In Sierra Leone many people get drivers to take them where they need to go, which is great because with the lack of street signs, the rough roads, and so many pedestrians in the streets, a person can get lost very quickly! Our driver's name was Abu, pictured below. He got a kick out of when we made fun of phony Christian televangelists and when I asked him where all the prostitutes hung out ... hey, didn't Jesus do the same things?
But you have to have a good driver ... we happened upon the accident pictured below. The driver had fallen asleep. I kept pinching Abu to make sure he stayed awake after we saw this!
We went to the "big market" a couple of times to get souvenirs. You can buy lots of traditional African wood carvings, batiks (dyed cloths with pictures), materials for sewing, and even ingredients to perform witchcraft. You're greeting with "hey friend," as a way to get you to come look at a shopowner's goods. It's very hot (no AC) and you have to be prepared to barter: they usually name a high price; you offer 75% lower; then you settle somewhere in the middle. Below Fodie's playing a drum we bought for our son James--the base of which is made out of a hollowed-out coconut.
Security is a very important issue in Sierra Leone. On a day-to-day basis, things like vandalism and minor theft can be a regular occurrence. To prevent this, it is very common to put up barbed wire around one's property or cement broken glass onto the top of the perimeter wall (pictured below). It is also very common, for those who can afford it, to hire a security guard to patrol at night and guard the entrance of the property. Pictured below is our security guard Joseph, who is also studying to become a pastor. 
A traditional Sierra Leonean dish is cassava leaves and rice. The girls at the orphanage made us some for dinner one night. Step 1) pound cassava leaves in a mortar and pestle; step 2) cook leaves, adding colorful but very hot peppers; step 3) boil the rice after picking out the hard bits. I'm sure I've left out lots of steps in-between, but you get the idea. Bintu (blue sweater) and Mariama (white t-shirt), the two oldest girls at the orphanage, did most of the cooking in a large pot cooked over a coal fire.
Sierra Leone has some of the most picturesque beaches in the world. We spent a low-key day at Sussex beach. We soaked in the warm sea water and relaxed in the warm sun. A few of the local boys tried to con us into giving them money for school books (you tend to notice a trend after the 4th or 5th kid with the same story). We heard monkeys in the trees nearby and saw the branches swaying back and forth. A couple of vultures paid us a visit, probably looking for some scraps. But to me, the most interesting part of our beach experience was the whale skeleton suspended above a car. It looked like something out of Jurassic Park.
That's all for now. Hope you enjoyed the virtual tour of Sierra Leone!
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