Festival Fun in Maintirano

This is Maintirano, my banking town. It is a small city on the Mozambique Channel, western Madagascar. The photo was taken on 26 July 2005, Madagascar's Independence Day.

Neighbors

Photo of mom and baby, downtown Antsalova

Neighbors

Photo of my next door neighbors in Antsalova

Antsalova Store

A typical store at the Antsalova market

Street Food

Me enjoying some banana bread and black tea at an Antsalova food stand

City Street

A typical sandy street in Antsalova

City Street

Me walking along a typical sandy street in Antsalova

Public Transport

Typical Antsalova bush taxi

Public Transport

There are countless oxcarts in the Antsalova region

Public Transport

A River is for ...

...drinking, bathing, washing clothes, cars, bicycles...

Paths between Villages

Villagers living outside of Antsalova

Roadside Refreshments

A typical roadside snack area set up outside of Antsalova

In my Guava Tree

My wife, Dawn, named this chameleon Fanafody, which means "medicine" in Malagasy. He lived in my goava tree but left just after Dawn's Antsalova visit ended.

Solar Shower

June through September it is chilly in Antsalova during the nights and mornings so I use a solar shower. It is hanging from my open-air outdoor bath and composting toilet

Antsalova Air Madagascar Ticket Agent

This is where I go when I need to fly out of Antsalova

Road to Antsalova Airport

The Antsalova airport is about 2 miles from town. There are only about a dozen vehicles in Antsalova so I often end up walking to the airport when flying out. The road is too steep and rutted for cars. You need a SUV or an oxcart.

Antsalova Airport

Not exactly JFK, and sometimes the scheduled flights don't show, but anyway...

Antsalova Airport

These are the biggest planes that come into Antsalova Airport -- 20-seater Twin Otters

House

My house in Antsalova

Bathroom

This is my open-air composting toilet, alongside the bathing area. I also have a covered composting toilet that I use during the rainy season, from October through April