SALT ENCRUSTED SKULLS

Catering to the tourists who visit Lac Assal, there are several souvenir stands down at the salt deposit(the Banques). Among the souvenirs sold there, are the highly prized salt encrusted skulls of cows and goats. These two specimans belong to our friend and colleague, Koffi Azzome. He is pictured holding his goat skull.

In order to make these special objects, an animal skull is placed in the brine near the edge of the lake. After a few weeks, the skull is totally encrusted with hardened layers of salt. It is sad that we cannot take these back to the US. They are hauntingly beautiful and so reminescent of the area.

Hi From Djibouti #2

August 19, 2009

My position with Salt Investments is to do Community Relations and Training. We are starting to work on the school and community medical clinic that Salt Investment is interested in helping to facilitate. Souleiman Rirach, my colleague, and I are going into Djibouti City tomorrow to talk briefly with the Minister of Education about their plans out at the Lac Assal area. Soueiman is my right hand man, the arranger of everything. He speaks 5 languages- Somalie, French, English, Dutch and Afar. Here is a picture of him in front of the OPS clinic onsite. Without him, I could not get very far on these projects.

We are also meeting with two guys from the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) about their plans out here. We are also ordering and picking up more meds for our OPS employee clinic onsite. It is so in need of supplies. Right now it has one elderly male nurse and a few drugs, 1 desk, a sink and two beds with an oxygen canister. Need to assess what else we really need. We are supposed to be getting another nurse. But, no doctor as of yet.

Hi From Djibouti

August 18, 2009

John and I are here at the compound near Lac Assal, Djibouti, Africa (the lowest point in Africa 550 feet below sea level)– 1st day and getting settled in. It is hella hot and very windy! They were out there pouring cement mixed with ice! Only in Djibouti.