BIA (Back In Africa)--week 1

Africa. Thundrous energy & vibrant color. Dense brush & intense heat. A love of mine for more than a decade. My hobby. My passion. My home. It's been interesting being back in Africa after 3 years & back in Nigeria after 4...almost immediately in landing I experienced a flood of memories in seeing Abuja again (all good, thankfully, yet stepping back in time always seems awkward)...There's some emotion involved in remembering all that you did, who you did it with, & especially in thinking about what you may have done differently if given the chance to do it again...

On a practical note, I think for the first time in 13 years I had a small culture shock when coming back to Africa...After spending significant time living & working in the U.S. with it's every convenience, development & efficiency, Africa is immediately made to look noticeably the simple 3rd world station it is...You couldn't have 2 worlds more opposite, but I'm also finding similarities in the 2, as Abuja continues to develop...which is another thing I noticed also immediately when arriving on Wednesday: changes in infrastructure & roads, etc. throughout the city as we drove in from the airport, some parts having digressed slightly & a myriad of new structures & improvements were the more apparant..

I wasted no time in diving head first into the culture (although my welcome meal was dinner at an Indian restaurant :P) & within my first 2 days I was here I had:

--witnessed a traditional/cultural/religious event put on by dignitaries & representatives from the Catholic Church here in Abuja...

--drank my first Chapman in 4 years (a traditional Nigerian spin on Soda (pop) with a mix of Sprite/Fanta/Grenadine & a cucumber slice (very important))..

--while being hosted at the home of a dear friend, ate a delicious, fiery meal of Garri (Kasava meal) & vegetable soup with curried chicken...the first bite knocked my socks off, but after that it was like "I'm back" & I ate the whole portion brought to me..thankfully my stomach "remembered" the ol' days & didn't fight me on any of the new-old foods I was giving it to work on....

...not bad for 2 days in...pics follow (low quality due to internet speed (or lack thereof)...