The website formerly known as Ro-Mania

A belated hello

2008-07-25T16:59:00.002-03:00

I'm still alive.

No one ever even checks this blog anymore, but it's my own little corner of the web.

I got a new job. Well, not new, but an inter-company transfer. I am now in Human Resources, and am the international recruitment specialist for my company.

No, not a head hunter.

I get to travel around the world to source employees for our IT department. So, I figured I needed a place to put my new pictures and stories, so I won't forget them when I'm 94. Also, so my mom won't panic.

I don't have any trips planned in the short-term, but I have to start somewhere!

2006-10-03T22:31:00.000-03:00

Street scene

2006-10-03T22:26:00.000-03:00

View from my personal bathroom on the hill

2006-10-03T22:25:00.000-03:00

Hanging out on the beach

Senegal part 11

2006-10-03T19:51:00.000-03:00

No trip is a trip for me without a bathroom blunder, and this time was no exception.

Mono + greasy food + food poisoning + Malarone does not make a good combination.

We went for a walk around the island, and I could barely keep up. My stomach started rumbling, along with other body parts. I knew I was in for some trouble.

I felt the beginnings of a fart coming on. Due to my "delicate" nature, I tried to be discrete as possible.

I learned the hard way that it's impossible to be discrete when you've got diarrhea.

It wasn't just air that came out.

In a panic, I asked one of the nearby sellers (there was a mini market set up along the path) if he knew of a nearby toilet. He just giggled at me. I pleaded with him, that it was an emergency. Laughing, he told me that there were no toilets around. However, if need be, I could go up the hill, because no one would see me there.

So up I climbed. It was the highest point on the island, and as I went up, I could feel myself squish. Retching and heaving, I finally got to the top.

I found a small firepit on the very highest point, so I climbed in and used it as my personal toilet (beggars can't be choosers!). Taking off my shorts to assess the damage, it wasn't as bad as I thought. I was able to use one of the bottles of water to clean myself off, so I felt reasonably refreshed.

I turned around to leave and realised that my entire ass was on display to the whole island. If anyone had looked up, they would have seen me in all my glory. The firepit wasn't as camouflaging as I originally thought.

If that wasn't humiliating enough, there were two enormous goats who saw the whole thing. These were monster beasts of epic proportions. They made a move forward, and I made a bigger move backward, scrambling down the hill.

I had a few more mini emergencies. Luckily, I was near the beach, so I was able to clean up in the ocean.

The beach was lovely. I splashed around in the water and collected beach glass. Got a slight sunburn, which was a novelty, as the temperature was below freezing back home. I started to feel sick again, so I passed out under a few palm trees.

We all gathered at the restaurant for some drinks. At last, the elusive toilet. It was wet, smelly and of course had no toilet paper, but it was a real bonafide toilet.

2006-10-02T23:47:00.000-03:00

Our host's daughter, in front of the Point of No Return (AKA, the best picture I've ever taken)

2006-10-02T23:46:00.000-03:00

Room for the children

2006-10-02T23:36:00.001-03:00

Hallway between the rooms used to hold the people

2006-10-02T23:36:00.000-03:00

The Point of No Return

2006-10-02T23:34:00.001-03:00

The slave house

2006-10-02T23:34:00.000-03:00

The museum door

2006-10-02T21:50:00.001-03:00

Ile de Goree

2006-10-02T21:50:00.000-03:00

Goree shoreline

2006-10-02T21:49:00.001-03:00

Dakar skyline

2006-10-02T21:49:00.000-03:00

The ferry terminal

2006-10-02T21:48:00.000-03:00

L'Ile de Gor�e

Senegal part 10

2006-10-02T21:21:00.000-03:00

When we got to solid land, the group decided to take a tour of the island and the museum, and then have some free time in the sun and sand.

The streets were narrow, with colourful houses and buildings on each side. The hot sun was beating down, and my bottle of water was almost gone already. Not that it mattered, because it was already hot enough for tea.

We then went to a former slavehouse. I didn't know how I would feel about it. Would I imagine myself in it? Or would I experience it passively, like a television documentary?

We walked into a courtyard full of people. The walls of the building were a soft pink, and the ground was well-trod upon earth. A large staircase dominated the middle, and it split into two and ran along the galleries. Huge glassless windows were cut into the walls, but you still couldn't see the the ocean.

I couldn't hear the presenter talk, as there were so many people murmuring amongst themselves. I wandered around the inside perimetre, touching the walls and peeking into the museum. They had maps, slave charters and torture equipment, like manacles, balls and chains and restraints.

The families would be separated in the courtyard and sent to small, dark rooms. I ducked behind the stairs to explore behind the tiny rooms and corridors.

To the left was the room for the children. It was about 2 metres by 5 metres, and held approximately 50 children. The sign above the door said (and this is a rough translation, as the sign was very hard to read) "Innocent child, far from a smile, and crying for his mother".

Further away was the room for young women, which was slightly larger, and lit by a single lightbulb, which cast an eerie yellow glow on the stone walls. On the other side was the largest room, reserved for the men. There was also a sinister room, for the "temporarily unfit".

Upstairs were the traders' quarters. They were turned into miniature exhibits for artifacts found on the grounds.

A single hallway led to the ocean, with only a tiny doorway overlooking the sea. It was called the Point of No Return, as it was the last place the Africans would see before being forced on the slave ships. You could literally feel the pain and agony in the hallway. The walls were scratched and chipped. I ran my hand along the surface and felt sick to my stomach. I found out later that I wasn't the only one who had that reaction. The temperature was noticeably lower in the hallway, than in the rooms or courtyard.

I went to the Point of No Return, and saw a few children playing in the rocks. Our host's daughter was also looking out, and I caught her on camera at the perfect moment. Probably the best picture I've ever taken.

The ocean looked so beautiful, sparkling outside the doorway. Too bad it has such a sinister history.

Unesco did a wonderful tour of the slave house, which is accessible here.

Senegal part 9

2006-10-02T20:54:00.000-03:00

The highlight of Senegal was our trip to l'Ile de Gorée.

A bit of background history first.

We got up bright and early to catch our bus to the ferry.

By now, I was in the midst of full-blown food poisoning. I could barely stand up straight. My colon was contracting violently and I was getting hot flashes and chills.

But I was still going to go.

To pass the time, we were all supposed to sing a song from home. I remember leading a rousing round of "Dragostea din Tei" before passing out against the window. Romania, represent!

When we got to the terminal, I laid crumpled in a ball on the maroon vinyl benches. Suddenly, I realised that I had to go to the bathroom. Bad.

How did I know this was going to be foreshadowing of the rest of the trip?

I ran to the bathroom and tugged on the door. Locked. I pulled and pulled. Wouldn't budge. A custodian sauntered around the corner and watched my show of desperation. I politely asked if he had the key. He slowly nodded his head and even more slowly, unlocked the door. I was so grateful that tears were streaming down my face.

Inside, there were two dirty toilets, a cloud of flies, a soaking wet floor and no toilet paper. I didn't care. I was wearing sandals and had a personal supply of toilet paper.

I staggered out, empty but relieved. I took a quick look in the gift shop and bought a bag to use to carry my book, towel and toilet paper.

Luckily, the boat had just arrived, so we all hopped on and we were off!

I seemed to be the only person who brought sunscreen, and for about 20 minutes, I was Miss Popularity. I hate boats more than almost anything, but luckily I wasn't sick. The trip was short, we were surrounded by glittering water, and we got spectacular views of both Gorée and the Dakar skyline.

2006-10-02T20:32:00.000-03:00

Sunset

2006-10-02T20:31:00.000-03:00

Twilight

2006-10-02T20:30:00.001-03:00

Horizon

2006-10-02T20:30:00.000-03:00

Twilight

2006-10-02T20:29:00.001-03:00

I'm sure my sociology prof would be proud that I'm still using the textbook, 4000 km away

2006-10-02T20:29:00.000-03:00

Starting the presentations

2006-10-02T20:28:00.000-03:00

Mosque at dusk