Friday, August 29, 2008

Akwaaba!!!!

Hello all! Well, we made it and are safe (just in case you are wondering). Let's see. The first day we arrived at 5:30 GMT t and proceeded to our hotel outside of Accra in Medina Estates and spent about an hour in stop and go traffic, but we have come to learn that this is just what it is like to get around at any time in Accra. The next day we went to the Embassy, met up with Andrea's (another fulbrighter) friend Yaw (pronounced Ya-ow). He is AWESOME. He runs this SIT program for american/international art students to spend a semester in Ghana. He knows everyone! Andrea did that program and that is how she knows him as well. Anyway...we met Yaw and went to a football game (aka soccer game) of Kumasi's Kotoko team versus the local Accra team. Unfortunately, Kotoko lost (it's our new favorite team!). Then we drove back in a taxi in, you guessed it, traffic. Yesterday (Thursday) we slept all morning (soooo nice) and then ran errands all afternoon in the pouring rain! But we got plug converters, washcloths, and malaria pills (in case we get malaria). then, oh my, the tro-tro ride back to Medina was CRAZY. It took over an hour...maybe two, in the pouring rain. We were off-roading in this tro-tro...it was nuts. The rain finally stopped this morning and we are out running errands again, but this time without Yaw, but we know the area we are going to so it is ok. He has been like our babysitter!

We have tried several times to get PLAIN Jolof rice...only to be told ok and to find pieces of chicken in it....I think they are worried about us so they throw it in....silly obruni, you could not possibly want NO meat!!!

But all in all...so far so good. Just trying to catch a ride out of Accra. More updates to come.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

one last visit with good friends...

Visiting with Chris and Elizabeth only reminds us how un-adult our lives (and former apartment) are.  
Relaxing on the beach at coney island with street scenes lurking in the background.  Oddly, there was this small shark washed up on the shore.   

Sadly, Chris had to work (boooo) and so only Elizabeth went to Coney Island with us.  Before we set out from their place in Bensonhurst, Mo and I made the guy at the Italian deli's head explode by asking for a sandwich with no meat, no cheese, just vegetables.  (What self-respecting Italian could want a meatless hero?) 

Now you may ask yourself: how could one possibly see NYC in two days...well...just ask Ellison.  In two and a half days we went to the MOMA, walked from 59th and 5th to Union Square (that means St. Pat's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Macy's and Herald Square, the Flatiron, and Union Square)....oh yea, and we saw that blonde chick from Popular (if you don't know who we mean...study up!).  The next day we shopped in the Village, ate lunch at Curly's Vegetarian Lunch (can you say buffalo sandwiches and cubanos!), coffee at Mud, and a BBQ with relatives in Queens.  The last day we hit the saturday green streets again to check off the S.I. Ferry, the Brooklyn bridge, Park Ave, and a lap in Central Park only to be topped off with another loud, family BBQ.  Then a sad ride to Newark.  BTW, we've become snooty name-droppers.

August 9th continues....Tom's wedding!

Tom's wedding was great but open bars always stress me out.  Not being a big drinker anymore, I never know what to order (or the names of any good drinks).  Mo foolishly allowed George to talk him into a dry martini...two sips later and he was eyeing my drink.  But...I think we now know our drink: cosmo in a high ball no ice. . . extra high and extra 'mo!

August 9th...NYC green streets


For three Saturdays in August, NYC closed a corridor of streets to vehicular traffic that lead from the Brooklyn Bridge to 72nd street and Park and left it open to cyclist and pedestrians.  Mo and I took many pictures of us, our bikes, people running, people riding bikes and smiling....but the best are of our lunch at Curly's Vegetarian Lunch on 14th Street!


How much Tofu?????


This is what 7 pounds of tofu looks like...well, in a tub, neatly packaged and presented by Global Protein Food of NJ and their adorable bengali mascot, Tanay (in no way related to any other mascot you may be able to think of...especially not this one).

Austin....a BBQ at Kris Kross's

Kris's (with a K) BBQ in Austin:
A night of fun, beer, and BBQ avocados (that's right...avocados).  We have more photos, but these are the prettiest.  Everyone else needs to get some beauty sleep!















Dinner with Ellison and Chris:
The last picture is of Mo and an entire vegan Belgium chocolate cake from an unmentionable location (thank you Ellison).