Boil the kettle...

 ...before adding water to the home filter.  We didn't, and both felt like we were slowly swimming through mud for a couple of days.  Also, the stuff labelled 'vegetable wash' is what you need for washing all your veg and fruit. Really?  Not just un boiled filtered water?  I'm usually pretty careful and peel what I can and scrub the rest.  No real harm done and I am avoiding salads in restaurants too.  

The food.  We can buy basic ingredients, as I would in the UK.  Only, the fruit and veg tastes so much better.  Farms are small production and sun ripened stuff is just yummier.  Mangoes and avocadoes are gigantic and watermelon drips sweetly down each arm with every bite.  Hopefully we will find the local bakery tomorrow.   The local bread is baguettes!  Former French colony.  Just to prove it-I made ratatouille for dinner tonight.

Government controlled flour and bread is something that we have seen before.  It is the essential food that the poorest can eat to sustain themselves.  The prices and size are set by law.  Adjust the price incorrectly and you can start riots (Sudan).  Farming spills onto the streets here.  Wandering small flocks of sheep and goats, random pop up farms on building sites before the development starts and tethered cows are the norm.  I love this.  

There are 2 stallions in a small stable that we pass on our way to and from school.  We have nick named them Bill and Ben.  Despite their small stature and rather slim hips, they are obviously well looked after.  Their hooves are trimmed neatly and someone is dealing with their do do.  I went to pet one and he went to nip my arm, expecting me to be coming to give him food.  There are now 2 carrots waiting in the fridge for next time we walk past.  We have seen donkeys pulling carts and they too are pretty well turned out-hooves trimmed and better fed than I have seen elsewhere.  I read an article before we came about how well horses are looked after here and the pride young men take in working with them.  There is a local riding school within walking distance.  If I like what I see, I will be riding again!  

We go for another walk tomorrow morning, this time with a group of other newly arrived teachers.  We went on about how lovely it was in our local woods and now get to act as tour guides.  I was aiming for a bit of a park run but only myself and possibly one other might break into a trot.  It really is rather warm.  I am going to work on this.  Parkrun BF is possible.  My PB in this heat will be interesting though.  Oh, and I can't set my Garmin.  It rebelled when we left the UK.

 

Not my photo on the right but saw these laal uns on the walk today.  Luke took the photo on the left!

We finally needed to sort Luke out with some teaching clothes today as his suitcase is still not here.  The amazing receptionist sprung into action, calling the best local tailor in and whipping out bags of men's fabric from under her desk.  She doubles up as a fabric merchant!  In no time Luke was measured and styles discussed.  The trousers will be plain but he will go the full local batik on the shirts.  Can't wait and I will post photos of course!