Mangoes and Wind

Tweet I was watching a movie this evening when suddenly I heard this sustained pounding sound outside the window. I opened the door and caught the tail end of a strong wind. It had knocked a dozen or so mangoes out of the tree at my front porch. The mangoes had bounced onto the tin roof just under the tree that covers the power generator. (As you can see from this photo, there are plenty of mangoes to share!)

As I grabbed half a dozen of the mangoes from the front stairs -- some guys walking along the street pulled themselves up over the fence and grabbed a couple of mangoes -- shouting obrigadu or thank you!

I watched as they crossed the street and ate their mangoes under an awning -- sheltered from the rain. Just as the wind blast, came the heavy rain. It's not supposed to be raining this time of year -- it's the dry season!

I'm off now to eat a couple of those mangoes!

Rooster Cogburn

Tweet One of my staff gave me a gift today -- a rooster. As you can see he's a handsome soul. He's from the enclave of Oecussi. My staffer carried the rooster over on the ferry -- the only way you can get from Timor-Leste to Oecussi without going through Indonesia.

In the hour or so that I have owned my first rooster, he's been crowing up a storm. Maybe he misses Oecussi or maybe he's just happy to be here!

I was told that he's trained to fight, but I have announced his retirement from the cock-fighting ring. Now that will give him something to crow about!