Visiting Antananarivo
Trip Start
Jan 16, 2007
1
9
31
Trip End
Feb 12, 2007
Antananarivo,
Madagascar
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Maminiaina and Patrick
. The animals most people come to see however are the lemurs, considered to be primates, and made famous by numerous documentaries. There are several varieties ranging in size from that of a mouse to that of a large cat. Some are nocturnal, and a nocturnal viewing house had been built. Once ones' eyes adjust to the near-dark, it is possible to see lemurs of various sizes and varieties moving through trees in the gloom. Outside were many diurnal types. The most interesting place to view them was on a several islands in the middle of a pond where they lemurs were divided up by kind. They don't swim, so they stay on their islands, where they can be viewed in a semblance of liberty. The ring-tailed lemurs were the most recognizable. It was quite interesting to seem them gambol about, running up narrow branches and making great flying leaps from one tree to another.
We commented to each other about the incredible diversity in the great creation we see around the world. To think that it all would develop by chance, and some inexplicable natural-selection decent with modification, takes more faith to believe, than to accept the existence of a Creator!
From the park we drove to the Prime Minister's palace, the silhouette of which I could see from my hotel window
Ring-tailed lemur in Tana
. Sadly the Queen's palace a short ways away, was burnt my arson a few years back, and many of the museum exhibits it contained were lost, but the surviving items were moved to the Prime Minister's palace which now acts as a sort of museum. A guide gave us an overview of Malagasy history as we viewed royal artifacts and paintings. The Malagasy royal history is like royal histories often are, full of intrigue, assassination, execution by beheading (one head royal silversmith who was late with a large vase lost his head over the delay), adultery and heirs of dubious descent and so on. So it was quite an interesting visit. We had lunch together at a nearby restaurant. We all ordered a local specialty, chicken cooked in coconut milk served with rice and a kind of fruit chutney. It was as delicious, as the conversation was interesting and usefel. For desert I was encouraged to try a cake made of pistachio nut topped with a chocolate and vanilla sauce, all local specialties. It too was very good.
In the afternoon we drove around the city a bit more and made a visit to a local center of artisans where I was able to pick up some local handicrafts to take home to my wife and daughters.
Throughout all this site-seeing we were discussing elements of our fundamental beliefs and comparing our practices and administration with their group with is, I learned, called the Messengers of Jesus-Christ. We have begun a discussion which will continue for the next months and possibly more.
Toward the end of the afternoon, I was dropped back at the hotel so that I could get some final work done before my marathon travel day which would be Thursday. I was going to have to wake up at 02:30 to catch my first flight, so I hoped to turn in early.
We said our goodbyes and again confirmed arrangements to be able to follow-up in our discussions, via e-mail or postal mail, and I said it might be possible for me to come in person again next year.
