The Last Giraffes

I'm in Niger, arrived here yesterday after a leisurely drive from Ouaga, with a particular jaunt in mind - to see the Giraffes of Koure.

These gentle animals are reported to be the last of their kind in all West Africa and have seen a decline in population from 3000 in the 70's to a highly vulnerable 200 today.

Their survival is critical for another reason and that is because they are genetically and ecologically distinctive from others of their kind in the rest of the Africa.

Having arrived in Niamey I then drove on to Koure 65km South of the city, a hours drive along a well maintained road, busy with traffic.

Having picked up the obligatory guide from the station, we then then drove into the bush - the places I take my car!

Suman the guide soon perched himself atop the car, 'The better to see' he said, guiding me across the grassland with flourishes of he's stick, tapping on the windscreen.

A few km in and there it was, my first wild giraffe!



Such gentle creatures, with such a dignified gaite, it was certainly a high light of my life to see them up close.

On the way back I stopped off to see a village well - 30m in depth, its the only source of portable water for a radius of 5km and the life line of the village.



The cuts in the wood that shored up the well mouth a testament to the years of use as countless women drew the precious life giving waters up from the depth of the earth.



Life is hard in Africa, people living under conditions so extrema - poverty, heat, lack of basic needs; and yet they smile!

The unexpected

Nothing new to this post, most of you have probably experienced this already - finding amazing friendships, connections in the most unlikely of places or ways.

My best mate of the same sex A and I met over a Chinese roll at the American Center. It was the last roll on the table and we were both reaching for it at the same time. Since politeness dictated that we not squabble over it we agree to retire across the road to the 'peti kade' for a smoke and a coke.

We are completely different people, so much so that many people find it hard to believe that we are friends. And yet, our friendship has endured the passing of a significant potion of our lives. We hardly meet anymore, our life's path taken us in different directions different lands, but when we do meet, we pick up where we dropped and go on.

The other best mate is of the opposite gender and we still disagree as to the exact circumstances of our meeting - we met at an exhibition, I was aimlessly strolling around killing time, she, K, was manning a stall. She maintains I tried to pick her up while I maintain that I was more interested in her friend.

Some of the happiest moments of life has been in the company of these two people - a shared meal or a day spent doing the stuff that friends do, idle chit chat, shared joy and pain.

There are a few more people who I count as my friends and consider myself fortunate that they are my friends. Closer to me than family, knowing me better than anyone else does, these friendships are the kind that last a life time

The internet and blogging has brought a few new friends too, most I am yet to meet, perhaps we never will; but the thoughts shared intimately

To K and A, and to the rest of the chosen few, I raise my glass to say with a nod, thank you and qoute the words of Kahlil Gibran On Friendship

Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.


When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind, nor do you withhold the "ay."
And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;
For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.
When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.


And let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.
For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.
For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

"Not arrested as a journalist - Media Minister"

I picked this up of a paper this morning - how do people in such responsible positions say things like this?

The best is saved for last when our esteemed Media Minister goes on to say that an arrest of a non journalist is of no concern to the Media!

As for 'this could happen to anyone' true, but to add insult to injury by going on to state ".. me" is a class act indeed.

OH Sri Lanka!

Not arrested as a journalist - Media Minister

Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa commenting on the arrest said that Vidyatharan was arrested by police on suspicion and not due to his role as a journalist.

He said once the investigations and examinations are concluded, he may be charged if there is any cause for pressing charges.

He continued, "He is a suspect in the eyes of the investigating officer. When they arrested him, they didn't know he was an editor or a journalist. They only acted to find out clues with regards to any issue or crime. Everyone is equal according to the law. This could happen to you, me or anyone."

Yapa further said that Vidyatharan was not arrested due to being a journalist and as such, it was not an issue concerning the media.

FESPACO

Africa's premier film festival is held bi annually in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. With primary focus on African films and film makers the event draws participant from within and without the continent for a week of celebration.



Initially planning on squishing up with the rest of Burkina Faso for the opening ceremony, a chance conversation resulted in me receiving an invite to the event - fortunately so for it offered me a vantage point to enjoy the entertainment to its fullest.

The festival is now in its 40th year, and from it humble start with just five participant countries - Senegal, Upper Volta (Burkina Faso), Ivory Coast, Niger and Cameroon, with some participation by France and the Netherlands.

Today the event host films from across Africa and is generously sponsored by Burkina Faso, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Republic of China, and donor organizations such as AIF(ACCT), PNUD, UNESCO, UNICEF, European Union and AFRICALIA.

Stade du 4-Août,the venue for the opening event is a 35,000 capacity open air stadium in close proximity to the city. A multi-event stadium it is the home ground of Etoile Filante Ouagadougou a Burkinabe foot ball club.



The event started off with a a parade of Giants, huge figurines manipulated by a man, walking and dancing around the track. This was soon followed by a number of musical performers,singers of reggae, West African pop and traditional music and most impressively a troop of drummers.




Next on were the dancers, a troop of girls in flat heeled cow boy boots who's intricate foot work left me bemused, a group of young men, pushing stylized water carts who's acrobatic leaps and dancing had the crowed cheering like mad.

With dusk falling and the sky turning from blue to black the grand finale was a huge fire works display that lit up the night in hues of red, white, blue and green.

The Burkinabe's sure know how to throw a show. This might be one of the worlds poorest countries, but the people here are gentile, soft spoken and laid back, prime reasons for me to select this as my home for the foreseeable future.

More pics at flickr

This is the one - the wonders of the word Fuck

Language is such a fabulous thing, and this narrator is one of the best I've heard - he's vocabulary, he's accent and punctuation perfect setting for this hilarious delivery.

enjoy!

Singlish!

Got this by mail sometime ago, lost it in that maze of mine that is the HD in my laptop... a chance encounter and decided to post it for posterity.

While the guys is obviously teasing the poor woman, I got to say that I find it terribly amusing!

One more I need to find and post

Quick one

Accra, on the way home after a week on the road.

Lagos was productive, a set of reasonable meetings, I am becoming comfortable with that city now - familiarity breeding confidence!

I was witness to a marathon while I was there, organized by GLO, on of the celular networks here. Quite a spectacle to watch. Have pics!


This was at approximately the half way mark of a half marathon - 16km, fatigue kicking in


As time progressed, the number of walkers increased.



A marathon from the back!

Waiting for my connection. It seems that the last time I went by, I had not got an exit stamp on my passport. An eagle eyed immigration officer picked up on that ad began to set the ground for the offer of grease. Having a couple of hiurs to spare I decided not to corporate and very politly asked that they go onto the matter, that I did not mind waiting. I do, but dammit if I am going to get shaken down for this!

I was past through for exit.

It will be nice to be home again, thought I knwo that withing a few days I'll get the itch again. I need to go to Niger quite soon, the next trip then.

Before that though, I want to take a break, a few days off to go explore Burkina Faso - Bobo Dioulasso is the second largest city, about 350km away. The surrounding area offers some places of interest.

Till later...

Balogun Market

My passion takes me to places few of my countrymen go - the teeming, vibrant bustling market places of West Africa. Dakar, Freetown, Conakry, Accra, Kumasi, Ouagadougou, Bamako, Niamey,Lagos, Kanu, Lome and Luanda.


A wholesaler - Lagos, Nigeria

These Markets sell everything - foodstuff,clothing, shoes, branded rip off fashion wear from Asia, stationary, consumables, household appliances, goats, chickens, guinea fowl, cattle, camels, everything.


Madina Market - Guinea Conakry

I walk the streets, the alleyways, talking with importers who bring in goods by the container, wholesalers, distributors, the table top sellers who sell a packet at a time... anyone in the chain.


Madina Market - Guinea Conakry

During the wet months the path ways are flooded,mud squelching with every step; in the dry months its the dust and the flies buzzing around and always people, so many people, buying, selling, carrying, wheeling and dealing - Young men with muscled torso's, proud Allahji's and the Mama's who are the kings and queens of these places,the old and the young, everyone trying to make a living.


Sani Abacha Street, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Lagos is no different, its not only an industrial center - it is also a city of markets - shopping - buying and selling - trade and commerce. Its estimated that 60% of Nigeria's currency is outside banks, the level of trading so high The major market centers on Lagos Island include Jankara, Balogun, Isala Eco and Sandgrouse markets.


Luanda, Angola

Bargaining is the name across Africa,and nothing gives me as much pleasure as sitting down with a seller of art be it a painting or masks to haggle amicably over the price of something that has caught my eye. Even as I walk away with my prize, happy at the price I paid for it, I know that I was bested nevertheless by a merchant who's ancestors have been doing the very same for generations. Should you find yourself bargaining, remember a few simple things - a) The initial price is most likely than not twice or thrice what its actually worth. b) Keep in pleasant and smile, its all fun. c) Neither you nor the seller should lose face,so be sensitive.


Madina Market - Guinea Conakry

I plunged into Balogun this morning to spend the next two hours walking around, cajoling reluctant shop keepers to give me some of their time - where survival is based upon making a buck, not everyone likes to waste time talking to some dude in spectacles who offers only incessant questions, albeit with a smile!


Kumasi, Ghana

Exhausting work, the heat and humidity physically draining as keeping my wits about me was mentally so.But truth is, I love it, with a passion, with an enthusiasm that is as fresh as it was when I dived in for the first time four years ago.

Hard to believe!

Your Brain is 47% Female, 53% Male

Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female You are both sensitive and savvy Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve

What Gender Is Your Brain?