Pelekani pelekani

After 6 children and 12 grandchildren, the man who sells me tomatoes has married his wife, 38 years after "taking her from the village".

Most of the reception is taken up with pelekani pelekani, the giving of money to the couple. This is an extended affair where a DJ and master of ceremonies exhorts people to give generously, calling up small groups at a time (neighbours, wife's relatives, church friends, etc etc) to dance up and throw a lot of small denomination notes in the general direction of a collecting bowl.

Since no-one has enough small notes, those that are thrown are collected-up and re-cycled through money changers at the side.

Collecting the small notes
 and trading large notes for small ones

        


 Everyone can dance; young, grandparents, but babies stay asleep.

The MC welcomes the couple

I think I'll wait

When I eventually got to my haircut appointment, I asked after Ann, the old lady who used to do men's hair. "She's had a stroke", they said, "but she came in last week to see us and she can stand upright now. She should get better in a few months and then she can come back to work".

"Isn't she getting old enough to retire?", I asked.

"Why would she do that?, she's only 73!"
  

A burning issue

Surely I am not the only one to find the idea of an incinerator being in a burnt-down building somewhat amusing?

Actually not that amusing, on account of the smell in adjacent buildings, and a possible health and safety issue or two.
Today the building is being demolished. A proper incinerator is being built elsewhere.
  

Germany, by Malawians

We sent four students on an exchange visit to Germany. They remarked on four things:

1. The food was very varied

2. Even though there was plenty of power, people still turned off lights. (See next post below)

3. There was no litter.

4. Germans are time-conscious.

As a blog-writer, I am reminded that what we observe may say more about ourselves...

Too much for Livingstone

From both sides, here is the Kapichira hydroelectric power station. David Livingstone tried to get up the waterfalls in his boat (before the dam, when there was water!) and failed the first time but went around it a few years later.
Now the River Shire (pronounced Shirree) is the source of 98% of Malawian electricity and this is one of three power plants on it. Only 12% of the country are connected and even those of us who are, have a rota of  8h of power followed by 24h of nothing.
So why, at work, does no-one switch off the lights when they leave the room??!!

Clean black rats, see how they run

There was I, on the surgical ward, talking to a few students about cleanliness and surgery, and saying in Oxford we would use fewer antibiotics because we were happy with the cleanliness... when I was interrupted by a large black rat running across the floor between the mats of the patients' relatives. You couldn't make it up !

P.S.  I mentioned this to a midwife who said she too had been bothered by rats running across the delivery ward, but then she came to realise the other problems in obstetrics and rats had moved way down the list, to about number 11.

To save you checking, Malawi has a maternal death rate about three times the world average.
   

Another bridge too far gone

You may recall my encounters with a pedestrian bridge on the way to work, but here is a road bridge on the under-populated eastern lake shore.

My car is on the other side; this is after I drove across it, for the first time.

It crosses a dried-up river bed but locals are digging for water. (Click picture)

 The whole area is dry.

But, talking of my pedestrian bridge, the Malachite kingfishers have had a brood! Here are a proud parent (red bill) and a child (black bill). They do slow down my walk to work.

 

Tell it like it is!

A computer bug

And yes, it's a German machine, and it's dusty.
  

Cooking

I went with a colleague to inspect a training college outside Blantyre. Amongst other things we saw the kitchens where they have to provide all meals for up to 400 students.

They had some reasonable equipment but the brick fire boxes are collapsing and unusable:

Therefore they cook on an open wood fire (front left):

When I used flash it showed the smoke:

To get firewood, you need to chop wood:

No wonder deforestation is so bad.

Flame trees

Throughout Africa, almost any tree with red flowers is referred to as a flame tree.
These two are on the main dual carriageway in Blantyre. They are just coming out and should be a great display in a while.
I didn't realise the first one (also called a Tulip tree) had such lovely golden hues. Previously I've seen them with only the slightest of golden rims.

Wildlife in toilets - part 2 (South Luangwa)

We first met in the bed-netting but parted when I asked him to hop it and helped him through the door.

Not for long, however. Back he came for a sit-down conversation, eye to eye in the bathroom.

 Out he went again, and next time I went to the bathroom he was not to be seen on the toilet-roll. Until, that is, I tugged the roll and out shot a flying frog that landed safely on the floor and then leaped up my shin.
Once more out of the front door.  Next time, not on the toilet roll but on the toilet rim.

No, he didn't go for a swim but he did get thrown out yet again.

Some individuals are just too persistent. Next time he is just hanging around on the door. Those great foot pads show how it managed to climb tiled walls.

Wildlife in toilets - part 1

Attenborough doesn't often say this, but the best place from which to watch elephants at night is the ledge in an open-top bathroom.

Move over Hoze-Lock

Why buy expensive fittings when an old water bottle will do very well?

Little things make a difference

My shower has not been great for a while (actually for the whole of my stay) but even when the plumber had replaced the taps and enabled me to get the right temperature it still wasn't something to look forward to. Nothing for it then,  I had to invest in a new shower head. All of £6. It's wonderful!!!  (Not my plaster work by the way.)

On a roll, then, I decided to change the brand of dried milk I use in my office. No more lumps or gritty drinks!

Not to be left out the electricians at work came to mend the corridor lights, which haven't worked since I got here. Which is why I keep a torch in my desk; to see my way out at 5.30pm. Not only that, but they replaced the light switch in the Gents so we can have light in there too. (So long as we have power of course; we still don't have a generator.)

A Bridge rehabilitated

Now the maize has been harvested, I can resume my cross-field walk to work and use the bridge I pictured previously. The remaining wooden planks have been replaced by welded steel plates, with holes in to stop them being worth stealing for roofing etc. No anonymous benefactors here!
Today I saw a Malachite Kingfisher on both of my crossings. Enough to make any walk worthwhile.
  

Fishing in style

 

From the side-bar you will know this is one of my two favourite African birds. And this is why! You almost pity the fish. (Click for bigger images)

Even the juvenile looks in charge of this beautiful tropical lake.

No elephants here

Elephant Marsh was named by David Livingstone because he found 800 of the pachyderms. Sadly none remain but here are a heron, a stork and an egret scared off by our airboat.

Plenty of fishermen still use the family dugouts. (Worth clicking to enlarge)

More coloured trees

Two trees from the campus. The yellow one is Cassia, one of a family of plants that produce senna laxatives. Rather ironic that senna is not available on the national formulary and we have to make do with liquid paraffin! The purple one is Solanum (see the tomato-like fruit), a family that includes Deadly Nightshade, tomato and potato.
  

Eddie Stobbart?

In Britain, some people are Eddie Spotters. Here you might be a Royal Mail spotter. Bee Bikes have been importing ex-Royal Mail bikes for a few years. They are well-made and popular, even at about £90 each. Tempting to muse on why post takes a while to get here; 8 days to several weeks it seems.
 

Mopping up

Someone must have decided that it would be cheaper to make mops than to buy them, hence the arrival of a large sack of cotton and a bundle of poles. 

Shopping

The supermarkets don't generally stock bananas, and not a lot of other fruit. Instead there are people in the car parks selling such items as you get back in your car. This man regularly finds me in town, at church or the bank, and offers whatever is seasonal. Talking of which, I'd better just go and eat my pineapple.
 

Misty Cliffs at Scarborough

They said, "Don't go to Cape Town at New Year, it is too crowded". Well it was, but when you can get views like this, who cares?
Eat your heart out, North Yorkshire's Scarborough!