Morning Market Masters

Our names aren't relevant . . . what is important is our mutual need for each other once a week.  They know me as the American who speaks Creole . . . I know them by the food they grow and sell.  For two years now, we have important meetings every Sunday morning; EARLY Sunday morning.  To get the best and freshest produce and fish at the weekly Triolet farmers' market, one must get up mighty early . . . being there at 5:30 or 6:00 am is not unusual. These are my  farmer friends who grow and sell their fruit and vegetables . . . and I will greatly miss them and their food when we leave. 

  

Fruit Family

My Spiritual Advisor and Squash, Beans & Cucumber Vendor

Sir Eggplant with papayas in season

Mr. and Ms. Potato, Garlic, Onion & Carrot

Banana Guys with Occasional Pineapples

Egg Buddy

Tuna Guy

My Beet Man

Don't Miss the Perseid Meteor Shower!

Just spent 1/2 hour (0330-0400) looking up from the back yard at the Perseid meteor shower. Had to be somewhat patient,  but I saw a couple dozen meteors crossing the sky. Go see it!  There are some big ones streaking across the sky, even here in the Southern Hemisphere.  Don't miss it!

A Heavenly Perspective on Mauritius

Had an extraordinary opportunity last week to go flying over Mauritius with a pilot friend, and saw spectacular views from a different perspective . . . remote uninhabited islands, volcanic mountains, azure blue bays, white sand beaches.  I took a couple hundred photos from inside the small plane and was delighted to have this opportunity to see this country from above.  Leaving Mauritius in 2 weeks will be bittersweet, for sure, not the least because it is an extraordinarily beautiful place.  Mark Twain, who visited here in 1896, is reputed to have said, "Mauritius was made first, then heaven; and heaven was copied after Mauritius."  He got that right.

Symbiosis: Sea Anemone/Clownfish & Shelly/David

Finding Nemo in Sea Anemone
(photo from richard-seamon.com)

Happy Scuba Shelly

The clown anemone really does look like Nemo!
(photo from profilekiss.com)

Sea Anemones were all around on this dive!
(photo from aquaworldaquarium.com)

Another Symbiotic Relationship

David's Advanced PADI Diver Card Photo

 We had a great dive Friday to a new site off the west Mauritius coast.  Called Anemone Garden, we saw beautiful sea anemones with their friends the clownfish (who really truly look like Nemo). Clownfish have a symbiotic relationship with the sea anemone, keeping each other protected and healthy. According to Wikipedia, in a symbiotic relationship, the clownfish feeds on small invertebrates that otherwise have the potential to harm the sea anemone, and the fecal matter from the clownfish provides nutrients to the sea anemone.  The clownfish is additionally protected from predators by the anemone's stinging cells, to which the clownfish is immune. 

Shelly and David are likewise in a symbiotic relationship.  After 28 years together, we pretty much know each other's idiosyncracies . . . Shelly mostly puts up with David's talking to every stranger (now in Creole!), and David knows that Shelly is unaware of today's date or time in this or any other timezone.  At the same time, Shelly can organize a project (like packing out an entire household) weeks ahead of time with pinpoint accuracy and David reliably posts blogs with embarrassing pictures early in the morning.  And, (this just in) both Shelly and David are taking classes at the Foreign Service Institute after Labor Day because the State Department may hire Shelly to work in its Guayaquil Consulate!  So much for Shelly's retirement, but so much the better for our symbiosis!

Shelly PADI Advanced Diver Card Photo
(posted by David without prior permission)

President Obama to Jay Leno on Temporary Embassy Closures

Responding to Jay Leno on Tuesday's The Tonight Show, President Obama spoke about the recent Embassy closures (including ours in Mauritius):  "These diplomats, they go out and serve every day.  Oftentimes, they have their families with them.  They do an incredible job and sometimes don't get enough credit.  So we're grateful to them and we've got to do everything we can to protect them."

Thank you, Mr. President.  

Family Wedding

The son/nephew of dear Mauritian friends was married last week, and we were honored to be among the invited guests.  These Hindu weddings are elaborate affairs, bound by tradition and lifted by pageantry.  Preparations are elaborate, food abundant, and the bride radiant.  Being so close to the family, and knowing this would be our last wedding in Mauritius made it a poignant and bittersweet time.

Feeding the wedding fire

Henna hand!

Still having wedding fun, 27 years after ours own!

Baby girl Kalishka not happy

Shelly Sari? I think not.

Bride & Groom arrive at reception

An auspicious rainbow after the wedding

Giggles all around

Shelly chats up the groom

Being Vigilant, Cautious & On the Move

So many of our friends and family have reached out to us after hearing the news that our Embassy was one of those closed this week due to security concerns.  Thank you for your expressions of concern.  We are doing what our training instructs, being vigilant and cautious.  Not much more to be said.  We are still planning to be stateside in under 3 weeks, as our tour here in Mauritius is ending in the regular course---so there is plenty of packing and preparing to be done! Anybody want some plants???

Iftar: Breaking the Fast

Ramadan is being observed by Muslims in Mauritius and around the world.  At sunset each evening during the month-long period of fasting and reflection, Muslims gather with family and friends to conclude the day's fasting with sweet dates and juice followed by sharing a meal.  On July 30, David and I were honored to join our Ambassador at her residence as she hosted a traditional Iftar dinner for notable Muslim Mauritians including the former Vice President, the son of the current Deputy Prime Minister, the Deputy to the Minister of Gender Equality, and several very impressive young people who will undoubtedly contribute greatly to the future of Mauritius.  Such lovely people committed to a strong and enduring relationship with the US; what a blessing to break bread together.

Incredible India 2013

It was a fun, fascinating, and sobering trip to India.  A country of 1.3 billion people in constant motion . . . honking, running, praying, peeing, herding, eating, speeding, begging, sowing, shopping, playing, hawking, sleeping.  The cultural and historic icons are spectacular, and the plight of the poor is sorrowful.  The mix of faiths, cultures, traditions, languages, ethnicities, and lifestyles is dizzying. The tourism bureau calls it "Incredible India," and that's no exaggeration.  To Ragu, Ali, Singh, Leah, and Ajaye, thanks for the incredible experience.
To India, thanks for the peek.  See you again someday.

 

The Pink City: Jaipur, Rajasthan

Hawa Mahal's Ornate Facade

City Palace Frescoes of India's National Bird

Jaipur in the state of Rajasthan is known as the "Pink City" for its old town walls.  A very impressive city, not only for its wall color but for its bustling bazaars, ornate palaces, majestic temples, and lively streetlife.  The Amber Fort is perched on a hill just outside of town, well-preserved, and has stunning views. One climbs the hill to arrive there on the back of an elephant. City Palace is the home of the current Maharaji, and has been the home of Jaipur's princely rulers since early in the 18th century. If you are shopping for gems or textiles, this is the place.

Arriving at Amber Fort in style with colleague

Hungry Holy Cows

Posing at the Amber Fort

View from Amber Fort to the lake and old city wall

Majestic Water Palace

With Punjabi guards at City Palace

School children in a tuk-tuk

Bike taxi driver

Joe Camel: huffing, not puffing