Khartoum Portraits. Published!

A book is now available of my Khartoum sketches and photos. You can purchase it in softback or hardback by clicking the link below, which takes you to the blurb store.

Portraits of Khartoum by Sue Pownall | Make Your Own Book

Escorted by the police - the story

I had an encounter with the police this morning... 

It is my final weekend in Khartoum as I leave next Friday, back to Europe for the summer before my next destination, which is not back here despite it being what my heart cries out for, but that's another story. Not as early as I had planned, I left the hotel to take some of the photos I have been meaning to but hadn't. Sticking with my policy I adopted when I arrived (here) I still have not taken those "picturesque" "interesting" poverty shots, but still wanted to capture the essence of the city. I walked around several of the blocks near the hotel, which being Friday are quieter than normal, as I wanted to capture some of the buildings.

Although it was already quite hot, high 30s I guess, I continued across the railway. I find the railway fascinating as the old station is still there (below), but nowadays there are not passenger trains out of Khartoum, just very slow freight. Crossing the road, I'd intended to investigate some buildings a block over, which I have spied from the road, but got distracted by the abandoned passenger carriages. I took one photo and was about to take some gorgeous blue carriages next, when there were shouts from in-front and behind me.

Ahead was a man who had been sitting by the grey train, whilst behind me was a policeman. He wanted my permit to take photos. This document I had asked for on arrival 4 months ago, to be informed that it wasn't necessary. hmm. My Arabic is still non-existent and the policeman no English, although I managed 'isme Susan' and he 'my name Nadil'. I was walked back to the road and a man in a car then worked as a translator, although I have no idea who he was as he was dressed in a jelabiah and had 3 kids scrambling around inside.A second policeman arrived, with his shirt covered with insignia, so I guess he was of higher rank than Nadil. I was asked who I work for, and then where was my ID. Oops I had swoped purses because my bag was heavy and didn't have even my driver's licence on me (I don't normally carry my passport as I'm scared it will get lost).

I was still only 2 blocks from my hotel, and I understood I was to go with them to get my passport. However, they started walking across the road in a different direction. Momentary panic, until I understood the word for a vehicle, but it was at this point I decided to call someone from work. The higher-ranked policeman got in the driver's side of a truck, and I scrambled into the passenger side, Nadil then got in beside me and I was sandwiched between them. Gulp. At the main junction they waved at the traffic police, who was astonished to see a Westerner with them. Arriving back at the hotel, the first words from reception were 'what have you done?' as the two policemen walked me in. Reception gave the policemen something in Arabic with my name on it, and I showed them my visas, and everything was okay. The policemen even offered me a lift back, but I thought I'd had enough excitement and said goodbye. Cheekily I asked if I could take their photo, which I think Nadil would have liked, but the officer said no.

The offending photo is above - they didn't make me delete it even though I offered too. The other photos are here on my other blog and on flickr.

Please remember all photos are © and all rights reserved by Sue Pownall.

Contact me if you wish to use any images, thank you.

A Presidential tree?

After posting on Saturday I decided to walk off my blue mood. I wandered around the nearby souq (see photo above of food section) and mosque then weaved through the down town streets. Finding a tree that gave shade to rest under and a beautiful trunk to draw seemed the perfect solution to my mood. I leant against a wall and started to draw. I was relaxing nicely, when along came a police guard. I showed him what I was doing, uninterested he asked for my passport, which was not on me. So I gave him my driver's license, which he pretended to read as I'm sure he couldn't read English. Then, he told me I could not stay there, even drawing a tree. He had a fair point as the wall I was leaning against both is for the Republican museum and the Presidential Palace. Shame though as I think it would have been a good sketch when finished. (see right)

Trundling on, I reached Nile Street and it struck me how different the Nile looks from when I first arrived. The reason is the water level is now far higher since earlier in the month when the dams were opened  downstream to aid irrigation. After the disappointment of being moved on, I enjoyed my walk alongside the river, chatting to some interesting characters on route - I am trying to erase from memory the lewd security guard by one ministry and the man who was looking for a western wife. They were the exceptions to the normal friendly Sudanese that I have come to really like and respect. I finished the day feeling tired, having walked miles, emotionally wrung out, but happy and ready for a new week to begin.

BTW In case you are interested, my friend and I made up.

Gratitude Friday - Reasons to be cheerful

The last few days have been tough, for reasons I won't go into here, but I'm not alone. Di at Il Terrazo Italiano just posted the things that she loves in Italy, in order to get some perspective. Reading that, I remembered I haven't posted for gratitude Friday for a while and even though it's Saturday, it's still Friday somewhere. Check out the beautiful blog of Diana, who started GF, here.

1. I have a job, which finishes in 3 weeks, but which pays my mortgage. Okay that's not a good start as that's positive and negative. Must try harder...

2. I have friends both real and virtual who I know are there for me, if I ask for help. There are real friends here in Sudan I will miss so much when I leave and during that time when I don't know when I will return. More positive and negative oops.

3. I am in an amazing country, which is full of fantastic people, and I am very lucky to have had the opportunity to work here. What's more, the difficult/strange has become familiar and easier here in Sudan as I wrote in an earlier post. That's only positive.

Bah, I can't do this today. The truth is that I'm feeling sad. I've angered a friend, which I deeply regret and am very sorry about. Whilst I want to go home and see my family and friends, I do not want to leave here. I am worried about finding another job. What was that line from an old Ian Drury song: Reasons to be cheerful, 1,2, 3...  I've done the 1,2, 3 and I am still not smiling this morning, sorry.

BTW: I took the beautiful sky back in March and it has not been photoshopped or retouch up in any way.

Where'd the city go??????

A sandstorm just rolled in with the dying moments of the England game. I looked out of the window as the final whistle went (yeah England are through) and the city had disappeared.

Paddling in the Nile

Paddling in the Nile, originally uploaded by travelingsuep.

This Saturday was a bit overcast and very humid after the storm, but I had a fabulous day out. I was picked up early by friends, then after another fabulous fish breakfast we went to Tutti island. There, the guys hired a boat to take us upriver to the Nile confluence. I think we were on the Nile about an hour. From the river you can see the difference in colour between the White & Blue Niles. On the way back we had a short delay when the propeller got entangled in a fishing net. which meant we got longer on the river and could take advantage of the breeze. Following a cup of chai from a Nile-side tea lady we drove to the otherside of the island to the "beach". People, including myself and my friends, paddled in the Nile, sat on the sand, and generally enjoyed the afternoon. It was all very relaxing, gentle and fantastic. I did the sketch above whilst the guys were praying and then added colour back at the hotel.

I am so happy here and so grateful that I was given the opportunity to come to Sudan that I don't know whether to thank God, Allah, or just good fortune that I am here. Maybe I have finally found the place I can be happy?

STORM!!!!!

Very excitingly, we have just had a storm here in Khartoum. Only a little rain but terrific thunder & lightning. The air smells wonderful now. 
I love storms!!!!

Wet roads & sheet lightning.

 The sky lit up. It's 10pm. Awesome!

I'm in love...

... with Sudan, the Sudanese people and specifically my new friends.

Today, after procrastinating all weekend I forced myself out of the hotel and onto a local bus. I'd found out where I had to get off, but once downtown I was a bit misplaced. Despite that, over several texts and calls I reassured my Sudanese friends I was okay, at least I thought I had. It was really interesting wandering around downtown and I must return soon, earlier in the day, to take some photos. Finally, I arrived at my destination of the National museum, where I had planned to do some sketching of the pharaonic exhibits, seen previously  when  I went a couple of weekends ago. I did a warm-up sketch of an Egyptian pharaoh and had just started a 2nd sketch when my phone started going again - asking where am I etc. Shortly after two cars came to rescue me from the heat, and I guess myself. Both friends were very worried about me and had come to check I was okay and offer lifts home. I'm very sorry I worried them, but very, very flattered they care so much to come and check on me.  I went back into the museum to do a few more sketches. After drawing inside the museum, I went outside and did a quick painting of the statue. It was so hot I could hear the voices of my Sudanese friends in my head telling me not to be so stupid. In my defense I was sat in the shade of a tree. However, as I believe it was around 44c both the voices and my friends were probably right.

Last Saturday, the same friends, took me out sightseeing for the morning. I was picked up at 9am and the first stop was for breakfast of fried Nile fish and bread. Yum. Same place as I went on the kidnap. Then, we went to the Khalifa's house in Omdurman, which was really interesting, but frightfully hot. After the Khalifa's house we went and had tea served under Tutti bridge sitting on little stools on the bank of the Nile. Very cool views and breeze. I think I'm about done on Khartoum sightseeing for now, although I'd like to find the camel market one morning.

Unusual nights out

The Nile.

It has been a very sociable week. Starting on Sunday, when I went to a nearby salon with Salma and joined in a Egyptian/Sudanese dance class. We only did Egyptian that night, but hopefully when/if I go again I will get to try Sudanese style. The doubt about returning is because I have missed the 2 subsequent classes, so it doesn't look promising.

On Tuesday, the first class I missed, I had a compulsory official dinner. I was invited to the Oil Club, which is situated beside the Nile, by the training centre I'm working for. A minibus picked up all the trainers including myself staying at the hotel and we arrived at the designated time (7:30), and had to sit in a meeting room, alone, as no-one else had arrived. With an Iraqi trainer I went to look at the Nile, which is when I took the picture above, then back to the waiting meeting room. Finally, some others arrived and we were moved to another meeting room. I know it's a Muslim country, but we were not served any refreshments. I thought I would die of thirst, okay not that bad but would have loved a water or juice. With a colleague, I had another walk around  then finally we were led to the roof and at 9pm had a barbeque/buffet style dinner, which was worth the wait.

Thursday, I could have made the class, but was too lazy to go as I was going out that evening with some trainees. I was picked up at the hotel and after picking up 2 others we were six in a Hilux Pickup. It was a little cosy, but was excellent fun as everyone could talk and joke together. We drove through downtown past the President's office aka the President's palace and on to North Khartoum via an old iron bridge that had been a gift from India, secondhand as, if I remember correctly, it was built by British in India. A slightly strange first stop was made at a furniture shop and some of it would rival that seen in Omani stores - enough said?! 

We then toured around town some more and ended up at the Khartoum International Fair site. We had been given bottles of water to drink in the furniture shop, but here we joined an outside 'organised party' and sat outside without anything. Note to self: must start carrying water around. Anyway, we sat on chairs to watch Subian (I understood they are from Addis Abba but Google can't confirm the tribe?) dancers. The style was very Africa - I'm very experienced having watched lots on tv :D - but was to very modern music. Great beat. This lady (below) saw me taking photos and, being near the front, I was subjected to the let's embarrass the foreigner  as she pulled me up from my chair to make me dance. My new friends had a great laugh as I rapidly sat down. I would love to get an mp3 file of Sami's laugh as it's awesome and would cheer up the most depressed person. Finally, the evening ended when we went for dinner at 11.30. I will never understand Sudanese meal times, so I'll post about that later.

Dancer (Subian?)at Khartoum Fair site

Kidnapped aka Out of Control

Those of you who know me know that I do like control. I can be spontaneous, like the time J and I ended up on a plane to Dubai 2 hours after sitting at home doing a crossword and talking about the weekend. I'm also alright with an unstructured/non-planned day, but I confess I like a say in what I am doing.

This morning I was feeling lazy and it felt too hot to even go to the pool. I had a missed call from one of my students, but I thought I'd return it later to avoid having to turn down an invitation as I just wanted to be a couch-potato. About 12  noon I decided to walk to the shop to get some bread for lunch, as I crossed the street my student, he of the missed call, drove past with his friend Salma, and I was kidnapped. Well, I told them truthfully I was going to the supermarket and they said they were hoping to take me for "breakfast", and opened the car door for me, so I had to go. Note to self, must teach meal names next week.

We had a drive downtown, pass both of their universities, as there seems to be some competition over whether Khartoum or Sudan Uni is the best. I saw some things I'd passed before and other parts of the Nile that I hadn't, which was really interesting. Finally, we went to a fish restaurant (pic right) which served the best fresh Nile fish. It was served on a huge platter between us, (above) with bread rolls, and salad. Eating with our right hands, we ate our way through the mountain of fish. Only having eaten a couple of times like this, I was not very good at getting the delicious white fish away from the bones, but Amar was a real gentleman and kept passing me the choice pieces de-boned. To drink we had a Sudanese soft drink called Champion. it is slightly fizzy, quite sweet with an unusual flavour. What I would have done for a cool glass of white instead is anyones guess.

From the restaurant we drove back to my area to a cafe where we had fresh lemon juice and shared a banana split, which I didn't have room for but was unable to refuse. Salma invited me to a dance class this Sunday, Egyptian/Sudanese dance, whatever that means, and issued general invites to visit her family home, friends, and workplace. So much food, such great hospitality, and terrific friendship shown by them both. I really must learn not to be such a typical  type-A personality and chill out more. I had a lovely time with them both and I am so pleased I was too lazy to go to the pool. As this is Gratitude Friday, I am thankful for people like them and unexpected events.

PS. Sorry about the  quality of pics, as I hadn't planned on being kidnapped I did not have my camera with me and these were taken on my phone.

Mini-adventures

Horse & boy, originally uploaded by travelingsuep.

After work today, instead of being dropped back at the hotel, I got dropped downtown about a block from the Nile. I wanted to visit the Ethnographic Museum, which I'd failed to do at the beginning of the month. The museum was very interesting. It helped as it is very well laid out and has signs in English. Afterwards, I walked about 7 blocks in the very hot afternoon (around 42 °C) trying to find a bus. 

I've said before that the Sudanese people are lovely, here's an example: I was at a huge junction, and could not get across the street. An old man walking past, changed the direction he was going, guided me across between the traffic, then crossed back and continued on his way. 

Moments later I was hailed by one of the minibuses. It's quite strange to see the minibuses slow near people stood on the pavements and a boy/young man stands at an open door shouting out the bus's direction. I asked for my area and street, the young man didn't know where I wanted to go, but another passenger said yes they were going there so I got on. I was charged half a Sudanese pound (about £0.15 ) and was taken through areas that I vaguely recognised and areas I didn't, but was told to get off shortly after I had seen a building I had walked past on one of my early wanders. I was at the bottom of my street phew. 

I always find taking public transport very nerve racking, and worry I am going to end up somewhere miles from my destination, especially when I'm not sure they have understood where I'm going. After this little adventure, and as it's so ridiculously cheap, I will be hopping on more minibuses, although not until later in the day, when it should be a little cooler.

As you may have noticed, I do not have a picture of a minibus, but thought the boy with his horse & cart I took recently would be a good substitute.

 

Gratitude Friday - random events

Thursday, I had just got up for work when I received a call saying the day had been declared a holiday, in order for everyone to get the opportunity to vote. I wondered what to do, but was unsure if the museums would be open as it was a holiday. Also, I was slightly wary of going downtown on the last election day (the papers have had a few reports of disgruntled voters, who can't vote through admin problems). Therefore, I used the morning catching up on mail, sorry mum & dad I didn't send you one, painting and blogging.

 In the afternoon, I thought I would go for a walk, although it's starting to get too hot. I know this is a gratitude blog but - why is it soooo windy here, carrying a ton of sand & dust into my eyes, hair and clothes??? Anyway, I went to a park I had spotted when "misplaced" last week from the knight in shining armour aka a rickshaw. Families & couples were sitting on the grass and benches, relaxing or having picnics. There was a small zoo with gazelles, but I couldn't work out how to enter, so I continued walking around.

This is the point that random events collide to make me grateful. I came across a group of young boys setting up a band. A young man was sat on a bench strumming a guitar and in a space in front of a turquoise building they were setting up a drum kit and electric guitars. I sat at a vacant picnic table and it soon became clear that they were using the park as a place for band practice. When I left, they had regrouped and along with the drummer were 3 or 4 electric guitar players and a keyboard. The short parts of tunes they played sounded quite good, especially the guitarists, and there was lots of fun and laughter. What a fabulous thing to hear and witness. I am thankful for seeing this slice of normal Khartoum life.

First impressions

Yesterday, I arrived in Khartoum after a mamouth journey as my original flight was cancelled at the departure gate due to sandstorms in Sudan. Despite the 24 hour journey, with most of the time spent either in Heathrow T1 or T4, I was still excited to land yesterday afternoon.
Below is the dust filled view from my apartment-style hotel room on arrival.

I was picked up early this morning to go to the training centre, seems ok, building only 10 years old but a bit run down, good facilities though. My line-managers seem very nice men and I'm looking forward to working with them. Actually, all the Sudanese I have come in contact with so far seem very friendly and helpful, from the staff in hotel to the rickshaw driver (above) who rescued me earlier, I'll expand on that in a moment.

This end of town seems quite chilled, but it is the weekend, so I'll see tomorrow. Sudan has a Friday/Saturday weekend. I went for my first walkabout this afternoon. As Khartoum is, mainly. laid out on a grid system I thought I would walk around in a large block. I was bit wary of taking photos, and am desperate to NOT take only the tradition rundown images of Africa that predominate blogs. The fruit on the stalls looks fabulous, and will buy some in a day or so, however the dates, compared to Oman, looked very dry and dusty. Before arriving, I had the stereotype of sand roads, despite it being the capital, so I did take a picture down a sidestreet to prove I was partially right as there are several non-tarmaced side-roads.

After walking about 2/3 ks along the main road I turned right at a large sideroad. Part way along I stopped for fresh oj, yum, then turned right again. I zigzagged a bit but basically heading the same direction. There are some awesome pimped up rickshaws, which I aim to get a collection of photos of. Anyway, I ended up in an area where the roads were not gridded, and I thought I had walked back further than I had gone. Asking a couple of people for directions had mixed results... all very helpful, but giving different directions, one even wanted to put me on a bus, in a direction I thought (correctly) was the wrong way. I caught a rickshaw, unpimped, who asked another driver directions gulp. After driving a short way we stopped at a hotel, not mine. We asked the security guards for directions (me with my hamsa wahed as couldn't say 15 in arabic, which is the name of my street), and a few minutes later we arrived at my hotel phew. 

Please remember all photos are © and all rights reserved by Sue Pownall.

Contact me if you wish to use any images, thank you.

A new challenge ahead

Tomorrow I am flying to Sudan on a 2 month teaching contract, with the possibility of staying 4. I can't wait, I am so excited.

I am concerned about the effects of the racial tension, resulting in genocide, will have had on the country. I wonder if, as a transient worker, I will even have the chance to scratch the surface of knowing who are the Sudanese people, and what their culture and life is about. 

This blog is written for my family and friends, so they can know where I am and what I am up to, therefore, it is unlikely that I will  comment politically on what I find, as there are others far more capable of that. What I shall do here, is just produce a diary of sights and sounds of Sudan, from my experience, within the limited time I will be there, and from a purely personal perspective. Please feel free to leave comments and ask me questions and I will try my best to answer.