Pirogue

We then went on to a river ride in a pirogue. This van ride was even more adventurous as we went of the main high way again, into a more forested area. We stopped where a bridge was being built and Claudette spotted the river guides. So we all scrunched together, opened all the windows, and gave them a ride down to the river. It was the first time we heard “mondele”, which means white man. As we were driving we traveled through the two men’s village and all the little kids were waving and running after the van, just like in the movies. The two guys were laughing and explained that they were their kids and wanted to know where Daddy was going!

These shots are of all of us walking down to the river to get into the hand-carved pirogues. I was excited, as I had read all about the boats, and couldn’t believe they looked exactly like the books said. I was also tense as because in all the books it says not go in any water, except the ocean here, too many parasites. So, Pete and I got in and with the guide, the boat’s edge was only a few inches above the water. I flinched every time the boat listed to the side. I also tried to mentally measure the amount of water in the bottom boat, to see if it was increasing as we glided along the mirror flat surface of the river. The man in the right of the picture has a car seat on his head, that was one of the chairs someone sat in. He also has the oar he used to paddle us down river, and guide us back with the current going our way.