Crazy Calabash

These are calabash trees. They are not edible, but are used for making water containers. The lamp shade in Pete’s office is made from a calabash. They are the African version of Tupperware. You cut them open, take out the seeds, let them dry, and wha-lah!, instant waterproof container. I asked if we could have one and the man who ran the restaurant we ate at cut one down for me. As you can see, previous people had carved messages into some of them. There are some Asian writing symbols right by Pete’s head. Marianne got one too and we asked our guard to cut/dry it for us. I was too tired to ask him to show me, so don’t worry, that won’t be my homemade Christmas gift for this year!

You can see the restaurant we ate in afterwards. Claudette ordered for us. It was the usual fare- grilled chicken, fish, French fried potatoes, and fried plantains. It does not have a lot of flavor so there is this sauce they call pepper. It is hot, my eyes were watering, but the endorphins kicked in.