Sylvia's Journal

The weekend has now started, after we concluded the first part of my assignment. It is the first evening that I don’t have to do anything. Of course I could start writing my report but decided it could wait. I booked a table in Tripadvisor’s number 3 restaurant of Tana (KuDeTa), recommended by my ICRC friends. I had my second order of ‘foie gras’ (duck liver pate) of today and the fifth since I arrived in Madagascar. I know it is very unhealthy, but it is so very delicious. I rationalize my choices by telling myself I only eat it once in a blue moon.

I also indulge in chocolate, the very dark stuff; my only lapse in my no sugar diet. Madagascar chocolate is possibly the best in the world.

One other treat is a visit to the spa that is part of the hotel. Within hours of checking into I received a call from the spa manager to suggest that I needed a massage. How did she know? I decided I needed a massage every other day. Given the prices of such services, I could even have a massage every day.

On Sunday morning, before I move out, I am going to combine two of my favorite things here (not the foie gras) and have a very long (90 minutes) ‘massage au chocolat.’ I can’t quite imagine what that would be like. I doubt I will be dipped in chocolate like a strawberry but I am sure I will smell nice afterwards.