A walk in the Mountains... to Gloucester
on Carole Green (Sierra Leone), 17/May/2010 16:07, 34 days ago
BehindFreetownis the forestedLeicesterPeak, surrounded by small Krio villages with other English names likeGloucester, Regent as well asLeicesteritself. Last Saturday I went on my first Sierra Leonian hike around the mountain, starting and finishing near the American embassy (a huge ugly monstrosity, what a surprise!!) and…. it was a rather magical day. You all know how a love to walk!!!Lots of children were very interested in me as its not often that a white women strolls through their village. Joseph kindly agreed to take me on the hike and along the way I also learnt more aboutFreetownandSierra Leone.We visited the church inGloucesterwhere local musicians were pracricing and stopped to chat to people and take photos. The rural areas aboveFreetownare quite beautiful and enterpreneural farmers are growing lettuce and tomatoes and selling them by the roadside. The walk finally end ups at Fourbay college, a university complex high above the city with breathtaking views. Then we took the ridge road back along the hill with constant views of the city below passing stone masons breaking up slate to be used for building materials .So on 8thMay 2010, way aboveFreetownon the walk back, Rosie called my mobile and passed me tomy 94 year old (today) Grandma. I had to shout Happy Birthday and that I loved her, at the top of my voice because she is rather deaf and frail, and this was much to the surprise of the stone workers. I wondered afterwards what she would make of this wonderful place and realized how lucky I was to be able to travel and explore and have lots of opportunities that she never had. Many of the Sierra Leoneans I meet each day have so very few oportunities but work hard to improve their lives and those of their children and grandchildren. Adequate food and housing are a challenge, travelling to another country is sheer fantasy for most. I cant tell you how much I want them to succeed. This place and the people have really found a central place in my heart.