Last night we were treated to the wonderful Nigerian hospitality at the home of Ann Oden, a CDC representative in Calabar. A delicious buffet of Nigerian foods were prepared - I love plantains, moi-moi and the incredible fresh fish. In addition to the team and CDC staff, a number of our clients were invited to the party. We had a great time socializing and learning about the culture of the people we are working with. After a long and enjoyable evening, I finally arrived back at the hotel at 1:30 am. What it is to feel like a teenager again!!

Sunday I awoke to torrential rains....again. After a leisurely breakfast of coffee, oats, omelets and yes....potatoes...we had a few hours to relax before the van picked us up to take us to lunch. Today we had lunch at the Le Chateau hotel. The dinning room is no bigger than an eat-in kitchen and today lunch only took two hours!! For the most part, we are all very happy with the food selections.

After lunch a tour guide joined us and we headed out to see the sights of Calabar. Calabar was an important trading post in the 19th century and as a result there are many colonial buildings and influences along the river. We visited the Duke Town Church established by Presbyterian missionaries. Much of the inside is still the same today. Across the road was a wonderful example of a traditional Nigerian building. The homes are built of clay and thatch and have stood for over two hundred years.

Calabar is an interesting contrast of large, well secured homes and much smaller dilapidated cottages and thatched dwellings. There are very few modern shops and most trade is still done on the streets or in the markets. The roads in the more affluent areas are well maintained, but in the poorer areas, they are in desperate need of repair.

After visiting the older areas of Calabar, we took a trip to the Marina. It is a new tourist resort, but unfortunately there are not many tourists in the area. It is beautifully landscaped and has the potential to become a great place for the locals to visit. However, the entrance fee is possibly higher than what most locals can afford. The Marina has a Slave History museum, children's Carousel, night club, pub and wonderful walking path along the river.

Dinner was at Freddy's, a local restaurant down the road from our hotel. We decided to take a walk instead of waiting for the van. What an experience - dodging puddles, pot-holes, cars and motorcycles. The sights and sounds are a delight for the senses. Music blares from stores, vendors cooking food on the streets and people crowding around their favorite eating hole. Tonight was our first dinner as a team without chaperones. Conversation centered on our perceptions of each other cultures and what we perceived were the good and bad impressions of each country. After much laughter and friendly banter, we headed back to the hotel. There had just been another heavy downpour and once again, puddles everywhere. Much to the amusement of Hermann, I lost my flip-flop in the mud and had to dig it out. Needless to say, I was covered in mud up to my ankles. I now know why Nigerians wear sandals all the time!!

Tomorrow we will have our security and medical briefings and then register with the local hospital.