One of eight villas converted into the Interim US Embassy of Dar es Salaam Tanzania.

The various trades that make up the concrete mixers 'unions'.

The Protea Hotel...where I live. With a swim pool and rooms that rival the apartments in the US at a cool $169 (US), tell the folks that I'm roughing it in Africa.

The entrance to the Protea Hotel. Most of the upscale residences in Dar es Salaam have stout exterior fences and full-time security guards.

The Dar es Salaam Little Theater...part of the Protea Hotel.

St. Peter's Catholic Church of Dar es Salaam

St. Peter's Catholic Church of Dar es Salaam

The Indian Ocean east of the port of Dar es Salaam.

Three of your typical food stores in Dar es Salaam.

A three-wheeled bike for the handicapped...note the hand-crank steering.

Small-scale teamsters.

The old embassy. It isn't pretty.

Bluelou...livin' the tough life...

Bongoyo Island...Dar es Salaam Tanzania

The boat to take us from the big boat (it even runs) in the background to the island.

Oh...I hate the beach.

This is the hydrofoil that takes passengers from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar.

Another perfectly good reason to detest the beach.

Profile a da 'hut'

Paradise...

One more time....

These boats do sail...

A few of my associates and I recently made a one day safari to Mikumi National Park. We awoke at the crack of dawn to get an early start on the traffic. The trip was around 200 miles but we got stopped by the local authorities an average of six times each way. As our local driver referred to it, he had to give these officials 'tea money'...i.e. bribes. As I've written before, in every city I travel to, I try to visit their zoo. Well, this was far better than all of the zoos I've been to...combined. We saw crocodiles, elephants, hippos, monkeys, zebras, giraffes, and impalas. We didn't see any tigers as they generally are visible around sun up or sundown. A brief afternoon shower brought the animals to the close proximity to the roadway within a short viewing distance to our vehicle. The monkeys were, by far, the bravest of the creatures. They'd sit on the shoulder of the roadway. We tossed a couple of apples to the really brave ones. I didn't have my digital camera and had run out of film so this one was for the memories...or rather treasures...I'll possess for my lifetime. It was like a dream, we'd see a couple of animals here and then a few hundred feet away, several others. I kept waiting for the cardboard figurines to fall over but they never did. I will confess that this was the first time I've ever traveled along a roadway and saw an elephant crossing sign.

Sorry about the long distance shots...no zoom lens..but I thought you might like to see the photos anyway. There are wildebeasts back there.

One camera shy monkey couldn't get out of photo range quick enough. The monkeys would walk right up to your vehicle..and stay if you had some food.

There are elephants back there.

I was in Africa waiting for the boat that took us to the beach. Someone at the bar was sketching something and I was just paranoid enough to think it was me. Well, fifteen minutes of sketching later...this nasty looking rasta dude showed me my picture....and could he have a beer for his efforts. I gave him a couple of bucks in the hopes of never seeing him again. Upon returning from the day's fun, I saw my new 'friend' and tried walking past him hoping he wouldn't see me. Fifty yards later, he caught up to me and told me that 'this was me'.

A different kind of wild life...Anna, Bluelou, Jessica, & Josette. My extended going away party really made me want to stay. I'm off to Jamaica - Photos Anyone?