Sunday walk

Our walk has become a treasured part of our life in Monrovia. We start on Randall Street and meander our way to the Masonic Lodge via Mamba Point. 

We take the stroller with us along with water and a box of fruit. Kavita usually walks and jogs the entire way, frequently stopping to explore, stare and get herself into trouble. 

There are familiar faces and places along the way. Mamba Point has two of my houses where I lived in Monrovia from 2003 to 2008. My former gardener lives close to my second house. My second office, UNDP, is also along the way. 

I love arriving by the Lodge, where we take a break to sit on the sidewalk and eat sweet pineapple. See some photographs of Kavita working out. 

 And are some bats in the sky as we get ready to head home. I love seeing bats in the sky. 

Because it reminds me of Calvin and Hobbes. 

A desk and a pineapple

One of our drivers at Mercy Corps brought me back a pineapple from a field trip. I love Liberia. I love Liberia's sweet pineapples. And, I love my desk at Mercy Corps. 

Barracuda

Today is Decoration Day, a day when Liberians go to clean the graves of their loved ones. I imagine this year is going to be particularly hard because we lost so many people to ebola and, also many of them were cremated, a wholly alien practice. So many Liberians will not even have a grave to clean.

Ashamedly, I can't remember where Joseph Dennis is buried and have lost touch with his family. I would have gone to his grave otherwise. There are other friends too who have passed on and I need to visit their resting place. 

As it is in life, grief and happiness reside side by side. 

We spent a day out at Barracuda. The last time I was there was with Haresh's first cousin and wife, four or five years ago. It has really been developed by the proprieters since then. It is a fantastic place for families: an amazing water park, countless slides, see saw's, benches and palava huts. 

A wonderful day despite some sad memories and knowledge that many people in this country are grief stricken and overcoming a very difficult time. 

I don't have much experience of water parks but this one was quite fun and, I loved the giant mushrooms, umbrellas, and icky frogs in the shallow wading pool which Kavita was terrified to be in. 

I still don't know how to swim and hope Kavita doesn't inherit my fear of the ocean (or heights). 

Here are some of the more memorable photographs from the day. 

 

Good evening

Mamba Point, one of my favourite parts of Monrovia

G - o - o - d M - o - R - N - i - N - g