Arusha, Wednesday, February 22, 2017

We awoke to heavy rain, which would have been welcomed on most days.  However, this was the day on which John had arranged to go for a long hike with Rogers. They were to meet at 8:00 and then spend the day out in the small hill/mountains which form little peaks below big Mount Meru.  After a telephone conference, they postponed the start of the hike until 9:30, and fortunately the rain stopped just about then. Of course, John hadn’t considered such things as rain boots or hiking shoes, so he went off in his everyday scuzzy shoes, without a walking stick or any sort of appropriate gear.

After John left, I decided to treat myself to an outing as well.  I called Ray and asked if he could drive me out to Shanga-Shangaa, the organization which hires and trains people with various disabilities to do appropriate crafts, e.g., weaving, bead work, tinga-tinga painting, and my favorite, glassblowing. The men who work with glass are deaf, and it’s amazing to see them sign while they are whirling around globs of hot glass.

S-S used to be located on the Burka Coffee Plantation, with its workshops spread out among trees and walk ways.  There was a lush, green lawn where one could sit and drink fresh fruit juice and watch monkeys play in the nearby tree. It was beautiful and very restful. A couple of years ago, the whole operation moved across the main road and onto the grounds of the Arusha Coffee Lodge, an upscale tourist hotel.  Perhaps this is more financially advantageous for S-S, as there is a constant stream of wealthy tourists filing through, but I was disappointed at how cramped and commercial things were now. The workshops and store are now configured like a mall around a very small, hot courtyard, and the coffee cafe looked entirely characterless. I saw no green area in which to relax and enjoy the setting. The only improvement I noted was the new shop, which is now completely open with well laid out displays. I was so disappointed with the changes that after a very quick walk by the crafters and a visit to the shop, I wanted to leave, so I cannot give a review of the coffee shop.

At the entrance to the courtyard

Stuffing toy elephants.

Stringing beads for jewelry

The glass furnace

Creating in glass

Shop display

When I got back to Kundayo, I wanted to order some lunch from the Kundayo kitchen, so I asked for rice and red beans, which the cook makes for the workers.  The first time I tried to order the workers’ lunch menu, the staff wasn’t sure I knew what I was doing, but now they accommodate my quirkiness without questions. The beans were especially tasty this time, and I had more than I could eat for less than $2.50.

John stumbled in about 4:00, wet and totally exhausted.  He said all he wanted to do was take a shower and lie on the bed. So, he did. He had had a great time hiking through small shambas (garden farms) up on the slopes of the peak they had climbed and discovered a whole hidden world of Masai farmers who grow the vegetables that are brought into the markets each day. Potatoes, carrots, eggplants, corn, cucumbers, spinach, tomatoes, etc. are all carried down the steep slopes each morning. While the climb up the slope was taxing, it was the descent which really tested John’s stamina. I’m not sure he thought he could make at times, and his comment to me was that the hike had been so tenuous that he wasn’t sure the Whitworth students could do it. This from a man who just turned 75!

Fording the raging river

Posing at the newly named Yoder Waterfall

Climbing out of the ravine

Hillside garden

Carrying food for cattle

Broccoli?

View from the top

Looking across to another smaller hill

I made a nice beef stew for dinner, and after the meal and some vanilla ice cream with mango slices, we soon went to bed. John immediately fell asleep, but I stayed up and read for a couple of hours. I wanted to be done with the novel, The Secret Life of Emily Dickinson, which I wish i were still a secret to me.