Ping Ping!

This is our family traveling to "P" Market on the local transport called "Ping Ping" - motorcycle taxis.

Heading Home

We loaded the Tundra with our luggage and left the ABC beach house for the airport on Wednesday.  We were all a little sad to be leaving.  I believe a new generation of Chinchens - our children - have fallen in love with the country of Liberia and her people.  From the beach at ELWA, to the mountains and iron mines of Nimba and home of the first ABC, into the bush and jungle of the Sapo rainforest, to forgotten Baffu Bay, and finally exploring the rising city of Monrovia we have experienced all that is Liberia.  With love -- from Liberia,

The Chinchens 

We flew all night from Lliberia stopping in Ghana and finally to Kenya.  We then took our final plane to Malawi.

Ducor Palace at Mamba Point

(Paul) DUCOR PALACE HOTEL was not only the nicest hotel in Liberia - it was a national landmark perched at the peak of Mamba Point with ships sailing into port on one side, the US embassy compound down below on another, and the whole of downtown Monrovia spread out for miles, a hundred feet below.

Ducor Palace was always a shangrala of peaceful poolside drinks and cold air conditioned modern restaurants in the middle of mad, loud and bustling Monrovia. Sharp dressed businessmen and diplomats filled the lobby with its beautiful Art Deco spiral staircase silloetted againtst  huge plate glass windows.  Sky-blue-suited Pan Am stewardess would clatter across marble floors, and the view from the 5-star restaurant on the top floor was absolutely stunning.

Yes, an era truly gone with the wind. Only the shell is left ... along with a rusty, faded signboard out front with the presidents picture on  it promising to rebuild.

The view coming up the driveway.

A promise for the future.

The inside staircase.   There is no glass in the windows.

The swimming pool.

What a view.  We are standing on the pool deck overlooking the ocean.

DUCOR Palace is also where my high school, ACS (American Cooperative School) had our Senior prom in 1982. Beautiful ballroom. That evening was my first time to sit next to and have dinner with a US Ambassador - Ambassador Sharp - a perk of being the Senior Class President.

Matilda Newport and the cannon

Liberians, for the most part, have historically been proud of two things: 1) the fact that they were they only country in Africa (out of 52 countries) that was never colonized, (yes, despite resent claims by Ethiopia that they were also never colonized, that is not correct. Ethiopia was briefly colonized by Italy in the 1930s, and King Victor Emmanuel was even referred to as the "Emperor of Ethiopia").  

2) The second thing Liberians appreciate (again, for the most part) is their long, and somewhat close relationship with America - at least MUCH closer than any other country in Africa. You would be hard pressed to find a Liberuan who does not have a close relative in the States, and almost everyone who has a graduate or a post graduate degree has done at least part of their studies in the U.S.

Both of these things are the result of Liberia being founded by both free and former slaves retuning to Africa to found their own country.  But the returning American-Africans were not warmly received by the Bassa people native to the area.  The returning settlers built a fort on Crown Hill, which over looks modern day Monrovia and Mamba point, (sounds like the snakes they discovered weren't friendly either!).

From their fort they had to defend Crown Hill from the local people who assumed they were raiders from the Congo, (Americo-Liberians are still called "Congo People" by Liberians today). A famous battle ensued where the now famous  heroian Matilda Newport fired a cannon at the natives at close range killing a number of them. 

As kids we used to celebrate Matilda Newport Day every December first until the insecure Samuel Doe took office via a military coup and abolished the holiday.

Bessie by the statue and monument of J. J. Roberts - the first president of Liberia.  The monuments base has murals in stone of the history of Liberia.

Welcome to ABC University - Homecoming

Friday June 28, 2013

(Paul) THE WELCOME AT THE GATE

Liberians are probably the best people in the world at making you feel WELCOME! It was a wonderful sight after 10 hours of getting beat on the road from Monrovia to Yekepa to see a couple dozen people standing and singing outside the ABC University gate as we drove up. One of my boys asked, "Are they really all out there waiting for us?" Yes, that's how good friends are welcomed in Liberia!

The bus driver stopped 20-30 yards back and asked us to get out and walk, "They want to welcome you properly!"  There were little girls waiting to give bundles of African flowers to our three girls.  The group of staff, students and workers then walked us to the ABC chapel where the President of the college, Dr Miamen address our family and officially welcomed them to the ABC campus, and  then thanked The Lord for a safe journey before we walked up to my parents old home where we would be staying.

Beautiful bouquets of flowers presented by beautiful children.

Welcome always comes with a handshake and hugs.

LAMCO Railbus

(Paul) The actual Railbus station is gone, but the front steps we climbed every time we left our home in Yekepa for boarding school in Monrovia were still there. It was a 2-hr train ride down to the coastal town of Buchanan, and then a 2-hr taxi ride into Monrovia.

The Railbus today.

The Swedish mining company ran a great train service. Right on time, twice a day to the coast.

Sushi in Africa!

Happy Birthday Cozz!  We all went out for dinner last night at the Mamba Point Hotel.  We had sushi!  That's right sushi in Liberia.  Monrovia is right on the Atlantic Ocean and the seafood is excellent.  Cozz loves sushi so we scouted out what we think is one if the best restaurants in the city.

Ashley and Cozz at dinner.

Cozz enjoying his food.

The sushi was presented in a boat.  We all agreed the best sushi we have ever had!

The manager brought Cozz strawberry cheesecake and orange chocolate cheesecake for dessert.

Cozz with his birthday gifts.  A Liverpool jersey and a Liberia jersey along with hot sauces from around the world.  Ashley gave him a shotgun (waiting for him in Tenessee) - what every good southern boy needs.