Sophie's World

under construction...

2011-09-02T00:17:00.002+02:00

I wrote a fair bit of texts while in Cuba, i took many many pictures... i've been back for more than 5 months and i haven't, still, sorted them out...

But I have to start somewhere... so here to start, a few texts (mostly in french) that i wrote while there... pics and more stories to come... Enjoy!

(D)espoir

2011-06-29T16:12:00.005+02:00

J’aborde ici un sujet très controversé… J’ose le poster ici, et je suis consciente que ce n’est peut-être pas une très bonne idée, mais il me semble aussi juste montrer tous les côtés que j’ai pu constater vivant là-bas, et pas seulement ces petites satires de la vie quotidienne qui font sourire certains, moi pour commencer…

Je ne peux m’empêcher de questionner un système qui a donné tant d’espoir à certains et qui continue a en donner à d’autres, mais que pour une bonne majorité des personnes qui ont pu croiser mon chemin durant mon temps ici est insuffisant et utopique.

Pour comprendre où nous en sommes il est nécessaire de comprendre d’où nous venons. Cette île magnifique souffrit pendant des longues années des abus des pays plus riches. Elle fut une des dernières à lutter contre les colons (espagnols), qui pour des raisons économiques évidentes ne voulaient pas la lâcher (c’était l’endroit idéal pour concentrer les bateaux avant le grand départ vers l’Europe en groupe pour ne pas être attaques par les pirates, ainsi que la baie de l’Havane par sa forme est extrêmement bien protégé, sans oublier les richesses qu’elle possède). Ils arrivent à se défaire des Espagnols enfin et non sans peine et voila qu’elle devient le « bordel » des USA, la mafia s’y installe, on ouvre des casinos à gogo, et les américain prennent le bateau pour y passer une nuit en jouant dans les casinos et profitant des charmes de ces femmes. Arrivent alors des sauveurs ! Et pour la grande majorité des personne ce fut le cas, ils cherchent une égalité des droits, une éducation et soins de santé pour tous. Ils veulent que tous les Hommes soient égaux. C’est un beau rêve, et je rêve aussi d’un monde pareil. Mais trop réaliste ou fataliste peut-être, j’ai perdu confiance dans l’être humain. L’être humain s’est toujours comparé, dans la préhistoire on s’est mesuré par la force, celui qui tué plus d’animaux, qui rapportais plus à manger, etc.… Aujourd’hui c’est par la qualité de vie, toujours celui qui apporte plus à manger, mais le côté matériel est notre nouvelle façon de nous mesurer… Oui, j’entends certains d’entre vous dire « mais non, c’est aussi la culture, l’intelligence ». Je me permets de vous reprendre, cela est un luxe que seulement les personnes qui ont tout, peuvent se permettre de s’octroyer… Croyez-vous que vous allez mesurer votre cerveau ou culture générale avec votre voisin si vous n’avez pas à manger tout les jours dans votre assiette ? Je vous assure que non !

Bref je me perds, au moment ou la révolution arrive, les écarts entre riches et pauvres est bien trop grande, les riches s’en vont, les pauvres rêvent. Ce fut beau au début, éducation gratuite et pour tous, santé idem, on resserre les écarts… on offre des maisons, de la nourriture à des prix modiques, des vêtements, des voitures, etc.… L’Est aide, mais voila que l’Est tombe, et voila que le rêve commence à s’embrumer. Les gens ont faim, j’ai vu des photos des personnes a cette époque et les os ressortent un peu partout, il y en a qui commencent a tuer leur chat pour avoir a manger, cette période fut appelé « spéciale » et qui pour dire vrai ça va mieux mais elle n’est toujours pas fini… quelqu’un m’a dis un jour « c’est la bonne période qui devrait être appelle spéciale, nous sommes en manque depuis lors ». Et où se retrouve le Cubain d’aujourd’hui ? À avoir un salaire d’une 20$ par mois quand une paire de chaussures de mauvaise qualité coute 50$ si pas plus ! À avoir un salaire en monnaie national quand la plus part de biens basiques à la survie se paie en pesos convertibles. Non je ne dis pas que tout est mauvais, l’éducation est toujours gratuite et de très bon niveau, la santé aussi et les médicaments sont vendus à des prix dérisoires. Mais en s’ouvrant vers l’étranger on a montré au cubain moyen tous ces biens matériels qu’ils pourraient avoir mais qu’ils ne peuvent pas ! Et l’Homme étant ce qu’il est, tristement, ne pense plus qu’a ça.

Je vous demande de réfléchir, pourquoi vous travaillez ? Je peux répondre de façon personnelle, je travaille car ça me donne une certaine satisfaction de faire quelque chose d’utile de ma vie, voir que je sers à quelque chose, une raison pour me lever le matin. Mais aussi et surtout pour pouvoir avoir un certain niveau de vie, et je ne parle pas de luxes, juste de quoi avoir un toit, à manger et m’acheter des fringues et moi car c’est mon dada comme vous l’avez compris, voyager le monde. Mais comme on me l’a souvent répété ici, il n’y a pas d’espoir, ici on travaille pour manger, tout simplement, pour ne pas avoir l’estomac vide, pour avoir ce que certains dans le monde considèrent basique, du papier toilette par exemple. Partir en vacances ? Aller au restaurant ? De quoi tu me parles ?

On a pensé qu’on attribuant des maisons, des soins basiques, de la culture pour se distraire (aussi très forte et incroyablement bonne ici et offerte a des prix modiques (aller voir Alicia Alonso, une de plus grande ballerines du monde, bon sa troupe elle ne danse plus elle a 90 ans, coûte la modique somme de 0,30$)) les personnes n’auraient besoin de plus rien, mais ils se sont trompés. L’Homme veut plus et travailler pour recevoir des certificats et un salaire ridicule ne motive personne. On se retrouve donc avec un groupe des personnes qui n’ont aucune motivation fondamentale pour travailler et qui voient la vie sans espoir car travailler est simplement pour manger.

Le rêve du début n’est plus. A ce moment là, et toujours maintenant on parlait de « nous », du peuple uni, de nous unis contre eux. Mais la réalité est maintenant autre, c’est chacun pour soi, et celui qui travaille dans un hôtel va voler le papier toilette et le revendre à son voisin pour arrondir les fin de mois, des histoires comme ça j’en ai plein. Le marché noir est fort et est l’économie du pays, celle qui permet d’avoir ce qu’on ne peut autrement. Ce n’est plus nous contre les USA, c’est devenue moi contre ne pas avoir faim, c’est moi contre ne pas avoir des chaussures trouées. Et tristement l’écart du début est à nouveau là, certain s’en sortent comme des rois, d’autres moins, d’autres ont faim. Et encore plus tristement ce pays est maintenant devenu le bordel de l’Europe ou des vieux dégoûtants viennent chercher des jeunes filles magnifiques qui ont qu’un espoir avoir une vie meilleure avec plus des choix et se tapent des vieux dégueulasses pour pouvoir payer les chaussures du petit frère…

Alors je me demande à quoi bon ? Pourquoi continuer dans une utopie qui a démontrée qu’elle ne fonctionnait pas ? Pas comme ça. Non je ne voudrais pas que ce pays devienne un pays capitaliste comme un autre, mais je me demande il n’y a-t-il pas moyen de trouver un juste milieu ?

Après une rude journée j’ai écris ceci :

Moi je suis toi, toi tu es moi, mais moi je suis lui et lui est toi. Ils sont moi. Vous c’est toi.

Toi ça n’existe pas. Moi je n’existe pas. Ils voulaient que le « nous » soit. Et « nous » c’est toi, moi, elle, ils, vous ; simplement « nous », ensemble.

Mais « nous » n’existe pas, plus maintenant, plus comme ça. Je prédomine et toi aussi

Nous tous ensemble, nous plus fort. Mais parfois le « je » est celui qui encule le « nous » avec le plus de force.

« Nous », non! je, tu, il, elle. Oui, c’est ça maintenant

Pour ne pas la faire trop longue…

2011-06-29T16:11:00.003+02:00

5 ans, haute comme trois pommes, je cours et je reviens, je tire sur les vêtements de ma mère « on y va ? ». « Oui, oui, mi amor, on y va ! ». Je me rappelle encore de ce bruit des clés de voiture qui s’entrechoquent et le fameux « oui, oui, on y va ». Une heure après me voila de retour et le bruit des clés est toujours là. Je tire plus fort « mami, on y va ? ». Et l’éternel « oui, oui ». On aime discuter en Amérique Latine.

26 ans après, Cuba, je retourne en terre connue, oh ! L’Amérique latine ! Et le bruit des clés est toujours là. Cuba où poser la question « ça va ? » est risqué si vous êtes pressé. Bon ! Pour commencer, quelle idée d’être pressé!

Je te parle de « A », tu réponds « B », mais tu considères nécessaire de parler de « M » et « Q » et aussi un peu de « X » et de « C », pour expliquer « B ». Mais moi, moi je te parle de « A ». Je me tais, non pas par politesse mais par surprise d’entendre « Z » et « P ». Qu’est-ce que ça à avoir avec « B » ? Et mon « A », tu le laisse où mon « A » ? LA phrase arrive après 2 heures où l’on a survolé la totalité de l’alphabet : Pour ne pas la faire trop longue « F ». Et voila que je te réponds « S ».

Le bruit de clés revient et plus grande que 3 pommes je tire encore sur les vêtements des gens et je demande « on y va ? » et l’éternel « oui, oui, on y va »

La moustache et el “Cerquillo”

2011-06-29T16:10:00.003+02:00

La moustache, mode, style. Souvent attribué à la personne de sexe masculin et ce, partout dans le monde n’est-ce pas ? Détrompez-vous, la moustache ici et surtout dans les provinces est un style, une mode peut-être aussi attribué aux femmes !

Je ne vous parle pas de la moustache bien connue par beaucoup des femmes par tout dans le monde, l’ombre. Mais je vous parle d’une vraie moustache en dû et forme, pas très épaisse mais bien drue quand-même.

Je comprends mieux ma mère, qui me répétais sans cesse de ne pas me raser (aucun poil) cela les fait pousser plus épais et plus foncés ! La cire pour l’épilation étant un luxe que la plus part ne peut s’offrir, voila que Cuba deviens le scénario d’un film années 80 au féminin ! Une vision bien étrange, souvent choquante.

Nous avons aussi le « Cerquillo ». Prononcer ce mot dans une assemblée masculine provoque des sourires et des bruits proches d’une goutte d’eau qui tombe dans l’eau bouillante.

Le rasoir est peut-être aussi la cause, avec la couleur de la vélocité cubaine. Vous l’aurez peut-être déjà compris, une jambe assez velue rasée jusqu'à mi-cuisse. Les poils bien dru et foncés qui restent jusqu'à l’aine. Cette ligne entre la partie rasé et la velu, EST le « cerquillo » et croyez le ou pas cela excite l’homme. Cette ligne est la Mecque de la sexualité. Et est souvent exposé vu les tenues imposées par la mode.

Alors femmes velues soyez les bienvenues, vous aurez un succès de malade et ferez des économies!

Et surtout n’oubliez pas le rasoir !

Le code de la route Cubain

2011-06-29T16:09:00.001+02:00

Il faut faire attention :

- Aux autres voitures qui risquent à tout moment de changer de file sans prévenir, les clignotants sont en option.

- Aux chars tirés par les chevaux

- Aux chars tirés par des tracteurs

- Aux chars tirés par des buffles

- Aux charrettes poussées par des personnes

- Aux voitures qui font ½ tour sur l’autoroute

- Aux voitures qui vont dans le sens opposé sur l’autoroute

- Aux voitures qui s’arrêtent sur les deux bandes de l’autoroute pour discuter

- Sur la route fait attention aux trous, aux clous, aux pneus explosés, aux plantes, aux fleurs, aux arbres, aux vaches, aux chevaux, aux chiens, aux cochons, aux oiseaux, ou toute autre espèce qui pourrait être au travers.

- Aux personnes qui font du stop sur l’autoroute qui se lancent sur la voiture à 100km avec l’espoir de la faire arrêter.

- Aux vendeurs ambulant sur l’autoroute, souvent au milieu de la route au cas où tu ne les a pas vu, pour que tu achètes leurs oignions à 20 pesos au lieu de 10 au marché. Bon, si tu en trouves au marché, mais cela est un autre sujet.

- Aux marcheurs, aux vélos, aux jeunes, aux vieux, aux enfants, aux femmes, aux hommes.

- Aux panneaux de sortie, ah ! non ! ça non ! il n’y a pas des panneaux. Donc arrête toi et demande aux marcheurs, aux vélos, aux, jeunes, aux vieux, aux enfants, aux femmes, aux hommes si tu es dans la bonne direction.

- Aux passages piétons, il est obligatoire de s’arrêter

- Aux voies ferrées il est aussi obligatoire de s’arrêter.

- Aux panneaux stop, arrête toi où la ligne est dessiné, souvent tu n’arrives pas à voir si une voiture arrive, continue et arrête toi à nouveau. Si tu ne t’arrêtes pas ces deux fois et un flic est dans le coin : amende !

- En ville, fait attention aux lumières qu’illuminent les quelques panneaux, la lumière t’illumine toi, donc impossible de lire le panneau pendant la nuit et tu es a moitié aveuglé.

- La nuit, sur l’autoroute non illuminé, si tu vois des lumières, ralenti, c’est un poste de control, bon souvent après 18h c’est vide.

- Et aussi fait attention à la voiture, elle chauffe ? elle fait un bruit bizarre ? tu conduis pendant plus de 3h sans t’arrêter ? ah ! elle est cassée ! capute !

Mode

2011-06-29T16:07:00.001+02:00

On peut faire ce qu’on veut a une société, une collectivité ; l’être humain a cette fâcheuse tendance à s’identifier et plus souvent qu’admit, à se juger par l’apparence. Cuba n’est pas l’exception à la règle. Amusant les noms que ces bandes s’attribuent. D’un coté les « Mickies » et de l’autre les « Freakies ».

Alors les Mickies, sont très « bling bling », leur jeans sont décorés des diamants et autre accessoire qui brille, les t-shirts aussi évidement ! Souvent avec une casquette un peut trop grande et l’accessoire le plus important la ceinture de « star » avec l’attache en diamants. Ils écoutent le regetón et ce sont eux qui le plus souvent s’acharnent à séduire les étrangères.

Les Freakies de leur coté, ou les alternatifs, sont souvent habillés des couleurs sombres, des chaussures converses ou style converses, ont des piercings, sont antisociaux « en dehors de leur bande » et écoutent les grands classiques du rock de ma première jeunesse (j’en suis a ma deuxième pour info !)

Bon il est vrai que je fais une très grande généralisation et certain ne rentrent dans ces catégories…

Il me reste les femmes… jusqu'à maintenant je n’ai pas réussie à les caser dans un groupe. Plutôt Mickies, elles semblent former un groupe unique et constant. Elles sont extrêmement coquètes et nécessitent d’au moins une heure pour être prêtes à sortir. Souvent elles dépensent leur salaire sur des faux ongles de 1 ½ cm de long décorés avec des fleurs ou dessins bizarres très colorées.

Le bas, souvent un jeans, de toutes les couleurs imaginables, jaune canarie, bleu turquoise, rouge, fuchsia, etc., il se doit d’être 3 tailles en dessous, même si ça rentre là où ça ne devrait pas (Camel toe on l’appelle en Angleterre). Sinon une jupe ou short extrêmement court, terme plus connu : ras de la foufe (excusez mon langage très raffiné !), même les uniformes de l’école sont excessivement courts !

Le haut se doit d’être bling bling, ou avoir un accessoire bling bling, le plus bling bling le mieux et aussi très moulant. Le tout assez ingrat quand on a des kilos en trop !

Le top de la beauté est être combiné, non pas simplement mettre des couleurs qui aillent ensemble, elle doit être la même et d’une couleur très flash. Donc si nous parlons d’un t-shirt fuchsia, les chaussures, l’élastique pour les cheveux (souvent pas très discret), les boucles d’oreille, la ceinture (vraiment pas nécessaire) doivent aussi être fuchsia du même ton ou un ton similaire. Et il ne faut pas oublier l’ombre à paupière ou rouge à lèvres qui va avec !

Pendant l’hiver il est très acceptable de porter des chaussettes (souvent blanches) avec des flips flops. Et le contraste entre les personnes, mais surtout les femmes, à l’intérieur et à la rue est hallucinant !

Par contre les soins qu’elles portent à leur personne est surprenante et me fais souvent sentir comme une clocharde ! Si j’été restée au Venezuela je m’habillerais peut-être comme ça !

The 6 meals a day country…

2011-06-29T16:04:00.002+02:00

What comes first? The real hunger or the obsession with food?

Depravation, certainly has an important role, a few years where some ended up killing their animals (any) so they’ll have something to eat… and now on the ascendant curve, the difficulty to find some food, whether there are none to buy or they are but at ridiculous prices.

The result of all this: obsession with food.

Do you know an average Cuban eats 6 meals a day? Yes six! Breakfast, tea, lunch, tea again, dinner, and something before going to bed.

You might imagine, light meals, don’t be mistaken the only light meal in all that is breakfast, a glass of whole milk with some bread and mayo. Tea is a sandwich, a proper sandwich with a huge chunk of ham or a pizza (Cuban pizza), Lunch, the whole lot, usually the rest of supper the night before, rice beans, egg with some veggie, depending on the season. Tea again, yes again a sandwich. Supper, is the heavy meal, loads of meat any meat will do, rice, potato manioc or any other rooty food, beans of course and some veggie, maybe you’ll have a soup before all that, and before you go to bed some bread with something…

Are you stuffed yet?

Basically never to feel hunger…

And by the way, drinking water makes you fat!

CUBA

2011-05-02T00:15:00.001+02:00

And a new adventure starts...

CUBA

Pa' Cuba me voy!!!

People

2010-07-14T13:17:00.008+02:00

During my time in Burundi I got to travel a lot around the country, hence see a lot... This is just a selection of the million photos I took from locals... And to be honest I kind of knew a lot of them, you just dont point your camera at someone do you?! Well yes, sometimes you just do...

Familiar Faces...

2010-07-14T10:56:00.011+02:00

When you get to a country, everything is new. You start discovering the country, the people, the traditions, and those that were to start with strangers, become with time familiar. They become friends, they become part of your life...
Here, some of the shots I took from this people that after 6 months became friends, co-workers, etc...
Unfortunately I did not have my camera at all times and I am missing very important people here!

Doud, Nadege, Guillaume

Yves

Mathieu

Maria

Nadege

Olivier

Brice

Stein aka Sitgno

Ismail

Revocate

Doud

Olivier, me, Sylvain, Mignone

me, Bertrand, Nad

Olivia, Bertrand

Bibi, Nad, me

Helene, Eva

Ana

Guillaume, Brice

Emi, Nad

Going Burundian...

2010-07-13T20:12:00.004+02:00

The traditional "elegant" dress.

I wanted to learn how to carry children on my back, after some training, which included the mum of the girl standing behind me "just in case" the result...

First you fix the top

then the bottom

And you are ready to go!

And dont forget the bag!

Le Burundi avec Pe et Ju

2010-07-13T19:24:00.020+02:00

We started nicely by the beach in Bujumbura.
No need to get a map, is a lake-beach.

JuPe

if the photos are all messed up, is because my computer does not like Pe& Ju cameras for some reason...

Buja, aka Bujumbura

On the road!

Gitega

Rutana

Random place on the way...

Faille des Allemands

...never alone...

Random village

Karera Falls

after the fall... non je ne maitrise un max!

always supervised, here actually it was for our security...

On the road...

The typical drink: Banana beer.

We all tried it

Well, not not all Ju only pretended for the pic

Our charming hosts

Going to a village always creates a sensation

surrounded...

Makamba,
the market, on a non-market day, so pretty empty, it usually is chaos

Ndagala, the little tiny fish

Nyanza

Les pieds en eventail!

Canne a sucre, from the scratch!

Une petite Amstel bien bien froide!

Queen of the world?

Close to Nyanza

It is quite impressive to see these beasts eat!

Saga resha,
the new hotel that is been built, pure luxury, a room there was planned to be 600$, yes you read it right!

Rumonge by night,
where we met the rest of the crowd that cycled there

Blue bay

Livingstone and Stanley stone,
look harder, they wrote (with Stanley) their names on it. The story says they met here. If i do go back a little bit more, Livingstone was missing and they send Stanley to look for him, imagine at the time Stanley going around in Africa asking if they had seen a white man, he found him here. An other story says that is in Rumonge where they separated and Stanley went back to the UK, and Liv. kept going and eventually died of Malaria somewhere close or in the Congo.

The view from the stone, I can imagine elephants and all sort of animals accompanying the white men. Then again I do have a lot of imagination!

A week of discoveries and pure fun

On the road...

2010-07-12T17:52:00.004+02:00

Burundi a small country landlocked in central Africa, in which spent a lot of time in car going from one place to another. What I retain from it is the quantity of people on the road, the distance they will do in one day and the weight they where able to carry. It is an art!

Selling veggies

The country of thousands hills, not easy when on a bike, the solution:

or:

Ladies probably walking to or from the market. Love the contrast of colours...

Going up the hill not an easy task sometimes...

Simply amazing!

Burundian Countryside, a tiny bit of it....

2010-07-08T02:32:00.004+02:00

Always traveling (for work), the landscape i got to see was amazing!

Only a few shoot, although I have many many of them, the reality is just 10 thousand times better....

Buja, by night...

2010-07-08T02:24:00.002+02:00

A glimpse of Buja by night.

There is so much more than than that, but the camera is never there when you really need it....

Le lac Tanganyka!

2010-06-24T16:09:00.001+02:00

Pas de mer a l'horizon, mais une plage... et un lac, des parties de volley et le RDCongo dans le fond...

Enfin!

2010-06-23T13:48:00.001+02:00

Donc voila enfin le premier tri des photos a ete fait! Je vous presente donc le premier volet des photos au Burundi, plus a venir et je vais essayer de faire ca tres vite maintenant que je suis lancee!

Enjoy!

PS: les joies d'une connexion internet correcte!

Spectacle Twas des grands lacs...

2010-06-23T13:29:00.005+02:00

Minorite ethnique de la region de grands lacs, les Twas sont souvent oublies et laisses pour compte. Voici un peu d'info (en anglais)...

Inexplicable...

2010-06-23T13:24:00.003+02:00

Je tiens a signaler que seul le robinet tout a fait a droite fonctionne...

Mmmmmmm... Food!

2010-06-23T13:05:00.004+02:00

Les Ndagala: ptt poissons grilles

Le foufou: pate de manioc a melager avec ce qu'on veut, de la viande, des haricots, lenga lenga (sorte d'epinards)

Et le must: les brochettes de chevre!!

Buja!

2010-06-23T13:01:00.002+02:00

Bujumbura, better known as Buja! Sorry not many photos of it...

It's about time...

2010-05-27T23:13:00.002+02:00

So... Burundi is over, I'm back in Belgium, and the blog did not have the priority in my life it should've had...

Now that am in Belgium, jobless and enjoying little things that life has to offer, I will put "updating my blog" as one of my priorities... It will take me a while, as you know, I always have far too many photos and I will have to pick the best ones and then try to write a little story with it...

As for now, this is it, more to come about the past and the future (I'm headed to Cuba in September!, yes! you can start booking flights!)

NoËl!

2009-12-24T07:55:00.001+01:00

Noël? Vraiment?
J'ai du rater quelque chose... Ce n'est pas possible...
Être dans un pays extrêmement catholique et de plus extrêmement pratiquant devrait renforcer mon esprit de Noël, mais c'est tout le contraire...
Finalement, il y a beaucoup des choses auxquels nous nous habituons extrêmement rapidement, j'ai grandis en passant Noël sur la plage, mais 15 ans de Noël dans le froid on effacé cette carte mémoire, et Noël chaud n'est plus reconnu par mon système d'exploitation... pas de père de Noël, pub coca cola ou autre pour me le rappeler non plus...
Est-ce vraiment Noël?

Finally some photos!

2009-12-01T17:43:00.007+01:00

I have added photos to the first posts I wrote, so scroll down!

This blog awaits your comments!
me? of course not! the blog!

Electricity versus water

2009-12-01T15:05:00.002+01:00

I started a post about things I lost in exchange and things I won... But then I thought to myself: should I really write about this? I am not particularly superstitious but we dont want good things to be lost... The first month we had very random electricity (every other day) but for the past 2 weeks and a half it's been constant... So finger crossed! Oh yes! the whole point about this post was that I was used to not having water in Mongolia (sometimes hot water, sometimes cold water) and in Burundi I had to get used to not having electricity...

I did write about it after all didn't I?

Muzungu!

2009-12-01T14:56:00.003+01:00

I hear that everywhere I go...

If I'm in the city it's maybe a bit more discreet as for the countryside it becomes actually a big event! Muzungu means "white person" or some say "the person that comes from far." Whatever the case, is shouted by the children in a beautiful chorus. In the countryside when we pass by car the children wave at us, run after the car, run to where we are and the less shy start touching, shaking hands. I have found myself more than one time surrounded by little ones, and I have to say I could've take them all home! Burundian children? Biological clock?

The country where I learned to show my teeth...

2009-12-01T14:52:00.002+01:00

I just realised how that sentence could be interpreted the wrong way...

It is complete opposite of what you might be thinking of... The other day I was in the car and kids started shouting and waving at me, I turned around and gave them a wave and a shy smile, and milliseconds later realised I needed to show my teeth, so I did the biggest smile ever! When people smile here their face brighten, the contrast of colours put us whitties in the very bottom of the scale!

Hence, I'm working on my smile!

The life of an expat in Burundi

2009-11-26T12:16:00.001+01:00

How is life for an expat? Easy I want to say! But is it really?

Usually awaken by the mosque (thats the 4 o'clock alarm) or the mass (the 6 o'clock one). After a shower some food we are headed to work, sit in front of a computer for most of the day then go home, and lazy around for a bit. When not too tired, I go running in the park next to the house, or go for dinner with friends, or the top of the top is going for a massage and then for food. Weekends are usually spend by the beach (the lake one no sea), where I usually go swimming in the hotel pool. And is also time for errands, like going to the market, sorting personal stuff. On Sunday there are beach volley games I haven't join yet actively but shall do soon... and then we start again, so yes it's an easy life.

However I am most of the time on the road, so the difficulty starts when I have to head to the hills very early in the morning after a 3 hours drive on the tracks and being shaken like an cocktail on the making I arrive, do the work, sleep where I am (it is forbidden to drive after dark in the countryside (too dangerous)) then go back to the city or stay a little longer. I love this field visits, absolutely love them, the people I get to meet, being with the grassroots, the landscape I get to see and the things I get to live. But the trips kill me, the car is like Valium for me, arrive somewhere and having to work always demand an extra effort, then doing it the other way around arrive to the office and keep working... it's beautiful but killing! Since I've been here I've been doing it at least once q week for 2-3 days in the hills!

Where and how families live?

2009-11-26T12:02:00.003+01:00

As the country of the thousands hills, people live in the hills, obvious right! Most of the time it is impossible to reach the houses by car and even motorbikes. When you look at the landscape you see little houses made of mud (?) bricks, that fade in the landscape. Usually families have around 6 children if not more, there is no age to stop having children. They work the land and have animals which most of the time sleep in the house so they don't get stolen during the night.

I've fallen in love with the traditional houses (one day I will have a garden big enough to put a ger and a mug house!) They usually have 4 rooms, 1 for the children, 1 for the parents, one as the living space, where the kitchen is - 3 rocks and a fire and 1 for the animals.

There is a lot of walking involved. To fetch water it can sometimes take 1 hour, hence you can see loads of people on the road (tracks) and most of them are carrying something. The strength of the neck is quite impressive, from very young age children learn to carry things on top of their head. I have started a series of bicycles, people carry incredible amounts of weight on them, not easy when you think of the thousands hills!

The country of the thousand hills....

2009-11-26T11:58:00.002+01:00

I have told you already, I think, that Burundi is known to be the country of the thousand hills (along with Rwanda). Having travel quite a bit by now, I can confirm this. The landscape is stunning, hills all over the place with a few valley. Most impressive still is the fact that almost every centimeter of the ground is worked. I could also add that it is the country of the beautiful skies! I know I lived in Mongolia for 2 years and I did see some stunning blue skies and beautiful clouds. But Burundi is tough competition! The clouds, the mountains, the blue sky after the tropical rain... Breathtaking!

Tea plantation

is coming up!

2009-11-26T11:55:00.001+01:00

I was in the countryside and as you can imagine (or maybe not) there is not much to do when there's a 9pm curfew and nowhere to go... so I finally had sometime to write little posts that I will try to upgrade by putting some photos with it sometime, but I first need to reduce the size so it doesnt take 1 hour to upload just one photo!

Having certain difficulties in telling you all I see, I have decided to tell you little facts about life in this beautiful country that I am already falling for!

So for now enjoy! And check for photos soon!

2 weeks and a bit more...

2009-11-12T11:55:00.001+01:00

Je vais faire ce post en français, ça n'arrive pas souvent mais je pense qu'il est temps d'égaliser un peu la balance...

Alors la 2ème semaine et plus, le plus étant mon voyage au Ruanda – Kigali pour un peu moins d'une semaine pour un séminaire.

C'est assez impressionnant comment mes perceptions du pays changent de jours en jour. A l'heure actuelle je suis en pleine adaptation, il y a des jours sans et des jours avec, des jours plus durs que d'autres... Je constate que le boulot va être bien chargé, incroyablement intéressant mais peu de temps libre à l'horizon.... Mais j'adore le challenge et je suis prête à le prendre!
Pour le moment je n'ai pas eu bcp de tps de voir du pays, mais déjà l'adaptation à la ville n'est pas une mince affaire. En, fait c'est une façon de vivre tellement différente. On fait presque tout en voiture, ce qui peut être très sympa pour les flemmard, mais moins drôle pour les hyperkinétiques ou simplement découvrir la ville. J'ai parfois l'impression de passer d'une bulle a l'autre en gros. J'ai même commencé à courir dans le parc à côté de la maison, oui! Moi! Tellement j'ai l'impression de me ramollir!
Je dis depuis le début que je fais faire des cours de danse et percussion, mais il faudrait que je m'y mette à la recherche de ce dit cours...!
En gros et bref je découvre tout doucement, j'ai aussi commencé des cours de Swahili – langue aisément parlé ici, même si pas langue nationale et qui pourra aussi me servir dans d'autre pays! En gros j'aime, je sens encore une fois que je vais vivre une expérience inoubliable!

Et maintenant Kigali! Partie 5 jours pour un séminaire, dedans 2 jours de voyage en bus (toute une expérience en soi!)
On met 12 personnes dans le bus de taille moyenne et on s'accroche, des personnes avec le mal de voiture s'abstenir. Le Ruanda et le Burundi ne sont pas des pays à 10 mille collines pour rien! Ça monte et ça descend et surtout ça tourne!! Les chauffeurs ont parfois des problème quand au poids du pied et l'accélérateur est souvent à fond.... On s'est retrouvés coincées pendant une heure car une voiture a essayée de dépasser un camion ds la sinuosité de la route sans réussir, on a du attendre la police de roulage, que personne n'avait appelé jusqu'à notre arrive (ça faisait déjà surement 30min qu'ils étaient la!)... Moi, j'avoue que j'ai bien dormi en attendant!
Les personnes avec qui je suis parti ont vraiment été adorables, c'était limite ils me prenaient la main pour traverser la frontière. Je ne pense pas avoir mentionné avant mais ce sont des pays extrêmement religieux, et une fois arrivé a Kigali j'ai entendue dans plusieurs langues remercier leur seigneur.
Kigali est vraiment magnifique, en plein sur une colline, presque montagne, ça grimpe bien (ça m'a fait penser à Porto Phine). Malheureusement j'ai oublié mon appareil photo. Les rues sont incroyable propres, la ville en fait, est incroyablement propre et superbement entretenue. C'est assez moderne et on trouve de tout, donc je me suis régalé point de vue emplettes, rien de fou-fou, simplement l'achat d'objets courant en Europe, et un peu moins en Afrique... Pour la petite anecdote. En marchant avec 2 burundais, un a dit: c'est fou c'est que ça ressemble à l'Europe, moi j'approuve, c'est vrai quelque part et là l'autre gars très poliment me dit « sans vouloir vous offenser Sophie, mais pour quoi est-ce que dès qu'il y a quelque chose de bien qui marche en Afrique on dit que ça ressemble à l'Europe? L'Afrique est l'Afrique et nous n'avons pas besoin de ressembler a l'Europe... »

Malheureusement donc pas de photos car oublié l'appareil... C'est vrai aussi que j'ai surtout bossé, mais j'ai adoré les pttes ballades après le séminaire... Si le tps, j'aimerais y retourner! A voir!

Photos!

2009-11-09T00:38:00.002+01:00

The kind neighbour left the WiFi open today so I've been uploading photos from this summer, trying to catch up... However it takes forever and it's now 1.34am and need to sleep before I head to the countryside tomorrow morning...
So scroll down and you will see some photos added to old posts... Enjoy and check again soon as I'll try to do the rest once I'm back from the hills!

One week in!

2009-10-23T15:23:00.002+02:00

So much to say and no picture to illustrate it yet! (Now i do!)

At moments I have the feeling I have been here for longer and at others I have the "I'm new I dont understand the culture" slap!

While writing this the neighbors are playing the drums. There are drum's clubs around the city, actually each neighborhood has it own. The house life is animated, if is not the drums, it can be mass or mosque (the 4.30 am call). On the field of cultural differences, we have the crocodiles as pets (the back neighbor has 2!), the orgy of fruits and veggies i've been eating (so good after 2 years of none!), the people on the streets, walking, cycling, pushing the bicycle, motorbike, women (everybody actually) carrying things on their head, also sitting on the back of the bicycle with the things on their heads, sometimes i do wonder how the manage to see! There is so many people, really it's amazing!

Funny enough a colleague was telling me it was quite hard to walk on the streets, not because is dangerous but because of the entertainment it causes to the whole population. You become the "Muzungo" (the white person or the one that comes from far) but i replied i didn't feel it was that bad, that yes people tend to stare a bit but i didn't feel hassle. Big mistake! I decided to go on my own, walking of course, down town, man! it was interesting! I had everything, the guy following me, the children, the car stopping to ask me if they could become my friend, etc... I'm ashamed to say i did take a taxi back! A little at the time! And i'm waiting from my driving license to come in!!!

Culturally speaking there's little to do in Bujumbura, one cinema, one cultural centre (the french one) and many many bars restaurants and people's houses... Coming from Mongolia it wont be a big change there! Also there is many many hikes and explorations to do around the country, and being so little it will be quite easy to cover quite a bit. In the horizon, i have a scuba diving in the lake coming up, and a lot of travel for work, so it's all good!

All for all and after only a week here I have to say I have a very good feeling about this place! We'll see! more to come! and I will try to illustrate with some nice pics. the issue you see is that i've been told people dont like to be photographed, so i have to be careful as it can become a big issue... once i'm more into understanding people's mind i'll do a little reportage!

Well i'll leave here for now, so you dont get to bored of reading!

part of the garden, this is the guards sheed

The back terrace, playing backgammon became sort of part of the routine of the house<

Last but not least our lovely neighbour's pet!

Burundi

2009-10-23T15:20:00.002+02:00

Here is where the changes occurs!

The new adventure has started and the tales will now be based in:

Burundi

I will be living here for 6 months and will try post as often as possible, as well as to upload photos.

Trip to Vietnam

2009-10-23T15:17:00.003+02:00

One of the big features of this summer was the trip to Vietnam. Holidays but also the celebration of the transition to the edge of reason: the big 3-0!

The trip was incredibly short, trying to do the whole country in 15 days was way too ambitious, specially if you break your back and moving, sitting and laying is painful!

We started off in Hanoi, which I called the “sauna” city. Never been so hot in my whole life!

Uncle Ho's mausoleum

Temple a pilier unique

Library

Night train to Sappa

Then Sappa, with the breath taking rice fields. A 2 day trekking in the mountains with other very nice tourists.

Rice fields everywhere... stunning!

sure you don't want to buy anything?

trier le riz, ou emporte par le vent...

rice wine anyone?

the fog arrived in seconds...

the whole group

on the way back... it took about 10 min to take this photo, not easy if you speak Mongolian to a Vietnamese lady!

Halong Bay. Stunning! Incredible when jumping from the “rd floor of the boat to the sea, which def increases the adrenaline levels...

Our boat

It is as stunning as it looks!

Canoeing in the Bay...

Jumping from the boat, a lot of hesitation to start with, after pure fun!

you buy from me?

By night was even nicer!

Hue, the emperor's city, with temples, tombs, the imperial city and major place Vietnam's recent history.

Hanoi-Hue by sleeping bus... last time ever! it literally broke my back and couldn't walk sit, walk stand or sleep properly till the end of the trip!

Entering the cite imperiale!

who's watching who?

the famous flag known to the world...

if you are a tourist you have to do it properly!

Tuc Duc's and Minh Mang tombs

Hoi An. The tourist city, the tailor city. Where the French structure is almost intact, where the river is part of the life and the market is an exhilarating place.

the city flooded only a day or two after we felt!

the market

the home of N'Guyen's family

on the road

Japanese bridge

the beach... under the rain but the beach still!

Saigon. Capital and big city, however a very quick look at the major places before taking the plane back to Paris.

sucre de canne

the townhouse

the "cathedral"

by night

the age of reason... before and after 30

15 days later...

Key features of the trip:
the heat, traffic and transportation, the noise, the street food. And the last thing, a passenger passing away in the airplane while on our way back to Paris. And is the question everybody ask, they put him in the toilet until we landed (10 hours later!)

Summer in Europe

2009-10-23T15:15:00.011+02:00

I had the great opportunity over this summer to spend sometime in Europe. Did a lot, maybe too much hopping. The only way to see as many people as possible. Here a little resumé ( now with photos!):

France: Helping sort out my mother's flat, dealing with painters, plumbers and others. The result is gorgeous!

Stayed at my aunt's house, where I lived 15 years ago, it was just like old times.

Los primitos Zuber

La tia Marga

Mam

Meeting the new “facoches”, welcoming them to the clan – Maya et Lorenzo.

Alex et Lorenzo

Caro et Maya

Still as flexible as a baby!

Caro & Mathieu's wedding

Lyon a couple of times. First as a surprise to my goddaughter, well her mum. And the second one with a group of friends for the weekend, the reunited group who has now 3 new members: Capucine, Maaya et Chloé.

Friend's weekend!

Cooking for 12 grown ups and 5 kids...

Capucine, my goddaughter the beautiful!

Chloe

Maaya

Felix

Camille

Italy: For a little longer that a weekend for Alex & Vanessa's wedding in the south. A beautiful location and the occasion to have a great time with school's friends.

the view from hotel room!

the wedding
boys vs girls

London: An express visit to meet Lucy & Greg's son: Noah, meet with Jazz to remember Mongolia. And to spend sometime with some Venezuelan friends that now live in London.

Con el gordo pechocho, Luquitas!

With Lucy and little Noah!

Last but not least my so loved Brussels. I always leave the place with the feeling I didn't spend enough time and during my time there I'm running around like a headless chicken. Also didnt take many photos... but here a glimpse...

With the Sis! chilling in the park!

Pe's Bday, the big 3-0!

Some Romaticos con el primo!

So mange sa fille!

Some news...

2009-10-06T01:58:00.004+02:00

I've been willing to add some more to this blog for a while now (since i came back to Europe) but time, circumstances and I have to say, laziness haven't allowed me to do so...

As I am packing, yet one more time, or avoiding to pack, I take the time... I have had a great time: Thailand, Belgium, France, England, Italy, Vietnam, and some more France and Belgium. I have met many new little people (7 of them! it's the new baby boom I tell you!), enjoyed 2 weddings, and discovered new parts of the world I didn't know with friends I've missed and i will miss. As usual time went too fast and i am now getting ready to go to Brussels to have the last meetings and appointments before I head to my new adventure: Africa!

It has become a habit now, as I pack I do wonder if I have made the right choices in my life,..I'm anxious, excited, scared, happy and so much more, but i think above all confused and dazed! I do know something is that I will be fine once I'm there!

I've been told the Internet connexion is not so great in Burundi so I might not be able to update this blog regularly, as if i did... But I do promise I'll do my best and if technology does not fail me I'll also upload photos!

For some info on Burundi, just click here! (I am so proud that i can actually put links now!)

Letter from Moscow airport...

2009-09-02T12:16:00.002+02:00

Miat or Aeroflot?
Naturally people will go Miat (Mongolian Airlines), just to avoid Aeroflot. However since this trip I've confirmed something: is neither of them... is actually Moscow airport! I could be flying 1st class with Qtar airlines (the best I had so far), but having to spend time in Moscow will kill the dream of 1st class and the champagne!

Miat is evil: they tell you lies, they pretend you going to Berlin, but anyhow they make you get out of the plane in moscow, take all your hand luggage and leave the plane. A stopover they say... "stopovers" are supposed to be what the word means, you stop, you don't leave the plane. And have to go through the whole process of checking and passing security, with 2 very incompetent-and-bored-to-death-old-ladies that are looking to create/find problems regardless of the queue and the fact a second plane has arrived... Then the airport itself! Sordidness expresses badly the feeling this airport gives you. It makes you wanna run away from Russia!

So if you are taking Miat to avoid Moscow you failed! Because not only you'll have to spend time in the airport, but it will frustrate you even more, when you see there are flights directly from Moscow to wherever you are going, like Paris. But you, YOU will have to go to Berlin and then wait hours to then get the connexion to the european city of your choice... And things can get worse when there are "technical problems" that nobody can explain, and you end up having a 4 hour "stopover". For a consolation, at least i found a seat this time and i am not seating on the stairs!

So if you are in Mongolia and trying to find your way home and you think "I'll never take Aeroflot I rather go Miat". Stop, and think.. Would you rather get on a plane to Moscow then a plane to the city of your choice... with and unpleasant wait in the airport? Or would you rather do that with Miat, and have the same journey plus and extra wait in Berlin and an extra possibility of missing connexions and getting bored to death in an airport so that you start mumbling to strangers, and arguing with toilet cleaners??? If I were you, i'll think twice and forget about the Aeroflot myth and get on that bloody plane!!!! I wish I had anyway!!!!!!

My computer is running out of battery (of course there are not starbucks with plugs next to each table so you can enjoy a coffee while using the computer!!! I'm lucky to be sitting on a chair right now!), still don't know when we are leaving, and if I will have to spend the night in Berlin, by the looks of it I might miss my connexion Berlin-Paris... so I tell you now, I wish I'd flown with Aeroflot... the Aeroflot flight Moscow-Paris has just left!!!!

Let's see the positive, for some strange reason there is a free internet connexion! although I found that too late and my computer will die very soon!
Oh! happy days!
Spice that up with the fact that I'm dealing with the fact that I'm leaving the country I lived and loved for 2 years! and didn't sleep last night...

Thailand 29.07-07.08

2009-08-31T00:20:00.008+02:00

A break between Mongolia and coming back to Europe was most needed. To turn the page, yes, but also to actually have holidays. I've missed the beach badly during the 2 years and this short break (10 days) was most welcome. I went to visit a friend in Bangkok and also get my scuba diving certificate, which is now done and in the pocket! Open water, that is!
Going back to Thailand after almost 10 years was fairly strange, it has change but it hasn't. I got to see another side of Bangkok this time. But still I think also after living in Asia for 2 years perspectives are changed and I didn't see/perceive Thailand the way I did 10 years ago...

Bangkok

I absolutely love sky bars!

Every days' life in Bangkok!

Art scrutiny...
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

With Nath

Koh Chang
for some scuba diving...

a walk around the village

My hood

Boat ride, "tough" boat ride, 1/2 people down even with sea sickness pills

lunch place
heavenly!

getting ready

Dont know what happen with my hair there!

and at least one day of rest by the beach

bye, for now!

2009-08-31T00:18:00.000+02:00

This is the moment when I say:
Goodbye... Mongolia

Баяртaй!

2009-08-16T12:35:00.004+02:00

My 2 years in Mongolia have come to an end and I'm sitting in front of the computer and nothing comes... I could try to say goodbye, but I cant... For some reason it has not really sink in... I still have the feeling I will come back after this holiday, I still have the feeling it is not over... I have so many things ahead that I dont allow myself to think too much about it...

So I think the best is to send you back the the post I wrote a few weeks ago (maybe month) so just click here, or scroll down till you find it...

See you later Mongolia!

Farewell party/ies...

2009-08-15T23:22:00.011+02:00

The real Last Night

just before catching the plane...

Aki, Gecca and Silje

Otgoo, Davaa and Bazra

America Latina presente
Roberto

With Gecca

At the Romance cafe
with the girls...
Orgil, Urna and Khongor

The official Farewell at the Grand Khan,

We had over a 100 people in there, dresscode: elegant, smart...

Ruth, Claire, Silje and Ann

Sorry not many photos of this one, was having a blast...

With APDC

Ulzii and Hothuu

Lina, Muggii and Badamshir

Last Poker Night...

2009-08-15T23:10:00.008+02:00

There had to be a last one!

Sean and Tugsu

Tatiana and Mila
aka. Claire and myself

Tuvshe

Kipp

Last trip - Olgii and Hovd (14/18.07.09)

2009-08-15T20:28:00.018+02:00

Last trip to the countryside, the far far west of the country: Olgii and Hovd...

Olgii was on my top 3 places to visit in Mongolia and I thought for a little while I was not going to be able to make it, but I did!

Olgii is the region of the country where Kazakh live, a very strong community and where Mongolian is hardly spoken... Well it is but mainly people are bilingual... It is an amazing scenery, the Altai mountain chain is not far and the landscape is breathtaking! We flew to Olgii (by car it could take a week) and from Olgii drove to Hovd, about 5 hours, from where we flew back to UB. A short but totally worth trip!

As usual I had too many photos and couldn't really choose so there you go!

Olgii

A Kazakh ger, the are quite different from Mongolian gers, bigger, only one pole and higher plus the decoration/embroidery is stunning. All of it is hand made by the women of the house and a newly wed will bring theirs as a gift and part of the wedding.

Yogurt, is just so good!

During the cold winter Kazakh live in houses as their gers do not have stoves.

And most commonly Kazakhs are known around the world by their eagle hunting skills. Still today many families have their eagle, they train them during the year and the hunting season is usually fall, I've seen then in action is it quite impressive. Last time I tried to hold an eagle the hunter didn't let me as women are not supposed to hold them, but this time i got lucky. They do blind them though.

Olgii to Hovd
the road trip...

This symbol was done by a man who left Olgii to live in Kazakhstan. Once there he got very sick, he had to come back, he draw this as soon as he finished he passed away.

00 = toilet
female - male sides

Hovd

the main square

drying the erol (curd)

Mongolian children are the cutest, cheekiest ever...

some singing...

and dancing...

the ger district

theatre

Picnic in the outskirts of Hovd

with Ulzii and Naraa

Look close, intestins, liver, kidneys, stomac, pancreas...
Not only nothing goes to waste but it is an honor to eat those...
and yes I did it, the idea of it really repelled me, but I have to say the taste is not that bad... But no, if I dont HAVE to I wont do it again!

Khar Uus Nuur
Due to massive thunder storms in UB our flight was cancelled a perfect ocassion to go and visit the Khar Uus Nuur (Black Water Lake)

I am Mongolia

2009-07-19T17:31:00.005+02:00

The end is near very near. I feel happy about it yes, but also sad. 2 years of my life I've spend in this beautiful country, I remember so clearly that first day... I wont lie and pretend it was all pink and that I loved all. But I'll tell you that this country now holds a special place in my heart. I've come to understand, not all but some of it, I've come to appreciate most of it. When I look at the steppes, the space, the horses, when I listen to the traditional long song, the language, when I start pushing instead of queuing. I realise a bit of me is Mongolian, without knowing i became Mongolia.

I no longer need a knife to eat...
I slurp my tea...
I "drink" my yogurt and i can drink vodka like a Russian...

I can also spend the day eating and drinking by the river, and walking to the car is enough exercise...

I ride mad horses and will forever shout "tchou" to them...
I take crossing the streets as a game of chess...
I touch people when I'm talking to them...
When i see one seat on the bus i see 3 people on it...
I skate to work rather than walk...
I believe I'm Grace Kelly in the spring with my massive sunglasses and scarf around my head...

I shall never take anything again with my left hand and if my mischance i touch someone with my feet my hand will be always ready to shake theirs....

I'll have, or people will have the misfortune to hear me tell them they have put on weight or that their idea is crap...
I will always be ready to open a bottle of vodka and don't leave the room until is finished...
I shall always compare children's cheeks with Mongolian cheeks...

I will be able to eat the insides of an animal without blinking, as well as a whole sheep, horse, marmot...

I'll start dancing as soon as the music starts without warming up...
I'll shall forever use "za" at the end of a sentence/conversation...

I'll never expect things to be there, nor take them for granted. And above all I'll know that things will work out at the end so that ulcer was not really necessary...

I will definitely miss you! Mongolia you are in me as the mutton smell is on your bills!

Kipp & Ester's Wedding 13.07.09

2009-07-19T14:25:00.006+02:00

Kipp and Ester, good friends, decided to tie the knot in Mongolia on an amazing scenery! A day of fun and happy times in the countryside...

Tugsu played the violin

they got the most amazing deels (traditional dress)

a Buddhist monk blessed the wedding

traditional Mongolian erol and the khadak (blue scarf)

some music...

and time to play...
the husbands new look!!!

a little bit of posing...

just a little..

Naadam Round II (11/12.07.09)

2009-07-19T14:13:00.005+02:00

Naadam, round 2 but this time different, we decided to camp where the horse race are, and avoid the crowd in the city. Well it was still pretty crowed there, and at the end we couldnt even see the race as the people around us decided to start a fight when the horse were coming so we had to leave the place... I was lucky i was on the first rows last year..

putting a tent up with strong wind can be a bit tricky sometimes...

sunset and chilling time

the girls

we had our own wrestling championship...
first Claire and I

and the winners is Sophie!

then Aki and myself, with the traditional eagle dance to start

and the winner is Aki...

the next day we woke up surrounded by people!

Altan Urag concert 08.07.09

2009-07-19T14:06:00.003+02:00

Mongolian folk rock band, i've been following them ever since I arrive. I absolutely love how they mix folk music with a touch of pop-rock... I had to go and see them again before I left... I have loads of videos that i shall at one point put on you tube...

and the best is I ended up having a drink with them at the end of the concert I knew someone who also played at the concert, UB is small and this is the positive side of it!
And yes I can be a groupie sometimes!

Meeting Ariuntuya 08.07.09

2009-07-19T13:44:00.002+02:00

Finally got to meet my friend's baby girl Ariuntuya... Mongolian babies are the cutest ever! HAd to share this beauty with you!

they live in the countryside house about 20 km outside of the city, heaven!

Hike Chingeltei Mountain 21.06.09

2009-07-19T13:20:00.003+02:00

Enjoying the nice warm days hiking around the city... The Chingeltei mountain north of UB...

the view of the city
Finally at the first owoo, almost the top...
the whole group: (right to left) Claire, Marc, Math, Aki, Corentin, me

the last bit...

and the top, and its famous pig

on the way down through the ger district

back in the city for some food and drinks at our precious "Ibiza" garden!

Making Buuz! 19.06.09

2009-07-19T13:05:00.003+02:00

After 2 years it was about time I learned how to make buuz, traditional Mongolian dumplings... it's fairly easy in theory but you need artistic skills to make them look good! The joke was to recognise the ones I made once they were cooked!

first the chopping...the dough has to be flatten on the side but less in the middle...

a lot of explanation and concentration

then comes the mutton meat, about a coffee spoon

and the most difficult part closing it and making it look good!

and the best to the end enjoy the meal with good people!

Sumer Conference 09

2009-07-19T12:44:00.006+02:00

Once more, the summer conference and its fun times... The summer camp it is a real delight when is sunny, and even when its raining...

By the river, some irish dancing

the camp and its view

tha matching crew!

more river on the free time...

some games

cultural evening, the 2 MCs the baptist irish priest and Patsy (AbFab)

some dancing

and we couldnt do it with out the horhog (mongolian bbq, the best food ever!)

and back to town...

Marraine!

2009-06-22T16:41:00.003+02:00

Une petite dedicace a ma filleule Capucine, nee aujourd'hui tard dans la nuit apres nous avoir fait attendre plus d'une semaine!

J'en suis toute fiere! et impatiente de te rencontrer!

I can smell the end...

2009-06-22T16:31:00.003+02:00

It's been strange times on this side...

The 2 years contract is coming to an end and I still don't know how I feel about it... The truth is I've been running around like crazy finishing the project and trying to wrap up ends just to avoid thinking about it...

I do have many other adventures to post here, photos, stories and all, but the overload of work and the strong reticence to accept the fact that i do and will have to say goodbye at some point is hindering the whole process...

As you probably already know I'm headed to Burundi next, in a similar kind of project, this time only for 6 month, so Sophie's world in Asia will become Sophie's world in Africa...

As for now I've uploaded 2 new posts, enjoy and check soon, more to come!

Canoe in the Tuul River 31.05.09

2009-06-22T15:56:00.006+02:00

On a beautiful spring day we headed upstream of the river Tuul (UB river) and wore our captain/marines/anything-like-it hats and off we went down the river to UB.
Very nice indeed when the cold weather's been playing hide and seek with the warm weather... as usual the scenery is stunning and with good company you can make the good times!
Lazy as I am, and you all know it... the paddling at the end against the very strong wind on a still water became part of the fun as i started barking (so they say! I was just expressing what everyone thought... bloody wind!!!)

Getting the canoes ready, waterproofing everything just in case...

It is just stunning, or have i been here too long?

you can guess what will happen next huh?

it was freezing cold...

sur la rive... on pose...

avec Capitaine Claire

it is true, the river was rather shallow hence very slow floating (except for the 2 second of excitement when the boys felt in the water), so getting a bit bored and tired of paddling all the time... we had to create the action!

la vue et les rencontres par contre tres sympa!

Life is hard sometimes...

This lady ran to the boys canoe and jumped in it... was quiet hilarious as she stay there for a while, and had to walk the river up to her camp afterwards... probably the vodka she was drinking didn't help her thinking...

Crepes & Poker... 30.05.09

2009-06-22T15:48:00.002+02:00

Many wonder how we spend the time in UB... Sometimes making crepes (pancakes), if you find all the ingredients, exaggerating again, as it is possible for this one!

with the cooks Claire and Darima
And then we head for poker night...
Let me introduce you to Natasha, the Russian poker player...
Yes is me! I tried to role play the game so i could win against all the freaky-guys-semi-prof-players but even then i lost all my money! Good times though!

Wknd in Manzushir, Ruth's Bday, Walking back to UB (23/24.05.09)

2009-05-26T14:51:00.007+02:00

We all like a bit of fresh air... We all like a bit of celebration... and the 2 together is rather nice... So 17 of us (mainly VSO's vols and staff) headed to Manzushir monastery/temple/museum/ruins.... to spend the night and 4 of us decided to come back to UB by foot as done last May 2008. The idea to climb the Tsetsegun uul (2300m) and the head down to the city, it's about 7-8 hour walk...

i know i shouldn't compare but this time not only we had a lovely warn/breezy weather but also and above all we didn't get lost!!!!!! so all good times!

the beginning of the afternoon, chilling by the ger...

night time the celebration starts, all you need is some music and a lot of happy people!

all in, no matter the age!

And next day, the walk... and here we start...
perfect blue sky!

This one is for my fellow manzushir walkers: do you remember, this is the spot were we had lunch and nearly died frozen...?

the amazing owoo, this time snowless!

the group: Claire, Aki, Chris, me

the boulder fields haven't moved...

We are oh! so close... this is the presidential valley... if you get 2 close you might have a close encounter with the security...
to avoid them we had to go down and up the mountain again... and as you can imagine no, i wasnt very happy to have to climb again!

and Zaizan! this is the south of the city... from there we took a bus (down there in the valley i mean!), the wrong bus... so ended up having to walk still...

The link to last year's walk, Manzushir Part 1

Hike (17.05.09)

2009-05-26T14:34:00.003+02:00

In major need to get out of the city, we decided to go and hike to Tsetsegum mountain, however we didn't make it: the restricted area was closed to the public to prevent fires.... we went around the mountain and tried again... this time we were too far from the intended pick but the guard did let us in, and off we went for a little picnic up the hills, no tsetsegun though... exercise, fresh air, good company and a way to realise i need to stop smoking and being so sedentary!!!

Respite (sometime in May)

2009-05-26T14:20:00.003+02:00

It's been tough times in the office... many changes happening, a bit of tension... i decided to take it the European way and invited my colleagues at home to have a couple of drinks and just have a good time together... no work-talking allowed... it ended up the Mongolian way with vodka pouring and some salsa lessons... good times!

Terelj or Sarah's farewell wknd (24-26.04.09)

2009-05-05T05:07:00.005+02:00

Sarah's last time in the Mongolian country side... Terelj will never let us down... I could come here every wknd and never be bored... This time close to the turtle rock and we even made it to the monastery...

A little stroll that lasted 5 hours...

and the turtle!

From the turtle to the monastery

lost in the bushes, seriously!

Finally!

always so peaceful in these places...

the ger camp, you can see the green is starting to pop out!
soon! soon!

the whole group
Peter, Sarah, me
Saskia, Claire, Joltz (?)

VSO-Sarah's-Pinoi Diner... 23.04.09

2009-05-05T05:05:00.003+02:00

hmmmm Philippino food!!!!

Cycling to Nukht (12.04.09)

2009-05-05T04:53:00.005+02:00

We dont get to do much exercise in this city, not at all actually... so every now and then we look for some physical challenges... the bike perfect idea! if you forget the mad traffic, the pollution and the pavements... Once you are out of the city is a whole new story! and is worth the whole hassle!

On the way out, a warehouse (some paper cardboard warehouse)

pretty impressive

Note the guy on the roof!

spot the red head, he was able to get really close to it, only after a long time they asked him to leave...

and no water in them...

voyeurism

the distraction finished we keep going...

on the way back, the first ice cream of the year!

tired? no never!

Rock n' Roll!

2009-05-05T04:43:00.003+02:00

I think you need to understand the context before you understand the euphoria...

When you go out in UB you basically have 2 choices, either you listen to endless "umbrella-like" songs, or you go for the bad techno-electro-trans... So when somebody decides to throw a Rock n' Roll party there's a lot of movement!

a wig that went a long way...

shake it on babe....

Chinggis' opera

2009-05-04T18:33:00.002+02:00

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to go and admire an opera about Chinggis life. Quiet hard to follow to be honest as it was all in Mongolian and the characters kept growing old (normal!) and changing clothes; i was a bit lost but the end was a true spectacular moment, when Chinggis united the people... The best the public reaction... I made a video, again i will try to upload it on youtube.

China - Beijing & Xi'an (12-21.03)

2009-05-04T16:41:00.020+02:00

China... oh China...

To be honest China was never on my priority list of travels, I was conscious it was an amazing country and their culture and cultural heritage is impressive... but still not on my priority list... However being in Mongolia, made it easy, made it good!

This was the second time in Beijing and coming from UB it feels so amazing, the civilisation! I'm not sure my perspectives of China would be the same if i went from Europe.

It's been a while since this trip, great trip, so i wont do the narrative part...

In very very brief, we went with Antonio and Peter (Antonio on his way back to Europe and Peter to pick up his mother) on the train to spent some time in Beijing, living i have to say the good life! nice restaurants, bars etc... a few days later some friends of Antonio arrived from Spain, and then after a couple of days in Beijing we left to Xi'an. Peter came back to UB. We visited Xi'an in the proper touristy way, then i it was time for me to go back to Beijing and flight back to UB, the boys kept travelling in China.

I'm glad i saw something more than Beijing, Xian still a major city but less spoiled by globalisation: if i might say!

I have over 500 photos so i'll just select 1 or 2 from each place we visited.... (after all it looks like i couldnt really just choose one or two.... sorry!)
Enjoy!

Beijing

The Art / Galleries "quarter"

What is sad about this photo is that is a natural face!
I was leaning over to give a kiss to the statue and it moved, this was my natural reaction!!!

The old summer palace
in an attempt to visit the more recent palace we ended up in the old one, not easy when the quanji (??) instructions are wrong!

The Great Wall
or as Mongolian call it the White wall...

The whole group
Carlos, me, Marcos, Peter & Antonio

the way down, the slide/toboggan
I was ready to pay again the whole fee just to go down again!

Xi'an

The Mosque

The Muslim quarters

green eggs?

this was sooooo good!

Drum and Bell Tower

Drum tower and the kite runners

Bell tower from the Drum tower

Drum Tower

we were lucky enough to be there for the performance... if i get a change i'll upload the videos on you tube!

the muslim quarters from the drum tower

View of the Drum tower from the Bell tower!

@ Bell tower,
the classic pic!

Mad traffic in Xi'an

Touristy night performance...
but still nice!

On the streets...

Stone palace

this is how the replicate them...

Around the city wall...

Terra-cota warriors!

Big Pagoda

Back in Beijing....

The Summer Palace!
stunning!

Antonio's Farewell (March 2009)

2009-05-04T16:23:00.003+02:00

Ya era hora que se fuera! digo yo! (jajaja, no se si lees este blog Polito pero sabes que es de broma! se te extranha, he perdido unos kilitos ya que nadie me cocina ahora!!!!)

So, yes Antonio, also known as Polo, or Javier and even sometimes as Fernandez left us... we had to celebrate, with him of course....

Ops!

2009-04-12T17:12:00.004+02:00

Apologies! I have loads of photos and stories to upload, I will eventually do it sometime... soon enough I hope....

Just to let you know I haven't forgotten about the blog... I was in China for some holidays and in Europe for a little while, unfortunately my grandmother passed away, I'm sure she is now drinking champagne and catching up with my grandad...

I wanted to start today but right now I'm suffering for major jet lag issues, plus the fact that I was proved once again that I am not 20 anymore and partying the night before and cycling to the countryside does have some consequences... although it leaves "memorable memories"

Soon! I promise!