Parade van de Bloem

Nothing says spring is here better than tulips in the garden. In Keukenhof, Holland the flowers scream spring ... all 4 million bulbs in blazing harmony.



We joined the "parade" of cars leaving Amsterdam for the country side, a scene much like the parade north on the 400 every long weekend in Ontario. My nervousness in driving a motorhome in Europe was abated somewhat by "lois" ... the nice british voice from the built in GPS ... calmly calling out directions for every turn. For example "Please make a U turn if possible." Words to warm your heart when steering a 24 ft bemoth down cobbled lanes of the old country. Next stop is somewhere in Brittany. I'm banking on the advice of an old timer in Amstersdam who assured us that there are no narrow streets in France.... piece of gateau as they say ... piece of gateau.

BOSgone

Dam on the Amstel

We are constantly reminded that the literal translation of travel (travail in french) is "work". Some days it is harder than others. And it doesn't disappear with more comfortable or convenient locales (ie Europe vs. Africa). We took the Euroline bus from London to Amsterdam via the ferry Dover to Calais. We kinda expected luxury coach and instead got dirty bus with a trashed washroom and surly driver. We arrived at our "great find" hotel ... quad room right next to Vondel park ... only to find a broken down one star dive ... at 300 bones per night paid in advance for 3 nights. You would think that we would be better at these things after 4 months on the road. Maybe if we did not have M+M with us we would take more chance at arriving without a place reserved and then pay after we see exactly what we are getting.

Our time touring the city made up for all the shortcomings of the hotel. We did 4 of our 5 "top 5 things to do" ... Rijksmuseum, canal tour, self guided city tour by bike and walk to Vondel park and the place where my father grew up.


We ran out of time for Van Gough museum but have that on the plan for our return visit at the end of May. Best part for us was cruising the by-ways on bicycles ... it's how everyone gets around here and it is really the best way to explore this "Venice of the north".




We just loved buzzing down cobbled streets and across the canal bridges ... 400 year old houses on one side and picture perfect marine scene on the other. Paradijs op twee wielen!!

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London Calling

Taking the Dar Express from Dar es Salaam to Arusha and back was quite the adventure. The driver made sure the bus was full at all times. If there were any empty seats he pulled over a arbitrary goat paths and picked up his buddies. He had lots of friends who needed a lift. So many that he needed them to move forward in the aisle at the various weigh station so that the rear axle weight would not exceed the safety limit. After the check he was happy to move on with without a care.

Flying into Gatwick was like rejoining the planet we are familiar with ... we cruised down paved roads in a new airport shuttle bus at 8am on a Sunday morning ... London in all its glory passing our window effortlessly ... the entire town still asleep and freeways and lanes to ourselves.

In London the history of those gone before is every where ... recorded in palaces and monuments and 1000 year old walls and great cathedrals. I can't help but think that in Tanzania the history of the land is rewritten every year with the annual migration of the herds and then washed away by the rains leaving not even footprints behind.

Or maybe my muddled thinking is just reverse culture shock hangover.

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Out of Africa

Africa and Tanzania for us was a great big bag of opposites swirling about us pretty much our entire 15 day stay.











Talk about your steep learning curve. Talk about your preconceptions about life and living turned upside down. We expected the land (especially out on Safari) to be hot and dusty and instead saw endless green and blue sky .... 27 degrees and very little humidity.

















We saw the ferocious beasts of Africa living side by side with the pastoral Masai as they have been doing forever. We saw people working hard in the fields in order to live and what looked like endless aimless idleness of great masses of people in the cities. TZ appeared very poor as a nation but also mostly clean and cheerful.

















We visited a small community, desperately poor, whose dispute resolution system requires only a round table and single large cup of banana beer. Talk the problem out, apologize, share the beer and go home. The town jail is always empty.













The people we met came in all types ... proud and polished;hopelessly destitute and upbeat entrepreneurial; full of charm and integrity and full of slimy duplicity. We are leaving with a first hand experience of how the other half lives. We are leaving broke / broken hearted, but also buoyed by the future potential of an Africa that takes Tanzania's example as a model for nation building.






I will not soon forget standing on my own version of 'Pride Rock' looking out as the sun set over the seemingly endless plains of serengeti national park. Nor will I forget the sadness of passing another Masai tribeswoman trying to flag us down for a ride ... a ride that would save her struggling with a load too big and 10 km of rugged road before her to the village.








I've learned too that no amount of research on the internet can prepare you completely for your first trip ;to Africa. There's just too many competing opposites. In the end, I guess, it is hard for us to say yes to Tanzania ... but just as hard to say no.


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Day and Night in Doha

We were again fortunate to meet Canadians, this time "accepting the kindness of strangers" from Edmontons' Shepp family who we met at Kamala Beach. We had dinner with Dennis, Joyce and Adam one night and accepted an offer from Dennis to play tour guide for us in Doha where he is working on contract. Dennis' generosity transformed our short stay from what would have been a hotel stay over to a mini-middle east "experience" in Doha, Qatar.





I know it sounds myopic or maybe even patronizing but the best word for me to describe our time in Doha is "exotic". Dennis' tour of the town took us to the nicest mall I've ever been to, surrounded by a parking lot full of brand new Toyota Land Cruisers. Doha is a city under construction with what looked like hundreds of climbing cranes dotting the horizon. We "ran into"- or perhaps should say nearly got run over by - the same Land Cruisers out in the desert ... driving out where the pavement ends and cars, ATVs, dune buggies and camels (camels?) pass both sides from either direction. It's a mostly male thing called dunes bashing


with intended purpose of taking your vehicle as far up and out into the dunes as you can before you get stuck, roll over or smack into someone else. We saw 3 ambulances. Dennis was very careful. And we got to dip our toes in the Arabian Sea.



Last stop was the spice market










or "souk" where we saw a cacophony of locals and expats strolling with friends and family

enjoying a drink with sweet tobacco (big water pipe)


and listening to the sounds of the market compete with the call to prayer rolling out from several different mosques at the same time. SO VERY COOL! And all thanks to our new friend Dennis Shepp ... a stranger no more.

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Meet you in Singapore

Flying into Singapore seemed for us like reverse culture shock. We had grown used to the people and pace and all the idiosyncrasies that comprise third world Thailand. Singapore is, of course, modern, clean, all shined up with an orderly sheen. This stop was extra nice for us because we were able to connect with friends from Toronto. First Jimmy Tsang (room mate from York U) and his wife Jean flew in from HK and shared there knowledge of the town and SE Asian cuisine.

We had a great visit over 3 days with a great couple: thanks to J+J Tsang for the opportunity for a friendship rekindled.

We also had the good fortune to reconnect with Cathy and Stuart Robinson...

Meet you in Singapore
friends from home whom we had not seen for too long a time. Again we were welcomed with camaraderie and hospitality that speaks to generosity of spirit apparently common amongst expats living abroad. Their Singapore home is set up for kids and M+M enjoyed a nice break from the nomadic life ... hanging with Kade and Brody for a couple of afternoons.

Thanks Cathy and Stu for the hospitality ... everything from home made sandwiches to the 18 year old liquid gold from the highlands of Scotland!

Another highlight was our visit to the Singapore zoo (we were 'members' thanks to Stuart's corporate pass) whose displays surpass those at Toronto zoo for design and presentation ... eg. free range orangutan display meant no barriers but no escape either.

Next stop is Doha and a little piece of the middle east before Tanzania and back to the basics. We did a cheers last night on the eve of our 3 month anniversary "on the road."

BOSgone