The Ocean and Its Sparkles

Green Turtle Lodge turned out to be the closest thing to paradise we have experienced in Africa. We spent a relaxing eight nights reading many great books, walking along the beach, eating good food and checking out the nearby fishing village. The place ran on solar power and was full of travellers and volunteers from all over the world, all looking to relax and hang out. It was a recipe for a good week...

Most nights the sky was alight with lightning and I would take these opportunities to sit on the beach and watch the water come in. I enjoyed looking out over the dark sea - a menacing black horizon - and watching the waves form and crest out of nothingness. It was neat to sea the white foam begin and then run a hundred or more meters in one direction instantly, and finish with a boom as the water crashed down on itself. It reminded me of a cartoon bomb fuse being lit and running the length of itself - leaving in its path grey ash - and inevitably ending with an explosion (often in favour of the RoadRunner). Watching the waves come at me after others had gone to sleep and the music could no longer be heard was relaxing and wonderous.
The only thing that could have made this experience better was if the sand sparkled - and it did. Allow me to explain: In the damp sand there were significant deposits of phosphorous (or so I was told), and when the sand was flicked or kicked, the phosphorous would momentarily light up as it was disturbed. It looked like tiny night stars were being created and destroyed in the blink of an eye by the flick of my wrist or foot. This was only visibly at night, but added another element to the visual I was already experiencing. It also gave me a feeling of omnipotence (a great word that I still remember my father teaching me when I was young) to create entire galaxies with my foot or finger. Although I know the moment was fleeting the image in my mind is permanent.
Other than our night watchings we enjoyed the wtaer immensley - it was the first time we were actually able to venture into the sea since we began travelling beside it over a month ago: the undertow was safe and the water was clean. We all went in to check out the village as well (a ten minute walk). On one of the days I was invited by two other travellers to go with them for a lunch at a omen's house they had met the day before. When we arrived at the courtyard we were greeted by numerous children who were thrilled at the opportunity to see themselves via digital cameras and just talk and play with the "obrunies". After a few minutes we were introduced to the elder women of the compund, then aken aside by the lady who invited my friends the day earlier and served fufu with a bean and fish sauce. The food was great, but the serving was monstrous. We struggled to try and finish because it is slightly offensive not to eat all the food given to you, but wound up coming up short nonethelss (the meal was cooked for four people and we were only three). The lady let us eat alone, but returned upon our being stuffed and we discussed the life and times of village life in Africa. We also discussed God (people here are devotely religious), food, education, and marrying (the lady offered her nephew to the young lady in good humour). It was a great experience that was made better because the lady - named Mercy and thus dubbed "Mother Mercy" - wanted nothing from us in terms of money or goods. She just wanted to sit us down, feed us and show us hospitality. The same rang true for the whole place as we were not asked for anything from the time we stepped into the village until the time we left - except for the few times we were asked to dance, to which we happily obliged.
Coincidentally, our last night was also a concert/dance/bonfire on the beach at Green Turtle Lodge. Many of the locals showed up to provide the singing and music, and the children showed us how to dance the way Africans do. Not a person around wasn't smiling and enjoying themselves. It was a fitting end to a great week.
Tonight I head to Egypt and then the Middle East. Heather and Matt will be heading to Senegal in a day or two. I am sorry to those who have been following along for the sake of Matt and Heather, as I will not be seeing them for sometime now.