In
the sunshine it is warm, the shade makes it cool.
I
think that is a metaphor, you say it;
'Meta'
(nothing to do with Facebook), 'four'; metaphor.
You
can check the meaning.
My
first line is about 'life'.
It
will be a long story to say how I mean it.
Do
you remember
The
people who were sad?
They
are not as sad today.
Some
voices have said things that were not right.
Those
people were not understanding,
Not
understanding what the others were saying?
It
has caused some trouble
And
it is close to being a big problem.
Now
one of the people who was not understood
Has
talked to them,
He
made himself understood.
He
showed them what their sadness meant.
That
is background for the story today.
Yesterday
I went to a place of great history.
Tiya
is a World Heritage site which means
That
not only do I think it is great history but experts
From
around the world also think it is great history.
A
millenium and more ago, that is a thousand years,
Ten
centuries, around two hundred times as old as you!
People
who made strong acts for their village, tribe, were remembered with
carved headstones on their graves.
These
were people between teenagers and under forty years
Who
had defended their friends and family, or had helped in some way to
make the family better.
All
buried in a special place on a hilltop with beautiful views of the
area they helped.
I
got to Tiya using a number of minibus taxis. These are small buses
that carry passengers for money. The more passengers, the more money.
Usually the minibus has around ten seats. A normal journey
with a
minibus taxi has at least fifteen passengers.
Here
we have good drivers and quiet roads. They usually take their trips
on the same road, sometimes no more than a couple of kilometres
inside the city and perhaps fifty kilometres once outside the main
area.
It
means they know their road, and the bumps, holes, and other hazards.
So here, sober, bumpy, but arriving. Other places I have been it has
not been safe to go with them.
On
the way back was going to be a trip to a carved chapel, I had not
worked out if it was in a cavern or a canyon! We passed the sign for
it on our way to Tiya.
The
day went wrong with that sign!
Now,
I was also invited to a wedding in the same area.
More
background:
Ferengi
is a word in many languages,
It
means a foreigner – not someone who is "waiting for a girl
like you" – your mom can explain.
It
is used as a term to describe people like us when we go to those
countries.
I
find it interesting that they believe it is okay for them to talk
like that,
Yet
when we use similar words in our country about them they decide it is
not nice.
There
is a word and your mom can expain if she thinks you are ready.
When
you smile and joke with someone like that and 'own' their word it
means we can all be people.
Not
"them and us".
I
went on a side track didn't I?
In
some places people have seen ferengi on a screen,
Perhaps
not in their village.
Now,
we stopped at Muti
To
take the side road to the wedding and chapel.
It
became difficult when some people thought
It
fun to tease and try to trick the ferengi.
When
that happens it is best to walk away.
We
did.
We
drank coffee, very good coffee.
Fifteen
or so young boys from five to teenage stood
All
around us.
It
is a shame when one or two bad people influence
Young
people.
Try
to be wise about that, you must listen
But
sometimes you must decide for yourself what is good advice.
Later
we found that the information about the chapel was wrong.
The
family who we visited for the wedding told us.
We
missed our chance to visit.
Sometimes
people will mislead you so that they get something they want.
Yesterday,
for me, was like that.
It
is like that in the country with the sad people, I hope that they
learn peace and truth from their lessons.
Return
to the city was another adventure.
Very
quickly (because I have used some words that needed explaining and
you have read this far):
Horse
drawn trap (small cart with two wheels and a bench seat), camels (we
saw these, we did not ride them, ask your mom, she has ridden one),
minibus, bus (yes a full size bus like you see, one of those with one
floor, still carrying many more people than seats though!).
Up
to the raised railway, watching the convoy of army trucks pass below,
searched by the soldiers before boarding the train,a sort of metro
train and we went on the one section that goes underground so I
should claim it as another form of transport.
Up
the stairs from the underground station, another, final minibus taxi,
I think the tenth of the day, now close enough for me to walk to
where I stay.
Today
those army trucks have closed the roads,
If
we had stayed overnight with the family,
We
would not be allowed to our places in the city.
When
people do bad things,
Somebody
must act.
When
those in charge do bad things
It
gets complicated.
You
know when somebody tells you off?
For
something that you did not do?
You
know how sad that makes you feel?
Today
it is peaceful, I hope those in charge have done the right things for
it to stay that way.
