Right now he’s in telling Stefan about how he use to camp as a little kid.
-
smoking
Aicha impresses me with the fine lines and beautiful designs she paints in henna, and she’s so fast! The henna smells like incense. After the henna dries, which happens quickly in 105 degree heat, you wash it off and can barely see the designs anymore. Then you put your hands into a huge pot that has in the base of it smoking embers. You sit slumped over in an inelegant position with your hands in a pot of smoke for five or ten minutes, the longer the darker the henna.
Here people usually get painted for a special celebration like a wedding. Don’t worry Mom, it’s temporary.
-
no one ordered the agouti
Up some stairs, on a outdoor terrace, under some strings of half-funtioning lights, we ate dinner last night at Maquis 2000, (say ma-kee-deu-mill) my new favorite restaurant. Choose huge beef brochettes, chicken, capitain (river perch from the Niger) pintade (guinea fowl) or agouti (river rat.) Each entree comes with either an entire plate rice, a serving bowl of a tomato-polenta-aspic kind of thing, or a pile of fried plantains. Your chicken, fish, beef or whatever comes grilled, smothered in onions and tomatoes with a pile of fresh garlic, ginger, peppers or lime. About $10 a person. This is my plate of capitain gingembre. I want to go back next Friday.
-
club equestre
Sunday was an “international” riding event, meaning people came from Burkina for a jumping competition. Camille and her friends are happiest at the equestrian center. Also she has so much freedom, I wonder if she will miss it after we leave Niger? Now she goes to the equestrian center twice a week for lessons, she goes an hour early, just to get the horses ready, and on Saturday she goes all afternoon for games. The birds in the trees, the smell of the horses, her nice riding instructor, Hassan who says ça va, ça va a million times; sweet moments.
-
african easter
Last year we found white eggs to dye, but this year we had to go with what the local chickens lay. I think they turned out so pretty. And tomorrow is a holiday. I love it that Easter Monday is a holiday in a country that’s 97% muslim. How’s that for a tolerance?
-
mouloud holiday
Tomorrow is Mouloud, the prophet Mohammad’s birthday. We are suppose to stay up all night tonight praying. Then tomorrow we get a day off work to sleep.
-
seriously
All I can do right now is sit around waiting for my super slow internet connection to download all of David Cook’s songs. He’s like Clark Kent: when he talks he’s normal, but when he sings, good lord.
Watch it and develop your own crush.
-
after-marshmallow soup
During the break Camille made wool mice for the kittens and Stefan flew 100 paper airplanes. They blew bubbles, played on the swings, swam, went to riding camp, played checkers, knocked down miles of dominos, read books and we made marshmallows.
As soon as the marshmallows are cooling in the pan, you make the antidote: carrot cabbage spinach soup.
