Check out these amazing photos for sale by Katie Browne--a former Peace Corps Volunteer. You can purchase them at her website Sights Unseen Photography.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Tuesday, December 23, 2014
Does a painting exist before it is framed? Custom Framing shop in Antananarivo
As we covered in our post on finding the number for a restaurant in Antananarivo--there is no central repository of information here in town...the closest you get here is the lackluster TripAdvisor.
If say, you want to find a place to get something framed, there is no yellow book, you can't just google it--if you did you would probably get results about someone framing a picture of a lemur--not a shop that does framing.
So here you go: in Tana, you can go to MIROGLASS, which is downtown, not far from Cafe de la Gare. They do a quality custom framing job for cheaper than in the U.S.--and they can turn around your job in a day or two if needed.
Street: Lalaina Karija
Phone number: 22.661.16
Hours of operation: M-F 0830-1230 1430-1600
Saturday 0830-1100
If say, you want to find a place to get something framed, there is no yellow book, you can't just google it--if you did you would probably get results about someone framing a picture of a lemur--not a shop that does framing.
 |
| 15 inch frame--roughly $20 |
 |
| 15 inch frame--roughly $20 |
So here you go: in Tana, you can go to MIROGLASS, which is downtown, not far from Cafe de la Gare. They do a quality custom framing job for cheaper than in the U.S.--and they can turn around your job in a day or two if needed.
Street: Lalaina Karija
Phone number: 22.661.16
Hours of operation: M-F 0830-1230 1430-1600
Saturday 0830-1100
 |
| MIROGLASS is on the same street as Indra |
 |
| Huge picture--about $120 |
Monday, December 22, 2014
Of worms, scarves and looms: Silkworm scarves at Hay Kanto
DIS-GUST-ING. Let's face it--silkworms are never going to win any cutest animal awards.
These industrious like buggers do, however, make the material forsome stunning and versatile scarves as we found out at one of Hay Kanto's recent happy hours. Check out the pictures from the loom presentation ofone artist that has been working with the Peace Corps to develop her business:
Richard Randrianjatov (033.14.669.57)
For those who want to find out more about the great work Hay Kanto does with art and street kids check out these links:
Hay Kanto Facebook page
Hay Kanto blog
For those interested in Malagasy artists, see our previous post on one of Hay Kanto's featured artists--we just had one of his pictures framed.
  |
| From Getty Images |
These industrious like buggers do, however, make the material forsome stunning and versatile scarves as we found out at one of Hay Kanto's recent happy hours. Check out the pictures from the loom presentation ofone artist that has been working with the Peace Corps to develop her business:
Richard Randrianjatov (033.14.669.57)
Hay Kanto Facebook page
Hay Kanto blog
For those interested in Malagasy artists, see our previous post on one of Hay Kanto's featured artists--we just had one of his pictures framed.
For more information on how the silk gets made check out this blog post by a Peace Corps volunteer:
Friday, December 19, 2014
Niry and Noro -- The Kruzoo sponsors two twin sisters and you can too!
So we want to welcome Niry and Noro to the Kruzoo family--two twin Malagasy girls that we are sponsoring from Iris orphanage!
One thing you probably don't know about Madagascar is that many of these orphanages (and Iris, in particular, only works with these type) take care and love children that are legally 'unadoptable.' Culturally as well, adoption is not looked upon favorably.
Unadoptable. Let that word roll off your tongue. It has to be one of the saddest words I've ever heard. And it would be, except that in the case of Iris:
It does not mean unfed
It does not mean unclothed
It does not mean uneducated
and it does not mean UNLOVED.
You see in Madagascar, a child cannot be adopted if they have any living (even extended) relative. In most of these cases, these children have a living extended relative somewhere and they either are too poor, too overwhelmed (or too steeped in substance/drug abuse) to raise and take care of a child. In Madagascar, mothers' dying during childbirth is also a huge issue; the maternal mortality rate here is 240 deaths per 100,000 births (by contrast the US has 21)
What this means is that if not for selfless staff (with whom we have had the privilege to get know and call friends) at Iris, none of these children would have a home--
there is no social safety net in Madagascar
there are the streets, starvation, disease and death
(you can read a heartbreaking post below about a baby found in a garbage dump by the orphange)
Iris orphanage currently has about 70 orphans that can be sponsored on their website. The orphanage itself currently cares for about twice that many children. And because of the hearts of the staff (both international and local) every one of these kids is LOVED.
After visiting the orphanage and seeing the absolutely amazing job they do, we decided we would sponsor two two twins girls,Niry (Nee-ree) and Noro (Noo-roo), that are almost the same age as Betty.
Also, if you are interested in sponsoring siblings, here's a list of those at the orphanage:
Finally, I would just like to acknowledge the beautiful heart of my wife Emily. She grew up around adoption thanks to the amazing work of her stepmom Sarah at the Adoption Center of San Diego.
And all the love from Emily's giant heart overflowed into mine and after we were married, God gave me a heart for adoption too. Which led us to our oldest daughter Macee.
As Christmas draws near and we celebrate God's ultimate gift, I thought it worthwhile to consider what Jesus' younger brother James wrote when considering all of the 'religion' surrounding him--he would probably say the same thing were he here today:
"True religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
The word "religion" is translated from the greek word threskeia which means an outward observance of worship. This verse really crushed me once I understood it-- religion or worship that God truly recognizes and craves is when we are humble and compassionate in showing tangible love to those in need (i.e, orphans and widows in this case).
I know I fail in this every day but thankfully God's not asking for perfection from us--instead he just wants to give us everything...which started in a manager two thousand years ago.
La religion authentique et pure aux yeux de Dieu, le Père, consiste à aider les orphelins et les veuves dans leurs détresses et à ne pas se laisser corrompre par ce monde
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/iris.madagascar
http://www.irismadagascar.org/
At 0:39 Niry and Noro make their appearance.
One thing you probably don't know about Madagascar is that many of these orphanages (and Iris, in particular, only works with these type) take care and love children that are legally 'unadoptable.' Culturally as well, adoption is not looked upon favorably.
Unadoptable. Let that word roll off your tongue. It has to be one of the saddest words I've ever heard. And it would be, except that in the case of Iris:
It does not mean unfed
It does not mean unclothed
It does not mean uneducated
and it does not mean UNLOVED.
You see in Madagascar, a child cannot be adopted if they have any living (even extended) relative. In most of these cases, these children have a living extended relative somewhere and they either are too poor, too overwhelmed (or too steeped in substance/drug abuse) to raise and take care of a child. In Madagascar, mothers' dying during childbirth is also a huge issue; the maternal mortality rate here is 240 deaths per 100,000 births (by contrast the US has 21)
What this means is that if not for selfless staff (with whom we have had the privilege to get know and call friends) at Iris, none of these children would have a home--
there is no social safety net in Madagascar
there are the streets, starvation, disease and death
(you can read a heartbreaking post below about a baby found in a garbage dump by the orphange)
Iris orphanage currently has about 70 orphans that can be sponsored on their website. The orphanage itself currently cares for about twice that many children. And because of the hearts of the staff (both international and local) every one of these kids is LOVED.
After visiting the orphanage and seeing the absolutely amazing job they do, we decided we would sponsor two two twins girls,Niry (Nee-ree) and Noro (Noo-roo), that are almost the same age as Betty.
 |
| Niry |
 |
| Noro |
But now you have Emily and I, and Macee and Betty and Jackson here. If you sponsor a child at Iris, let us know and when we visit and hang out with Niry and Noro, we will visit your child/baby that you sponsor too! We will take pictures with them and send them back to you. You will know that for the next two years that we are here--that child will have us visiting them for you! Pretty cool, n'est-ce pas?!
So here's how to do it in 5 simple steps:
1. Go to Stop for One website.
2. In upper right hand side click "Empowerment"
3. Click on "Children's Center" and then "Empower a Center"
4. Now you will see a ton of super cute smiling faces looking at you. There is a "View All" drop-down--click that and select "Madagascar - Antananarivo - Center"
5. Now you can see all of the kids at Iris Madagascar and click on the one the one that you choose to sponsor!
Note: There's no set amount to sponsor a child each month. Because so many of them are unsponsored, what you give will be shared as necessary to make sure everyone has food to eat, clean clothes and a loving environment. If you need a suggestion, though, I would say $40 would be a great start (but really--ANYTHING would be awesome)
Also, if you are interested in sponsoring siblings, here's a list of those at the orphanage:
Sitraka & Tantely (twin boy & girl, about 6 yrs. old)
Angelica (toddler) and Aina (baby)
Jenny, Natacha, Evie
Avotra & Nirina
Tsihoarana, Faniry, & Hanitra
Franckie & Nicolas (Rakotoarimavo)
And all the love from Emily's giant heart overflowed into mine and after we were married, God gave me a heart for adoption too. Which led us to our oldest daughter Macee.
As Christmas draws near and we celebrate God's ultimate gift, I thought it worthwhile to consider what Jesus' younger brother James wrote when considering all of the 'religion' surrounding him--he would probably say the same thing were he here today:
"True religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
The word "religion" is translated from the greek word threskeia which means an outward observance of worship. This verse really crushed me once I understood it-- religion or worship that God truly recognizes and craves is when we are humble and compassionate in showing tangible love to those in need (i.e, orphans and widows in this case).
I know I fail in this every day but thankfully God's not asking for perfection from us--instead he just wants to give us everything...which started in a manager two thousand years ago.
La religion authentique et pure aux yeux de Dieu, le Père, consiste à aider les orphelins et les veuves dans leurs détresses et à ne pas se laisser corrompre par ce monde
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/iris.madagascar
http://www.irismadagascar.org/
At 0:39 Niry and Noro make their appearance.
Monday, December 15, 2014
The Bourbon Buffalo Comes to Madagascar
APRIL 2016 UPDATE: The Malagasy government shut down all the duty free shops in town. Awesome.
The SO Duty Free by the Jumbo complex (next to Oceans and TAF Le Gourmet) has actual bourbon (not counting the ubiquitous Jack Daniels bottles everywhere as bourbon)!
They carry Buffalo Trace for 30 euros a bottles which isn't cheap ($10 more expensive than at BEVMO in the states)but it's the first bottle of bourbon I have seen being sold here in Madagascar. I don't even like bourbon (personally I prefer rye) but I was excited to see this.
Incidentally, I also think they have the best selection of wine of all the duty free shops in Tana. I am not sure if their computer system was done or what, though, because when we were there over the weekend, they were painfully typing in each bottle purchased on the keyboard and on a paper clipboard--so comme toujours ici be prepared to wait a little bit.
Here's their contact information (no clue if they answer emails):
contact@soduty.com
034 05 604 62
The SO Duty Free by the Jumbo complex (next to Oceans and TAF Le Gourmet) has actual bourbon (not counting the ubiquitous Jack Daniels bottles everywhere as bourbon)!
They carry Buffalo Trace for 30 euros a bottles which isn't cheap ($10 more expensive than at BEVMO in the states)but it's the first bottle of bourbon I have seen being sold here in Madagascar. I don't even like bourbon (personally I prefer rye) but I was excited to see this.
Incidentally, I also think they have the best selection of wine of all the duty free shops in Tana. I am not sure if their computer system was done or what, though, because when we were there over the weekend, they were painfully typing in each bottle purchased on the keyboard and on a paper clipboard--so comme toujours ici be prepared to wait a little bit.
Here's their contact information (no clue if they answer emails):
contact@soduty.com
034 05 604 62
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Wishing you a very FISHY Christmas in Madagascar
UPDATED 14 JAN 15 5 OCT 2015:
There are no visions of snowflakes and snowmen during Christmas in Madagascar. The skies are the brightest brightest blue you've ever seen and the puffed out bleach white towering clouds appear nearer here than anywhere else in the world. So instead of a turkey--treat yourself to seafood this Christmas! If you just want to know how to get it--rather than here me pontificate--scroll down and see my 3 SIMPLE STEPS. Otherwise, read on!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One would think that on one of the largest islands in the world, fresh seafood would be abundant! That there would be tuna and swordfish stacked high in the street, fresh shrimp and calamari flying through the air.
When one considers, however, what being a large, but poorly developed, island means it quickly becomes evident why it can be hard to find fresh fish in the capital--a capital located a good 10-20 hours over tortorous roads from the nearest fishing port.
My beautiful wife and I spent nearly our entire first six months here languishing in a desert of fishy sorrows...until SOPROMER.
DISCLAIMER: You can get freshwater fish that is equivalentISH to tilapia or snapper in the supermarkets here but this was not what we were hungering for.
We heard about the company from a friend here who had heard about it from his friend at the UN. This company imports freshly-vacuum-packed fish from the coast each week. And the fish is a bargain--we have delicious tuna, swordfish and mahi-mahi--none of it more than $10 a kilo (so less than $5 a pound)! Our personal favorite, though, is the swordfish--much to my lovely wife's chagrin--this mouthwatering morsel often elicits inappropriate moans from me at the dinner table.
Of course, I only have pictures of the tuna--so those will have to suffice.
There are no visions of snowflakes and snowmen during Christmas in Madagascar. The skies are the brightest brightest blue you've ever seen and the puffed out bleach white towering clouds appear nearer here than anywhere else in the world. So instead of a turkey--treat yourself to seafood this Christmas! If you just want to know how to get it--rather than here me pontificate--scroll down and see my 3 SIMPLE STEPS. Otherwise, read on!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One would think that on one of the largest islands in the world, fresh seafood would be abundant! That there would be tuna and swordfish stacked high in the street, fresh shrimp and calamari flying through the air.
When one considers, however, what being a large, but poorly developed, island means it quickly becomes evident why it can be hard to find fresh fish in the capital--a capital located a good 10-20 hours over tortorous roads from the nearest fishing port.
My beautiful wife and I spent nearly our entire first six months here languishing in a desert of fishy sorrows...until SOPROMER.
DISCLAIMER: You can get freshwater fish that is equivalentISH to tilapia or snapper in the supermarkets here but this was not what we were hungering for.
We heard about the company from a friend here who had heard about it from his friend at the UN. This company imports freshly-vacuum-packed fish from the coast each week. And the fish is a bargain--we have delicious tuna, swordfish and mahi-mahi--none of it more than $10 a kilo (so less than $5 a pound)! Our personal favorite, though, is the swordfish--much to my lovely wife's chagrin--this mouthwatering morsel often elicits inappropriate moans from me at the dinner table.
Of course, I only have pictures of the tuna--so those will have to suffice.
Most importantly in all of this, we've never gotten sick eating the fish from SOPROMER!
Okay, so I know what you are thinking:
blah blah fish yummy weird commentary blah blah blah Jack just tell me how I order the fish!
3 Super simple steps:
1. Email sopromer@moov.mg and ask to be added to their weekly email list.
2. Wait for the email and respond.
3. Pick up your delicious fish the next week and enjoy
THE NEXT LEVEL:
I am currently trying to convince the owner to just deliver to people's houses in Ivandry (or other neighborhoods). I've suggested they charged a delivery fee of 5,000 Ariary (which would be tres cher for Madagascar) but I would gladly pay 10,000 Ariary for the ease of having it delivered to my house--especially since the truck rolls right past Ivandry on the way to its store by the French High School. So far I have been unsuccessful but this is on my list of things to achieve before 2016!
TIP:
The company doesn't necessarily realize what toro (i.e., the fatty underbelly of the tuna that costs beaucoup bucks at sushi restaurants in the US) is--one time, a solid quarter of the tuna filet was buttery-melt-in-your-mouth toro.
STILL SEARCHING: SALMON:
I am still looking for a connect to get salmon. At Hediard restaurant, my lovely wife and I had a delicious, heavenly salmon filet--so I know its possible--I just haven't yet found the hook up. You can also get it as LE CARRE (sometimes) and also the new restaurant SAPPORO Kyoto in Ivandry from what I've heard. I suspect many of these restaurants actually buy the frozen salmon that they sell at Leader Price and cook it in enough butter and duck fat as to render it delicious. That said, I've had the frozen salmon from LP and it is edible.
WHERE THE HECK ARE THESE LOCATIONS?
I've provide some snap shots so you would know the general locations of each store--once I visit them in real life I will provide a more exact location.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I also wanted to provide with an informational email from SOPROMER. Here's my quick translation of it (with the original in french below):
We welcome you to our group of SOPROMER customers;
We receive fresh fish each week from two suppliers in Tamatave for fish like (tuna, espadon, dorado...) packaged in weights of half a kilo up to 3 kilos according to your needs. From Morondava we get fish like capitaine, vivanea, merou....) packaged in filets from 400g up to 1 kilo.
They are vacuum sealed to keep them fresh for from 1 week to 10 days and kept in temps from o to 2 degrees Celsius.
Only time we don't get them is when there's bad weather on the east coast.
For deliveries, we have a shop in Ambohibao as well as in Ambatobe (across from French high school).
We send out an email each week for you to place your orders and then a second one confirming it.
From: SOPROMER [mailto:sopromer@moov.mg]
Bonsoir,
Nous vous souhaitons la bienvenue parmi les clients de SOPROMER.
Effectivement, nous recevons des poissons frais chaque semaine de deux fournisseurs à Toamasina pour les poissons pélagiques (thon, espadon, dorade coryphène,...) présentés en longe de 500g à 3 kg suivant besoin du client, et à Morondava les poissons de fond (capitaine, vivaneau, mérou, ...) présentés en filet de 400 à 1kg toujours suivant besoin du client.
Les produits sont conditionnés sous vide pour mieux le conserver en frais (une semaine à 10j) avec un bon froid qui varie de 0 à 2°C.
Suite au mauvais temps qui a commencé à la fin de la semaine dernière, les bateaux sur la côte Est ne sont pas sortis pour la pêche. Aussi, nous n'aurons pas d'arrivage de poissons pélagiques pour cette semaine. La prévision d'arrivage serait plutôt pour la semaine prochaine.
Pour la livraison, nous avons un point de vente à Ambohibao (30m après la pharmacie) sinon à Ambatobe juste en face du lycée français.
Je vous enverrai un mail début de semaine prochaine sur les prévisions d'arrivage et vous pourrez m'envoyer par retour votre commande et à la réception des produits je vous enverrai un deuxième vous confirmant les produits que j'ai pu vous réserver avec les montants. Vous pourrez ainsi envoyer quelqu'un récupérer les produits avec le règlement.
Disponible pour tout renseignement complémentaire,
Cordialement.
Malalatiana RAZAFIMPAHANANA
Responsable Commerciale
033 11 275 44
Okay, so I know what you are thinking:
blah blah fish yummy weird commentary blah blah blah Jack just tell me how I order the fish!
3 Super simple steps:
1. Email sopromer@moov.mg and ask to be added to their weekly email list.
2. Wait for the email and respond.
3. Pick up your delicious fish the next week and enjoy
THE NEXT LEVEL:
I am currently trying to convince the owner to just deliver to people's houses in Ivandry (or other neighborhoods). I've suggested they charged a delivery fee of 5,000 Ariary (which would be tres cher for Madagascar) but I would gladly pay 10,000 Ariary for the ease of having it delivered to my house--especially since the truck rolls right past Ivandry on the way to its store by the French High School. So far I have been unsuccessful but this is on my list of things to achieve before 2016!
TIP:
The company doesn't necessarily realize what toro (i.e., the fatty underbelly of the tuna that costs beaucoup bucks at sushi restaurants in the US) is--one time, a solid quarter of the tuna filet was buttery-melt-in-your-mouth toro.
WHERE THE HECK ARE THESE LOCATIONS?
I've provide some snap shots so you would know the general locations of each store--once I visit them in real life I will provide a more exact location.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I also wanted to provide with an informational email from SOPROMER. Here's my quick translation of it (with the original in french below):
We welcome you to our group of SOPROMER customers;
We receive fresh fish each week from two suppliers in Tamatave for fish like (tuna, espadon, dorado...) packaged in weights of half a kilo up to 3 kilos according to your needs. From Morondava we get fish like capitaine, vivanea, merou....) packaged in filets from 400g up to 1 kilo.
They are vacuum sealed to keep them fresh for from 1 week to 10 days and kept in temps from o to 2 degrees Celsius.
Only time we don't get them is when there's bad weather on the east coast.
For deliveries, we have a shop in Ambohibao as well as in Ambatobe (across from French high school).
We send out an email each week for you to place your orders and then a second one confirming it.
From: SOPROMER [mailto:sopromer@moov.mg]
Bonsoir,
Nous vous souhaitons la bienvenue parmi les clients de SOPROMER.
Effectivement, nous recevons des poissons frais chaque semaine de deux fournisseurs à Toamasina pour les poissons pélagiques (thon, espadon, dorade coryphène,...) présentés en longe de 500g à 3 kg suivant besoin du client, et à Morondava les poissons de fond (capitaine, vivaneau, mérou, ...) présentés en filet de 400 à 1kg toujours suivant besoin du client.
Les produits sont conditionnés sous vide pour mieux le conserver en frais (une semaine à 10j) avec un bon froid qui varie de 0 à 2°C.
Suite au mauvais temps qui a commencé à la fin de la semaine dernière, les bateaux sur la côte Est ne sont pas sortis pour la pêche. Aussi, nous n'aurons pas d'arrivage de poissons pélagiques pour cette semaine. La prévision d'arrivage serait plutôt pour la semaine prochaine.
Pour la livraison, nous avons un point de vente à Ambohibao (30m après la pharmacie) sinon à Ambatobe juste en face du lycée français.
Je vous enverrai un mail début de semaine prochaine sur les prévisions d'arrivage et vous pourrez m'envoyer par retour votre commande et à la réception des produits je vous enverrai un deuxième vous confirmant les produits que j'ai pu vous réserver avec les montants. Vous pourrez ainsi envoyer quelqu'un récupérer les produits avec le règlement.
Disponible pour tout renseignement complémentaire,
Cordialement.
Malalatiana RAZAFIMPAHANANA
Responsable Commerciale
033 11 275 44
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