...A Saturday at Tolkeh Beach...

Sierra Leone is naturally breathtaking. This weekend I had the opportunity to go to visit Tolkeh Beach and some of the small islands around Sierra Leone. The country is breathtaking and it makes me mourn for what could be here. If only there were infrastructure, if only there was no conflict, if only...where to even begin?

This quote from The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver helps to articulate some of my thoughts. I took this picture on Saturday, as we were preparing the boat to take off on our trip.

Of course, if the Portuguese had never 'discovered' Sierra Leone, perhaps I wouldn't be there today...history is such an interesting thing.

We travelled by speedboat (unquestionably more favourable that travel by land) to Tolkeh and its neighbouring island sanctuaries. I sat in a salt water pool for a couple of hours, alternately lathering myself in sunscreen and drinking pineapple juice. It was quite decadent. At lunch we at lobster, barracuda, and snapper (oh my!). Here's a picture of our lunch before it ended up in our stomachs.

Sometimes it feels like I've stepped back in time when I look at the remnants of colonial architecture that pervades the modernity of Freetown. If I close my eyes, or if I stare very hard into the overgrowth, I can almost picture what once was, what could have been, and the lives of those who, in times gone by, stood where I stand.

We drove home at sunset. Across the ocean, towards the horizon, and into the setting sun. Sometimes, I can't believe this is my life. It's too beautiful.