Flickr Randomness

So today I got a comment from another Flickr user on one of my photos posted online.



It was taken on my Sikkim backpacking adventure in India, about 30 miles in the Himalayas. Someone from the French speaking area of Switzerland sent me this photo from 1890 apparently...



Wow...

Amsterdam, the city of bikes!

So other than legalized prostitution and marijuana use (and clogs and windmills), Amsterdam is also known for its bikes. Ah yes, guess what I ended up taking a LOT of photos of?

I think part of the attraction to taking photos of bikes is that in some ways, they seem to be more alive than not. Kind of like they're an extension of urban life in their natural habitat. They're everywhere in Amsterdam, and I couldn't help but be fascinated by where they were left.

Farewell to Nigeria

Actually, I've been back in the states just under month though... Enjoy the last few photos of Nigeria. On my way back home, I stopped off in Amsterdam for a week. Photos coming soon!

This was actually taken on the grounds of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU). The boundaries of the university literally are "as far as the eye can see."


Think it's about to rain?


Sunset in the compound.


Ah, nostalgia. I miss Nigeria, but then again I like my clean, running tap water, 24 hours of electricity, and football on tv, hah!

Nigerian Hip-hop and Kicking It Old Skool

So one of the best things about traveling to other countries is enjoying the culture, a fun part of which is listening to the latest tunes. Nigeria without a doubt has some of the best hip-hop sounds in Africa. You can hear the influence of Bollywood, American rap/hip-hop all blended together with Nigerian flavor added in. It wouldn't surprise me to hear some of these artists get airplay in the states in the not too distant future.

Unfortunately, I never had a chance to see any of these acts in person. But there were plenty of stalls everywhere selling CDs. Some were of the bootleg "mix" variety
that had the latest Nigerian/American tunes crammed onto a single disc...


2Face is probably my favorite Nigerian artist. He gets constant airplay at the bars/clubs with good reason, he's fantastic. Another member of a group that 2Face previously belonged to, Faze, is also great.



Then there are some second tier artists. I think I bought these CDs 'cause the photos on front were hysterically funny. I'm not too sure what image these guys are trying to cultivate, but N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys come to mind. Luckily for them, their music sounds slightly better.

CD "shops" tended to be no more than a wooden shack jammed floor to ceiling with CDs. Usually they have huge boom boxes blaring out in front to attract costumers. Put a dozen or so of these shacks in a row and you get a weird mix of Nigerian hip-hop blasting.

In one of these shacks, I asked the seller for some old school Nigerian music, something his parents would listen to. He went digging through his boxes and found some golden oldies, and they turned out to be uber-fantastic. He played some of them on his boombox and actually started to close his eyes, singing along and grooving to the tunes. A crowd heard the "unusual" tunes blaring from the shack and actually gathered to watch the spectacle. It's not every day someone, let alone a foreigner, comes along and asks for the oldies, hah! At any rate, here are some more clips, enjoy Okonkwo, Perricomo, and Sonny Bobo (and is it me, or does Okonkwo- the first guy, look like the Nigerian version of Nat King Cole?). Enjoy!

Scenes from Kano

Some scenes from Kano, Nigeria.

Caps for sale in Kermi market. Kermi market was this huge sprawling market in the old part of Kano city that had a little bit of everything ranging from pots to leather goods to Islamic bookstores. It was so large, I had to hire a "guide" to lead me around.

Outside the national museum

Outside the Emir of Kano's palace.

Good friends.

Scenes from Shika Dam village

I spent a couple of nights in Shika Dam village. It's actually one of the study sites, but to be honest, everyone was so curious about me that I was the one being studied. As always, people were warm and friendly and incredibly kind. It seems to always be the case that the people with the least are the most generous...

As always, kids love to pose for the camera, and I'm more than happy to oblige. They were checking for their reflections in the lenses.

When one starts posing, so do the others...





And as one would expect, you have to figure out ways to entertain yourself in the villages.
Canoe ride around the water




Listening to tunes on the radio seems to cut across cultural barriers at a young age.



Before I left for Nigeria, I happened to stumble across a book of folk tales from northern Nigeria. I figured in the story time for the village kids would be fantastic. Unfortunately, I don't speak Hausa, and the guy I roped into interpreting for me didn't know the translation for hippo. Oh well. They liked the pictures in the book though, it's not every day that you get to see photos and stories of your culture in the rural villages.

The old tire rolling game is always fun.


And yes, that's box of cornflakes cut to be a hat. Simple joys.

Market Days 3

The people watching at the market is always fantastic!
Market boy

Man sleeping

These boys are from right outside the gates.

Perfumes, potions, and other exotic vials for sale.

Yep, they're what you think they are. Could be the reason why Nigeria is the most populous country in Nigeria.

And in the Christian parts, more Jesus signs.

Inside the Ancient City of Zaria

The Emir's Palace lies inside the ancient city of Zaria. Thousands of Nigerians still live and work within the walls.

Entrances are beautifully decorated.




Although they definitely don't call it the ancient city because everything is new and modern. It only recently had gotten a paved road.




Girls doing henna.


The obligatory bike shot. I can't help but find these bikes and the settings in which they are parked fascinating.


Lori (my colleague out here in Nigeria) and I actually visited these cloth sellers back in May. I recently went back and they remembered my name and asked how Lori was doing. Since then, several other batures ("white" people or foreigners) have passed them in the marketplace and they all asked them how we were doing. Definitely a village atmosphere in the old city, everyone knows everyone. The cloth sellers were definitely a fascinating bunch to talk with. Well educated and well informed on world affairs. And yes, they care much for Bush either, hah!