Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Crap It's August
Damn, July did slip by. It's August. Evidently, time does fly by when you are having fun. Being that it's August, let the countdown begin. Just 17 more days will my birthday. Gets those cards and letters in the mail.
Cheers from here
Back Safe and Sound
I don’t want to let July slip by without making a post. To be honest, I have not been too terribly inspired. The heat in the Sahara melts away anything cleaver from my brain before it can blossom into a story.
In the last week a number of pcv’s have come up for a visit (why they would come here in July vexes me, but they do) Anyway, to a person, each gets out of the car and remarks on how hot it is up here. Far hotter then their sites. What the hell! Wow is that depressing. I knew it was hot, but I just assumed everywhere here was hot. Christ, everyone is always talking about how hot Nema is. Apparently not. Lucky me living in the furnaces for hell.
So as I have nothing witty to tell, let’s just go with some news. Atar utilities are on the border between very challenging and untenable at the moment. The electricity has been out since I arrived back from France coupled with inconsistent Water. To be factual, I now have power from about midnight to 8 – 9 in the AM. However, that isn’t really very useful. So, I have unplugged my refrigerator (that which keeps me sane) until such time that I can actually use it. What is the point of having things cold when you can’t open the door to get them out…or put things in? Grrrrooooowwwwl.
France was Paradise. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to sit around a table, eating delicious food, drinking lovely wine and talking with friends and family. It has been so long since I have been able to hang out with those of my ilk and it felt great. I went to the Cote D’Azur, Paris and the Cote D’Emeraud. (pull out your maps) All were lovely and picturesque. The French were warm and charming…even the bloody waiters.
It was a trip of firsts. I got to sit in the cockpit when we landed in Orly. Holy crap that was exciting. Someday, over cocktails, I’ll tell you the story of how that came to pass. It’s quite good and not fit for prying eyes who read blogs not for enjoyment but checking for appropriate content. A woman needs her secrets and mystery, don't you think?
I also ate Stingray wing for the first time in my life. It was quite tasty with a lemon butter caper sauce.
At the end, I spent a few days in the Netherlands with my good friends Lydia and William. We didn’t venture far but I had a great time. They live in a bucolic area with enormous Belgian’s as their neighbors. The cows in the Netherlands are incredibly lazy creatures. We passed field and field of ladies in repose which is something I am not sure I have seen before. W & L assures me that that is why Dutch dairy products are so delicious…relaxed, happy bovines. I have to tell you, at first glace I thought the livestock in Europe was quite portly. Each field we past in both France and Holland were full of rolly polly beasts with big butts and bellys. How could they possibly hold up their great hulk with those stubby legs. I suddently realized how accustomed I have become to seeing only severly emaciated animals. My heart broke a little.
But back to the food, I have to give a shout out to the best meal that I had while in France. For my last dinner in Paradise, Emmanuel, Janet and I went to a little restaurant that is adjacent to the train station in their village of Gif. Les Sauvages Saveurs. It’s been written up quite a number of times and has some Michelin stars yet my family had not been there yet. We started with Carpaccio soaked in Asian spices (read gingery), followed by a Filet of Lieu (another funny story) on a mound of sweet potato puree, surrounded by gnocchi and drizzled with a creamy ginger sauce………..Oh MaMa! For desert we had a Crème something or other. It was a mound of sweet, creamy goodness with a light ginger glaze surrounded by rounds of candied ginger. Yes I can remember each bite lo these many days later. I pray that they are still around when I next return to Gif.
The next day, I hop on a flight back to Nouakchott-got bumped to 1st class again. Okay, coming back wasn’t too bad. I went out for coffee, pizza, beer, wine….all the treats the capital has to offer. I also paid a visit to the dentist to have my permanent crown installed (is that the word). Things were going so far so good.
The following day I took a long taxi brousse back to Atar and its useless utilities and storm aftermath. I tell ya, after seeing the sight of my house, which was full of sand and my hyma which was all a kilter from a storm; I nearly headed back to the airport. But I didn’t. I chose the next best thing; I threw a little tantrum. Just for a little bit though as I had to pull myself together what with my new sitemates (5 new in Atar, 10 new to the Adrar) arriving in just a few hours. I felt compelled to greet them with a modicum of enthusiasm. I think I pulled it off. However, they would be a better judge of my success.
So now, I am spending far too much time on facebook. Is it me or is it the slowest bloody site on the web?
Later today I am off to Nouakchott for a few days for our MTR (mid term reconnect) then down to Rosso to teach a session on CereAmine to the new volunteers.
Cheers from here
So as I have nothing witty to tell, let’s just go with some news. Atar utilities are on the border between very challenging and untenable at the moment. The electricity has been out since I arrived back from France coupled with inconsistent Water. To be factual, I now have power from about midnight to 8 – 9 in the AM. However, that isn’t really very useful. So, I have unplugged my refrigerator (that which keeps me sane) until such time that I can actually use it. What is the point of having things cold when you can’t open the door to get them out…or put things in? Grrrrooooowwwwl.
France was Paradise. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to sit around a table, eating delicious food, drinking lovely wine and talking with friends and family. It has been so long since I have been able to hang out with those of my ilk and it felt great. I went to the Cote D’Azur, Paris and the Cote D’Emeraud. (pull out your maps) All were lovely and picturesque. The French were warm and charming…even the bloody waiters.
It was a trip of firsts. I got to sit in the cockpit when we landed in Orly. Holy crap that was exciting. Someday, over cocktails, I’ll tell you the story of how that came to pass. It’s quite good and not fit for prying eyes who read blogs not for enjoyment but checking for appropriate content. A woman needs her secrets and mystery, don't you think?
I also ate Stingray wing for the first time in my life. It was quite tasty with a lemon butter caper sauce.
At the end, I spent a few days in the Netherlands with my good friends Lydia and William. We didn’t venture far but I had a great time. They live in a bucolic area with enormous Belgian’s as their neighbors. The cows in the Netherlands are incredibly lazy creatures. We passed field and field of ladies in repose which is something I am not sure I have seen before. W & L assures me that that is why Dutch dairy products are so delicious…relaxed, happy bovines. I have to tell you, at first glace I thought the livestock in Europe was quite portly. Each field we past in both France and Holland were full of rolly polly beasts with big butts and bellys. How could they possibly hold up their great hulk with those stubby legs. I suddently realized how accustomed I have become to seeing only severly emaciated animals. My heart broke a little.
But back to the food, I have to give a shout out to the best meal that I had while in France. For my last dinner in Paradise, Emmanuel, Janet and I went to a little restaurant that is adjacent to the train station in their village of Gif. Les Sauvages Saveurs. It’s been written up quite a number of times and has some Michelin stars yet my family had not been there yet. We started with Carpaccio soaked in Asian spices (read gingery), followed by a Filet of Lieu (another funny story) on a mound of sweet potato puree, surrounded by gnocchi and drizzled with a creamy ginger sauce………..Oh MaMa! For desert we had a Crème something or other. It was a mound of sweet, creamy goodness with a light ginger glaze surrounded by rounds of candied ginger. Yes I can remember each bite lo these many days later. I pray that they are still around when I next return to Gif.
The next day, I hop on a flight back to Nouakchott-got bumped to 1st class again. Okay, coming back wasn’t too bad. I went out for coffee, pizza, beer, wine….all the treats the capital has to offer. I also paid a visit to the dentist to have my permanent crown installed (is that the word). Things were going so far so good.
The following day I took a long taxi brousse back to Atar and its useless utilities and storm aftermath. I tell ya, after seeing the sight of my house, which was full of sand and my hyma which was all a kilter from a storm; I nearly headed back to the airport. But I didn’t. I chose the next best thing; I threw a little tantrum. Just for a little bit though as I had to pull myself together what with my new sitemates (5 new in Atar, 10 new to the Adrar) arriving in just a few hours. I felt compelled to greet them with a modicum of enthusiasm. I think I pulled it off. However, they would be a better judge of my success.
So now, I am spending far too much time on facebook. Is it me or is it the slowest bloody site on the web?
Later today I am off to Nouakchott for a few days for our MTR (mid term reconnect) then down to Rosso to teach a session on CereAmine to the new volunteers.
Cheers from here
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