Liberian Food, Drinks, and Extras

I will take some time in this blog to show you some of the foods and drinks we have discovered and have been enjoying.

 This is the beer of choice.  And by that I mean basically the only available cheap beer.  It’s called Club beer.  It’s brewed and bottled in Monrovia.  The good news is that it’s a big bottle (about 24 oz) and it tastes better than Keystone Light.  One will run you about 125LD (1USD = 71LD). 

 We usually start off each morning with some fresh fruit.  Currently, oranges and papaya (purnounced Po-Po) are in season.  The first time I was given an orange I started to peel it.  Quickly I began to get strange stares.  What they do here is shave off most of the outer skin and the bite the top off and suck out the juice.  Personally, I think peeling the orange and eating it normally is more enjoyable, but to each their own.  We have heard mixed responses, but some people have said pineapple will be the next fruit in season.  If this is the case, then I will be one happy red head.  The only thing I can imagine being better would be if pepperoni pizza was in season.

 American creativity.  One day for lunch we showed our cook what a hotdog was all about.  4 chicken sausages, 1 piece of bread, and ketchup (courtesy of the good folks in India).  It was as tasty as it looks.

 As I told you, we have fish and rice in almost every meal for dinner.  I don’t know what kind of fish it is; I haven’t asked the question because I don’t want to know the answer.  It really has started to grow on me.  I am pretty sure it’s Alaskan King Salmon.

 The finished product of the fish.

 We found soft serve the other day.  Probably the best find of my trip.  For 50LD, I will be a daily customer.

One of the other non-profits in Kakata is the Ministry of Agriculture.  Basically teaching people how to grow and sell their own crops.  We stopped by and they were nice enough to host us and give us a tour.

 I was told that these are a great source of protein.  I said in the US, they are a great source for pets.

 In case you are looking to inquire a Liberian drivers license.

 This is a view of what will be the front side of the school.  It’s taken from the top of a local water tower, or what used to be, the war ruined it.  As you can see, the foundation has been dug and completed.  I will continue to take pictures from this angle as the school continues, so you are able to see the progress.

 These are a couple of Harrison’s kids that live on site.  I am teaching them the “hang loose” hand sign.  For whatever reason, everyone in Kakata thinks that all Americans do is walk around throwing the thumbs up sign to each other, I am not sure where that originated.  I can’t take credit for the white faces either.  I didn’t say “try and make yourself look like me,” because obviously I would’ve started with red hair.

 Furry little friend that decided to hang out in our shower one morning.  Don’t worry all you PETA people out there, we have successfully freed 2 bats and one lizard at this point.

 You could make it rain real hard with Liberian money.

This picture is borrowed, but it will give you an idea of the chaos.

I made my second trip to Red Light today.  I think it is absolutely necessary to describe the experience because it is truly one of a kind. 

First you get into a cab in Kakata.  This is no ordinary cab, think something close to 1995 Jetta or 1990 Acura Legend, but then it’s also painted yellow with a copious amount of dents.  Now monetarily speaking it’s very cheap to get there (125LB or about $1.73).  So you don’t go standard five deep, oh no, it’s four in the back and 3 up front.   But there isn’t normally a bucket seat, so you are getting to know your neighbor REAL well.  Then imagine no AC, a pot-hole filled road, and an hour long ride. 

Red Light itself is quite a treat in and of itself.  The best way I can describe it is one long road that is market central.  Anyone and anyone looking to buy, sell, or trade anything comes there.  You get everything from shoes, underwear, chicken feet, really anything goes. 

Once we got what we needed for our school, we took a “van” back.  Now this is probably normally a 10-12 seater, so naturally we got about 20-25 in there.  Then you factor in the goods purchased strapped down to the top, we are a modern day Brady Bunch on steroids.   Oh and periodically along the drive there will be “police checkpoints” where they throw down a cone in front of you.  The driver subtly hands the cop a little “incentive” to get him to move the cone, and then you are off again.  I will admit though, the scenery on the drive is beautiful.