balloons on trees?

“Why would you put them there unless you wanted us to take them?” This is what the pack of kids must've thought after they helped me hang balloons down my road for a party at my house this week. Silly me, I wanted to mark the way for my visitors. One group came as I was hanging them, but that was about it for my “follow the balloons” directions. The next call was “where do I turn?” After I said “follow the balloons” he said, “oh you mean the balloons running down the street with that group of kids?” Ha ha. Yes! I could've predicted that. Communal property – it's just assumed.

Actually, that little gang aside, I have a wonderful group of kids in my new neighborhood. Every time I come home there are half a dozen kids playing at my entryway on the tiled curb (great for checkers). They all start yelling “Binta! Binta!” as I approach and I'm mobbed with requests to play in the backyard. I don't see any harm and the place is great for hide and seek, so I let them in. They used to play with the kids who lived here before me, so we find hidden balls, magic swords (big pods from the flamboyant tree) and trace names carved into the patio. They're mostly boys, but a couple little sisters tag along. Sali Matu likes to hang out with me under the bantaba, getting lost in the comfy chair.

I invited the lot of them over for a birthday party I hosted Tuesday, promising cake. They were all quizzed at the gate if they had had any part in the balloon caper, but I knew they were the good kids. (I first asked if they wanted to chase down the kids who took my balloons, but that wasn't a popular option next to cake.) I think most of their parents knew about the party since I'd invited them all the day before, but I still had to be a little embarrassed when Sali Matu did a face plant into her ice cream right when her mom popped in to bring her home!

Apart from enjoying my new young friends, I had a busy week at work and a couple nice days over the long easter weekend, including a boat trip up the Gambia River to James Island at the invitation of the US Ambassador. [Aside: Thanks to my Saba Conservation Foundation hat, we found our common favorite off-the-grid vacation spot – that small island in the Netherlands Antilles (well now that NA is dissolved I think Saba is a municipality of The Netherlands). To add a coincidence, I went there in 2008 with a Homer friend who is now friends with one of the Ambassador's sons.]

Back to James Island – it was a British fort in the middle of the river that changed hands with the French for a bit and played a small role in stopping slave ships once the trade was outlawed. It's been destroyed many times by weather and battles, but has been recently renovated by the Dutch along with some US support.

Not our tour boat

Port of Banjul

The river trip was fun – it's enormous at the mouth, with just a hazy distant shore. We departed from a harbor on a tributary that skirts Banjul Island, with access to the main river after winding through wetlands. Here's a few shots of the dock area, the port of banjul and in between. 

Plus a bonus bumpy video to make you seasick: