3. Springs: of legs, ideas, natural wealth and beauty

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i may have packed in my dreams of triple lutz combos, but reality has come from delusions of pulling off flying air stomping to the heartachingly brusk djembe and souku and kuku and a bagillion other west african beats.

besides, i highly recommend falling on sand rather than frozen ice.

not to say there's not risk factors...flailing the arms to the heavens til they beg for mercy, stomping til your kneebones seek safety in your fleshy thighs, rolling your neck in exorcism – inviting the modern day devil of migraine ...and, well, the high risk of being the laughing stock of the locals. who of course gather round...clapping and cackling

i did get told by one of said onlookers that my bum looked like an african lady's. not sure if that's my new acquisition of loosened hips or daily intake of pain au chocolats. either way...

with kicks and jumps and pows and wows and what i make look like flying drunken ostrich leaps, my rotator cuffs and my mind opened in all sort of ways.

like, before i could say „vegan“, i stepped in some shit.

goat shit to be exact.

and an as stinky cheese that has got serious appeal to my animal friendly palette.

you will be hearing more about this for sure during my upcoming janaury 2012 trip, but long story short: i am supporting a new friend, Maniang, in his fromage des chevres business.
...i'm also going to spend some time with the goat herders. as well as going to check out the land next to Maniang's...with the idea of in 5 years time, starting up a goat farm with him, with a resident 2 camels, bien sur!

Senegal, the land of ideas.

could it be that the Senegalese entrepreneurial spirit has infected me?...if only i could get some Senegalese infection in my hips and bum...that would aide my dance career

more fotos below...

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Photos

Springs (stalks) of shepherding
Not sharing any language, I think this shepherd laughed with me, as i pointed out the similarity between his shepherding pole and his legs. I'll be learning some Peul this time, 'round for sure...

and a 1-ee, and a 2-ee
no bother trying to count. the rhythm is pulse enough, and the drum signals call the shots (until i get good enough to signal them!)

taking flight
trying his best to get our toubab bums alit, and aflying!

there's a hole in the cup...
many, in fact. french chevre-fromage making cups. we had to make it all by candelight (tres romantique) becos of power cuts...

hit me!
i had to ration this stuff out it was so good...luckily, Maniang started coming round every day. ;)

the culprits
tis their fault i fell off the vegan wagon. producing such rich, tasty milk...i'll get my hands on them, their teets to be exact, in a few short weeks! rising at 5am to help with milking...

Maniang, The Cheese Man
combing the beaches selling his wares...he found quite the salivating audience in a haus full of 10 europeans...

our head is round so...
our ideas can change directions, oder? these 2 kids could find 100 uses for these 2 tires. this is what having no TV does to the young brain.

Springs of natural beauty, and wealth
having gone further out into the countryside than ever before (2 hours by a taxi traveling at a relaxed mule speed)...i was finally surrounded by senegal's wealth