I thought it would be better to go by date, rather than just entry, since they will post according to date anyways.
It's been a really long day, and it's hard for me to imagine that all has taken place in JUST a day! Mark and I have been crashing, dead tired, by 9 pm, but then waking up around 3 am, seemingly wide awake....but able to stay in bed and fall back asleep...then waking up several times between then and morning...between 7 and 9. Last night was no different, and we knew we'd have to get up on the earlier side for all of us to be ready to go to a meeting in the larger neighboring town (G2). We were able to get back to sleep, but woke up early...and got going to meet someone at the bus station here, who knew where the meeting was at. We all took the bus together, about a 30 minute ride, and walked from the bus stop point to the home where the meeting was being held.
It was funny, as we approached their home (an apartment, like most here have) several kids were coming by on skates saying hello to our "guide". I didn't realize that there would be so many kids there....or so many people...from all over the world. It was quite nice, a few hours long, and then we all went to lunch together (not everyone came to lunch, but there were 16 of us!) We had great food, and conversation, and it was fun to be challenged in new ways (like J2 getting 3 roasted peanuts, which have the shells on and are a bit slippery) on his chop sticks...and actually to his mouth!!
After lunch, one of the newer young couples joined J/J, Mark and I and we took other buses to another section of town, to the Bird and Flower Market. This was a much larger marketplace, and in addition to the food vendors we had seen closer to their home, this market had animal vendors (cats, dogs, birds and fish...as well as rats, mice, snakes, turtles...and a few we're not sure of!!), lots of floral vendors, plants, medicinal people who sold herbs (and mixed them according to your ailment), teas and other dried foods (mushrooms, herbs, etc), tofu (LOTS of tofu!), nuts, seeds, and other hand crafted items too...baskets, wind chimes, jewelry...and of course other manufactured things like tools and stuff.
The market was really large, and it was quite a site to see. We'll likely try to get back there one day later this week.
From there, we took other buses and went to one of the Walmart stores to get some items for around the house. Then we came back home (around 5:30??) on a CRAZY bus ride (Mark filmed parts of it, and will post it later this week). After putting groceries away at the apartment, we went over to a larger Muslim restaurant that is near the bus terminal, and we had a great meal of lamb on skewers and cooked over a fire (some of it quite spicy), seasoned bread, and a spicy noodle and vegetable dish. Sorry, I haven't gotten the names of those dishes yet. :)
J/J said that these people are from a different area than the others are, and they seemed more of a Mid Eastern group...their music, and even facial features were less Oriental than the other group. The food was really tasty, and it was good to sit down and eat after such a long day.
I'm working on posting the photos that we've taken so far, but I won't have much time to do editing yet...so bear with me on that. I'll get it sorted over the next few days, and if not then, once I get home. photos are at: http://picasaweb.google.com/MnMgo2
The weather has been really mild, and surprisingly warm (I figure if I continue to wear long underwear and my down coat it will stay warm the whole trip) :) Much of the mud has turned to dust and dirt, and especially in the city, where you feel it grip your lungs. Between the dust, car exhaust, and the coal smoke, I'm a mess at the end of the day and oh so grateful for my allergy meds.
That's it for now...I have no idea what tomorrow holds....guess we'll all have to wait and see...
marina
It's been a really long day, and it's hard for me to imagine that all has taken place in JUST a day! Mark and I have been crashing, dead tired, by 9 pm, but then waking up around 3 am, seemingly wide awake....but able to stay in bed and fall back asleep...then waking up several times between then and morning...between 7 and 9. Last night was no different, and we knew we'd have to get up on the earlier side for all of us to be ready to go to a meeting in the larger neighboring town (G2). We were able to get back to sleep, but woke up early...and got going to meet someone at the bus station here, who knew where the meeting was at. We all took the bus together, about a 30 minute ride, and walked from the bus stop point to the home where the meeting was being held.
It was funny, as we approached their home (an apartment, like most here have) several kids were coming by on skates saying hello to our "guide". I didn't realize that there would be so many kids there....or so many people...from all over the world. It was quite nice, a few hours long, and then we all went to lunch together (not everyone came to lunch, but there were 16 of us!) We had great food, and conversation, and it was fun to be challenged in new ways (like J2 getting 3 roasted peanuts, which have the shells on and are a bit slippery) on his chop sticks...and actually to his mouth!!
After lunch, one of the newer young couples joined J/J, Mark and I and we took other buses to another section of town, to the Bird and Flower Market. This was a much larger marketplace, and in addition to the food vendors we had seen closer to their home, this market had animal vendors (cats, dogs, birds and fish...as well as rats, mice, snakes, turtles...and a few we're not sure of!!), lots of floral vendors, plants, medicinal people who sold herbs (and mixed them according to your ailment), teas and other dried foods (mushrooms, herbs, etc), tofu (LOTS of tofu!), nuts, seeds, and other hand crafted items too...baskets, wind chimes, jewelry...and of course other manufactured things like tools and stuff.
The market was really large, and it was quite a site to see. We'll likely try to get back there one day later this week.
From there, we took other buses and went to one of the Walmart stores to get some items for around the house. Then we came back home (around 5:30??) on a CRAZY bus ride (Mark filmed parts of it, and will post it later this week). After putting groceries away at the apartment, we went over to a larger Muslim restaurant that is near the bus terminal, and we had a great meal of lamb on skewers and cooked over a fire (some of it quite spicy), seasoned bread, and a spicy noodle and vegetable dish. Sorry, I haven't gotten the names of those dishes yet. :)
J/J said that these people are from a different area than the others are, and they seemed more of a Mid Eastern group...their music, and even facial features were less Oriental than the other group. The food was really tasty, and it was good to sit down and eat after such a long day.
I'm working on posting the photos that we've taken so far, but I won't have much time to do editing yet...so bear with me on that. I'll get it sorted over the next few days, and if not then, once I get home. photos are at: http://picasaweb.google.com/MnMgo2
The weather has been really mild, and surprisingly warm (I figure if I continue to wear long underwear and my down coat it will stay warm the whole trip) :) Much of the mud has turned to dust and dirt, and especially in the city, where you feel it grip your lungs. Between the dust, car exhaust, and the coal smoke, I'm a mess at the end of the day and oh so grateful for my allergy meds.
That's it for now...I have no idea what tomorrow holds....guess we'll all have to wait and see...
marina
