Photos: How to Transport a Heavy Load

Here's a look at how the very talented Beninese transport things:

This baby is strapped on using a 1 yd x 2 yd cloth that has been tucked in just the right way.

That's a 50 lbs water jug strapped on the back of my bike. This is one of the most common ways to transport water, but many villagers transport more than one jug at a time, especially when using a motorcycle.

My shopkeeper friend carried that heavy bag of yams back from the market on her head. She kept insisting she could have easily transported more yams yet if she had bought more.

Photos: More Food

Pate rouge (back) served with vegetables and fried cheese. Pate rouge is made with the standard pate (corn flour porridge) but has had tomato sauce mixed in.

Igname pilee (featured in detail in an earlier post) with peanut oil sauce and fried cheese

"African couscous". The little brown balls are made from igname that has been specially prepared to take this form.

Beef skin

Bouillie: porridge made from sorghum flour

Photos: Animals around Sonsoro

For starters, here's the answer to the most recent guessing game challenge: it's a chicken feather that has been stripped of its plumes except at the top and is used as a Q-tip to clean out earwax.

Below are some photos of animals that can be found around Sonsoro. To the animals pictured below, you can also add mangy dogs, sheep, and the occasional pig.

Two baby goats that have been adopted by my neighbors. They had sheep before, but they were eaten for Tabaski.

Guinea fowl and a rooster. Sometimes I'm convinced that guinea fowl are the modern-day dodo birds.

Guinea fowl at night

The local cows. They are big with long horns and humped backs. It's not uncommon to see a Peuhl driving a long  line of cows across the road.

A lizard

Guessing Game: Round 2

What is the object pictured and what is it used for?