Carrying Things

One of the things I notice most about being in Africa is how people carry stuff.  Mostly on their heads, but also piled high on vehicles of all sorts.  While on vacation in Togo, I was reading one of the books for my book group, Ancestor Stones by Aminatta Fornaand (takes place in Sierra Leone). In it, she described a funny scene of a white woman's futile attempts to push a pram along an unpaved path.  The locals stared and laughted up their sleeves and then finally someone came to her aid and lifted it up and carried it on his head.

I liked this picture, below, of the woman with the huge bag of plastic curlers on her head.

And the babies are always on their backs.

The pig was actually alive! I can't imagine how they got it on the motorcycle and how far they going with it!

Charcoal used for cooking and heating water.

And the last one is the best, carrying crates of eggs--see the link to the facebook--I posted it last year and can not find where the photo is in my computer.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1426294541185&set=a.1129840610022.2020175.1347427974&pid=31139815&id=1347427974

Signs along the international route in Togo

Signs were painted on sides of buildings and large billboards were posted as we entered each town. Here are a few of my favorites.

The sign (below) is advertising marketing and financial consulting services in retro style.

The only time I have seen such a sign in Africa--it seems that all of outdoors is a public urinal--the sign seems to be effective, I passed the wall several times and only once was someone pissing on it.

The next three billboards on AIDS prevention were put up by the Global Fund and were everywhere.

Rotary International sponsors many projects, this place in Dapaong to train women has sponsors in Minnesota and Wisconsin.