The King of the dogs who never gets sick

So, funny title, huh? Well, don't worry, there's an explanation. I've recently been feeling a little homesick and my daily life in Tana is starting to feel a little mundane. I wake up, look at dried plants, try to learn some more Malagasy from my friends and colleagues, eat something, probably read my book or watch a movie and then sleep. It doesn't change much. Granted, I can't complain because I end up having pretty amazing adventures and let's face it, I'm in Madagascar, but still, it's like living anywhere after awhile. So, my aunt Linda gave me some excellent advice and she knows what she's talking about, after living in Taiwan last year for six months and advising her college students abroad for years. So I took her advice and decided to become a tourist again... (gasp, shudder). But seriously, it was worth it because I feel rejeuvanted. Here is my first installment of my adventures as Laura, the American, botanical tourist...

So my first day as a tourist actually happened by accident. I had a very serious and interesting botany discussion with my colleagues and they showed me a fascinating plant they had found that just happened to be in full flower. It turns out this plant (that has a cool sexual system called andromonoecy for those of you interested) grows in a small piece of forest about an hour from Tana. So, I talked to my assistant and we planned a nice outing last Thursday. I was greatly looking forward to getting out of Tana, even if it was for only a day, and I resigned myself to taking the taxi brousse (not my favorite thing), but for such a short distance, it's only 2,500 FMG (or $0.25), so worth it. Thursday turned out to be a beautiful, though hot day and as we were riding on the taxi brousse, I learned something about where we are going.

This piece of forest I wanted to see was on a hill called Ambohimanga, which is actually quite historical and the location of the first real king of the Merina people (the major tribe around Tana). So Malagasy history and language lesson #24: In 1794 (before French colonization), Andrianamboatsimarofy (or the king of the dogs who never gets sick) and the reigning king of Tana attacked the "city" of Ambohimanga, which was ruled by the king of the heart of the Merina people (or Andrianampoinimerina). Well, it turns out that the Merina king was stronger and he destroyed the never getting sick dog king and became not only the king of the heart of the Merina people, but also the king of Tana, thus creating a new royal Merina dynasty that lasted in Tana until the French came in 1895. The last Merina queen was something, but I'll save those stories for another time. Anyway, I have a whole theory that this piece of history is completely to blame on names. Being the king of the heart of the Merina people is way better than being the king of the dogs who never gets sick. Do you think it was the dogs who never got sick or the king? It's really quite an unusual name.

Lesson over and continuing with my story... we arrive at Ambohimanga and I follow the directions of my colleagues to find the population of these plants. It's a beautiful day and because we're on a hill all the rice paddies and farming villages on the outskirts of Tana are spread out below us. We find the population easily and set to work. By work I mean counting flowers of different sexes for 5 different individuals... quite tedious work actually. Also, since we weren't really at the tourist part, but on the road going around the forest, the children of the area were surprised to see a vazaha. Now, I think Malagasy children have to be most curious and patient children I've ever seen. There we were trying to count our flowers and making notes with an audience of 7-15 children, depending on who was passing by. One girl just kept staring at my notes and then kept asking my name and how old I was. Thankfully, my assistant scolded them for being rude, so instead of talking to us, they just watched. Seriously, nothing was more interesting to them then us counting these flowers. And it was extremely distracting to have these children just staring at you and then laughing and whispering to each other. I've never experienced anything like it before... like I was some foreign, exotic animal at the zoo. Finally, their stomachs were growling loud enough for them to go home and eat lunch, and we could finally eat too (as I've already learned from the streets of Tana, eating in front of children is a bad idea, because they will ask you for the food, and look so pathetic it's hard to refuse). Not as many kids came back after lunch, and since we just kept doing the same thing, they quickly left. We finally finished counting at 2 pm and I decided to take some pictures and be the tourist I truly am at heart. However, being as stupid as I am, I forgot to check the batteries, and of course, I had no extras with me... so , no pictures of Ambohimanga this time. BUT, I loved it there so much, I'm determined to go back and be a real tourist, complete with touring the castle of the King of the heart of the Merina people and taking pictures of the village and the children (if they'll let me). So, don't worry, you'll see those pictures eventually.

AND, I'm determined for my next installment to have uploaded some new pictures to my website. Be prepared for more adventures, stories and pictures of my Easter vacation trip to Ft. Dauphin... I'm preparing you now, it involves mud!