The Great Baobab

Harvesting the fruit of the great Baobab tree

The Baobab has shed its leaves in the dry season but it is still a favorit gathering place for friends.

Tasty Baobab fruit sold in the market

One of the most powerful symbols of the Gambian landscape is the majestic baobab tree. The massive tree lives for centuries and is believed by locals to have a spiritual power. The baobab looks like it stands upside-down, and has been replanted, as the branches resemble roots. To me, the actual roots look like a bulging, complex system of veins. Since it is the dry season now, the huge trees are devoid of leaves, but they have a unique fruit. The picture above shows a resourceful boy who has climbed to the top of a baobab to gather the velvety, brown, ripe pods. Yesterday I tried the baobab fruit for the first time in the market, where it is sold out of large barrels in rough pieces, with the pod taken off.
With a Gambian friend who owns a shop in a busy market and a wonderful American friend who introduced us, we simply picked off one of the loose white pieces from the barrel and popped it into our mouths. It tastes sour and a bit creamy, with a big pit in the center, and some say it's like a warm sherbet. I was stunned to find out that this is the source of tartaric acid (as in cream of tartar). As if the fruit weren't enough use from the tree, some of the trees contain water in their trunks which can be tapped during dry season, and the bark can be used to make rope. The baobab also provides a home to many of the country's famous array of birds.
Layla happened to try a baobab ice at school yesterday for the first time and really liked it. [These are like popsicles, but the frozen juice is simply sealed in a small (about the size of a small fist) plastic bag and they're carried around and sucked on.]

PS: Happy Valentine's Day! Here's something to ponder: "When you love, let it be with a ray of infinite love!" (from the Baha'i writings)