Okay, so it was a little tricky to get these pictures. If you started randomly taking pictures of say, your neighbors, or the clerk at the grocery store, they would probably call the police. I already stick out around here. So I had to be kind of sneaky getting these pictures. Which explains their lack of quality or general artistic-ness.
But hopefully, you get an idea of what it looks like around here.
There has been very little city planning in Dar es Salaam. Very few streets have names and there is no organization to the buildings. It’s very much a hodge-podge, and our “neighborhood” is no exception.
the outside of our gate
the view from our gate–the path leading up to the main road
Our neighbors directly in front of us. There are multiple families living in this house.
The unfinished house on the path to our road. It’s been unfinished the entire time we’ve lived here, but in the past couple of years, it looks like people are living there anyway.
Carpenter shop directly next to our house. We hear their saws almost every day. They recently made me a table for the kids’ play room, and they did a great job.
Homes directly next to ours that are typically Tanzanian–concrete block, no indoor plumbing, very little electricity.
In contrast, this is a home very close by that is far nicer than our home.
Children and goats
…and they love getting their picture taken. They nagged me about when they could come over and play again (which happens 2-3 times a week).
A typical fruit and vegetable “duka.” Sorry I couldn’t get closer….I couldn’t think of a good reason to take their picture and I didn’t want to freak them out.
Local bar. We find it interesting that there is so much alcohol in this country, even though both Islam and [African] Christianity forbid it.
The front of a car. Um?
Maybe this is the rest of the car….
Unfortunately, trash is everywhere.
The football pitch (soccer field) very near us
And I came home from my walk to this….Frodo had brought me a hedgehog. How nice of him.
Babu
What does boiled hedgehog taste like?
Amy Medina
Oh, Babu.
Probably like ice cream. Vanilla.