We recently got to hang out with Josh and Amanda, some Santa Barbara friends who came to visit us and the ministry here in Madagascar. It’s always a joy when our two worlds of Santa Barbara and Madagascar merge and this was no exception.
Often times what stands out to visitors has become just normal life stuff for us so we often walk past it without a second glance, thought or even an awareness or appreciation of how different life is here in Madagascar.
So… we’re taking a look at Madagascar through their eyes with tons of pictures and little writing….
capital city, Antananarivo
loonngggg road trip from Antananarivo to Mahajanga
one of numerous backyard chameleons
neighbors gate
family walk through the neighborhood
enjoying cirque rouge… a beautiful mountainous area with a steam running through it that runs to the ocean. the sand in this area comes in all shades of pink, red, purple grey and even yellowish/green. it’s quite incredible!
cirque rouge at sunset
friends climbing trees while waiting for our Malagasy/English church service to start
Malagasy/English church service in the gazebo at the Sarobidy Maternity Center
jamie leading the relaxed atmosphere church service
hand-tied satrana or windmill palm thatched roof of the gazebo
sunday night is “happening” at the boulevard in Mahajanga– a favorite place to hang out and “strut your stuff”…
homemade cotton candy machine at the boulevard
what kid doesn’t love balloons, a horse carousel and bounce houses?
“prizes” on display
the little engine that could… go around and around and around in a 50 foot circle
tickets for sale…
dinner at the boulevard… mosikiki or beef shish-ka-bobs… usually entails 10-20 diners sitting in a U-shape around the cook who is preparing and cooking these little nuggets on a small charcoal grill
along with the shish-ka-bobs, mangohazo or yucca root, samosas, fried bananas, green papaya lasary or salad, fish shish-ka-bobs, and a flat bread similar to a tortilla
working in the living room after the kiddos are asleep
Sarobidy Maternity Center and Eden Reforestation Projects
Eden Projects dry deciduous nursery at the Sarobidy Center
hazondrigitra seedlings
one-year old Mangharahara tree planted on the Sarobidy Maternity Center property
flying the drone and capturing aerial footage for Eden Projects
Eden Projects employee, Sitraka, learning to catch the drone
madagascar day gecko (approximately 6″ long)
solar cooker in use at the Sarobidy Maternity Center
Eden Projects current seed bank at the Sarobidy Center Dry Deciduous nursery
baobab fruit
sharing the dirt road with a sarety or ox-cart on the way into town from our house
a few of the ladies we purchase fruit from… bananas, mandarines, avocados, melons, and mangoes
buying bread at the bakery… most of the croissants and pastries aren’t anything to write home about but their palmiers… those are fantastic!
bazar-be… our regular tuesday morning open air market shopping for fruits, vegetables, beans, eggs and beef
inside bazar-be…
regular stop for onions, garlic, ginger and beans in Bazar-be
small but spicy!
artisan market at bazar-be
pousse-pousse‘s waiting for clients
botry’s or Malagasy sailboats sitting in port… raw raffia in foreground
walking the plank to get onto the botry
Marolaka market… bubonic plague still pops up in this place from time to time. dried and salted shrimp and small fish for sale
dried and salted fish
beans, peanuts, corn…
side of the road furniture sales… we purchased all three beds for the Maternity Center from this place
type of euphorbia that’s endemic to Madagascar
one of the hundreds of frogs at our house
handmade beads in our women’s artisan project
common brown lemurs that live in the trees at and around our house… we’ve rehabilitated them both but the one on the left is the “matriarch” and is quite territorial when it comes to children in her space (they’re on the kids’ play structure here)… we’re planning on catching and releasing her at one of the Eden Projects reforestation sites within the next week
sharing a meal with good friends and Malagasy family at Maman’i Aby and Dina’s house. on the menu, squash and coconut, ground beef with carrots, green beans and potatoes, grated carrot salad and rice.
lakana or outrigger ride to the one of the Eden Projects mangrove planting sites– lakana sail against an amazing African sky
fisherman heading home in his lakana after a day of trapping crabs
mangrove reforestation
kids after a good ole’ fashion mud fight
lakana ride home… the beauty of this never gets old
sharing the experience with missionary friends from the UK
neighborhood on the edge of the ocean and mouth of the Betsiboka river in Mahajanga
the paradox that can be Madagascar… enjoying the beauty at Antsanitia hotel
the extreme difference in the high and low tides of this stretch of coastline is phenomenal
lakanas on the beach in Antsanitia
flying high
follow the leader jumping contest
taking a break and warming up poolside
lunch before…
lunch after!
lemon meringue tart anyone?
remnant forest outside of Antsanitia… absolutely beautiful and how Madagascar should look!
Eden Projects dry deciduous nursery at Antsanitia
pamba seedlings
waiting for seedlings to sprout
hazo mafana… literally translated, “hot tree”
protecting precious baobab trees that have been successfully propagated and are growing
to these two characters who were behind the lens in all these photos and who graciously allowed us to see and share Madagascar through their eyes… thank you!
Thanks for the pictorial
tour…beautiful!
So interesting to see your life!!!
Thanks for all those great pics Alissa!!!