Festac Town Stake Gathering

     On Saturday, the 12th of October we joined the rest of our Stake in Festac Town for Culture Day.  It was about a 40 min drive north towards Lagos.  We left a little before 11 since it was supposed to start at noon and we didn't know how traffic might be.  We were one of the first to arrive and things didn't really get started until about 2.  We're learning that starting an hour or two later is just part of the culture here.  Everyone came in native dress so got to wear our newly made Nigerian clothes again.

Festac Chapel (with addition being constructed as the building is very small)

Ikoyi Ward

Our Bishop, Bishop Goury from Ivory Coast

The audience gathered under a lovely canopy to shield from the hot sun.

This is Aja Ward and they all had matching outfits.  They started with a skit and ended with a dance.  I wish I could've understood the dialogue.  It looked very funny--something about a mother gathering marriage candidates for her son.

This ward did a dance using white hankies.

Here's a little clip.

These two cute kids were the stars of this Ward's performance.

And another clip.

Here is Ikoyi Ward lining up to take our turn.  Beatrice our R S Pres said, "Sis Dickman, come and dance with us." What could I say?  

Meanwhile Otto was taking pictures in the audience and making a new friend.

This is a common scene here in Lagos.  The bus door stays open with a guy hanging out.

WILD Conservation Centre

On October 1st, National Day, we discovered this place:

We laughed when we read #6 on the Do's and Don'ts list--"Swimming is prohibited in the Crocodile pool, and survivors will be prosecuted." 

The girls each brought a friend, who are also sisters--Jazira and Dea.

This monitor lizard is contemplating a swim

Braids in nature =)

They are standing on the platform leading up a VERY tall tree to a treehouse

These are Monitor Monkeys 

 Up, up, up...

 First one to the top.

 Looking down from the treetops.

These guys where hanging out on the railings.

This guy dropped out of the tree to check out our car.  Then about 20 more joined him and we shared our apples with them.

Here's a little clip of them eating our apples:

APPLE THIEF!
This guy jumped off the car, grabbed this apple right out of Moriah's hand and pushed off Jezira's leg back up on the car in one swift move.  The girls were a little freaked out and let out a squeal or two.

On the ride back home I caught this guy napping on the job =)