Lakka! [Sunday, July 1]

{Sundays in Freetown are quiet except for the choirs and clapping of the churches. Today was even more so, as it rained nearly all morning. Freetown hid under porches and overhangs, while others trudged to church through the rivers flowing down the streets. Feeling cooped up at the Y, I walked around town, and had most of Freetown staring at me - why would someone ever go out in the rain? I purchased a pineapple for Le5000 and had the lady machete it into slices. So good.

I returned to the Y and had breakfast with Mohammed while he tried to teach me some more Krio. As the rains finally stopped around 1, Amanda, NIck and I wanted to go to Lakka beach just outside of Freetown, but didn't feel like having to take a taxi through the mudslides that locally known as "roads." Thankfully, Amanda made some phone calls and about an hour later an SUV appeared complete with Santigi the driver. We stopped by to pick up Harry, Amanda's local coordinator.

I could describe Lakka, but I think pictures would do more justice.  The beach was wonderfully refreshing after a month in the heat and stench of Freetown. While the only visible trace of the war at Lakka was the UNCHR plastic sheeting used to keep out the rain, perhaps what we didn't see reveals more about the Sierra Leone's history - the beaches were absolutely deserted. The tourism industry is certainly improving and it is only a few years before the masses arrive from Europe, but for the time being, the beaches are wonderfully lonely.

Anyways, Lakka Beach:

Grilled Barracuda and Lobster - both caught earlier today. The food was the best part, in my humble opinion, although Amanda and Harry seemed to like something else:

Paul's (the owner of the beach bar) dog had five puppies... Harry made a few new puppy friends.

The rain came, but not before a few hours of wonderful sunshine.

Nightfall at Lakka Beach

After a wonderfully relaxing day and a fantastical barracuda, lobster and shrimp dinner, we returned to the town where the usually quiet YMCA was swarming with almost twenty Americans! They were returning from a month upcountry at an orphanage they established in Bo - their site is over at jonhouse.org. (Their website seems down right now.) Unfortunately, they are just passing through and will be flying home on Monday.

There's a few more pictures from Lakka over at Picasa if you're interested...

Lakka Beach

[So I have to admit that I went to the beach instead of being productive by writing blog entries and editing video clips, but I do have a few posts that are almost ready - hopefully I'll be able to upload them by Tuesday.]