i'm back in Conakry after 3 day tour à l'interieur du pays. it is absolutely gorgeous! the road winding up and around forested hills, palms, and little towns. they have absolutely the best avocados i've ever eaten (each one is perfect!) and tomatoes that make the ones in Mali look like they grew in the desert -- which it really is compared to this. Kaba and I loved it here and are planning to move the whole "bureau" to Guinea ;-)

"les colons" really liked guinea too and apparently came from all over west africa to spend their vacation in Guinea. One night we spent in a fabulous hotel built in 1930's with all the rooms and huge dining room overlooking the valley. and it cost only 10 dollars a night!



We got back last night. This afternoon I got a boat to take me to one of the islands off-shore with some guinean friends. c'est le paradis là bas. you'd think your in the bahamas. beaches, colorful wooden boats, palms, litte beach shacks... we went swimming and explored the island.



at a friend's house this morning, where we had avocado salad, i met a young guy who is in the diamond trade. he used to work in angola, liberia and sierra leone digging for them... crazy stories.

i'm planning to take the taxi-brousse to sierra leone tomorrow morning.

will try to put up photos on the blog when i get there.