My life has been so full since my last blog post - i have done many trips with enough photos for 10 more blogs. but i would rather go out and experience my environment (and get a good nights sleep) than write a blog entry. So, instead, i give you my holiday thanks in photos. We are so lucky to be living here and experiencing a different life. My younger brother Sten visited for a month, which gave us an opportunity to share with him the highlights of Burkina Faso. Next month when Otto's dad visits, we are taking a road trip to Ghana.
In early October, we drove to Niamey, Niger about 7 hours NE of us for the annual NUTS softball tournament. A friend/colleague of mine (we went through State Dept orientation together) is the Nurse Practitioner at the Niamey Embassy. it was so fun to see her and her clinic (she is in an older Embassy). She planned a fun filled weekend for us.
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| Our boat for the ride on the Niger River that runs through the city. It was lined with comfy mattresses where we relaxed and watched the city and villages pass us by, on our way to see.... |
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| The Hippos!! |
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| Otto was on his school softball team and competed in the social group against about 8 other teams. The kids did such a fantastic job. For many of them, including Otto, it was their first time playing. Everyone had a blast. |
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| So far i have to say, this is one of the most magical events of my time here. The last wild herd of giraffes in West Africa. We drove around with a guide for about an hour and finally found them...lots of them. A mom with babies. They are just wandering around, unafraid. So graceful and beautiful. They were almost extinct because of competition between them and the farmers, but a lot of work has been done to teach the farmers how to live with them and how tourism can be beneficial for the animals and villages. Their numbers are increasing. |
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| This is not shot with telephoto. The Giraffe was very close to us and was checking us out. Otto even loved this outing and he usually complains when we go on Safari or other sight seeing trips. |
While my brother was here, Otto had his mid-winter break, so we took a trip to Banfora. I have a previous blog entry with pictures from there. We hiked around the domes and the waterfall. A colleague/friend and I rode our bikes from in town to Sindou Peaks (about 50km) - it was a great ride. Unfortunately the next day I broke my collar bone riding with the Sunday group back in Ouaga. Thank goodness my brother was here to help out!! I couldn't let it slow me down though and we continued to tour the country on the weekends (by car).
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| Stone Sculpture Garden at Laongo - just outside of Ouagadougou. Can you see the sculptures carved into the rock? |
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| This garden is quite large (unfortunately not very well maintained) with granite sculptures scattered around as well as carved into large boulders. it was an international project in the 90's. well worth a visit. |
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| Otto on Safari (awake this time). We took my brother Sten to Nazinga (we were there last christmas). it is currently early in the season for seeing animals, but Sten felt like it wouldn't be a genuine trip to Africa without seeing elephants. There were no guarantees... |
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| But we totally lucked out! We were the only ones to see elephants that weekend - there were 3 other groups that just missed this one. We saw another one - very close - on our way out of the park. |
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| Otto was very proud of this action shot. |
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As I sit at home this morning writing this blog, sipping my stumptown coffee, birds are singing outside my window. Feels surreal writing about the many things i have to be thankful for with this bird chirping away almost close enough to touch. Otto has school today, but we are going to some very good friends later this afternoon for turkey dinner. Last year at this time we had only just arrived and this same family had us over on Thanksgiving and welcomed us into the community. Many people are new in Ouagadougou, so it feels good to be welcoming them at this favorite holiday of mine.
I hope everyone is with family and friends enjoying a meal made with love and pondering all of the things you have to be thankful for.
