Canoe trip

Niamey is located on the Niger river, which provides quite a scenic backdrop for day trips and sunsets. On Christmas day, after the camel ride we took a canoe trip down the river. Here are some pictures of our trip down the Niger.

Christmas Camel Ride

On Christmas day, we went for a camel ride along the river. The ride was just over an hour. It was not so much of a wild ride, as it was a guided walk, but it was still awesome.

To start, the camel is seated and the rider mounts, as Chris is doing here:

Then, the camel stands up, and you better make sure you are holding on to the saddle! The camel is then guided down the path by its owner, while the person riding chills out, looks at the scenery, checks out the camel, and generally relaxes. Here are some pictures Hilary took on the ride.

Camels are such a funny animal!

Trees!

Since the trees of Niger can’t come visit you, we thought we would give you the chance to visit them. There are tons of mango trees here in Niamey, and they usually start producing fruit in late April. Here is what a mango tree looks like if you are laying on the ground.

There are other fruit producers that we have no idea what they are. Like this one for example, with a fruit locally known as “monkey bread”.

Here are a few other shots of trees we thought you might like.

Haircuts

Most people have hair. And most people also cut their hair. Niamey is no different. Barber and beauty shops have some of the most interesting advertising signs. Here is a nice, hand painted sign showing what the beautician can do:

In case you were wondering where to get the best haircut, take a look at this sign:

Globalization

The world is indeed a small place, and you can easily find aspects of life in the United States here in Niger. Look at these examples!

Pays-Bas

FoFo! Sannu!

The cooler season is finally here in Niamey! The nights and mornings cool down to probably around the mid-60s, and it is such a nice relief. The air is much drier and full of dust, but the cool air is so wonderful.

Research continues to move along! A new phase of research has begun. This phase includes neighborhood surveys. Basically, Hilary has chosen a number of neighborhoods around the city to survey to learn about water access. In each neighborhood she does 25 household surveys and asks questions about socio-economic details, and then how they get water. Some people have private taps within their households, while many rely on water vendors, wells, and public pumps. Here are some pictures of her survey in a neighborhood called Pays-Bas. It is an informal settlement near the airport, with little water access and other urban services. Here are some pics!

Tabasci Sauce

Tabasci, the Muslim holiday described in a previous post, was, for the non faint-of-heart, a sensory feast.  Along almost every block were freshly slaughtered, roasting rams.  We hired a taxi and toured the city, encouraged by our driver and a good friend to take pictures.

In the days that followed neighbors brought us mutton, which Hilary transformed into Sloppy Joes!

Thanksgiving in Niamey

We celebrated Thanksgiving in splendid American fashion at the home of an embassy official.  There were six turkeys, stuffing, and the pies that make your mouth sing; Chris ate three pieces!  The house and grounds were beautiful—we had a friend take our picture.