Karibu Sauna Tanzania

Now that we have been in Africa for a couple of weeks, granted one of them was spent on a mountain, where the culture doesn't quite equate to that of mainstream Africa, but I feel we have gotten a small taste of what Tanzania is about. The people here are a colorful mix of dress, style, language, religion, and tradition. It is a mix of what I imagine modern day America would be like if our Native Americans walked around town wearing head dresses, moccasins, and buckskin pants all while carrying a bow and arrow and talking on a cell phone as they delivered you a pizza. People here at any given place and time are either dressed in traditional tribal dress, a fine mix of the American 80's era with some awesome neon attire and Chicago Bulls shirts, or traditional business wear of slacks and a nice shirt. The cities are busy and loud and it's almost a strain on the eyes to try and capture what is going on around you at any given time. Colorful markets fill most empty spaces with fruit and vegetables of just about any sort, and avocados the size of a grapefruit (I'm not kidding)! Religious prayers can be heard at all times of the day (and unfortunately night) being blazed out of loudspeakers in cars, temples, or from personal messengers on foot. Earplugs have become a staple in my travel bag and having them here has been a luxury. The cities are very smoggy as there is little emphasis on emission control and fires burn freely just about anywhere for either cooking or trash disposal. The roadways are busy and it is common to see a broken down bus or vehicle anywhere alongside the road. Dalla dallas are a site to see let alone travel in, as they are a minivan type vehicle that pack so many people in them that several passengers must have half their torso's hanging out the window due to lack of space. The only nuisances thus far have been the typical hagglers and touts that post up around common tourist areas and try to sell you some sort of useless goods, convince you to book with certain companies, offer to show you around, sell you drugs, etc, and every place has there share of them in some way or form. Other than that, people here have been most helpful and kind. Children are most fascinated with travelers and full of curiosity as they stare, wave, high five, chase you, and play games with you. They are either in school uniforms of different sorts, tending to livestock, or playing around the neighborhood. I am told that only about 50% of children here can afford to go to school. There is a lot of Indian influence in many of the places we've been and it's been a nice treat to the pallet to supplement the African cuisine. Tanzanians and I'm assuming Africans in general are huge fans of our president. Obama signs can be seen all over town along with Obama graffiti on walls, Obama shirts, Obama comments to us Americans, and even Obama underwear is often sold in the streets. It is a common site to see the Maasai people herding their livestock with spears in hand outside of town, which I am told are the equivalent of money to their people, and a man with a lot of cows will be more likely to marry because he can offer the father of his bride some of his cows / wealth. I am often impressed by the things that people here, primarily women, are able to carry on their heads. Abstract loads of all shapes,sizes, and weights rest comfortably atop their heads as they go about their day to day business as if it were a hair-do.