Moshi and Himo

This entry is dedicated to Mrs. Halani at our GNS Middle School reception. It is a journey to photograph Mt. Kilimanjaro in the Halani home town of Himo.

It turns out that cute little Lawrence from yesterday was a liar. He had been courting me and skipping out on work. Not good. Today he was fired.

Quaker - a trusted and long term employee of La Jacaronda - took me to Moshi and Himo today. He spoke for us, asked questions, made pleasant company, shared an incredible lunch of rice pilaf (spicy), chicken, veggies, and led the routine of washing, eating with hands, and washing again.

They make smart use of boulevard space here. Designated for nursery sales, the government has supported environmental conservation and boosted the economy too. All of these plants are for sale in separate bags of soil.





Here is our bus, early on... The tall guy in green is the helper to the driver, seating people and collecting money. He is good.


The driver (not so good) nearly started a riot this morning when he refused to stop for a grandmother who had walked a long time. I didn't know if people were mad for being so squished or whether the president had been overthrown, but Quaker told me the story once we'd stopped.


These hills seemed like landmarks to me, and hopefully are recognizable to Mr. and Mrs. Halani, heading to their family's city, Moshi, and town, Himo.





This gives a sense of a typical Moshi corner. That van is jam packed.





The soccer field is just up from the main drag.


Some carpentry (zoom in if you can - click on the photo)


making chairs


Local beer grain. Really, I am NOT looking for this stuff. Varieties abound!


Girls and young ones fetching water -


Boys fetching water -


Germany was here.


Finally I have a butchery shot.


Just a village walk. Quaker bought a broom for me :)


Yes, the Maasai live here.


Here is another good hill, but it's not Kili. It's Meru.


Had a swim at the Moshi YMCA. The pool was great and I met some Germans and Belgians who have supported these street kids for years. So fun!





The foothills of Mt. Kilimanjaro from various points in the centre of Moshi.





tee hee


The mosque


The bus depot


The bus ride home (prior to the flat tire)


Trading centre


Another great substitute for Mt Kilimanjaro. Good night, all!


with love, from Jen

Arusha - La Jacaronda Hotel

Lawrence works at the reception here at La Jacaronda. It just so happened that he was free today and keen to show me the town. We started at church. It was very exciting.


Straight to the market - always an unpredictable thrill and learning experience. Check out the scenes, colours and everything. I wish I could share the smells.


This is the sidewalk. It goes into a massive ditch.





On the other side we found some cool stuff.


Check out the guy, back left corner.





These hold coal. They are like the stove.


Eggplant (aubergine) is grown everywhere here, along with cabbage, carrots, peas, cassava, maize (corn), peppers, and potatoes by the mile.








Candy colored fruit,with a plantable seed in the middle:


Beans





Lawrence had fun walking around with a muzungu at his side today. He took me to his house and it was thrilling for me too.





The goat was born last night.





Fish are gutted and dried...yeah, there were a few flies, but I would probably eat the meat once it was dried. The sun is like medicine.


Back in my little lap of luxury :)


With love from Jen

Lake Manyara Maasai

Lake Manyara National Park is famous for elephants, as Gombe Park is famous for Dr. Jane and the chimpanzees. Today the elephants were tumbling out of the forest! Water, walking, wind, warmth and wild bushes moved these creatures around Manyara's beautiful flood plains and jungles.








A few old spirits kept watch ( buffalo )


( giraffe and gazelles )


over this magical land of Africa.


The day warmed up, families moved around,


tails flicked the flies,


ear flapping cooled down big daddy tusker,


social groups walked and met others,


and splashes of color treated our eyes.


Then, with a sneaky camera in the back of the jeep, I caught a few glimpses of the famous Maasai people. Dressed in black are a group of young men on an extended outdoor living challenge after one has undergone the circumcision ceremony. Circumcision is encouraged here to minimize the chance of spreading disease, especially in this hot, humid climate with limited, clean water. These guys really make a trip, dressing completely in black and painting black faces with white designs and sometimes feathers on their heads. Maasai, like all Africans, greet everyone who passes. Sometimes the Maasai acknowledgement does not seem so welcoming.





Wandering these lands with your best friends and hunting spears doesn't look like a bad deal! They keep a strong cultural tradition alive.


Blues, reds, and purples help these people stand out from the endless maize and grasses in their physical environment. These blanket pieces of clothing are the staple, warm garment for men and women, girls and boys.








Maasai families are often polygamous. In this case, polygamous means that one man has more than one wife, depending on his social position. (It takes money to keep women happy :) Families live in a grouping of thatch-roofed huts - I imagine one for each wife at least, plus others for older boys in the family, etc... The hut groupings, or estates, are called bomas. See a few examples here:














from Jen