Obama Mania!

So Africa still loves the heck out of President Obama. We do not have world peace, the economy is still doing its thing and, as of this post, flowers and butterflies still fail to magically appear everywhere he steps... but Africa still *hearts* Barack. Feast your eyes.
A poster for an inauguration party. There were no "official embassy" attendees as that would have demonstrated partisanship but I understand there was a small gathering or two attended by people with familiar accents. : ) Lance and I went to one actually so we could 1) support the lovely people throwing the party and 2) in Lance's words, "to demonstrate support for peaceful elections." It was fun and nice to see people (American and Batswana) excited about the future.



Leading up to the elections this store was selling shirts with then candidate Obama and Martin Luther King. It's good that they know who MLK is right? Yesterday they were out of shirts but have framed mini posters available if anyone wants an souvenir. Anyone? Anyone?



These pillows are actually from Namibia and were found in a very touristy part of town. I never thought of the President as snuggly but...


This sign from the airport in Gondor, Ethiopia. Now I know he's a big deal and all but really he should have waited until after he was president to start his own food chain. It just seems like it would be a distraction at this point.


And this is my new tablecloth. Don't laugh - the American Ambassador in Ethiopia has one just like it on the first table you see when you enter his residence. Really! The words are in Swahili and read Hongera Brack Obama. Upendo na amani ametujalia mungu. Translation: Congratulations Barack Obama. Love and peace have been given us by God. This is a kanga cloth, worn as a skirt and previously seen in the Mozambique entries.


So that's Obama mania here in Africa. Shirts do well. Mini posters too I imagine. The tourists buy everything. I'll be interested to see if they are still selling it in a year or so. If he gets a shweshwe pattern like Nelson Mandela then that will really be something. Oh the pressure not to cut off his forehead!