"Somewhere Saturday" - Red-Cheeked Cordon Bleu

Regular visitors here will know that I sometimes venture further afield than Victoria, on Saturdays. I wish this photo was more competent but I think what it lacks in craftsmanship is more than equalled by the cuteness of this pair of Red-Cheeked Cordon Bleus (Uraeginthus bengalus). The house I lived in then (in West Africa) was surrounded by orange, lemon, grapefruit and mango trees and these two lovebirds were cuddling up in the lemon tree that was beside the veranda that wrapped around the house. I was too busy in those days for much photography but seeing these little birds every morning on my way out the door was so delightful that I took this photo in order to remember them. The song/video below captures some of the feeling these birds gave me.

"Somewhere Saturday" - West Africa

The photos above and below were taken in an African village so small it doesn't appear on any map. But its location in the Sahel region just south of the Sahara Desert is not what's important here. Though discolored by age and hard traveling, what shines through in these photos is the character and beauty of the young girls above and the grandmother below.

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Somewhere Saturday? Every Saturday I post a photo I've taken somewhere NOT in Victoria.

"Somewhere Saturday" - West Africa

I mentioned yesterday that starting today I would feature some photos from places I have lived in or visited in the past. Since I spent about 15 years living in various West African countries many of my photos and reminiscences are of that area. Today's photo is of a beautiful Toucouleur woman in the midst of her family. I knew this family well and visited them several times in their village and stayed in their compound. Note the large gold earrings that are traditional amongst the Toucouleur women. Also note the baby peeking out from her back, another very typical sight. I chose this photo for my first post about West Africa because it is full of people looking peaceful and friendly and it was that which made my time in West Africa so interesting and rewarding. I mention this because for many people in the rest of the world Africa is synonymous with animals - lions, elephants, wildebeest, giraffes, etc. - rather than people. Most of these animals are found in modern times in East Africa. West Africa on the other hand is more characterized by dense human populations. In terms of population, the largest black nation on earth is in West Africa - Nigeria, with a population estimated at 154 million. West Africa has a fascinating history and hundreds of ethnic groups.

Above right is the village where the people in the top photo live. The houses are made of mud bricks and thatched with straw. I hope you have enjoyed this brief introduction to West Africa. It's a wonderful and little-known part of the world full of warm and friendly people. Tomorrow and Monday another new feature of this blog begins - photos and posts from another team member, my daughter, Fern Long.

I wrote about many of my African experiences in a book called "The Moon's Fireflies." You can buy a copy from Amazon.com if you would like to find out more about West Africa.