Here are a collection of snaps taken with my iPhone whilst in Libreville. I'm leaving on a jet plane out of here tomorrow night and then onto Mauritius for a few weeks. JB will still be in Gabon until the end of August

We crossed the equator often but thought I had better snap it...

Gorgeous coloured raffia they sell on the main highway... Made from raffia palms

My gorgeous Gabonese footsteps...

Couldn't resist this gorgeous African fabric from Cote de Voir

Sunset at the grubby industrial port 

I could live in Libreville! What amazing restaraunts...

I love these roasted peanuts and fried plantains sold in used jars and spirit bottles! Recycling at its best... You can buy these tasty snacks everywhere...

Now on my 2nd last day on the Ranch, I head for a walk below the house, at the bottom of a hill and discovered a beautiful little peaceful place....

And it looks as if someone else has found it before me! 

All taken with my IPhone....

Huge trees make loooong dugouts! A fisherman in the lagoon of Myumba, Gabon

And the night shall be filled with music, And the cares, that infest the day, Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs, And as silently steal away. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Belfry of Bruges and Other Poems

Life in the fishing villages of Myumba, Gabon. Apparently most of the fishermen are from neighboring countries, not the Gabonese.

I have never had clarity. I have only ever had trust, Mother Teresa. Gabon, land of the hiding sun...

Whilst shopping for you Aubergine, chilliest and limes (that's basically most of the veg you can get here at this time of the year) you can grab a pair of jeans... #woodenhouseswoodenshops

We spent the weekend at a place called Myumba, on the southern coast of Gabon! It's so beautiful and so basic, with no hotels etc and very bad roads! But the beauty makes up for a lot....

Yes JB caught. Barracuda! 

The local fish shop.... It's basically a room with a Large deepfreeze filled with the weeks catch! 

Illegal Fishing in Gabonese waters, seems to be taken really seriously....

Whilst visiting a friend in the Coastal town of Myumba, we saw these Chinese fishing vessels being held in the lagoon.  They will have to pay a very heavy fine to retrieve them.  They have crept across from the Congo, where they are allowed to do all the fishing they want....Here is an interesting link about the Gabon protected marine areas. Gabon Marine Protected Area

It's in the dry, difficult times that makes us send our "roots" down deeper to search for "the water of life" to sustain us, "His peace" to calm us and the "joy unspeakable" to uplift us. Gigi

Whilst walking I am rather nervous of coming across either one of the "big" creatures, as most of you know. A forest Elephant, buffalo or even a python or mamba - but it's really the "little" zappers that annoy and hurt me the most. The tsetse fly (yes there is sleeping sickness here) the annoying palm flies and even mosquitoes! They attack my vulnerable exposed parts. The back of my neck, my arms (they love my elbows!) and ankles. I don't see them, but only feel the ouch once I've been zapped. With the tsetse the bite becomes a swollen, hot, hard lump for up to 3 weeks. With malaria, it's as if a forest elephant is standing on your head! The pain they inflict lingers... It's much like sin.... The "bigger" ones are more noticeable and they can kill or maim, but the "little" ones, which are just as bad, and aren't too noticeable, slowly creep in and harm where you are vunerable . The hidden zappers that rob you of your peace and joy. They could be fear, worry, pride, self pity, envy - everyone's list is different. Thank goodness for Gods grace and forgiveness....

Most fears are only mirages...

If we had a daily newspaper here, yesterday's headlines would have read.... "Panga wielding Pygmies cause pandemonium and panic!" JB has employed Pygmy contractors, who come from a nearby village, to open up and fence a cattle camp. One of the leaders had stolen their money etc etc and they caused a huge ruckus involving everyone! They are small and have a reputation of getting very agro! It started turning violent but God intervened. It seems really funny now but wasn't last night....

There isn't much to do on a Sunday on the Ranch. I don't have access to any vehicles during the week. So Sunday's are when I drag JB out to try and do a spot of photography. Today we went checking on the firebreaks...

Gabon........ The land of the hiding sun........

I have added a few km's to my daily walk, as feeling fitter and braver, but no doubt foolish too! I I have noticed "fresh" evidence of the forest Elephants, buffalo and wild cats but have never "bumped" into them, thank the Lord! In all my many months of walking, I can count on one hand when I see a vehicle. But today at about my 4km mark, a tractor that had been working in a cattle camp came towards me and waved me down. He frantically told me not to go any further as there was a herd of Buffaloes just around the corner! How amazing is God, I would have walked straight towards them quite oblivious. He then carried on down the road stopping and watching to see that I had understood his French!

This is not my pic...