That's a lot of Pita!
Day 11
Thursday 28th
All Day: Nouakchott, Mauritania
Today mostly explored the capital, taking pictures and getting lost. I even befriended the owner of a small bread factory; conveyor belts and all, and he gave me a private tour. It was all purely automated, and they made what looked like pita bread, but thinner. When it came out of the oven it was puffed up and the employees had to whack them to get the hot air out and make it flat. He gave me a few for free and as I sat down and ate them I timed the process. They make over 2,000 pita breads an hour. Not bad for a small one-room factory.
I also saw the grand mosque, which after I returned to the office found out I couldn't take a picture of it. Nonetheless, I took one standing on the edge of the corner, without knowing I wasn't suppose to. I went inside, very respectively, into the compound (but not in the actual mosque itself). Men were praying, or lying down, or just relaxing inside. Inside was a hundred times more beautiful then the outside. Grand carpets and intricate patterns interwoven was what they laid on. Tapestries rolled down the walls, while the carvings in the building inside where as detailed as a Parisian Cathedral. Standing at the doorway I was asked to leave.
Another female volunteer said I could stay with her so I treated her to dinner as well before going back to her place. What was interesting was that in order to get into her house you need four separate keys. (The only downside according to her). Four doors, four locks, four different skeleton keys.
Key to the gate of the compound
Key to the building
Key on top of the stairs to her balcony
Key from her balcony to get inside
Unlike the first Mauritanian volunteer we stayed at a week before, she has never been broken into. I can see why.
Thursday 28th
All Day: Nouakchott, Mauritania
Today mostly explored the capital, taking pictures and getting lost. I even befriended the owner of a small bread factory; conveyor belts and all, and he gave me a private tour. It was all purely automated, and they made what looked like pita bread, but thinner. When it came out of the oven it was puffed up and the employees had to whack them to get the hot air out and make it flat. He gave me a few for free and as I sat down and ate them I timed the process. They make over 2,000 pita breads an hour. Not bad for a small one-room factory.
I also saw the grand mosque, which after I returned to the office found out I couldn't take a picture of it. Nonetheless, I took one standing on the edge of the corner, without knowing I wasn't suppose to. I went inside, very respectively, into the compound (but not in the actual mosque itself). Men were praying, or lying down, or just relaxing inside. Inside was a hundred times more beautiful then the outside. Grand carpets and intricate patterns interwoven was what they laid on. Tapestries rolled down the walls, while the carvings in the building inside where as detailed as a Parisian Cathedral. Standing at the doorway I was asked to leave.
Another female volunteer said I could stay with her so I treated her to dinner as well before going back to her place. What was interesting was that in order to get into her house you need four separate keys. (The only downside according to her). Four doors, four locks, four different skeleton keys.
Key to the gate of the compound
Key to the building
Key on top of the stairs to her balcony
Key from her balcony to get inside
Unlike the first Mauritanian volunteer we stayed at a week before, she has never been broken into. I can see why.
posted by Mike | 11:01 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home