Jeopardy

I beat Jim in Jeopardy: $56,000 to $1.  It's all in the final question.

Past and future weekend activities

On Friday, October 19th, I...

1. Did nothing.  I watched Netflix and typed up notes.

On Saturday, October 20th, I...

1. Walked around Stabroek Market with Auntie Sherry.
2. Bought crabs on the side of the road for Sunday's lunch with Auntie Gina.
3. Went to the Cuffy Monument with Auntie Gina and my cousins, Joshua and Jenna.
4. Caught the end of a jandi (a.k.a pooja, puja, I don't know anymore...), just in time for the food. I ate Seven Curry, a dish of seven curries eaten at one meal, from and leaf and Prashad (a.k.a. parasad), a sacred doughie pudding.
5. Went to White Castle (not the chain sought by Harold and Kumar ;) ), and got Fish and Chips.  The chips were not potato chips like the U.S. or fries like the U.K., but fried plantains cut into thick strips!  Very yummy.
6. Made Fish Burgers with Auntie Sherry for dinner.
7. (Yes, all I did was eat on Saturday...)

On Sunday, October 21st, I...

1. Ate Salt Fish and Bake, a type of fried bread, for breakfast (Here's a recipe I found online: http://www.inner-gourmet.com/2010/12/bake-and-saltfish-classic-caribbean.html).  Again, very yummy.
2. Milked a cow! 
3. Fished!  The fishing rod was a long thin branch attached to a long piece of string/twine with a small hook tied to the end.  About a quarter of the way up the string closest to the hook was tied a small piece of foam.  When the piece of foam was pulled under the water surface, we pulled up the rod in hopes that a fish was on the hook.  I was the only one to catch a fish!  It was the size of my forearm and we cooked it for dinner!  Ok... It was the size of my pinky and we let it go...
4. Ate Crab Curry for lunch.
5. Took a nap.
6. Went to the Heritage Museum.  The tour guide was also the owner of the museum and was the most engaging and enthusiast guide I've ever had.  It was a small museum, but I would recommend it both because of the view and the owner.
7. Ate White Pudding.  White Pudding is rice cooked with fresh coconut milk and loads of fresh herbs stuffed into sausage casings. It is served with Sour (a pickled sauce) for dipping.
8. Made sponge cake, ribbon cake, and pineapple turnover cake with Auntie Sherry for Uncle Azad's birthday.

On Monday, October 22nd, I...

1. Spent the afternoon with my grandfather and looked through his photo albums.
2. Ate Dhal Puri and Duck Curry for lunch.
3. Drank coconut water. YUM!
4. Went with Auntie Gina to pick up Joshua and Jenna from school.
5. Ate Cheese Sticks and Fudge, and drank Passion Fruit Juice.
6. Drank a glass of El Dorado Cream Liqueur with Golden Rum while relaxing on Auntie Gina's veranda.
7. Ate Cassava Chips and had a cup of tea on Auntie Sherry and Uncle Azad's porch while enjoying the sea breeze.  It can get very hot in during the day, but the sea breeze, especially in the evening, is lovely and cool.
8. (Yes, all I did was eat....)

On Tuesday, October 23th, I...

1. Took a bus (really a 60's minivan crammed with people) to the Demerara River, a speed boat across the river to Georgetown, and a taxi to Auntie Fiona and Auntie Davina's.
2. Watched "The City of Ember" and season 1 of "Parks and Recreation" on Netflix.
3. Upload photos here and on facebook.

On Wednesday, October 24th, I...

1. Did laundry.
2. Watched more Parks and Rec.
3. Sent emails & typed up notes.
4. Read some of The Green Mile.  I've been reading it since last week, but I'm trying to take my time with it and savor it.

On Thursday, October 25th, I plan to....

1. Go to the nursery school where Auntie Fiona teaches to help with their "Fun Day".
2. Go to Auntie Sherry's for weekend. (Because of that, I won't have regular internet access over the weekend, so I probably won't write again until Monday or Tuesday)

On Friday, October 26th, I plan to...

1. Check out the celebrations for Hari Raya Haji/Eid-Al-Adha, a Muslim holiday.

On Saturday, October 27th, I plan to...

1. Go to the market with Uncle Azad and Auntie Sherry.

On Sunday, October 28th, I plan to...

1. Go to a Guyanese Hindu wedding with Uncle Azad and Auntie Sherry!

On Monday, October 29th, I plan to...

1. Return to Auntie Fiona and Auntie Davina's and to the internet!

Auntie Fiona and Auntie Davina's Home

   

The front of the house.  Auntie Fiona and Auntie Davina live on the second floor.

The ground view of the street from the front of the house.

The view from the front of the house.  Notice the difference between the types of houses even within the same street.

The view of the street and my laundry hanging out to dry from the back of the house.

The inside of the house with the dining area, living room, and bedrooms to the left and the kitchen to the right.

My bedroom, mosquito net and all.

 Notice anyone looking at you?

 Look closer!

Fooooood

And here I was thinking I was going to lose weight on my trip....

Fish burgers: Fish, potatoes, seasoning, egg, & Chinese Sauce

Fish burgers 

Fish burgers topped with tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and cabbage

 Auntie Sherry grating coconuts for crab curry

Auntie Sherry grating coconuts 

Cooking crab for crab curry

 Ingredients for Auntie Sherry's Sponge Cake

 Cake batter with a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon

 Sponge cake!  We made a plain sponge cake, a ribbon cake, and a pineapple-turnover cake.  Yum!

 Ribbon cake!

Auntie Shirley grinding dhal (a.k.a. dal, dahl, daal, yellow split peas) for dhal puri

 I helped to put the dhal in the roti (dough) to make the dhal puri.

 Auntie Shirley rolling the dough and cooking the dhal puri

I helped too!

An afternoon with Grandfather

I was able to spend some time with my grandfather (my dad's dad) yesterday.  We talked about what it was like for him growing up in Guyana, his studies in Germany, and more.  Below are some photos from his photo albums.

 My great grandparents

My grandparents on their wedding day 

My grandparents, my aunt, and my dad 

Auntie Liz (so cute!)

 My grandfather

 My grandfather standing in front of the skin of a leopard he shot

Week 1 Photos!!!

View of the Demerara River from Stabroek Market.

 The 1763 Cuffy Monument in the Square of the Revolution in Georgetown.  Cuffy, a slave from West Africa & national Guyanese hero, led a revolt in 1763 of more than 2,500 slaves against the colony regime.

Uncle Amo's cow.

 I milked Uncle Amo's cow!

 Fishing behind Uncle Amo's house.

Fishing behind Uncle Amo's.

 I was the only one to catch a fish!  Granted, it was the size of my pinky finger...

 The boys fishing.

 Joshua and Jenna (Auntie Gina's kids & my cousins) on their front veranda.

 First view of the West Coast from the top of the Heritage Museum.

 Second view of the West Coast from the top of the Heritage Museum.

 Auntie Sherry, me, Jenna, Joshua, and Uncle Azad on top of the Heritage Museum.

 Auntie Gina, Jenna, me, Joshua, and Uncle Azad on top of the Heritage Museum.

The Heritage Museum.  The tour guide was the best!

Relaxing on Auntie Gina's veranda with a glass of El Dorado and a view of the Atlantic ;)