Oysters!

Another fabulous day on the Sine-Saloum Delta! Today, we joined a lovely French couple (who are currently on a work term in Morocco and vacationing here) for a trip through the mangroves on a "pirogue" (picture a large rudimentary fishing boat). Our guide was very knowledgeable and explained about what trees and fruits were used in traditional medicine, how the mangroves are now protected by environmental agencies and the process of teaching the locals about sustainability. Previously, the locals would cut down the mangrove trees not knowing that they were also killing them permanently. Unfortunately, the whole trip was in French and I fear that Grant may be growing tired of my enthusiastic and animated translating! He didn't appear as excited as I was about what came next... we learned that oysters cling to the roots of the mangrove trees!!! It didn't take long before our boat captain had grabbed several large roots covered in oysters and put them in the boat. In short order, we left the mangrove and came out into the mouth of the river which was enormous! Grant could have told me that we were in the ocean and I would have believed him (although I'm embarassingly gullible so that's not saying much!). We pulled over to the bank of the river and cooked these roots covered in oysters over an open fire, tossing the shells to the side much as you would peanut shells in a country bar except we were on the banks of the Saloum River!! I washed it all down with a cold beer. Now that is living!

A quiet afternoon relaxing and off to market tomorrow! We've met lots of incredible people travelling through here. There is a couple from Oregon who had come to visit their daughter. The daughter is in the Peace Corps and has been living in a small village in Mali for the past 16 months with about 8 more to go. Grant was so enthralled with the concept, it was a toss up if he was going to start the Peace Corps in Canada or just go and join in the U.S.! It does sound like a fabulous organisation and certainly one of the better ways that the Americans spend their money!

We also helped some young girls find the lodge while we were walking to the village. As it turns out they sat in front of us at the club in Dakar two nights previous! Its a small world!

As a quick aside, the lodge is beautiful but it did take us a day to get used to the lizards in our room. The walls don't meet the ceiling so we regularly see them perched at the top of the wall or climbing down the window. They are harmless and have now become a quaint addition to the decor!

Looking forward to what is probably my last few glasses of wine on the trip. You've gotta love the French (its a French couple who own this resort). One of the very first things the owner said to me at the bar on the first night was to point out a great bottle of white - because "who doesn't eat fish with white wine?". Sigh...I couldn't agree more!

Kim