary-Anna & met in Johannesburg, RSA on October 1 to begin the first leg of
our trip. It was incredible to leave the simple life in Lesotho & be
transported once again to all the comforts of civilization. We flew to Victoria Falls the next day where
we were met by Blessing, our driver/guide, who made sure we arrived safely
& on schedule to all our destinations.
Lodging was tent camping at the border from where we could hear the roar
of the falls, feel its cool mist, & then be shuttled over to visit the
falls. We spent a nice long day walking the length of the falls, taking a long
hot walk & taxi into Zambia for lunch, before a cool evening river cruise
& incredible dinner of bush meat & traditional foods.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; text-decoration: underline;">Botswana:</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11pt;"> Chobe Game Reserve, Elephant
Sands, & Okavango Delta</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L7orwatl6eY/Vv_ZDmdS7NI/AAAAAAAAQVg/YGK0lFE2sXQy1nND8MAsocgrLwgjAyXxA/s1600/2015-10%2BBotswana%2BChobe%2B%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "times new roman"; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L7orwatl6eY/Vv_ZDmdS7NI/AAAAAAAAQVg/YGK0lFE2sXQy1nND8MAsocgrLwgjAyXxA/s400/2015-10%2BBotswana%2BChobe%2B%25287%2529.JPG" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">We explored
different habitats such as savannah, desert, and an inland delta along the
drive - viewing wildlife from bush drives, a river cruise, dugout canoe,
on-foot, & by plane. We drove from Victoria Falls in the north all the way
down to the capital of Maun. Our first stop in Botswana was Chobe which was
Mike & Deanna's first experience seeing African wildlife & it did not
disappoint. From the comfort & safety of bush drives, guided walks, & a
river boat we got to see the incredible animals, amphibians, and birds of
Botswana. After several days of tent
camping for me & an upgrade to a room with en suite bathrooms for the rest
of the gang, we drove on to Elephant Sands where our desert bungalows were
built on high platforms at eye level with the elephants who "owned"
the territory. Our final stop was the oasis of the Okavango Delta; green
grasses, cool river, abundant bird life. We journeyed out into the delta on
narrow dugout canoes to reach our wilderness campsite & bush walks.
Mary-Anna found a wonderful treat & gave me the ultimate birthday gift of a
fire-flies by the delta's edge which we celebrated with Mike & Deanna's
gift - the best Tequila ever!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Elephant Sands</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">South Africa:</span> Kruger Park</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another flight took
us back to Johannesburg where we met up with Carole & Barry & jumped
into rental cars for the drive toward Kruger. A quick stop overnight & by
the next morning, after passing through beautiful farm land & orchards along
the Drakensberg Mountains, we arrived at
the Crocodile Gate at the southern entrance to Kruger. Our park lodging, Lower
Sabie, provided morning & late afternoon game drives to see all the
wildlife in the bush & at the river's edge (and some pretty good food at
Mugg & Bean). After a few days we
headed to Pretoriaskop at the western boundary where we completed the viewing
of the Big Five by several sightings of a leopard. From this camp we parted ways with Carole
& Barry & original 4 began our drive southward toward Lesotho.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fVzM_H0ZO4k/VySt9sNxtvI/AAAAAAAAQdc/4FtaTNkKS5Y8EoUz6AttypQJsMkgD8X6wCLcB/s1600/2015-10%2BElephants%2Bby%2BDeanna.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fVzM_H0ZO4k/VySt9sNxtvI/AAAAAAAAQdc/4FtaTNkKS5Y8EoUz6AttypQJsMkgD8X6wCLcB/s640/2015-10%2BElephants%2Bby%2BDeanna.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deanna's photos </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kudu by Deanna</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U-wJSW1afcI/VySuAw-QxlI/AAAAAAAAQdg/a69stsKe2LIujLZgpRGAMOysXbL-pSNygCLcB/s1600/2015-10%2BRSA%2BKruger%2B02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U-wJSW1afcI/VySuAw-QxlI/AAAAAAAAQdg/a69stsKe2LIujLZgpRGAMOysXbL-pSNygCLcB/s640/2015-10%2BRSA%2BKruger%2B02.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elephants walking home at dusk</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Swaziland:</span> Drive-thru</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On a whim we decided
to pass through Swaziland! What a treat - the Mountain Kingdom, unlike Lesotho,
is more lush & forested. We visited a cultural center where we had a really
interesting guided walk through a reproduction of a traditional village. Staying
in a lovely lodge & having a delicious dinner made the short trip all the
more worthwhile. The route to Lesotho passed through the Free State of South
Africa & the gorgeous mountain area of Clarens near the Lesotho border where
we stayed the night.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Lesotho:</span> Mohale's Hoek & Semonkong</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our final
destination was back home to Lesotho! Mike, Deanna, & Mary-Anna were good
sports & so willing to experience Lesotho - so unlike our other
destinations! First stop was a typical "plate" lunch in a
shack-restaurant in Mafeteng; they said they enjoyed it! Then on to visit Tracy
at her tiny home in the village of Ha Matahbo; a more traditional & typical
PCV house in a simple village. No electricity, no running water, &
certainly no space in Tracy's tiny one room house. Tracy was gracious &
cheerful as always. Final stop for the
day was my home; the Peace Corps House on the grounds of St. Patrick's church
in the village of Thoteng, just 2 km outside the Mohale's Hoek District Capital.
We settled in just briefly so we could go off to see the kids, Sr. Juliana,
& Rethabile at St. Camillus Centre.
The kids were their usual exuberant smiling laughing affectionate selves
& entertained us all. It was especially wonderful for Deanna to see the
little ones & the farm; she could see firsthand just how her fundraising
efforts were making a difference. The
rest of the evening was spent at home, no water so we all got to experience
that challenge! The next morning - up
& back to the Centre for a final visit with the kids & to meet Bishop
Joale. The Bishop treated us to a nice long chat & then graced us with his
blessing before we had to leave.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mike, Deanna, Sr. Juliana, Bishop Joale Tlhomola</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Our final stop was
the mountain village of Semonkong & wonderfully comfortable & scenic
Semonkong Lodge. Two short nights here but the best way to bring our 3-week
vacation to a close. Beautiful surroundings, great food, comfortable rondavel
suites. Mike & Deanna took a horse
trek while Mary-Anna & I descended the Maletsunyane Falls by abseil. Unlike
this past January when Tracy & I easily made the descent, Mary-Anna & I
had an incredibly challenging time. Though the day was clear & bright &
warm - the wind picked up & shifted the waterfall's spray right on top of
us. It seemed at least half of the 670
foot descent we were pummeled by heavy spray! It was an exhausting experience
but one we proudly survived!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We departed on
October 22 for our final day together - the long mountain drive, max elevation
over 9,000 feet, back towards Maseru. They would leave me at an intersection
where I would travel by public taxi van back to Mohale's Hoek while they would
make the long drive back to Johannesburg and catch their flight back to the USA
the next day. The farewells were tender & we thanked each other for the
wonderful 3-week trip we shared.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Road to Semonkong - Heart of Lesotho</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRz3wLv9cv5QOphqbDcXxLxacSTUWRjiLg_QZ4MBFnU0dAoRW-tBoIIIDa9GJB8T3FfIt344gs5rFl8oh1gmN0vOBwTS3Jo_rU2Se3f24TjpiXErQwHjeX1FST_6D-A-D9S2IxWB4Zgwi/s1600/2015-10+Maletsunyane+Abseil+09.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihRz3wLv9cv5QOphqbDcXxLxacSTUWRjiLg_QZ4MBFnU0dAoRW-tBoIIIDa9GJB8T3FfIt344gs5rFl8oh1gmN0vOBwTS3Jo_rU2Se3f24TjpiXErQwHjeX1FST_6D-A-D9S2IxWB4Zgwi/s400/2015-10+Maletsunyane+Abseil+09.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Abseil again!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-unYg6IQzgfI/VySrYn02iRI/AAAAAAAAQcc/g_QuirrOz_UsPevuzOKfCBu8k8zBHCb1ACLcB/s1600/2015-10%2BMaletsunyane%2BAbseil%2B018c%2BOct15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="432" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-unYg6IQzgfI/VySrYn02iRI/AAAAAAAAQcc/g_QuirrOz_UsPevuzOKfCBu8k8zBHCb1ACLcB/s640/2015-10%2BMaletsunyane%2BAbseil%2B018c%2BOct15.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wind shifted and dropped the Maletsunyane Falls right on us</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exhausted!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary-Anna </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hike up and out of the canyon </td></tr>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-83667843737506805432015-09-30T07:17:00.000-07:002016-10-21T07:57:56.564-07:00Lesotho - Planting a New Crop<h2 style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Planting Cabbages - the Farm is Transformed</span></h2>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;">The Art of Fundraising</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">As huge a
contribution as the Peace Corps grant was it would still not be enough to
provide for all the startup costs such as the purchase of seedlings for both
commercial fields (over 4,000 square meters) & the completion of the
irrigation in the 1,120 square meter Field 2. Rethabile & I began looking
for other funding sources and sent our business plan & grant proposal to a
variety of NGOs as well as the Lesotho Ministry of Agriculture. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tjQGF15sjq4/Vv_V_4ty_OI/AAAAAAAAQVA/UOF5o2Q_kZYdMqwLuL_cYLh70Hw2UE6iQ/s1600/2016-02%2BGoFundMe%2Bwebpage.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 14.6667px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tjQGF15sjq4/Vv_V_4ty_OI/AAAAAAAAQVA/UOF5o2Q_kZYdMqwLuL_cYLh70Hw2UE6iQ/s400/2016-02%2BGoFundMe%2Bwebpage.PNG" width="316" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Deanna Anderson, my
dear friend in California, was a great support to the Centre & offered to
start up an online GoFundMe campaign to raise additional money to purchase the
infrastructure necessary to launch the new commercial farm using the Conservation
Agriculture methodology. She collaborated with The Lesotho Connection to
establish a process for donors to receive their donation tax credit from TLC
for charitable contributions submitted online to the GFM fundraising campaign
she set up. To support this effort she also completely overhauled the St.
Camillus Lesotho website so that it could serve as point of reference to donors
looking for more information about the Centre.</span><br />
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNxecp7rURQ/Vv_VjYfbYpI/AAAAAAAAQU8/gNyeZCtr0WcuuK_VWRwR0IbbZbIgpHhxQ/s1600/2015-10-14%2BFB%2BWater%2BCharity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sNxecp7rURQ/Vv_VjYfbYpI/AAAAAAAAQU8/gNyeZCtr0WcuuK_VWRwR0IbbZbIgpHhxQ/s400/2015-10-14%2BFB%2BWater%2BCharity.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Rethabile
& I contributed to the effort by creating a Facebook page for St. Camillus,
inviting all our family & friends to follow the page to see the fundraising
effort posted there &, in addition, searching all over Facebook for other
organizations that would accept fundraising campaign notices from St.
Camillus. Coincidentally I happened on
to the Facebook page for Water Charity, an organization that funds water
security grants, and was able to submit a grant to them. Averill Strasser, the CEO of Water Charity,
was incredibly kind & helpful; over the course of a few weeks he guided me
through the organizations grant writing process & ultimately contributed
half of our target GFM goal of $6,000.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The cash we received
now ensured that Sr. Juliana would be able to fully install the irrigation in
both fields, purchase all the seedlings needed for the cabbage & green
pepper crops, & purchase the necessary tools & supplies to plant &
harvest the crops. It was so exciting to
accompany her & Ntate Komitse, one of the farm laborers, on the first
shopping trip to purchase wheel barrows, spades, hoses, hand tools, & farm
worker safety equipment (sturdy boots, gloves, etc) for working the fields. She
was able to purchase supplies & equipment she had only dreamed of.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">By month's end Field
1 irrigation from sprinklers was fully operational, the seedlings were planted,
& the farm workers were learning the new techniques of Conservation
Agriculture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NzLR1aKtnmY/Vv_WzbGY96I/AAAAAAAAQVQ/a1rZ9VR4Bc0NMVVpc2ZM4lB4Z_M8dIMpQ/s1600/2015-10-22%2BFarm%2B002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NzLR1aKtnmY/Vv_WzbGY96I/AAAAAAAAQVQ/a1rZ9VR4Bc0NMVVpc2ZM4lB4Z_M8dIMpQ/s640/2015-10-22%2BFarm%2B002.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-6576359834339848342015-08-31T22:21:00.000-07:002016-10-21T07:58:41.539-07:00Lesotho - Revitalized & Energized<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">In the right direction, just a little wobbly</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Children's Home</span></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We are getting in
the swing of capturing the kids weights each month & the matrons are
definitely making efforts to augment the meals with more protein. It has been a
struggle of frequent reminders for them to provide nutritious snacks & milk
3 times daily; these are just not common routines for the matrons nor for many
Basotho families. Living in poverty with little food to spare creates a set of
beliefs & behaviors around food that is not easily influenced or changed.
Too often an acceptable meal is simply papa (thick corn meal
"polenta") with a little milk. The major shift though has been
providing appropriate amounts of formula to the infants & notifying us if
the supply is low even if at the last minute. But the matrons see that we are
committed to making sure there is sufficient money for food & they are now
taking a more active & positive role in feeding the kids &
participating in the weighing sessions. We celebrate each month as one or
another of kids' weight increases & they creep slowly, slowly up the growth
chart toward the low normal range.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xKrFKGlAlac/VrRB7ax2jnI/AAAAAAAAQSA/_1u8iiwhbxo/s1600/2015-07-22%2BRethabile%2Bweighing%2BKarabo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xKrFKGlAlac/VrRB7ax2jnI/AAAAAAAAQSA/_1u8iiwhbxo/s320/2015-07-22%2BRethabile%2Bweighing%2BKarabo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We finally finished
the menu plan & Rethabile & I collected the prices on all the food
items so that I could then determine the monthly food costs for our budget
& prepare a shopping list for Sr. Juliana.
The goal was to show Sr. Juliana that she could afford the food the
nutritionists recommended. </span><br />
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-size: 11pt;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H_6Ibvs8pHk/Vv_SotI_jDI/AAAAAAAAQUg/SEuxuLsF2m465gYPlJXAGW1y8mDZuCXkw/s1600/2015-08%2BColelo%2BFamily%2BVisit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 14.6667px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H_6Ibvs8pHk/Vv_SotI_jDI/AAAAAAAAQUg/SEuxuLsF2m465gYPlJXAGW1y8mDZuCXkw/s640/2015-08%2BColelo%2BFamily%2BVisit.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
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<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;">Conservation Agriculture Farm & the Peace
Corps Grant</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">During much of
August I worked with Peace Corps Lesotho on the review process for a $5,000 USD
grant started in July. Mme Ntsopa, the
grant coordinator helped to ensure that the application would be accepted by
Peace Corps National in Washington D.C.
The terms of the grant required that St. Camillus would be responsible
for 25% of the total amount ($1,250 USD) while Peace Corps/PEPFAR would
contribute 75% ($3,750 USD). After
several weeks, the grant was approved & local currency (equivalent to
$3,750 USD) was deposited into my Lesotho bank account from Peace Corps
Washington. Sr. Juliana was so appreciative that we would be able to purchase
the irrigation systems & the seedlings for the first crop.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We had plenty of
sunny days so Ntate Thabang began work on the irrigation system for the 3,300
square meter Field 1 after community laborers came in to clear and prepare
land. At the same time, Thabang had begun growing the 13,000 cabbage seedlings that we would purchase. He
would be our seedling supplier as he has a large commercial greenhouse in a
village nearby. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-decoration: underline;">Friends of St. Camillus come with love &
generosity</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">A major but very
welcome diversion from the farm efforts was the arrival of the Colella Family
from Washington State. Kim, Niko, Sam , and best friend Will. They had been
planning the trip to Lesotho for a very long time & were going to spend one
week visiting St. Camillus and staying with me at the Peace Corps House. Prior
to coming they had led numerous fundraising efforts on behalf of St. Camillus,
proceeds of these efforts were to be applied to: restocking the chicken coop,
purchasing a road sign pointing to the farm, building a clothesline for the
matrons, & most importantly creating a playground for the children on the
Centre's grounds. In addition, they brought heaps & stacks of clothes,
toys, & essentials for the children as well as special treats for Sr.
Juliana, Rethabile, & me.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Because Sam &
Will (16 & 17 years old) were musicians & performed with their band in
Washington, we had arranged several concerts for them. Over the course of the
week they played for the students of St. Patrick's Primary School, the Sisters of
the Congregation of the Holy Cross, the Bishop, & of course the children of
St. Camillus. They had prepared numerous songs tailored to their varied
audiences & were incredibly well
received at all the venues. Sam even picked up my ukulele & incorporated it
into their songs. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: calibri; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Their visit was very
touching as they spent all their free time with the kids; showing love,
affection, & so much tenderness. They are truly a remarkable family.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSV_bapH1TcZHLzfpFxLwX08wsKs6w54pb9JSZWBcoj_y4Xoj9c1VqXtM2ALMaq7wT51cZTgbq7JSOmR9DXlSfHSFmM50gVFI-ArhfAPtjZZbogGgoq2aRJTXmlP4Fnx7VQqTwStgK0J1i/s1600/2015-08+Colelo+Family+Visit+%252820%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSV_bapH1TcZHLzfpFxLwX08wsKs6w54pb9JSZWBcoj_y4Xoj9c1VqXtM2ALMaq7wT51cZTgbq7JSOmR9DXlSfHSFmM50gVFI-ArhfAPtjZZbogGgoq2aRJTXmlP4Fnx7VQqTwStgK0J1i/s640/2015-08+Colelo+Family+Visit+%252820%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will Bentley & Sam, NIko, & Kim Colella</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vL9NTTg3WIo/Vv_S6GZo5RI/AAAAAAAAQUo/C4gOHsykTmcazJh9XsFgtKFFsT0_LjcgA/s1600/2015-09-17%2BSt.%2BCamillus%2BClothesline.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vL9NTTg3WIo/Vv_S6GZo5RI/AAAAAAAAQUo/C4gOHsykTmcazJh9XsFgtKFFsT0_LjcgA/s400/2015-09-17%2BSt.%2BCamillus%2BClothesline.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clothesline provided by Colella fundraising</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f7ia3O-BvWI/Vv_THlvsaFI/AAAAAAAAQUs/AV8thhzkEOYoaFd_ILt-5O-1mW8x-ms0Q/s1600/2015-09-17%2BSt.%2BCamillus%2BPlayground%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f7ia3O-BvWI/Vv_THlvsaFI/AAAAAAAAQUs/AV8thhzkEOYoaFd_ILt-5O-1mW8x-ms0Q/s640/2015-09-17%2BSt.%2BCamillus%2BPlayground%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Clothesline provided by Colella fundraising</span></td></tr>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-31129940537312154072015-07-31T21:11:00.000-07:002016-10-21T07:59:52.695-07:00Lesotho - Vision of a Farm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">A farm in Africa…a vision of what could be</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ntate Thabang, a
local grower in the District of Mohale's Hoek, became our consultant in
developing a business plan & grant proposal to set up a greenhouse at the
St. Camillus Centre. A greenhouse would
enable the Centre to plant & harvest vegetables for the children year
round. Up to this point the Centre planted one large field for maize that, once
dried & ground, would supply the children the Basotho staple of papa (a
cooked corn meal dish similar to <span style="font-style: italic;">polenta</span>
only thicker so one can use fingers to scoop it up to eat). In addition, the
farm had a smaller field for moroho (chard) & still smaller plots for other
vegetables such as beans, tomatoes, & more moroho. Excess vegetables were
sold to neighbors & street vendors who in turn sold the moroho to the
community. Mme Mamelo, the farm's
day-to-day manager, once estimated that the Centre received about
200Maloti per month in vegetable sales
($15-20 USD depending on exchange rate).
</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trq5YMYAss4/Vpx1Unz2W1I/AAAAAAAAQJ8/rVV0WcH67Is/s1600/01%2B2015-02%2BSt%2BCamillus%2BFarm%2BRaised%2BBeds%2BBEFORE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-trq5YMYAss4/Vpx1Unz2W1I/AAAAAAAAQJ8/rVV0WcH67Is/s320/01%2B2015-02%2BSt%2BCamillus%2BFarm%2BRaised%2BBeds%2BBEFORE.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Raised bed field - before</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">It took very little
time for Ntate Thabang to see the farm's potential; he advised Sr. Juliana that
if the Centre could install an irrigation system & implement improved
agriculture techniques, a high yield, profitable commercial produce business
was possible.</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Sr. Juliana agreed &
over the course of several weeks we began meeting regularly to discuss the
farm's transformation. However, after having spent a good portion of the prior
year working with Rethabile to create a financial plan we knew that we needed
to go into this venture with some careful planning. I asked Thabang to create a
3 year crop rotation plan so that we could assess expenses & potential
income.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Coincidentally at
this time, Peace Corps hosted a project management workshop that I attended to
learn about available Peace Corps grants. A great opportunity for the Centre
was a grant funded by PEPFAR (a US program: President's Emergency Plan for AIDs
Relief); we would qualify for up to $3,750 USD to implement a program to
support orphans & vulnerable children (OVC) & people living with
HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) if we could contribute $1,250 USD.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gSWrVa0ZUrg/Vpx1d5tVJ7I/AAAAAAAAQKI/rbEwu--9sP8/s1600/03%2B2015-08%2BSt%2BCamillus%2BFarm%2Bprep%2BNEW.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gSWrVa0ZUrg/Vpx1d5tVJ7I/AAAAAAAAQKI/rbEwu--9sP8/s320/03%2B2015-08%2BSt%2BCamillus%2BFarm%2Bprep%2BNEW.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Preparing the Fields</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Over the course of
July Rethabile & I collected all the necessary budget data for the grant
& wrote a compelling justification. Meanwhile, Sr, Juliana used existing
funds to begin purchasing irrigation supplies while Thabang, his staff &
St. Camillus farm workers cleared the fields, dug trenches, laid the pipes
& installed the sprinklers in Field 1-Cabbages; work on Field 2-Green
Peppers would follow.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HMLE8uGOYZg/Vpx1meegoNI/AAAAAAAAQKc/GrDUOLIeXSc/s1600/2015-07%2BNew%2BFarm%2BPrep%2B08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HMLE8uGOYZg/Vpx1meegoNI/AAAAAAAAQKc/GrDUOLIeXSc/s400/2015-07%2BNew%2BFarm%2BPrep%2B08.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMun5DUulFc/Vpx1uEyjzXI/AAAAAAAAQKk/ywxkeGkakX4/s1600/2015-08-03%2BSt.%2BCamillus%2BIrrigation%2Bw%2BThabang.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xMun5DUulFc/Vpx1uEyjzXI/AAAAAAAAQKk/ywxkeGkakX4/s640/2015-08-03%2BSt.%2BCamillus%2BIrrigation%2Bw%2BThabang.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Bo Ntate: Thabang right, Pinda left, Komitsi center</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Caring for the Children</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Meanwhile our work
with the kids continued. Rethabile lead training sessions with the matrons, the
nutritionists visited & weighed the kids, & we introduced a weekly
menu. Successes were slow to realize but
the greatest win was seeing that the matrons became increasingly involved &
supportive of our efforts. In all our
work, Rethabile & I, engaged the matrons & supported their
contributions. Our interactions with the Mohale's Hoek health system also began
to improve; nurses & nutritionists acknowledged our efforts to address the
nutritional & weight status of the kids.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wzpfnCuOW2E/Vpx18ZTsWQI/AAAAAAAAQKw/WiHSXET-2SQ/s1600/2015-07%2BHospital%2BNutrition%2Bclass%2B01.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wzpfnCuOW2E/Vpx18ZTsWQI/AAAAAAAAQKw/WiHSXET-2SQ/s400/2015-07%2BHospital%2BNutrition%2Bclass%2B01.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Attending nutrition class at hospital</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RKIGZgpvorw/Vpx1_ohzcFI/AAAAAAAAQK8/V-qWRtuDed8/s1600/2015-07%2BSt.%2BCamillus%2BKids%2BMeal%2Btime%2B05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RKIGZgpvorw/Vpx1_ohzcFI/AAAAAAAAQK8/V-qWRtuDed8/s400/2015-07%2BSt.%2BCamillus%2BKids%2BMeal%2Btime%2B05.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Kids getting plenty of fortified rice</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4KSz7ZB_HTg/Vpx1_XeyttI/AAAAAAAAQLE/UIce6Qx4ghQ/s1600/2015-06-12%2BSr.%2BJ%2B%2526%2BSteph%2B002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="612" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4KSz7ZB_HTg/Vpx1_XeyttI/AAAAAAAAQLE/UIce6Qx4ghQ/s640/2015-06-12%2BSr.%2BJ%2B%2526%2BSteph%2B002.JPG" width="640" /></a>Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1688905343444083629.post-85199764871829965632015-06-30T02:45:00.000-07:002016-10-21T08:04:20.061-07:00Lesotho - Home Again<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DpunMR6dAVw" width="480"></iframe><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Back to the Mountain Kingdom</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span lang="en-US">What
was my connection to Lesotho after all? I had arrived in June 2014 to freezing
temperatures, no electricity & no running water; I had endured 10 weeks of
non-stop training where we were stripped of the indulgences of the developed
world, indoctrinated into the norms of a foreign & confusing culture; given
the incredible task of facilitating a reduction in HIV rates; moved to a new
village & settled into a small home that I shared with 20 children & 3
matrons for 4 months; evacuated to South Africa for 3 weeks to escape the
potential violence of a military coup d' </span><span lang="fr">état; </span><span lang="en-US">medically evacuated after my fall & fractures - first to the
Republic of South Africa & then to California for 45 days followed by an
administrative leave for an additional 45 days in Washington DC to figure out
my future in PC; & then finally transferred to The Gambia for three
weeks. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Why was I so
desperate to come back? Perhaps the Peace Corps experience of culture shock
& adversity had transformed me & created an almost unreasonable &
certainly inexplicable bond to the Mountain Kingdom & the Basotho people. I
was so happy to see the rolling lowlands & mountains of Lesotho from the
plane, even happier to land once again on the airport's dry flat plateau. I could not help but give dear Ntate Lerato,
the PC driver who picked me up, a great big hug while I held back tears! More hugs were in store as I greeted the
staff at the PC Lesotho Headquarters & when I met with Wendy Van Damme, the
Country Director, for a briefing & an opportunity to thank profusely for
agreeing to have me return.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next day Ntate
Lerato drove me & my precious boxes back to Mohale's Hoek & my
"Peace Corps House" on the St. Patrick's Church compound. I'll always thank Tracy & Eloise for
stuffing those boxes so full they did not meet the 100 pound weight limit &
were never shipped, thus providing me the chance to negotiate my return to
Lesotho. I spent the day unpacking &
arranging my home once again. PC Lesotho was kind enough to provide a
reinstatement stipend so that I could shop for the essentials that had been
given away when Sr. Juliana & Rethabile learned that I would not be
returning.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">It was not until the
second day at home that I returned to see the St. Camillus & it was a
wonderful reunion. They remembered me & came running for hugs &
caresses. Seeing Sr. Juliana & Rethabile again seemed like a miracle; I had
to keep pinching myself to really grasp that I was finally back home.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">All is not well</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The joy of seeing
the kids again was followed by the shock that one of our newest little ones, 18
month old Thabelang, was hospitalized for malnutrition even though he had
arrived at the Centre several months prior. Granted most of the kids arrive
traumatized in various ways: certainly emotionally in shock & despair from
abandonment & being placed in a strange new home amongst strangers &
almost always undernourished if not malnourished. The stress of their little
lives & new placement often results in emotional issues, isolating
behaviors, difficulty sleeping, & weight loss. But… surely the Centre has
sufficient resources to feed them adequately.
Or did it? Were other children underweight & at risk for
malnutrition?</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">While I was away I
had plenty of time to think on my PC experience & what I could do to
improve not only my experience but to ensure I was making a positive impact on
the lives of people I had come to serve.
I felt confident that my efforts helping to create a business &
financial infrastructure were having a sustainable impact because of
Rethabile's skills & talents (Rethabile is my counter-part & office
"assistant" de facto manager). But I knew that I would regret missing
the opportunity to interact more closely with the children. Sure - all our
business efforts were targeted to provide
the Centre the financial means to house, feed, clothe, educate, &
provide staff to care for them. In the early days I felt comfortable knowing it
was not my role to care directly for the
kids… but I knew now I needed to make a personal change to get closer to the
kids. Not being a mother or one who craved spending time with children, it was
way out of my comfort zone to get up close to all the goo & mess that these
little ones naturally exist in. I liked that the kids were near but I kept my
distance when it came to direct contact (dirty bottoms, wet pants, buggery
noses, skin rashes, and on and on). But… with the chance to return I had
decided I would give up this discomfort & get more up close & personal
with the kids.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cR2RCDejoV4/Vpx5kT3JEwI/AAAAAAAAQLU/wfPjb4iRPN4/s1600/2015-06%2BRecovery%2B001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cR2RCDejoV4/Vpx5kT3JEwI/AAAAAAAAQLU/wfPjb4iRPN4/s400/2015-06%2BRecovery%2B001.JPG" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We visited little
Thabelang in the hospital; Mme Imamaleng, one of the matrons, was there full
time to care for him. He was such a tiny thing, lethargic & weak. Like some
of the other infants & toddlers he would not readily accept me, this strange
white lady, until I had spent a couple weeks gaining his trust. After seeing him the first time though it hit
me full on… if this little one is malnourished what about the other kids!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I knew that a
community caregiver would come to the Centre to weigh the kids but I had never
looked at their health books. Rethabile & I went through each of the kids'
books and I was really shocked at what I found. The under age 5 kids' weights
were not documented regularly so it appeared that there were many gaps of
months, in addition, the date & weights were entered on the growth chart so
haphazardly as to make the growth chart completely unusable. As I corrected the entries it became very
clear that most of the under 5 kids were just at or below the low normal weight
marker & that their low weights had never been discussed with the matrons
or Sister Juliana. In addition, it was clear that many had not had the expected
sequence of vaccinations or Vitamin A administration. To make matters worse, we
found that the 2 infants (2mo & 4mo) were being given leshelelshele
(sorghum cereal) in a bottle & not formula.
And, little 2 year old Reatlehile, normally so robust & even chunky
had lost several kilograms. What was going on?</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Rethabile & I
quickly realized there was a significant shortage of protein rich foods for the
kids & a complete lack of formula for the infants. The cow, purchased in the spring had given
birth & was producing milk but the poultry layers had been slaughtered in
March as they were deteriorating from poor cage management & a broken
watering system. Winter was coming on fast & the produce from the vegetable
garden was meager. This was all too much to bear - if anything I felt I could
not let these kids suffer the consequences of poor nutrition. I insisted that
we begin to petition the local aid agencies with a letter requesting donations
of food, formula, or cash. I think Sr. Juliana was a bit dismayed but I was
willing to go begging for handouts. We took our letter to the Ministries of
Health & Social Development, the World Food Program, the local hospital,
the Red Cross, & any other aid agency we could find. We searched the
internet for aid programs & contacted other PCVs who worked with
orphanages. A PCV contact suggesting contacting ePap, a South African company
that produces a fortified cereal & donates the cereal to those in need. Our
first win was a huge delivery of ePap from Basil Kransdorf, the generous CEO of
ePap. This donation would provide cereal for about 4-6 months. No other
organization was able to offer assistance.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Poor Reatlehile, if
it was not for his weight loss we might not have made a trip to the health
clinic early during this period. Though everyone insisted he was eating
"too much", his weight loss was significant & we insisted we take
him in. Worms were suspected & he was given medication. We also found out,
since we had all the 5yrs & under kids, that most all were underweight
& that they qualified for food supplements!!! We were able to bring home a huge batch of
fortified rice compliments of the World Food Program. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O2RhNL3i57k/Vpx6U1J40aI/AAAAAAAAQMM/7eGSdceI7Ys/s1600/2015-07%2BKids%2Boutside%2Bwith%2Bformula%2B%2526%2Bpbutter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-O2RhNL3i57k/Vpx6U1J40aI/AAAAAAAAQMM/7eGSdceI7Ys/s320/2015-07%2BKids%2Boutside%2Bwith%2Bformula%2B%2526%2Bpbutter.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Donations bring formula & protein rich foods</span></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qtzS9bjuN18/Vpx6TnpR3jI/AAAAAAAAQME/lLG7skOTS8w/s1600/2015-06%2BMatron%2527s%2BWeekly%2BWorkshop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-large; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qtzS9bjuN18/Vpx6TnpR3jI/AAAAAAAAQME/lLG7skOTS8w/s320/2015-06%2BMatron%2527s%2BWeekly%2BWorkshop.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The nurses &
nutritionists were not very happy with the low weight status of the kids St.
Camillus & the fact that we had one child hospitalized for malnutrition. We convinced them that we needed their help
& that we were trying everything possible to turn the situation
around. With quite a bit of pleading
& reminding & treats of home-made banana bread we were able to get the
nutritionists to come visit several times to weigh the kids, teach the matrons
about nutrition, & help us create a daily menu based on a nutrition plan
that addressed nutrient needs & portion size by age. I was able to accomplish this by reaching out
to Alice Dufresne & Natalie Lujan who provided me the necessary pediatric
data. After a fair amount of badgering I was even to get the hospital to provide
us with a "hanging" scale for kids under 25 kilograms. Now we could
start to weigh the kids ourselves!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaN45K0Wl1uvez3cHzrTwAhOEvNyB0xtLhgBhMnDAq-LzUB2kdQHCzs_JiYLZnYmgnt7ZG3FCDBKxmx0DmGt5WFvH9G0SSvEO4yvOiNY5dbLm1G2YuVGhDhR0Nk95XaNeWJM6U7D7tcIqJ/s1600/2015-06-14+Weighing+Babies.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaN45K0Wl1uvez3cHzrTwAhOEvNyB0xtLhgBhMnDAq-LzUB2kdQHCzs_JiYLZnYmgnt7ZG3FCDBKxmx0DmGt5WFvH9G0SSvEO4yvOiNY5dbLm1G2YuVGhDhR0Nk95XaNeWJM6U7D7tcIqJ/s640/2015-06-14+Weighing+Babies.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The kids love to be weighed even if hanging from a peach tree!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">So began our journey to recovery. We began taking the kids for regular health check-ups, conducted monthly weighing sessions, finalized the weekly menu based on our resources. Outreach to family, friends, & The Lesotho Connection resulted in a inflow of donations. TLC upped the monthly stipend by $200 & we built a pool of cash for the purchase of formula. Slowly we were able to build trust & support from the matrons to augment the protein in the kid's diet & introduce nutritious snacks. We showed Sr. Juliana that the weekly menu was affordable. We also involved the matrons & Sr. J in the weighing sessions so they could understand the principles of the growth chart & how important it is to discuss each child's needs & progress.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYm5yCMGLBV12mfeHXnTVcEgmEITIjBIGEIBFPbvr4LzRBXlYWuQPbeFaC4Yvx8dbX_3QyGSa1EY7BncirUX7SWW_uFvCAcZGEE1XwihbvZMXSV0gFolHVPRBGH4uOROBy0UMyFURA5Ko-/s1600/2015-06-18+Sr.+%2526+Rethabile+%2526+infants.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYm5yCMGLBV12mfeHXnTVcEgmEITIjBIGEIBFPbvr4LzRBXlYWuQPbeFaC4Yvx8dbX_3QyGSa1EY7BncirUX7SWW_uFvCAcZGEE1XwihbvZMXSV0gFolHVPRBGH4uOROBy0UMyFURA5Ko-/s640/2015-06-18+Sr.+%2526+Rethabile+%2526+infants.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Taking the infants for well checks at the clinic</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sr. Juliana was also vitally involved. She visited the Ministry of Agriculture to request a donation of seeds but a local manager suggested she submit a grant to have a greenhouse built that would enable production of vegetables all year. As a result we were put in touch with Ntate Thabang, a local farmer who produces seedlings for sale in his jumbo-size greenhouse. By month's end we had a grant proposal for the greenhouse & had submitted it to the Ministry of Agriculture & a couple other NGOs. This effort was the "seed" that brought a whole new vision of farming to Sr. Juliana & the St. Camillus Centre.</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DdW4xHZYaQ4/Vpx1_S7f4GI/AAAAAAAAQLA/V4uPFF6bY8w/s1600/2015-07%2BSr%2BJ%2Bfeeding%2Bthe%2Bkids.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DdW4xHZYaQ4/Vpx1_S7f4GI/AAAAAAAAQLA/V4uPFF6bY8w/s640/2015-07%2BSr%2BJ%2Bfeeding%2Bthe%2Bkids.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wOrkTUTwzGc/Vpx6PVooZAI/AAAAAAAAQL0/0y6YtEVPt3s/s1600/2015-06%2BKarabo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="634" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wOrkTUTwzGc/Vpx6PVooZAI/AAAAAAAAQL0/0y6YtEVPt3s/s640/2015-06%2BKarabo.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Karabo modeling a knit cap I made</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Always heaven</span></td></tr>
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Stephaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15982081298441069710noreply@blogger.com0