This is a satellite image of the fabulous Namib Desert as seen through Google Maps. You have seen my ground level shots as I climbed dune 7 but this really shows how much sand has pooled here.

Google Maps has recently expanded its online offering to include all views once available only via the download'able Google Earth. Go check out the major cities of the world, I have!  

It rained yesterday while we were out so when we turned to head home there was a river crossing the road that we had come in by. Basicallywe were trapped on the wrong side of town. We kindly asked a passingcar to ferry us across the one foot deep passage. They ended up being very nice and gave us a ride right back to town. For Windhoek residents sparatic rivers such as these are quite normal. You either take your chances and go across or you find another route.
 

Our neighbor had some family visiting the house. These two became quite comfortable with us during their stay. So much so that they were soon in our house playing games with my roomates. They taught me quite a bit of Afrikaans.

We had the official academic welcome for the University today. This is a ceremony to welcome new and returning academics and support staff and set forth a vision for the coming year. I would guess there was about 200 people there to receive the ceremony which included a panel discussion titled "Innovation for a Knowledge Based Society"

The Rector delivered a fantastic speech as did the panel moderator Mr. Markus von Jeney who is president of the Engineering Council of Namibia. Many excellent examples were brought up by these well versed speech givers. The art of speech delivery is becoming more and more interesting to me even though I still get the shakes just thinking about delivering one.

The panel included key figures from Namibian business and government including the Honarable Nangolo Mbumba; Minister of Education, Angel Tordesillas; Chairman and Group CEO of Novanam Ltd (fisheries), David Nuyoma; CEO at the Development Bank of Namibia, Kobus van Graan; Managing Director of Namib Mills(manufacturing), and a surprise visit from one of the directors from the Bank of Windhoek.

All panel members had great visions of how innovation could be attained in Namibia. Examples of innovation by the Native people of Namibia are in fact still being used by the country. The San people who lived in some of the most extreme desert condition preserved water after the rainy season by mixing it with sand so that it could not evaporate. This method, as identfied by Mr. Von Jeney, is in use today at some of the dams.

Developing nations like Namibia are turning to the 'tigers' of the world economy, namely China and India, as models of what they may become. There were many arguments, particularity from students, who felt that business texts using examples of Western successes were outdated and should be replaced by those from the 'tigers'.

One audeince member who represented the telecommunications industry in Namibia hinted at the possibility of deregulation in this sector. Currently Telecom Namibia (land) and MTC (cellular) have quite a monopoly going. One of the issues surrounding deregulation is the lack of skilled employees in this sector.

Namibia is in a very interesting situation and has a great many opportunities to improve the qualtity of life for its people. The economy is relatively stable, but not growing. Resources are vast, but most leave the country with foreign organizations. Inequality and racism are still aproblem. There are people who want to address these issues and make Namibia all that it can be. As Mr. Tordesillas noted, in the near future we will not refer to countries as developing or developed. We will refer to them as good, better or best at managing human and natural resources.

"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Walk beside me and be my friend."
- Albert Camus

This morning we had a major presentation from our software provider of their latest product; an executive information system. I was not overly impressed by the system as it really is just a collection of standard business reports. Really, does that constitute a system? There was some great data presented but most of it was not in an orderly fashion. Sadly, we could have no control over the modification of these reports. It is amazing to me how relevant student's ethnic background is to an organization in Southern Africa. This information is used in the granting of funds from industry and organizations such as the WTO.

All of the University executives were at this meeting. Can you believe half of them were not computer literate? This has become a real stumbling block for me. I am well used to people being tech savvy, but now I am dealing with managers that don't understand how to properly save a document! I am told that most of the students have limited knowledge of computers as well. This presents problems such as in the registration process which means that students need to be monitored throughout.

Anyhow, back to the meeting. I really did not think that this product would sell. It was being released well before its maturity date. Our software consultant made a great pitch however, indicating that if we bought early, we would become the super user of the product and
therefor have more sway in deciding on how it should function. Basically, they told us we could be the guinea pigs to our advantage. The executives seemed to really like this pitch and the product was sold!

It was my first time participating in such an executive decision. It was tense in the boardroom for the first few moments...I tell you, you could feel the anticipation. All in all I learned a thing or two about management decision making and salesmanship today.

Take some time to check out the new Polytechnic of Namibia website.
It is ten times better than the old version. There are many pictures
of the students and campus to explore.

Check it out here

Swakopmund January 2006

Since I did not officially have a Christmas holiday I jumped at the chance to spend the weekend down in Swakopmund with Barbara, Uli, Heike and Lauren. We took the Friday and Monday off for good measure. What follows are a few pictures from our adventure. (I took over 200 total!)

On the main route to Swakupmond giant anthills line the highway. Our friend Heike from Germany gets a close look. This one was really moderate in size.

This is the main section of Swakopmund. It is a nice costal city and a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of Windhoek. The boat in the centre is the one we took our little day cruise on.

We took a drive in the Namib-Naukluft park. Here a lone Springbok looks for edibles in the middle of the Namib desert.

The desert has a variety of terrain. This lookout is called the 'Moon Landscape' and is supposed to most resemble the moon. It sure was barren and hot here. Keep in mind that this is only about half an hour away from the Atlantic Ocean. Amazing contrast!

The remnants of a South African army vehicle lost to the desert.

This is the Welwitschias plant that we came to see. This specimen was located about an hour into the desert. It is said to be over 1500 years old! There were smaller versions of this plant all over the plains. These plants are only found in the northern area of the Namib Desert.

We had dinner at a place called the Raft which was quite nice. Outside these Pink Pelicans frolicked in the low tide.

Nice sunset over the horizon.

Look at all those cameras! Seriously, the dolphins were a pleasure and very playful.

Bird Island lives up to the name. Hitchcock could have made good use of this place.

Feed me...

Seals were everywhere! Some actually jumped into the boat for a feeding.

I have decided I would very much like to live next to a warm ocean.

Just north of Swakopmund we find the little fishing village of Hentes Bay. Here is a golf course that leads through the sand dunes to the ocean...nice!

Took a long walk on this beautiful beach our last evening. This was just moments from our bungalo and 30 minutes or so from the desolation of the desert.

Back at the sand dunes. This time with the proper shoes, hat, bottle of water, sunscreen and sunglasses we made it to the top. It was well worth it! Now I can claim I have climbed the highest sand dune in the world.

The spice...

...

Apprently the sand here blows up from South Africa. It follows the currents and is eventually blown out of the water and hangs out here. It is some of the finest and purest sand I have ever seen.

The ride home is usually lame but it sure was not on this trip! We took the least travelled road which is also the shortest distance between Swakupmond and Windhoek. A 4X4 is a must as the road crosses many river beds and mountain passes. We saw just about every wild animal possible in this section of Namibia. This one horned Gemsbok chased our car from behind this fence. I have video available on request.

This Zebra chased our car in much the same fashion as the Gemsbok. This was my first wild Zebra sighting.

Such a beautiful animal...

On one of the mountain passes. Its a bit hard to tell but we are really high up here. I was getting a bit woozy.

Our last stop was just outside of Windhoek at Hero's Arc. This momument commerates the heroes of the revolution. The site also provides an excellent view of Windhoek laid out in the background.

Sunset Over Windhoek









I will be out of town at the coast until Monday

It seems that most people associate Canada with snow, ice and c-c-c-cold weather. I am often asked with a big smile, How are you managing in this heat? Well I tell them, its really quite pleasant. The temperature has peaked at maybe 35 degrees or so. It's dry and there is almost always a cool breeze. My barber asked me if Canada was in South America, I cleared that one up quickly. Conversely, he was one of the first not to ask about the heat factor!

Katatura

A memorial at the old site cemetary

A seamstress makes uniforms for the schoolchildren

These are caterpillars for sale to eat. Might make a good stir fry?

A few of the many, many children we say along the way. These ones laughed hysterically when I showed them their picture on my digital camera.

The tour through Katatura was very well done by the ‘Face to Face Katatura’ tour group. I would highly recommend this tour to any visitor of Namibia.

When Katatura was planned it seems that all of the ethnic groups were given separate blocks with which to live. As we went through the city we were shown the various sections of houses. Some of the houses were indicated as belonging to a certain group with a D for Damara, or an N for Nama. It’s so crazy for me to imagine this actually being enforced upon people. Nowadays, people are much more relaxed about who lives where, but the segregation is still somewhat evident.

We traveled to an open air market and saw some local handicrafts. Today, elementary school reopened so many of the children were at the market getting new clothes.

At the far end of the market was a ‘delicatessen’ and various hunks of cattle were lying about. As in most developing countries this deli would not get a pass for hygiene. The meat lay on cardboard and was hacked at with rusty blades. It was quite a scene. Just beyond the deli was a line of barbeques grilling the meat for a quick lunch. Our guide tells us that meat is a staple for the Namibians and they eat it all day long. Meat is also a popular snack sold as Biltong, which is basically like beef jerky but most often made with wild game.

I believe that the stat given was that more than half of the population of Windhoek live in Katatura. Although, it was initially named ‘the place we don’t want to settle’, many have made it their permanent home. My neighbors often go to Katatura for ‘fun’ because they say that Windhoek West is ‘lame’. You can definitely feel the energy in Katatura. The community has developed quite a bit in some areas and in many ways it operates as an independent village although it is so close to Windhoek.

The ‘informal village’ is on the outskirts of Katatura and its inhabitants are those without money to buy land or shelter. They call it informal because basically anything available is used to build shelter. Water supplies are available centrally and bathrooms are improvised. The city, having taken note of this, built public outhouses within this informal area to prevent disease. Can you believe they charge $800RAND a month per person for usage? That is over $150CAN!!! These public washrooms are basically untouched. After all, if you can’t afford a house, can you afford a bathroom?

Going through the residential areas the thing I noticed most were the children. Children are everywhere. It is not uncommon to see 6–10 children gathered around one grownup that is most likely not even a parent. It is not uncommon to see very young children by themselves. It is so disheartening to see these communities and know that these children may never know of a better life. I had lunch with a couple of volunteers from the US the other day and they invited one special student to join us. It was only her second time in the city of Windhoek and her first time out for lunch as such. She was so cute; she was amazed at the service and the atmosphere. She couldn’t figure out why these strange people were bringing us food! Is it free?, she asks. Anyhow, she out ate us all by ordering one of the largest items on the menu!

We rounded out our tour with a stop at a Sha’Bin, which is basically a small local bar. It also had a hair salon built in. Even midday there were many people on the streets and quite a surprising amount in the bar itself. Alcoholism is quite prevalent among the unemployed in Katatura. This also leads to other problems in the community and in the home.

That’s Katatura, a world away from what I know and currently experience while living in Windhoek West.

This afternoon I am heading to Katatura for a guided historical tour. Katatura means, "the place we don't want to live" and is a remnant of the days of apartheid. The Namibians were forced out of Windhoek to settle in this community north of the city. Katatura has since become a bustling community and many have chosen to settle here permanently. The most difficult sights are on the outskirts of Katatura where people without homes are essentially squatting on public land. It was here that I helped Marybeth deliver presents on Christmas Eve. I am looking forward to getting an eye-opening history lesson.

The beggining of the end?

Time for a Windhoek walking tour. Just to give you a feel for the city.
Here is a small market corridor just off the main strip.  
This is as downtown as it gets.  
The infamous zoo park. I had anticipated an actual zoo. The only animals here are moulded or carved out of wood.  
Inside the Kalahari Sands hotel we find a three level shopping mall. The prices in this mall are inflated drastically to accomidate the tourists. The varying prices you pay at different stores across town is quite substantial.  
These are actual meteorites that were collected throughout Namibia. Apparently Namibia holds the record for the largest meteorite ever which is called the Hoba Meteorite.  
Apperently this is the coolest guy in Windhoek. ;)  

Went for Chinese food the other day at a restaurant called Yang Tze. I was not at all impressed with the food. It was decent but not spectacular. The best thing that I did have was a nice hot and sour soup. It had a nice kick. There are two other Chinese restaurants in town left to try. Both of them feature private karaoke rooms. Good thing they are private. ;)

If you are like me, you really enjoy a cold brewski on occasion. I figured I would share some of Namibia's finest brew. The German Purity Laws apply here.

Real Life Quotes from Namibia
A few things that I have heard so far in Namibia that have caught my ear:

"God made Africa, but I don't know who the hell made America."

"I am a vegetarian, I will eat anything that eats plants."

"This is Michael, he makes our coffee."

"Just bri it."

These babies might be a rarity in Canada but they are a frequent sight here in Windhoek. I also remember seeing them often in Mexico early last year. This one is special because it is 30 years old, yellow, and has brakes that work when they want to. Don't worry, I am NOT going for a ride.

Went to the store today to price digital camera's. Mine is acting up and becoming highly unrealiable. I turn it on and it reports an error and the Kudo or the Elephants run off before I can take that priceless photo. ;)

I have decided I want to get something super small so that I can take it everywhere and snap photos of people so they are unaware. I like the Pentax Optio S. I could take that thing all around town.

Problem, camera's here cost a fortune! Almost double what I might expect to spend in Toronto. So for the umpteenth time I play the camera buyer on Ebay. Did you ever notice how few sellers will ship to Africa? Nigeria was the source of a major shipping scandal as I remember so much of the continent is a no-ship zone for ebay sellers.

I loaded up the old Canonette 35mm that I got from the Messengers. I might try my hand at good old fashoned photography.

At Woolworths (thats right, woolworths) I bought some green curry paste so I can make my thai green curry. I also bought some blank cds for a small fortune at CNA.

I worked steadily over the holiday while everyone else was off having fun. It was not so bad, I was being paid very well for this time. Today is the first day back for many from the official holiday time. There are a number of people 'missing'. Maybe they forgot today was back to work day. Anyhow its much more quiet at work than I had expected.

The Fault Reports System is almost complete. I will upload a screenshot when its been made pretty by Romeo. We are meeting at 2pm today to discuss this. He has a Polytechnic css to apply to it.

I shall continue working with SAP Business One. Its a pretty neat piece of software. Here is a look:

Happy New Years 2006!

I had made plans to go out for new years but these were all changed with a last minute party notice; at our house! Sophie and Sandra invited over some of their friends from Germany who work in broadcasting here in Windhoek. They were a great laugh! Here is the crew early in the evening.


Sophie and Sandra made a crossword puzzle that we had to complete before we could have our ice cream and brandy. 'Carpe Diem' was the headline, meaning "to seize the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future."

!Frank: The Rain God
Frank called the radiostation just after midnight and made some silly comments without realizing he was on the air. He had great hopes for lots of rain for the farmers in Namibia. Not long after it started to rain lightly so Frank was very pleased.