Adventures in Hometownland

This past weekend was a weekend full of sights and scenes. A day in town with friend and neighbor Thomas brought us eventually to Lake Bam, the largest lake in Burkina, which is situated nicely in my town (though it continues up into others) and is owed a large amount of thanks for the almost-year-round production of tomatos and other such things with which we here are blessed. Our wanderings often take us towards this bit of the town, I think in part because the foliage becomes so gosh darned attractive as you approach. Dry hot and dusty turns to somewhat humid green and grassy, with fields in various stages of growth and a somewhat different feel to everything. And then bam!(ha) ...a lake.

As the water came into sight, I saw to my plesant surprise that the lake was full of jumping, splashing kids. We drew nearer. Momentarily setting aside fears of shisto, we bared our feet, waded in to around mid-calf level and walked slowly and carefully through the goopy, poop-like (I'm assuming) muck of the lake floor. Of course we were immediately approached by a steadily-growing crowd of drenched youngsters beckoning us to come in further...as their pleas became more insistant we both realized that it was time to perhaps increase the distance between the swimmers and ourselves. Rinsing out feet off as best we could, we set off walking.

...taken from a safe distance, after rounding a bit of a curve:

Much of where the lake was (and will be again come rainy season) is currently dry, cracked, thirsty ground. Enthusiastic swimmers left safely over there, we decided to venture across the dried perimiter, newly purchased pairs of sandals on both pairs of feet.

In many places, irrigation ditches have been dug to draw water from the lake towards fields where the delcious tomatos and such are grown. Some of these ditches were easily stepped/hopped over. Some required a bit of preparation on the part of the lady in the tight skirt:

Close one!

Some trenches we hopped over, some we traversed with calculated leaps, and some required circumnavigation, forging through a deep ditch or two.

...and sometimes you try to leap but your new shoe gets stuck in the muck upon landing and you smash into the ground:

...bruised and scratch-ed knees that later required a team effort during the adminstration of hydrogen peroxide! Ouchie. Further wandering was rendered slightly less care-free, but the day was nevertheless quite good. A lovely adventure, a walk in the sun...this is not a bad place to be.