As I continue to lag behind in my own posts, I thought I’d share PCV Krystal’s post on the topic of “fear of missing out” on events back home.
Kolmanskop – a relatively new ghost town
During my visit to Lüderitz, recounted in last week’s post, I also visited the nearby ghost town of Kolmanskop (or Kolmannskuppe in the old German). First established in the late 19th Century as a diamond mining town, the last resident departed in the mid-1950s. Since then, it has been subject to the slow but steady encroachment of the Namib Desert sand. It’s a photographer’s Mecca, particularly during the early and late hours of the day, and I did the best I could during the middle of the day. Continue reading “Kolmanskop – a relatively new ghost town”
10th Annual Crayfish Festival in Lüderitz
I recently visited the remote Southern town of Lüderitz for its 10th Annual Crayfish Festival. Located on the Atlantic Coast, this quaint German town comes alive once a year to celebrate its seafood industry. Crayfish (aka “lobster”) are a major export from Namibia (particularly to Asia), but they kept more than enough for the locals and the tourists to enjoy at Festival time. Enjoy the photos!
Continue reading “10th Annual Crayfish Festival in Lüderitz”
A year in Arandis…
This weekend marks the first anniversary of my arrival to Arandis. Yes, the time is flying by and I’m loving it as much as always!
In lieu of my own post…
Oh my… as I approach the first anniversary of my arrival to Arandis, I have been SO busy! Too busy, in fact, to have time to share all my recent activities and adventures on this blog. I actually have 6 (count them, 6!) posts to share with you, in various stages of development… but priority naturally goes to living life over reporting on the life lived. I trust you’ll forgive me.
A project completed (and I have the blisters to prove it!)
When I first visited Goanikontes-Oasis back in October, I started to think about a return trip to that relaxing retreat by hiking from Arandis across the desert and down a number of dry river canyons. While I had painful memories of the reconnaissance mission to remind me of the challenges, it was still a project I looked forward to accomplishing once summer was over and the temperatures were more tolerable.
Continue reading “A project completed (and I have the blisters to prove it!)”
Group 41 prepares to return home…
As I approach my halfway point, other PCVs are about to reach their Close of Service (COS) dates after 27 months in country. PCV Andy collected together on his blog a number of 6-word stories that describe the experience on the part of his fellow Group 41 PCVs. I think these are pretty cool!
365 Days in…
Tomorrow will be the first anniversary of my arrival in Namibia with my fellow PCVs from Group 43. I will mark the occasion by completing the “project” I conceived back in October: to backpack from home over the desert and down the Khan and Swakop River canyons to Goanikontes-Oasis Rest Camp.
Saying goodbye
Nothing illustrates the uniqueness of a culture as the way in which momentous personal events are celebrated: births, weddings and deaths. Last week was filled with a number of gatherings to celebrate Kawii’s life. This post shares in words, photos, video and audio clips, a bit of what I experienced as we celebrated his life and bid him farewell.
In Memorium: Manfred “Kawii” Murangi
Thank you for your warm and thoughtful comments in response to my post about this tragic loss. The community of Arandis and the entire Erongo Region celebrates the life of Kawii: there are informal gatherings, public memorials, and religious services throughout the week as we mourn the loss of this very special man.