Camp Bandro

I finally saw Lac Alaotra which is what my region is famous for aside from all the rice farming. The other PCVs in the area and I arrived on a Friday afternoon and immediately met some German girls who were conducting research in the lake as part of their master’s degree. They were nice enough to take us on a hike up one of the nearby mountains (have I mentioned that my region is completely surrounded by gorgeous mountains?). We enjoyed a beautiful view of the entire lake, nearby commune, and miles of rice fields. However, Lac Alaotra is only about 20% of its original size and is quickly shrinking.

We camped for a night and got up around 4:15 the next morning so we could catch a canoe (with a guide) to see the lake and the Bandro (aka Gentle Bamboo lemur). The lake itself was more of a wetland and had a definite swamp-like smell. However, it did have pretty vegetation including plants I called, ‘Dr. Seuss trees.’ In many places the lake was only centimeters deep and we got stuck a number of times. We did catch a glimpse of the endangered Bandro lemur which was exciting since it is only found on this one lake in Madagascar. It's rarity is largely due to habitat loss. I also watched local Malagasy fish which consisted of swinging a basket back and forth through the water. They must be successful because the fish from Lac Alaotra even reach my site which is one of the farther areas from the lake.

You know you’re a PCV (in the Lac Alaotra region) when:
-the hardest you’ve laughed in country was at shadow puppets
-you’re a talented artist
-you appreciate how hilarious your own jokes are