Blogs from Africa - page 2758

Business: First, I noticed that the dates of the pictues do no match the dates on the journal entry. This is because my camera is on US Eastern time and I am in South Africa. So my camera is 6 hours behind the events (strange but hilarious). Second, I have been spending too much rand on the internet cafe typing these blogs and fighting to convert and load 8 megapixel images on computers from 2 years ago. So I have loaded the majority of my phots on facebook. If you don't have a facebook account I'm sorry and you will have to wait until I develop them or until I get back to the states. Okay, Robben Island, my diamon in the rough, the place I have been waiting for. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned on this ... read more

Despite having a good map it wasn’t until my third day in Marrakesh that I managed to navigate my way purposefully and accurately through the maze of alleys in the souks to reach everyone’s primary and ultimate destination the Jemaa el Fna square. But of course that’s the point of the souks - to lose your sense of order as well as direction, to give yourself up to the claustrophobic sensuality and vibrancy of the markets. If you really want to know where you are, the map does give you some idea of the layout, but the minute you open it to re-establish your position, a young boy will be insisting he leads you to “la place”, as the Jemaa is simply known. Better just to drift and head for any glimpse of daylight from ... read more

May 29, 2007 - Khartoum Well things here are interesting still... I have started my weeke of Military Observer refresher training. I am the only Canadian in the class, with the majority of UNMO's being German. A few UNMO's from Peru, Paraguay, Nigeria and Zambia round out the class. We have covered a lot of information that was passed along last week which reaffirms that everyone is only concerned with their own specific issues and no inter-department communication really occurs. Instruction has come from Croatian, Ukranian, Pakistani, Polish, and jordanian staff. I think that working with the Germans will be a good experience as they seem well-trained, professional, but maybe a touch on the arrogant side.... but really, who can blame them? Their forefathers tried to take over Europe... twice. Kidding... but seriously, they seem ... read more

Idiosyncrasies of unknown origin conjure against the possible football-culture binomial. It seems that in the modern western traveler cosmogony the world is divided in two groups separated by waterproof doors. On one side of this imaginary partition find place those brainless football lovers who eat meat, drink beer and listen to cheesy songs. Incapable of thinking to anything deeper than a corner kick, they sits just opposite from the liberal traveler who wear the kefiah, listens solely to ethnic music, eats tofu and has never served mess. And definitely doesn’t take any interest in football, bourgeois fetish for excellence. I usually fit better in the second group, but when big football events approach, I transform myself in one of those many slaves of the television whose only worry is about the possible lack of TV ... read more

Hi everybody We are in Katima Molilo, at the most eastern point of Namibia. We are doing fine and had no problems at all. The weather has improved to a mild very pleasant temperature. Today we stock up and off we go to Zambia. Thanks for all the comments and good wishes. ... read more