- Berlin
Capital, I say! July 31 – August 09 2024
This trip has almost happened for several years. Generally it’s around Christmas time…. that’s a tough one.- 31st July 2024
- 1st August 2024
- 2nd August 2024
- 3rd August 2024
- 4th August 2024
- 5th August 2024
- 6th August 2024
- 7th August 2024
- 8th August 2024
- 9th August 2024
- 3 Things
- Balkan
- Berlin
- Bernie's Lessons
- Bright Side Of Life
- Bulgaria
- Cantabria
- Diaries
- Florals
- Galleries
- Iceland
- Lourdes
- Macro
- Morocco
- oddsends
- Portraits
- Projects
- She
- Tanzania
- Thoughts
- Travel
- TravelDay
- Uncategorised
- Wanderer
I kept my packing for the morning. Gor ready in record time to find that I had more than an hour to spare. Such joy!Being given a lift to the airport. Lucky me. I am so blessed. Winning the carousel bet at the airport. Not just that… we got back to the hotel in record time! My […]Meeting a wonderful 91 year old lady. She was so willing to model. Loved it.A walk through the neighbourhood and a history lesson. Olaf is so knowledgeable. Photographing a family.My train karma still holding strong. Offering my seat to a lady and her lovely baby. Her older daughter wanted some attention too. Getting to see […]Unpacking. Finally. Glad I got to stop living out of a suitcase.Off to see the parliament. And old stone facade and a modern marvel within. Loved the dome. Loved the views. Thinking of Adrian Francis and being grateful for all I learned. Realising that I’m finally in a city where history left such a deep […]A beautiful palace and palace grounds.Great photo opportunities, some of them mine. Finding a great travel buddy. Talking with the family. Glad they had a great time. Flowers for an old lady. Watching the German women’s football team win and an old lady keeping score with her pencil and paper. Tech-upgrade. Swipe not press. Glad […]Seeing the dark side of the Berlin. Glad I kept my cool and didn’t engage with the angry, shouty lady. A long walk in the beautiful Charlotten park. Such beautiful flowers, such symmetry. A snide 1 liner from a 91 year old on how the palace existed beause of a man who didn’t want his […]Work. Offloaded from the rest of the days. Time to get some more of Berlin! A possible bonus. Whooo hooo hoo. A very thoughtful gift accompanied with “This had your name on it” Awwwwww.Red as they come. A Picasso jumper and a red dress. What more does one need. Pity the little boys in the train were so awe struck!Doing what is not usually done. Hanging around museum island without really entering a single one. A dinner where the stars were German dishes. So happy to have tasted […]Convincing my team of the way ahead.Travel ban, but we might be able to make it. A rude bastard walk. So glad I made it. Walked for hours though sites I’d already seen, but the extra history and cussing was worth it. Used public transportation all by myself today. Such joy at being independent. Thunderstorm […]Remembering Nana on her birthday right from when the day startedPlan approved. Hope the team is happy. It will be good to see them together. A free trip to the zoo…. we got lucky! So many wonderful, weird animals to watch. Such good company and some interesting conversations that would never have happened otherwise. Getting a non-sports […]Search for lunch took me to a TKMaxx and some cool stuff. Taking it easy instead of trying to cram more sightseeing into the day. A fabulous new experience of a classical concert in an Olympic stadium. The rain added a whole new dimension. Love how music made the sky clear up. Indira Gandhi…. not […] Balkan Adventure
Exploring a third of the Balkans May 31 – June 14 2024
Verdant landscapes and turquoise water. This part of the world surprised me. It screamed resilience. It screamed freedom. It screamed identity. Croatia-Montenegro-Bosnia & Herzgovina-Slovenia. Chequered flags, chequered histories. More culture than one can shake a stick at! The green, unsullied surrounding surprised me … that’s what happens when there aren’t many humans around. May it always remain so. May nature survive and blossom! I wish it remained as unsullied on all fronts. Tourism from our richer northern cousins ensured that prices are way too high. They know the tourists will come, so they didn’t really care…. at least not truly… and hey not all brown people are trying to immigrate. Calm down. If ever you visit remember that the rocky beaches call for water shoes. And don’t skint on that sunscreen. Too many cars, too few spots. And we only visited in June. Most of these places are cash only. Especially Montenegro and B&H. Most places close really early and you won’t find them going the extra mile. One day we were in a room that was 190 sq mts. The next day we are in a Sovietesque hotel which didn’t have soap or even a holder for toilet paper. Something like life. One day you have it all, the next you are left bereft. But that doesn’t change who you are. There still is much to love. Much to gawk at. Much to learn. I know I’ll be going back there…- 31st May 2024
- 1st June 2024
- 2nd June 2024
- 3rd June 2024
- #BrightSide
- #BSoL
- Africa
- age
- Augustine
- Bagamoyo
- balkan
- berlin2024
- birthday
- blessings
- blog
- Blogs
- Bright side of life
- bsol
- Bulgaria
- Cafe
- cantabria
- Car
- cat
- Church
- Comments
- Conversations
- dark side
- David Livingstone
- death be not proud
- debod
- diets
- dog
- dress
- dress-up
- eulogy
- Europe
- explore
- Faith
- fine art
- floral
- Florals
- flower
- Flowers
- food
- freedom
- friends
- Galleli
- garden
- giving up
- goodbye
- grandma
- gratitude
- half-lives
- happy day
- Happy moments
- hopes
- iceland2016
- June
- lessons
- letting go
- life
- Little
- lourdes2024
- love
- Lucille
- Lucille Galleli
- lucillegalleli
- Macro
- Macro Photography
- madrid
- missing her
- mission
- Morning
- mum
- Music
- NewYear
- ordination
- Packages
- park
- passion
- pastprime
- people
- philosophy
- Photo
- Photographer
- Photography
- photos
- photoshoot
- Photoshop
- plans
- Portrait
- portraits
- Positive
- Post Pandemic
- Prayers
- prime
- Projects
- Ramblings
- restaurant
- roadtrip
- roof
- safari
- She
- shoot
- slave trade
- slaves
- Small
- soul
- spain
- Sparrow
- St Augustine
- storm
- studio
- sunset
- surprise
- tanzania
- thoughts
- Travel
- travel diaries
- universe
- Woman
- work
- Writing
- youth
- youthisntsacred
- zanzibar
An almost lackadaisical attempt to get ready and leave. Love days when I don’t need to rush off. My watch better be telling me that I ain’t stressed at all. Flying into Zagreb, we broke through clouds to the greenest green. And in the distance, sun through the clouds made the whole landscape seem so magical. […]Finding my bag with my id and cards… right where I left it. On the chair in the restaurant. Losing my documents wouldn’t have been the best way to start my holiday. So glad I didn’t have to go through that. While waiting for the restaurant to open we had time for a drive through […]Beautiful landscape. That’s an understatement. Plovdik lakes are a sight for sore eyes. there is so much beauty in this part of the world. Pristine landscapes and turquoise water. Even the air tasted different. Loved walking around exploring the lovely scenery. Pity it started raining, but that was magical in a different way.Becoming the photographer […]Stopped by the cops on an alternate route. A long stop. because the roads are used by immigrants.Mountain roads during a thunderstorm. Gorgeous mountain views.Black risotto…. better than the Spanish counterpart.Chatty tour guide at Zadar. Ice for ice cream and cocktails of course.Lovely local dishes. Fisherman’s stew and truffle pizza. The food here is spectacular. A drink, […]- Beautiful landscape. That’s an understatement. Plovdik lakes are a sight for sore eyes. there is so much beauty in this part of the world. Pristine landscapes and turquoise water. Even the air tasted different. Loved walking around exploring the lovely scenery. Pity it started raining, but that was magical in a different way. Becoming the photographer for Fatima and friend in the green dress. So glad they liked the pics, they kept calling me back to take more. Undertanding the Croats, but disliking them a bit. They sure do come across as rude. Dinner. Mine was better and the girl was amazing. She even made the cheesecake! Realising that what I want to do is wander through beautiful places and take pictures, hopefully amazing ones.Beautiful landscape. That’s an understatement. Plovdik lakes are a sight for sore eyes. there is so much beauty in this part of the world. Pristine landscapes and turquoise water. Even the air tasted different. Loved walking around exploring the lovely scenery. Pity it started raining, but that was magical in a different way.Becoming the photographer for Fatima and friend in the green dress. So glad they liked the pics, they kept calling me back to take more. Undertanding the Croats, but disliking them a bit. They sure do come across as rude. Dinner. Mine was better and the girl was amazing. She even made the cheesecake!Realising that what I want to do is wander through beautiful places and take pictures, hopefully amazing ones.
Lourdes
A pilgrimage for the soul May 01 – May 05 2024
We embarked on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, France, a significant Catholic site where the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in 1858. Our journey took nearly 24 hours, traveling by train and bus through Madrid, Barcelona, and Toulouse, which added to the feeling that this was a pilgrimage rather than just a holiday.
Upon arriving, we stayed at a simple hotel close to the Massabielle Grotto, where Mary first appeared. Entering the Domain as the sun came out, we were moved by the sight of so many pilgrims, feeling a deep connection to the generations who had visited before us. We touched the rock in the Grotto and let the spring water drip onto our rosaries. We also lit candles in the Chapels of Light, offering prayers for our personal intentions.
The highlight of our trip was the torchlit Marian Procession, where thousands gathered to pray and sing. Hearing the Latin Creed stirred emotions, reminding us of simpler times with our families.
Before leaving, we purchased a gold ring as a symbol of this pilgrimage, a reminder of the spiritual connection we felt in Lourdes. We left with those memories and carry Lourdes with us still. -Donal Thompson
- 1st May 2024
- 2nd May 2024
- 3rd May 2024
- 4th May 2024
- 5th May 2024
- 3 Things
- Balkan
- Berlin
- Bernie's Lessons
- Bright Side Of Life
- Bulgaria
- Cantabria
- Diaries
- Florals
- Galleries
- Iceland
- Lourdes
- Macro
- Morocco
- oddsends
- Portraits
- Projects
- She
- Tanzania
- Thoughts
- Travel
- TravelDay
- Uncategorised
- Wanderer
Adventure time… A trip to Lourdes, but a slow, lowkey one. And how better to start it than with crosswords! Teaching photo hacks and seeing them work in the now! Wow …. just a little angle can make such a huge difference. Scenes of Barcelona. Gorgeous weather, full tummies and a seller who spoke to […]Rolling French hills, a bit of mist to give them mystery and fresh, pure spring air. The perfect setting for our pilgrimage! Excited steps leading us downhill to the hotel. The thought of going uphill on the last day wasn’t going to dampen the mood. The sanctuary and the joy our approaching steps brought.The sun showing up […]Italian mass at the Basillica. It’s amazing how Faith is not bound by language. A view of the relics of Bernadette and a small prayer.Blessing our trinkets with trickles from the grotto.Candles as love offerings. I’ll never understand how gestures like this can soothe ones soul, but I can guarantee you that they work. Srilankan Lunch. A […]English mass. Finally.Gemmail – enamel gems in the church below ground.A final goodbye. To the people, the place and the peace.Comfortable bus. Compared to the nightmare buses we had before. This was amazing. Fabulous views of the French countryside. Lourdes is spiritual. Lourdes is beautiful!Great joint for dinner and yes… what a lovely dinner it was. […]Tired but undeterred.A coffee that woke us up just enough.Crosswords all the way back.- Cantabria
A lot of firsts! October 21 – October 30 2023
It’s been a trip of firsts. My first visit to the Cantabria region. First riaFirst mine First view of a national park from a cable carFirst eccentric cave First paintings of mankindLove at first sight. Missed a lot of other firsts… which is why I MUST go back. Cantabria… a place where all the different things I love about travelling the world come together.- 30th October 2023
- 21st October 2023
- 3 Things
- Balkan
- Berlin
- Bernie's Lessons
- Bright Side Of Life
- Bulgaria
- Cantabria
- Diaries
- Florals
- Galleries
- Iceland
- Lourdes
- Macro
- Morocco
- oddsends
- Portraits
- Projects
- She
- Tanzania
- Thoughts
- Travel
- TravelDay
- Uncategorised
- Wanderer
Discovering the gorgeous town of Castro Urdiales. We reached just in time to witness a rally for women. The fort, the church, the views, the wild wind. What a beauty. A museum visit and we were ready for our next stop. Off to ride a boat. But it wasn’t a boat that was easy to find. […] - Discovering the gorgeous town of Castro Urdiales. We reached just in time to witness a rally for women. The fort, the church, the views, the wild wind. What a beauty. A museum visit and we were ready for our next stop. Off to ride a boat. But it wasn’t a boat that was easy to find. After 3 tries and ending up at the return port instead of the starting point, we gave up. Enjoyed a fantastic sea food lunch and a walk along a boat like structure that made me go into Titanic “king of the world” poses. Gorgeous beaches and beautiful views of little towns along the road. Noja was lovely too and the restaurant was lovely too. Dinner with Josemi and Amaya. One to remember.Discovering the gorgeous town of Castro Urdiales. We reached just in time to witness a rally for women. The fort, the church, the views, the wild wind. What a beauty. A museum visit and we were ready for our next stop. Off to ride a boat. But it wasn’t a boat that was easy to find. After 3 tries and ending up at the return port instead of the starting point, we gave up. Enjoyed a fantastic sea food lunch and a walk along a boat like structure that made me go into Titanic “king of the world” poses. Gorgeous beaches and beautiful views of little towns along the road. Noja was lovely too and the restaurant was lovely too. Dinner with Josemi and Amaya. One to remember.
- Getting to Cantabria… A quick road trip… that’s all it took, but with stops galore and unexpected turns… it turned out to be an adventure! We said goodbye to the dogs and their keeper before stepping out in trusty Dhano. Few hours in, we got away from freezing sierra weather to bright blue skies and green green grass! A wrong turn near a church had Dhano slipping into Parkour mode to get down some old stone stairs. So glad no permanent damage was done. My first introduction to a Choco… I can’t believe I never thought of something like this myself. A separate area for entertainment. Yes, please! A clear view of the valley that is often hidden beneath a shroud of fog. A house with an amazing music room and disco. Such a pity it is so under-used. Some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. I will just have to make my luck 🙂Getting to Cantabria… A quick road trip… that’s all it took, but with stops galore and unexpected turns… it turned out to be an adventure! We said goodbye to the dogs and their keeper before stepping out in trusty Dhano. Few hours in, we got away from freezing sierra weather to bright blue skies and green green grass! A wrong turn near a church had Dhano slipping into Parkour mode to get down some old stone stairs. So glad no permanent damage was done. My first introduction to a Choco… I can’t believe I never thought of something like this myself. A separate area for entertainment. Yes, please! A clear view of the valley that is often hidden beneath a shroud of fog. A house with an amazing music room and disco. Such a pity it is so under-used. Some people are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. I will just have to make my luck 🙂
- Tanzania
A trip unlike others! August 02 – August 17
There are trips and then there are trips! This was definitely the latter. A chance to visit with Augustinian priests. Get to know their school and other church-run homes and schools.We were to help out in whatever way we could while giving the children a chance to discuss culture, studies and other topics of interest. It was my first visit to Tanzania. My first to the cradle of life. It will impossible to say that I came away unaffected. Despite generations of hardship, they are still here. They are thriving. They are on the brink of being united. Strong, beautiful, ready to take their rightful place. I am so glad to see them thrive and evolve! It was coming home in a way. A call to the cradle of life. Africa, you have my heart!- August 02, 2023
- August 03, 2023
- August 04, 2023
- August 05, 2023
- August 06, 2023
- August 07, 2023
- August 08, 2023
- August 09, 2023
- August 10, 2023
- August 11, 2023
- August 12, 2023
- August 13, 2023
- August 14, 2023
- August 15, 2023
- August 16, 2023
- August 17, 2023
-Finis-
Madrid, España
- 3 Things
- Balkan
- Berlin
- Bernie's Lessons
- Bright Side Of Life
- Bulgaria
- Cantabria
- Diaries
- Florals
- Galleries
- Iceland
- Lourdes
- Macro
- Morocco
- oddsends
- Portraits
- Projects
- She
- Tanzania
- Thoughts
- Travel
- TravelDay
- Uncategorised
- Wanderer
Madrid, España – Dubai, UAE Time for a short adios and a swap of hand luggage. Before we knew it, we were air borne, off to have an adventure. TBH though the prep began months before. Vaccines, Donations, Insurance, Details, Details, Details. From Madrid to Dubai. A hotel for the long overlay courtesy the Emirates. […]The next morning, a rushed breakfast and a long wait at the airport for the last leg of the trip. At least a chance to browse through the million shops.A short journey and they we were… Dar es Salam, Tanzania A bit of a hiccough at immigration … Reminder to self: Friends not volunteers… D’oh! […]I was to teach them, but then I learned that their lab was locked for a few years. Naughty kids had reset admin passwords and now no one was allowed into the lab anymore. My mission as I chose to accept was to get the lab fully functional again before my 2 weeks were up! […]Saturday was time for mass in English. What I wasn’t expecting was to be introduced to the entire assembly. That intro got me a hello from a couple of Indian sisters who were visiting and subsequently an invitation to their house. It was also the day for a glimpse at the sordid past of Tanzania. […]Sunday…. phew… so many people, so few cars… we struggled to figure out the right combination, but finally it was B & I who made it to 8:30 mass at the Church nearby. 8:30 mass started at 9:18 because the 6:30 mass didn’t end on time, but gosh… that music… so uplifting… so beautiful! Here […]A very, very early morning. A long bus ride later, we stopped for breakfast. I learned about what I wouldn’t want to eat ever. Food aside, the views of the Uluguru mountains were gorgeous. A quick stop at the Augustine house and then Safari time! We drove through 3 different seasons just getting there. The […]Mass, Market, Match Phew … what a day! 2 masses, all because I promised the Swahili choir that I would come to hear them. The other mass was with smaller kids in a different boarding school. I was in awe. Both times. The choir was as uplifting as I expected them to be after hearing […]On the last day, I rose to bid goodbye to everyone as they followed their routine. Mass in Swahili. A fond farewell to the 3 lovely nuns. Brother and Mary looked after the animals and the kids lined up for porridge as always.Agatha in the kitchen. The priests who came down to bid us aideu. […]TanzaniaA trip unlike others! August 02 - August 17
There are trips and then there are trips! This was definitely the latter. A chance to visit with Augustinian priests. Get to know their school and other church-run homes and schools.We were to help out in whatever way we could while giving the children a chance to discuss culture, studies and other topics of interest. It was my first visit to Tanzania. My first to the cradle of life. It will impossible to say that I came away unaffected. Despite generations of hardship, they are still here. They are thriving. They are on the brink of being united. Strong, beautiful, ready to take their rightful place. I am so glad to see them thrive and evolve! It was coming home in a way. A call to the cradle of life. Africa, you have my heart!- August 02, 2023
- August 03, 2023
- August 04, 2023
- August 05, 2023
- August 06, 2023
- August 07, 2023
- August 08, 2023
- August 09, 2023
- August 10, 2023
- August 11, 2023
- August 12, 2023
- August 13, 2023
- August 14, 2023
- August 15, 2023
- August 16, 2023
- August 17, 2023
-Finis-
Madrid, España
- 3 Things
- Balkan
- Berlin
- Bernie's Lessons
- Bright Side Of Life
- Bulgaria
- Cantabria
- Diaries
- Florals
- Galleries
- Iceland
- Lourdes
- Macro
- Morocco
- oddsends
- Portraits
- Projects
- She
- Tanzania
- Thoughts
- Travel
- TravelDay
- Uncategorised
- Wanderer
Madrid, España - Dubai, UAE Time for a short adios and a swap of hand luggage. Before we knew it, we were air borne, off to have an adventure. TBH though the prep began months before. Vaccines, Donations, Insurance, Details, Details, Details. From Madrid to Dubai. A hotel for the long overlay courtesy the Emirates. […]The next morning, a rushed breakfast and a long wait at the airport for the last leg of the trip. At least a chance to browse through the million shops.A short journey and they we were… Dar es Salam, Tanzania A bit of a hiccough at immigration … Reminder to self: Friends not volunteers… D’oh! […]I was to teach them, but then I learned that their lab was locked for a few years. Naughty kids had reset admin passwords and now no one was allowed into the lab anymore. My mission as I chose to accept was to get the lab fully functional again before my 2 weeks were up! […]Saturday was time for mass in English. What I wasn't expecting was to be introduced to the entire assembly. That intro got me a hello from a couple of Indian sisters who were visiting and subsequently an invitation to their house. It was also the day for a glimpse at the sordid past of Tanzania. […]Sunday…. phew… so many people, so few cars… we struggled to figure out the right combination, but finally it was B & I who made it to 8:30 mass at the Church nearby. 8:30 mass started at 9:18 because the 6:30 mass didn’t end on time, but gosh… that music… so uplifting… so beautiful! Here […]A very, very early morning. A long bus ride later, we stopped for breakfast. I learned about what I wouldn't want to eat ever. Food aside, the views of the Uluguru mountains were gorgeous. A quick stop at the Augustine house and then Safari time! We drove through 3 different seasons just getting there. The […]Mass, Market, Match Phew ... what a day! 2 masses, all because I promised the Swahili choir that I would come to hear them. The other mass was with smaller kids in a different boarding school. I was in awe. Both times. The choir was as uplifting as I expected them to be after hearing […]On the last day, I rose to bid goodbye to everyone as they followed their routine. Mass in Swahili. A fond farewell to the 3 lovely nuns. Brother and Mary looked after the animals and the kids lined up for porridge as always.Agatha in the kitchen. The priests who came down to bid us aideu. […] - On the last day, I rose to bid goodbye to everyone as they followed their routine. Mass in Swahili. A fond farewell to the 3 lovely nuns. Brother and Mary looked after the animals and the kids lined up for porridge as always. Agatha in the kitchen. The priests who came down to bid us aideu. The tailor and his ever smiling, energetic little boy. In just a couple of weeks I felt I got to know them. Their habits, their personalities, their smiles. I will always be grateful for this time that I got to spend with them. I will always look back on this experience and smile. As we drove to the airport, the now-familiar sights of the city filled me with a bit of melancholy. I know that one day, I will be back.On the last day, I rose to bid goodbye to everyone as they followed their routine. Mass in Swahili. A fond farewell to the 3 lovely nuns. Brother and Mary looked after the animals and the kids lined up for porridge as always.Agatha in the kitchen. The priests who came down to bid us aideu. The tailor and his ever smiling, energetic little boy.In just a couple of weeks I felt I got to know them. Their habits, their personalities, their smiles.I will always be grateful for this time that I got to spend with them. I will always look back on this experience and smile.As we drove to the airport, the now-familiar sights of the city filled me with a bit of melancholy. I know that one day, I will be back.
Mass, Market, Match
Phew … what a day! 2 masses, all because I promised the Swahili choir that I would come to hear them. The other mass was with smaller kids in a different boarding school. I was in awe. Both times. The choir was as uplifting as I expected them to be after hearing them practice. A short drive later and we were at the boarding school for primary kids. Clean, happy kids awaited father as we joined them for mass. The choir director was a young girl who took her job very seriously. I was seated behind the percussionsts who took turns beating on a homemade drum, swiveling it around ever so often just so that everyone got equal opportunity to belt out a rhythm. I so regret not shooting them, but it just didn’t seem appropriate. The little kids sang with gusto that’s difficult to find in other places. And I must say, I was impressed with their perfect responses to “what happened last week”. Father rightly so awarded them with a teeny-weeny tip for getting it right. We also met a little guy who walked in late, sat apart, and left as soon as mass was over. I would have loved to get to know his story, but from the way he was treated, he needed the space. I really hope he gets over his trauma. It broke my heart to watch a 4 year old so wary of affection. After mass we talked with the kids, but they were too tiny to understand what we were talking about, so we switched tactics and went for photos instead. They LOVED it. I remember shooting then joining them and all of a sudden I felt 20 hands in my hair. It was so astonishing. They danced and sang and posed and fawned over us. It was so good to see the well behaved children break out from their shy molds and become the happy, energetic bunch they are! Breakfast was beautiful and too much for four. So glad Father didn’t let the nuns know we were coming. They prepared enough for 1 person. LOL. A final goodbye and we were off to the school. Time for my talk. I had the same questions asked by so many kids, so I decided to have one big session to talk about everything IT. Career options, Skills, et-al. Some slept through it. Some took copious amounts of notes. I’ll count it as a win 🙂 Good deed done, Father suggested i accompany him to a shop nearby. Although I was supposed to go meet Father Tasilo, I thought we’d be back soon and headed out with Father Filbert. At a crossroad Father F decided he’s heading left and taking us to the beach. I’m glad he did. It was a chance to see the other side of Dar es Salam. New mansions, embassies, affluence. TIL that the Maori LOVE the beach. It was great to see them walking the beach in their traditional wear. https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_163654.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_164634.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_165751.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_170108.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_170447.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_170829.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_171123.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_171233.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_172142.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_172516.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_172854.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_172940.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_173127.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_174358.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_174525.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_175145.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_175241.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_175321.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_175412.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_181457.mp4 A walk around the beautiful beach, the cove and a chance to see how differently people used the beach as compared to Europeans. I love such glimpses into culture. There were very few bathing suits. More people walking on the sand than there were in the water. Happy kids screeching with delight. Vendors hawking their goods. People posing for photos. So much life. So much respect for each other’s boundaries. Beach to shop it was… a chance for me to fall in love with a mask.Mass, Market, Match
Phew … what a day! 2 masses, all because I promised the Swahili choir that I would come to hear them. The other mass was with smaller kids in a different boarding school. I was in awe. Both times. The choir was as uplifting as I expected them to be after hearing them practice. A short drive later and we were at the boarding school for primary kids. Clean, happy kids awaited father as we joined them for mass. The choir director was a young girl who took her job very seriously. I was seated behind the percussionsts who took turns beating on a homemade drum, swiveling it around ever so often just so that everyone got equal opportunity to belt out a rhythm. I so regret not shooting them, but it just didn’t seem appropriate. The little kids sang with gusto that’s difficult to find in other places. And I must say, I was impressed with their perfect responses to “what happened last week”. Father rightly so awarded them with a teeny-weeny tip for getting it right. We also met a little guy who walked in late, sat apart, and left as soon as mass was over. I would have loved to get to know his story, but from the way he was treated, he needed the space. I really hope he gets over his trauma. It broke my heart to watch a 4 year old so wary of affection. After mass we talked with the kids, but they were too tiny to understand what we were talking about, so we switched tactics and went for photos instead. They LOVED it. I remember shooting then joining them and all of a sudden I felt 20 hands in my hair. It was so astonishing. They danced and sang and posed and fawned over us. It was so good to see the well behaved children break out from their shy molds and become the happy, energetic bunch they are! Breakfast was beautiful and too much for four. So glad Father didn’t let the nuns know we were coming. They prepared enough for 1 person. LOL. A final goodbye and we were off to the school. Time for my talk. I had the same questions asked by so many kids, so I decided to have one big session to talk about everything IT. Career options, Skills, et-al. Some slept through it. Some took copious amounts of notes. I’ll count it as a win 🙂 Good deed done, Father suggested i accompany him to a shop nearby. Although I was supposed to go meet Father Tasilo, I thought we’d be back soon and headed out with Father Filbert. At a crossroad Father F decided he’s heading left and taking us to the beach. I’m glad he did. It was a chance to see the other side of Dar es Salam. New mansions, embassies, affluence. TIL that the Maori LOVE the beach. It was great to see them walking the beach in their traditional wear. https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_163654.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_164634.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_165751.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_170108.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_170447.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_170829.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_171123.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_171233.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_172142.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_172516.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_172854.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_172940.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_173127.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_174358.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_174525.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_175145.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_175241.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_175321.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_175412.mp4 https://lucille.galleli.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/20230813_181457.mp4 A walk around the beautiful beach, the cove and a chance to see how differently people used the beach as compared to Europeans. I love such glimpses into culture. There were very few bathing suits. More people walking on the sand than there were in the water. Happy kids screeching with delight. Vendors hawking their goods. People posing for photos. So much life. So much respect for each other’s boundaries. Beach to shop it was… a chance for me to fall in love with a mask.