The Surma tribespeople of Jibba, Ethiopia

Arriving in Jibba village was stepping onto the other side of the world. Jibba lies on the Southeast border of Ethiopia and Sudan and we were instructed to bring along 4 armed guards with us to this remote and sometimes dangerous destination. Just a week prior a gentlemen was brutally killed by a Shifta guerilla fighter. On the bumpy way out to Jibba, the guards told us tales of deaths caused by both wild animal and guerilla fighter attacks - Not sure that this was necessarily the time or place to hear such stories, but I could bear to listen since they were each holding a large ouzi in their hand. Stepping out of the van, we were immediately surrounded by the village people giving us curious looks and long stares. Winnie and I made our way to the nearest general store to peruse the local jewelry. A bright friendly young man started chatting us up in perfect English. He introduced himself as Muluken and informed us that he worked in Jibba for the government in cultural affairs and it was his mandate to help preserve the Surma people's culture by encouraging the practices and educating Ethiopia on all that made the Surma people unique. He explained the piercing practices and the showed us several people who had lip and ear plates. Surprisingly, the people seemed enthusiastic to show us their unusual body art. During our chat we started talking music and I showed him the jewelry I was wearing in shape of a carar, an Ethiopian guitar. His eyes brightened and he grabbed my hand and as we walked he explained to me that he owned a carar and would like to play me a song. About 30 of us gathered around the tree stub just outside Muluken's apartment and he began to play his Amharic love song. As is typical in Ethiopian/Amharic music, his voice flucuated up and down the scale quickly with touches of an interesting vibrato. The melody had many minor notes and sounded a tad dark but soulful. Even though I could not understand the words, I felt the passion of the lover's heart in the music. When he finished, we responded with grateful applause. He then handed me the instrument and told me that he wanted me to have it to remember the Surma people and culture. I let him know that it would be difficult for me to haul it around for the rest of my journey but thanked him for such a generous offer. We conversed a little longer before he left for work and we said our goodbyes. As I walked further down into the village I noticed a couple of guys playing ping pong. As ping pong is one of my favorite sports I felt an urge to jump in the play. They graciously agreed for me to play the next match and so I dusted off the ol' ping pong skills and put them to shame. As we played, and I dominated the table (*wink*), a bunch of kids gathered round to watch and cheer for me. I knew I could spend hours playing, but wanted to be on my way exploring the rest of the village, so I handed my paddle to the next in line and went on my way. The town of Jibba itself was typical of a small one in Ethiopia. The dirt road is lined on both sides with metal makeshift shacks one next to another and each with it's own purpose - a home, a small, shop, a restaurant...I walked down the muddy road to where a large group of the villagers were gathered around a big tree that seemed to be in the middle of the town. I walked up to a couple of the Surma women who were adorned with all the tradition of their people. They were naked with purple robes that were draped on them like an ancient Roman robe. The top of their arms and breasts had tiny bumps in circular designs where there skin had been punctured with a hot needle. Their bottom lips had gaping holes from where a clay plate had once lived and the remaining lip skin hung and swung about like an old shoestring. Several of their bottom row front teeth were missing as well as casualties from the war with the growing clay plates for space in their mouths. Their ears held many earrings - some hoops, other beaded circles all up and down the outer portion, and the lobes had the same look as the lip with the hanging skin and gaping holes. Their faces were tattooed with different black tribal designs even more pronounced with their bald heads leaving the attention to be drawn to their faces. We both scanned each other's appearance inquisitively for several moments. One of the girls pointed jokingly to my breast and I knew what she was referring to. I responded, "I like to wear at least a couple of layers over them" and I received several giggles from the onlookers. I pointed to their tattooed faces and then showed them my colorful tattoo on my lower back, and then to their ears and showed them where I had holes from former multiple ear piercings and a belly button ring. They found the belly ring hole a shocker as it that is not a customary piercing area for the Surma...more giggles. Worlds apart, perhaps our practices weren't too far apart after all.

Chapter in a Jungle Book

We loaded up into the Toyota Landcruiser early in the morning ready to hit the open road. Each of us on this trip had different aims but one common goal, reaching some of the rarest and most beautiful lands in all of Africa. Thomas, our driver, was on another tourguide job, Immanuel and Wendyfro were government officials on agricultural and geological assignment and doubling as bodyguards/guides, Winnie was exploring the territory for another possible school project, and I was along for the ride. The beginning of our journey was scenic and smooth as road construction has vastly increased thanks to the recent Chinese infrastructure investment across the country. Getting out of the cities and into the countryside offered a glimpse into the true Ethiopia as over 90 percent of the 85 million (plus) residents live in the rural areas. The landscape is strikingly green laden with a plethora of different types of plants and vegetation ripe with the evidence of seasonal rains. Along the road, vendors offered up fresh fruits and we were sure to indulge - bananas, oranges, passionfruit, papayas, etc. The homes scattered throughout the countryside were the traditional circular mud huts with grass roofing. People labored along the roadside, some carrying goods atop their heads, others atop the donkeys they led. The children played mostly barefoot and some unclothed, yelling enthusiastically when they saw me wave out the window, "Farenge!" Farenge is the term given to light-skinned people in Ethiopia. Every once in awhile I would get a "China!" reflecting presence of Chinese infiltration/investment in the countryside. At one point along the way we hit a roadblock. A clan of monkeys were chilling out on the road and on both of its sides. Being my first monkey sighting of the trip, I naturally asked Thomas to stop immediately so that I could revel in the monkey-business while snapping photos. The astute creatures, hairy and human-like, pranced around aimlessly caring little for our presence in the road. I started throwing crackers out the window in an effort to engage them, and sure enough they took the bait drawing closer to the car. Now I had the whole car joining in the feeding and soon all of the monkeys were crowding around to partake. All of a sudden, a significantly larger-than-the rest apish monkey emerged and we all knew we had encountered the leader of the pack. The other monkeys sheepishly cowered in his presence, stepped away from the vehicle, and patiently awaited his next move. He stood there chest puffed out and staring us down with self-assured dominance almost as if to let us know who was boss. We found it fascinating watching the interplay. He let us snap some photos and then went to an elevated spot on the land where his lady joined next to him and they both stared steadfastly at us. All the rest of the clan stood frozen. Both path in the road and message of the monkeys were now clear. They wanted us to swing along to our next destination and leave them be. So we hit the road once again. We arrived at our 1st leg destination 8 long hours later and checked into our hotel in Jimma. It was pitch dark and we were all ready to hit the hay and catch some shut-eye so that we could be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the remainder of the gorgeous journey to our second leg destination, Mizan. The next day there was more of the same breathtaking scenery, scrumptious fruits, and much more challenging road conditions, but alas, we made it in one piece frazzled but in awe of all our eyes had taken in. The following morning we awoke like kids in a candy shop (landscape eye candy that is) ready to take on the adventures of the day. We hopped in our Landcruiser and headed to the local police post to scoop up our armed guard that would be accompaning us around the Mizan countryside. Our armed guard was outfitted in a khaki colored ensemble complete with an Ethiopian ouzi in hand. Standard practice in the area for visitors, after getting permission from the local government to explore, was to be accompanied by one or several armed security police officers in case of a wild animal or guerilla fighter attack. Straight from an action/adventure film, eh? We headed out onto the open expanse and into the rainforest surrounding Mizan of Jaffa region. Loads and loads of green vegetation fresh with dew made up our backdrop. The fields around were ripe with coffee and tea plants. The Jaffa region is the region where coffee originated and the home to arguably the best coffee on the planet. The coffee plants are a beautiful forest green and they line the fertile red-brown soil with grandeur. The farmers in the fields are many and they pick the fresh beans from the plants in steadfast preciseness. When we reached a row of homes within the village surrounding,we stopped at one of them that seemed busy with life. Outside a mother holding a newborn baby; surrounding her were about 10 kids under the age of 10 and off to the side, the woman's husband, a coffee farmer, held a freshly picked bag of beans and discussed with a couple of other gentlemen in what looked to be a possible business transaction. When I walked onto the scene, the kids started pointing and yelling "Farenge". Following their acknowledgment were fascinated stares as they seemed to be hanging on my every word and move. They giggled as I spoke English to them and asked them get-to-know-you questions. Some understood and answered in English and others looked onward in curiosity. Winnie was engaging the mother in Amharic conversation asking about the area and the current state of education and health support. As I was leaning down conversing with the children, one of the girls, Baraket, grabbed a strand of my hair and started feeling and brushing it with her hands. All at once 5 others joined and before I knew it my hair was being pulled and felt in all different directions to the childrens' utter delight. The hair incident was followed by all of us creating a circle and singing an Amharic song while clapping and dancing together. We then said our goodbyes and prepared to continue on our journey. Baraket followed me close behind to the vehicle and then asked me in Amharic to take me with her. My heart sank, I kissed her on the cheek, and said a prayer that perhaps I would see her one day again. Further into the rainforest we treaded until we reached an opening where we came upon a waterfall. We climbed out of the car and spent the next half hour staring at the rushing waters and taking photos. What an amazing place Mizan is, what rich land the people live upon. I wanted to see more of this beautiful place and find out more about the peoples' lifestyle so we headed back into the main town area to grab some lunch to recharge our energy levels for a hike into the village in the hills. The hike began at the foot of the hills where a stream flowed peacefully and we found many swimming and others bathing. As we made our way to the beginning of the ascent a large group of uniformed school children joined us with books in hand. I began speaking with several of them and asked one young girl to show me her schoolbook. As I perused through the table of contents, I found topics like, "Ways to prevent HIV", "Prominent African Women", and "Roles of Men and Women." I flipped to the the 'Roles' chapter and found a short cartoon. In the first block, the question is asked, "Can girls play football (soccer)?" The answer is "Yes". The picture showed a girl kicking a soccerball. The next cartoon read, "Should boys help in the kitchen?" The answer is "Yes". The picture was of a boy stirring the pot over a stove. Amusing. I closed the book and trudged upward into the hills the kids surrounding. As we made our way to the top we greeted many outside their mudhuts along the way. The view from the top was another amazing one. We sat on a tree stump and I thought about the people who surrounded me and their simple way of natural life. Perhaps I can take a lesson from their book.

Cheetahs, and ostrich, and zebra, Oh my!

When most think of the continent of Africa, surely images of wild animals roaming the countryside come to mind. The safari is a treasured adventure drawing tourists from around the world to the continent. Having been on two of them in my travels to Africa - one outside of Johannesburg, South Africa, and another on the border of Uganda and DR Congo - I am well aware of the appeal. I had been spending most of my week in Djibouti poolside or inside partly because the country of less than 1 million did not offer much for exploration, and mostly because temperatures were well into the 100s. When the receptionist at my hotel informed me there was a small safari/park an hour outside of the city, I was more than ready to venture out into the wild albeit the scorching temps. The road out to the park from Djibouti city was less traveled and full of wide open spaces. I almost expected a tumbleweed to whisp across the road while old country western music faintly played in the background of this ghost country. The only scenery along the way was sadly trash piled in the street and the occasional herd of cows. When we got to the game park we were greeted by an upbeat French gentlemen who gave us a quick orientation and sent us on our way. The first stop was the cheetahs. The cheetahs, for good reason, were hanging out behind a fence. Two of them were large and majestic and paced back and forth around a small shed which I assumed was home to their feeding trough. I snapped some photos but spent only a few minutes, as I was ready to see the animals who were fence-free. About the time we were leaving the cheetahs, a small baby antelope roaming free began to approach. I bent down and in my best baby talk/antelope wooing voice asked the adorable little fury to come to me and let me pet it. Sure enough, I was able to pet it's soft fur and was delighted by it's willingness to interact. As we went on our way, our new furry friend followed close behind. Next on the scene were the East African black mud turtles. It was feeding time for the group and the park attendant had placed 3 large piles of greens and veggies on trays on the dirt for all to share. Watching the turtles eat was like a live version of a teenage mutant ninja turtles huddle up. They were all gathered around the tray in circles peacefully enjoying their meal. As the food began to disappear, tensions rose, and the turtles started pushing one another out of the circle with their large shells in an effort to have exclusive access to the grub. A few of the shelled creatures decided to leave their tray in search for more food on one of the other trays and it was quite entertaining to watch them try to force their way into the circle of feeders. Some were successful with their slow and steady approach and were able to have a hearty lunch. On down the dirt road we came upon an East African ostrich often called the Masai ostrich. It stood about 6 feet 3 inches tall with a long neck, pink beak, and a plethora of beautiful fluffy feathers making up it's flightless wings and coat. I petted it's wings a couple of times and it cocked it's beak my way. As we walked a little further along, the ostrich followed closely behind me. At first I was pleased by it's apparent affection for me, but then I began to get a bit annoyed and just a tiny bit scared as I do not claim to be an ostrich expert and therefore do not understand it's capabilities good or bad. I know I'm all for an ostrich burger, and was not completely certain that a Katy burger was out of the question for this gargantuan bird. I'm sure he sensed my fear and then pecked at me a couple of times. I shouted for the guide to get the ostrich away from me and he grabbed the bird and pushed it in another direction. The last and certainly not least wild animal we saw grazing in it's natural habitat was the zebra. I love their stripes and the wild nature of these African horses and could not wait to touch and snap photos with it. Luckily the zebra we came upon was thoroughly engaged in it's lunch of hay that was hanging from a tree. Otherwise, I'm not so sure I could have touched it or taken photos with it. While petting his striped body, he did express discontent and lifted his rear leg in a kicking motion. I knew my time was up. All in all, the Djibouti safari/park experience was a good starter as the first of I hope several safaris on my trip.

Freedom Fighters

It was September 11, 2010 - A day in America for somber remembrance of lives that were lost as a result of terrorism against humanity. I started the day in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia when my friend Andualem Arage picked me up in a cab to take me to the notorious Kaliti prison where he spent 18 months 5 years ago. It was New Years Day, 2003 in Ethiopia according to the Ethiopian calendar and Andualem wanted to support his party leader Birtukan Mideksa who is currently serving a life sentence in Kaliti. Andualem is the Secretary General of the UDJ (Unity for Democracy and Justice)and Birtukan Mideksa is the party leader and consequently the first African woman in history to lead a major opposition party in Africa. We arrived at Kiliti and stepped out of the cab at the gas station across the street from the entrance of the prison. I wanted to snap some photos and Andualem suggested we snap them from afar so that suspicions were kept at bay. This is the world Andualem and his party leaders live in. One where they are constantly looking over their shoulder in fear they are being followed or watched and constantly under government harassment. Most of the people of Ethiopia feel they have no true freedom under the oppressive rule of Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, and the few who have the courage to fight for real democracy pay the price with their lives. A few minutes after our arrival Birtukan's mother, Almaz Gebregziabher and her 5 year old daughter Halley arrived by cab dressed up in the finest traditional Ethiopian dress to commemorate the New Year. Halley had a small drum with her so that she could play her mother a song. I greeted both of them with the customary three kisses on the cheek, introduced myself, and handed Almaz a small bottle of perfume to pass along to Birtukan, as only her immediate family is aloud to visit her despite the rights of the prisoner according to the Ethiopian constitution -- business as usual. We all walked over to a row of benches right outside the prison gate where several soldiers stood watch. We were joined by a small group of people waiting to visit their loved ones and awaiting their turn to be called by the guard to enter. As I sat in support, Andualem told me his stories of when he was imprisoned at Kaliti -- the horrible conditions, and his experience that drove him further into his desire to fight peacefully in hopes he would see the day of democracy in his beloved country. Immediately following the 2005 elections, Birtukan, Andualem, and 21 other members of their party were thrown into prison accused of trying to overthrow government order and were all sentenced to life in prison. The party believed along with most Ethiopians that the election results had been rigged. After 18 months of negotiations and pressure from the international community, the prisoners were released. Birtukan was delivering a speech in 2007 in Sweden about the unconstitutional way in which their release was handled. As a prominent and experienced judge, she knows the law well, and is well qualified to deliver such an opinion. Unfortunately, the hammer of injustice slammed down hard on her again and as a result of her comments, her life sentence was reinstated and she was thrown back into prison. Her party is committed to fighting for democracy on behalf of Ethiopia through peaceful struggle. In the words of Andualem Arage, "So long as we are not free, we have to fight. We have to have the courage not to kill, not to hate our brothers, but to fight for our rights. We need to organize the people and be committed to the point of death. They cannot kill everyone. When the people have the courage to fight for their freedom and are committed even to the point of death, that is when the democratic system here can start."

Rainbow to Ethiopia

This video was shot two years ago during my visit to Ethiopia. Today in the village of Derma Musa there is a new school, 2 new soccer fields, a well, a garden, a guesthouse for volunteers, and an auditorium being built. There is still much more work to be done but I love seeing a vision come to fruition!

A day in the slums

I have been somewhat involved with the work of RHCF, my friend Winni's NGO for the past 3 years. RHCF includes food, education, and health aid to roughly 150 impoverished children who live in the slums of Addis Ababa. I met some of these children two years ago in a classroom setting. This time, I was able to go to their homes to see there living conditions in hopes that I could bring some encouragement (and gifts) on their New Year's eve. Betty and I met with the administrator of the organization, Fasika, at the entrance to the village/slum to begin our visiting journey. The homes are made of sheet metal and each are about 100 square feet in size, lined up one next to one another. There is a rock pathway that takes you downhill through the village that offers the only outdoor space to the inhabitants. Our first stop was at the base of the village. As we climbed down the path, we were greeted by people sitting in their doorways or standing outside curiously watching our decent. In my travels to AFRICA I have always had the chance to see real poverty, but it never ceases to shock me. We walked into darkness in the first shack. Inside, the flame that heated a burner warming a pot of tea above, was the only source of light and warmth. An elderly man greeted us with a large toothless smile and motioned for us to sit on the makeshift couch (old ratty cushions on the ground and against the wall). We then introduced ourselves to each member of the family. Buton, who is the only current child sponsored by RHCF, 4 years old, her sister, Beza, 8 years old, their cousin Aster, 17 who is currently playing the mother role and their grandfather. Beza and Butons parents are passed away from AIDS and the grief was apparent by little Buton's somber face. I tried some smiles, tricks, tickles, and a Snickers bar to get a smile from her to no avail. As we spoke together partly in Amharic (Betty translating my English) we talked about their interests and hopes. I learned Beza did not currently have a sponsor so I decided that I would take that small monetary responsibility in hopes that it would make a lasting positive difference in her future. After 30 minutes or so, we exchanged hugs and kisses, took photos, and left to our next home. The next home was Salams'. She is 10 years old, has aspirations to be a doctor someday, and lives with her grandmother and sick uncle as her parents have passed away from AIDS. This was another heartwrenching visit as I learned her uncle has been sick and bedridden for 18 months with week lungs. He has had limited access to good food and nutrition and medicine, and the little he has received has been as a result of the village members pitching in small amounts. In America, with his condition, he might likely be back to health after a few weeks of rest and antibiotics. Here in Ethiopia his condition meant months of suffering, bed rest, and monetary loss for his family as he is normally the primary breadwinner. We visited three more families all that had been touched by AIDS through their current condition or through the loss of a close relative. The day in the slums gravely reminded me of the vast need of this place and made me so thankful once again that I somehow won the genetic lottery by being born in America. I never want to forget these people and their plight as they serve as a reminder to stay committed to giving back in any small way as I have been blessed with so much.

A day in Ethiopia

I woke up in GetNet Guesthouse to the sound of roosters crowing and the bright sun shining through a small window onto my bed. One day before I arrived via Ethiopian Airlines from Cairo to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the capital of the country. I woke up refreshed from a long night of sleep and stoked to be back in a familiar and cherished country of mine. I rolled out of bed, threw on my kicks and running gear, and headed out into the village for a morning jog. I have been slacking in my runs and I figured there is no better place to prepare my lungs for a Kiliminjaro climb than the altitudes of Ethiopia that have produced many world class distance runners to boot. As I jogged along the red mud roads, I was greeted with bright smiles and "Hahlos". About halfway through the run, some kids caught my attention and I stopped for a break. We each introduced ourselves and exchanged handshakes and high fives. The kids giggled with delight as I spoke some broken Amharic (the official language of Ethiopia) and they tested out their broken English on me. One boy had a contraption that made the sound of a firecracker when he snapped it against a brick wall nearby, and he was tickled pink to watch me laugh as he popped it again for a reaction. Shortly after our exchange some young men walked up and inquired about my visit to their country. To their appreciation, I told them that I had been to their county two years prior and was glad to be back to visit a place that I loved. They assured me that if I needed any help at all, I could find them around the village and they would be more than happy to assist me as they love America. We all said our goodbyes and I was back on my run. When I got back to the hotel my appetite was worked up and I was more than ready to indulge in some traditional Ethiopian food so I grabbed my bag and headed for the main road five blocks away. I walked into a small restaurant with four tables inside, two outside, a few women working behind the counter, and an Obama calendar on the wall. As I was eating my meal in peace, a couple of young boys walked in the cafe and sat down at the table next to me. One of them eagerly asked, "Where are you from? Do you speak English?". I replied, "I am from America". A huge grin landed across his face and he enthusiastically replied, "I love American and Snoop Dog! Please, come visit my shop down the road. I have many traditional dresses and perhaps I can give you a gift!" His instant generosity warmed my heart and reminded me of the Africa I know. We spoke a few more minutes and I realized I needed to get back to my hotel as I was expecting someone to pick me up. That someone was Jambo, the nephew of my dear Ethiopian friend from Los Angeles, Winni. Jambo was planning to pick me up to be my host during my stay. I was pleased to meet a smiling face and a family member of the Shiferaws, many of whom I have met in previous years and have had the chance of knowing and loving. Jambo was with the family chaffeur Mashrusha who I knew from my previous visit and we exchanged a warm hug and were then on our way to Gourmet Cafe, the Shiferaw's restaurant in Addis. When we arrived at the cafe, I was greeted by none other than Fikru, Winni's brother who I also knew from LA. I sat down at the round table outside, ordered a Macchiato (for which the Italians and Ethiopians are famous), and began to catch up with Fikru. The cafe is a post for all types of people -- Africans and Westerners, businessesmen and women and humanitarians. Travlers and natives. The decor is charming and the food is top notch. As I looked around the cafe, I was energized by the diverse exchanges taking place all around me. I sighed with satisfaction. Fikru and I discussed my desire to see the National Museum and the University of Addis museum and he agreed to accompany me. So Mushrasha, Jambo, Fikru, and I went on our way to take in some Ethiopian history. The national museum is small and a bit run down but it was a great welcome to the country. The exhibits included the history of culture, politics, and science. What I found most interesting was the display of fossils. The Homo Sapien Idaltu was discovered in 1997 and is 160,000 year old. The discovery of the fossil skull, according to scientists, made huge breakthroughs in the understanding of the history of mankind. The brain of this specimen was more advanced than previous specimens and close to the development of the modern homo sapien. This along with another display took the visitor along the timeline of the archeological findings of significant ancient human fossils most of which were discovered in Ethiopia and dating back up to 10 million years. Food for thought. I made my way through the museum's displays, purchased a book on Ethiopian philosophy, and we headed on our way to the University of Addis Museum. This museum is in the heart of the campus and is the former home of King Haile Selassie, the last reigning monarch of Ethiopia. This museum focuses largely on cultural customs, religions and art. There are 83 tribes and languages so with that comes quite a diversity in customs and religious practices. At the end of the brain dump, we ended up in the former King and Queen's bedroom which were consequently separate. The Queen's room was approximately 500 square feet with pink, white and gold walls, and white carpet with pink flowers. On display were several of her ornate costumes and dresses. The King's bedroom was much smaller at about 250 square feet. On display was his bed, with a lion wearing a crown on the headboard, his photo on the wall, and the famous painting of Jesus praying at the garden of Gethsemene. After a long afternoon of information gathering we were all ready for a meal and headed back to Gourmet Corner Cafe for some dinner. This time walking into the restaurant, I was greeted by Bzork, Winni's sister and we exhanged 3 kisses on the cheek as is custom. We talked for some time and then Betty walked in. Betty is a young woman who previously worked with RHCF, the organization I came with before. Betty used to teach the kids every Saturday and was still involved in a small way. I was happy to hear that she would be able to accompany to see the kids of RHCF during my stay. Betty like alot of Ethiopians has beautiful bone structure and facial features, clear skin, and looks at least 10 years younger than her age. It was good to hear about Betty's life and to see yet another familiar face. The day had whipped by and evening fell upon us. We were all ready to sleep so we went on the way to the place I stayed prior in the Shiferaw family home in Debra Zeit, a town about 45 minutes north of Addis. The home is beautiful and peaceful. When you enter the gates that open up in front of the dirt road, you are greeted with a beautiful flower garden and several welcoming barking dogs. The living room and dining room is decorated with fine art, china, and gorgeous furniture, a true blessing to be staying here on my visit. That night and all nights the maids serve us Ethiopian tea, injera (the native bread) and shuro (sauce) to cap off the day. After a full stomach and happy heart I made my way to the guest bedroom for a long and restful night of sleep.