April 25. In the morning, after breakfast, we return to the Himba village we visited yesterday. As we walk around the village, we learn more about Himba culture and customs, see the chief sit by the sacred fire, lit twice a day and forming a line with the entrance and where the cattle are that cannot be crossed (we have special permission), enter a hut where a woman is burning a kind of incense that creates a perfume as she applies material to color her skin a reddish brown (feels like a sauna), buy some things at the store to support community members and visit with the women and children in the village (the men are off tending the cattle).
From the village, we go to the big city (not) of Puros, which has no streets. Boys are playing soccer in an open area and Hereros women dressed in colorful, daily costumes that must be very hot are sitting with babies in the shade of a tree. We happen into a church ( a simple square room with benches and a ceiling made of canvas), where a minister is christening three babies, who are with their mothers and a couple other women. The minister speaks English and is quite chatty. He invites to,return to,take photos after the service tomorrow. On the way out of Puros, we pass the Manchester United bar. The Himbas are big English soccer fans.
We return to the lodge for a couple hours, before returning to,the Himba village for late afternoon photos, a group photo of all of us with Himba villagers and then to watch very energetic dances by the firelight, involving the chief, village women and even a few children. Much of it appears to be improvised.
After the dancing, we return to the lodge for an excellent dinner and the retire after a very long, 16- hour day.
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