Sunday, 29 March 1987: Keeping Busy in Botswana

 UB Environmental Science Computer Room

Some of my weekends here in Gaborone are full of activities which keep me in good spirits.  This Friday, for example, I went to a TGIF party put on by the American “community” in Gabs.  There I met some American friends who invited me to come over to their place to watch old Humphrey Bogart movies on their VCR.  

The Botswana Defense Force’s marching band provided entertainment at the national team’s football match with Mauritius on March 28.

 

On Saturday afternoon, two American friends, David and Kent, walked with me to the new national stadium to watch a football (soccer) match between Botswana’s national team and the Indian Ocean island nation, Mauritius.  The game was bloody boring:  the final score, 0-0.  Other than that, it was a big deal for Botswana as it was the first international competition held at the new stadium.  Even Botswana President Quett Masire was there.  We saw him and his entourage sitting in the VIP stands across the field from us.  After the game, the three of us headed for a local watering hole to drink Castle Lagers and talk intellectual trash.    

Front and back of my ticket to the big match.

An article in the Botswana Gazette explained that the Botswana Zebras were a hastily-assembled team that did not have adequate time to train effectively for their first international contest.  As a result, their 0-0 tie with Mauritius (the Indian Ocean Zone champions) was lauded as a victory of sorts – most everyone had assumed that the Zebras would get clobbered.

Last night I bicycled over to the home of my South African/Namibian friends, Hugh and Margot, who plied me with pizza, wine, and excellent reefer while showing me some of Hugh’s terrific 35mm color slides of Namibian scenery and wildlife.  This friendly couple and their two kids, Jonathan and Candice, make me feel like an honorary family member.    

Margot and Hugh’s daughter, Candice, playing horsy with Uncle Will.  Candice grew up to be a popular singer-song writer in Europe.  Photo by Hugh Gordon.