What a great weekend. Thanks, Port Moresby for really putting on a show for our visiting friend.
As we already know, most things are relative - and depending where you live, Port Moresby is a thriving metropolis. A bustling city may invoke images of smoky cocktail bars, crowded subways, people people people ignoring each other with their ipods, busy important office blocks and noisy restaurants with silly long waiting lists. But if you live on an island with no fresh herbs, milk or cheese - a few hours in Boroko Foodworld is basically akin to to buying bagels in NYC.
Saturday morning we also picked up part of the 2 week-long Moresby Arts Festival. There were lots of sing-sings and some really interesting art, we wandered off for a while and when I found my friend again, she was carrying her body weight in bilums. Once we took our leave from traditional culture, we zoomed off to engage in mass consumer culture and headed for Brian Bell. Our dinner party plans for the evening ahead had snowballed to the point that I actually needed to buy more crockery, and after filling up on the essentials, I really felt that it was important to grab a pair of white gravy boats as well. Just what every good spouse needs in Papua New Guinea!
As I suspected (but denied at the time of purchase) - the gravy boats weren't actually required on the night. Aside from this minor disappointment, the dinner party was F-U-N. We stayed up late - it was so retro! Dreams of having the whole party merge from table to dancefloor were not realised, so our poor friend had no choice but to watch Will and I bust out moves on the fit ball after everyone had left.
Sunday involved the weekend papers, Gourmet Traveller and a three hour sleep in the middle of the day. If something sounds a bit odd here - you are correct. This is not the kind of Sunday people with babies generally have ... but somehow we did! And when we all woke up feeling refreshed and eating whatever food was in our path - my little girl said 'Mummy' for the first time - at me. Oh the heart-ache of joy!
Sunday dinner was left over beef bourguinon, and yes - it was better the day after just like Stephanie told me it would be. Thanks to Stephanie and her guidance, I also fashioned my first 'bouquet garni' over the weekend - it was quietly satisfying (and a little bit nanna).
And then it was Monday again - and our haus meri came to tidy up all the loose ends and make our house sparkle again.
Thanks universe - I can feel the world smiling and I accept!
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