On my return from the conference in Durban, I was fortunate enough to spend a few days with my childhood best friend. It was amazing to be able to meet her again some twenty years later. We had spent time catching up and also attended her daughters' cross-country event. We also had dinner at this African-themed restaurant (where else would we eat when in South Africa?) called Moyo's. This picture is of us after getting our face painted. :) For dinner I had springbok, and also managed to taste a bit of ostrich. Very interesting, and pretty good - both of them, I'd say. :) The next night I actually met up with some other people that I had not seen in twenty-one years. It was just amazing to see us all grown up (the kids), and the adults were somewhat the same, except for a bit of age of course. So I managed to have this big old reunion in Johannesburg. Oh, and we unknowingly drove by Nelson Mandela's house in Jo'burg, only having realized it as we drove past wondering...
Spring has come to Long Island! Actually, it has been here for a while now; I just haven't had time to blog it. But I HAVE managed to take some pictures of the great bloomingness! :) I think it's my first real spring ever. I mean, can you actually compare the "spring" in New Orleans or Los Angeles to this? No. Really. . . . No. This is on my favorite route to New York City and back - the Northern State Parkway. The sky was soooo blue, not too many clouds in the sky, and flowers were blooming. It was a gorgeous day to open up my windows and sun roof, and drink it all in! (By the way, attempt taking pictures while driving ONLY AT YOUR OWN RISK.....) Um....yeah, the same drive. :) It was so irresistible.... Oh, I guess I should disclose that I saw this man doing the exact same thing I was! (Taking pictures while driving....He's the one who actually gave me the idea of doing this....So yeah, all you adults out there! Remember, kids like me are watching you!) Hee hee. ...
21 years, yes 21 years, after leaving Malawi, I returned. I returned to a land that was so familiar, and yet so foreign. As we drove through the city of Lilongwe, I tried to sift through my memories and dust off the cobwebs to help my eyes drink in the familiar; but a lot was also registering as something completely strange. Despite having spent one-third of my life (the beginning one-third) of my life in Malawi, the first few days did not feel like home to me. And I was distressed. But still I looked, staring at the sights that greeted me, looking for the signs of the familiar. And when I did, I felt like I had met an old and dear friend. But among those familiar - the banana trees....those sweet, yummy bananas: nothing like Dole or Chiquita bananas you get in the States.... the papaya trees....and boy did those papayas taste soooooooooo absolutely goooooooood!!! And of course, one of my most beloved sights: Lake Malawi - oh so beautiful. Here are those familiar rocks at Salima.... I ...
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