Tuesday, November 14, 2017

Cat dureaza sa cumperi un laptop in Africa?

<< La pescuit de baracuda pe Casamance / Baracuda fishing on the Casamance Intra cine vrea, iese cine poate - Episodul 1 >>
XYZ

Cine zice ca trebuie sa mergi in natura ca sa ai parte de aventuri? Una dintre cele mai interesante aventuri ale mele aici a inceput cu....comandarea unui laptop :)

Procedura de achizitie aici nu este cea mai simpla, dar e destul de liniara. Din moment ce nu exista un site gen eMag de unde sa poti sa alegi, procesul e in felul urmator:
- scrii pe o foaie de hartie cam ce vrei (procesor, ram, hard etc). Poti sa zici si exact modelul de laptop pe care il doresti, dar s-ar putea sa nu gasesti fix acelasi lucru si mai tare sa te incurci.
- directorul local aproba cererea
- mergi cu cererea la financiar care o trimite la sediul central
- cei de la sediul central trimit mai departe la furnizorii lor, care raspund cu o proforma
- sediul central iti trimite proformele sa verifici ca e bine ce ti-au dat furnizorii
- dupa ce aprobi proforma, sediul central cumpara si iti trimite obiectul.

Undeva pe 20 si ceva septembrie am inceput cu primul pas, comandand un laptop si un PC. Nu e nevoie sa zic ca azi pe 14 noiembrie comanda inca nu a ajuns in totalitate, nu?:)

Prima parte a mers bine. Directorul a aprobat instant, financiarul a primit hartia si a zis ca o trimite. Fiind vineri, commanda a fost trimisa abia luni la sediul central, ceea ce nu a fost nicio problema ca oricum nu lucra nimeni pe ea in weekend.

Si de aici a inceput asteptarea. Trece o saptamana...nimic. In a doua saptamana am inceput sa fac pressing - ce se intampla, a fost data comanda? e pe drum? etc. Dupa 2 zile de intrebari am aflat ca cei de la sediul central au primit o oferta si o asteapta pe a 2-a ca sa o compare.
Am cerut sa vad si eu oferta, sa ma asigur ca au trimis ce trebuie (cerusem laptop cu SSD si tare ma indoiam ca tanti de la sediu central stie sa se uite pe detalii). Bineinteles ca nu am primit nimic, ba chiar am simtit ca s-au ofensat ca le-am cerut asa ceva.

Urmatoarea saptamana (deja in octombrie), ceream detalii aproape in fiecare zi. Cam pe joi asa reusesc sa dau de tanti mai sus mentionata la telefon. Se pare ca deja facusera si platisera comanda, era la ei, asteptau sa se adune mai multe obiecte ca sa le trimita - nu exista serviciu de curierat aici, asa ca asteptam pana se umple un pick-up sau un camion si se trimit toate odata.
Bun, zic, trimite-mi si mie factura sa ma asigur ca ati cumparat ce trebuie. Tipa a explodat, ca e exact ce am cerut, nu trebuie sa imi trimita nimic - semn prost.

Ghici ce....peste inca o saptamana cand a ajuns camionul cu livrarea, laptopul bineinteles ca nu avea SSD. Prinde orbul, scoate-i ochii. (a, nu zic ca erau cateva PC-uri  - cel din comanda mea plus altele - in camion care erau pline de vopsea pe cutii, ca se varsase o galeata de alb pe ele pe drum)


Ce e de facut? Trimitem laptopul inapoi si le zicem sa schimbe HDDul cu un SSD, cat de greu poate fi?

Dau laptopul inapoi la inventar, vorbesc cu sysadminul sa explice la centru ca trebuie sa dea inapoi laptopul la furnizor si sa ceara inlocuirea HDDului.

Bineinteles ca pentru asta aveam nevoie de o noua factura de la furnizor, cu costul SSDului, aprobata de director. Am zis sa sarim peste recalcitranta de la sediu si sa vorbim direct cu furnizorul. Tipul de acolo a inteles(oare?) si a zis ca trimite o proforma pentru un SSD imediat.



Dupa 4 zile(!) s-a facut imediat, si a venit o proforma...cu 2 laptopuri + OS + office. Sysadminul mai ceruse intre timp o oferta pentr un un PC pe care sa punem un linux si sa punen pfSense pe el si nu stiu ce s-a amestecat in capul alora ca PCul s-a transformat in laptop si SSD-ul meu s-a transformat in comanda originala.



Deja incepusem sa ma dau cu capul de usi, asa ca am sunat iar la furnizor. Asta era deja bulversat, zicea si da si nu (ca orice om de vanzari care se respecta) asa ca ne-a pasat la cineva de la financiar de la ei.

Astuia i-am explicat ca am nevoie urgent sa imi trimta de acum 2 proforme: una cu un PC fara OS si alte chestii, si una doar cu un SSD, la care sa puna neaparat marca si modelul. Urgent.

Peste 2 zile s-a facut urgent si au trimis. Bineinteles, fara marca si model :)) Am lasat-o asa.

Directorul a aprobat, am trimis toate hartiile la toata lumea si am asteptat - se pare ca asta e sport national.

Dupa vreo 2 saptamani am aflat ca laptopul inca nu plecase la la noi de la inventar :))
Dupa inca o saptamana ajunsese la sediu, dar nu plecase spre furnizor, care e pe o strada vecina.
Dupa inca o saptamana ajunsese la furnizor, dar de la centru in loc sa trimita comanda de schimbare de HDD, trimisesera iar comanda originala de laptop. Asa ca laptopul meu e undeva in purgatoriul birocratiei si asteapta o amarata de hartie.


Asa ca acum dau telefoane peste telefoane la toata lumea sa ma asigur ca se trimite si se primeste tot ce trebuie. Se pare ca alta tipa care se ocupa acum de comenzi e plecata si nu stim daca a trimis sau nu noua comanda. Poate pana pe 1 decembrie i se monteaza SSDul si pana de craciun il primesc.

In ritmul asta, daca il comandam de pe eMag si venea cu posta, era si mai rapid si mai ieftin...

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Thursday, November 2, 2017

La pescuit de baracuda pe Casamance / Baracuda fishing on the Casamance

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Monday, October 23, 2017

Carabane, Senegal - Delfini, plaja si nuci de cocos / Dolphins, beach and coconuts

<< Senegal Street Food - Burgers La pescuit de baracuda pe Casamance / Baracuda fishing on the Casamance >>
XYZ


Daca tot n-am ce face in weekend, mi-am luat lumea'n cap si am plecat de nebun pe o insula din zona. A iesit cam ca in videoul de mai jos:

Invataturi de minte:

  • sa iau pasaportul la mine, sau macar o copie dupa toate paginile, sa nu mai am probleme cu jandarmii. Dar o atitudine corecta si posibil cateva mii de franci rezolva orice, oricum :)
  • pe cat posibil sa merg cu cineva care cunoaste locul, de preferat sa nu fie alb. As fi scutit o gramada de bani si posibil cateva fire de par alb
  • cand zice un localnic: "las'ca fac sa fie bine", nivelul asteptarilor trebuie sa tinda catre 0
  • sa fac rost de o camera mai buna ca durat mai mult sa editez sunetul la film decat sa vizitez insula
Weekendul viitor mergeem la pescuit de barracuda :D
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To avoid getting bored this weekend too, I went on a crazy trip to a local island. See the video below

To remember for next time:

  • bring my passport, or a full copy of all pages. But anyway, a good attitude and several thousand francs solve any problem
  • if possible go with a local that knows the place, preferably not a white guy. I would have saved quite some money and some white hairs
  • when a local says "i'll take care of it, it's going to be good", your expectations should drop to 0
  • get a better camera - it took me more time to fix the sound of the video than to visit the island

Next weekend we're going barracuda fishing!


(calitatea audio nu e stralucita, recomand sa utilizati subtitrarile)
(the audio quality is not that good, use subtitles - well, you would already be doing that unless you understand Romanian)
Bonus:
Coloana sonora este o parodie la un superhit african, in care parodie se canta despre cum se face Thiere, o mancare senegaleza, un fel de couscous facut din mei. Melodia originala e in descrierea clipului pe youtube.

The soundtrack is a parody of an African superhit, in which they sing about how to make Thiere, a type of Senegalese couscous made from millet. The original song is linked on the clip description on youtube.


<< Senegal Street Food - BurgersLa pescuit de baracuda pe Casamance / Baracuda fishing on the Casamance >>
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Thursday, October 5, 2017

Senegal Street Food - Burgers

<< Africani gusta mancare romaneasca. Episodul 1:Dulceata / Africans taste Romanian food. Episode 1: Jam Carabane, Senegal - Delfini, plaja si nuci de cocos / Doplhins, beach and coconuts >>
XYZ

In Senegal, una dintre cele mai populare mancaruri de fast-food este hamburger-ul. Este un hamburger special, facut parca dupa reteta shaormei romanesti: cu de toate.

Chifla: o chifla dreptunghiulara, pufoasa care aduce mai mult a cozonac decat a paine. Probabil are mult zahar. Cred ca se face special pentru hamburgeri, pentru ca nu am vazut-o la vanzare in alta parte. E rumena si gustoasa.
Carnea: sursa carnii prefer sa nu o cunosc, dupa ce am vazut pe la piata de carne. Carnea este tocată , amestecata cu ceapa prajita si condimente. Nu este compacta ci imprastiata, ca la shaorma
Celelate ingrediente: se adauga salata, rosii, branza si evident cartofi prajiti. Elementul care m-a surprins insa este oul prajit, pe care il gasesti in orice hamburger.
Sosuri: ketchup si maioneza sunt standard, insa poti adauga mustar si sos (foarte) iute
Pret: undeva intre 1300 si 1800 FCFA (2-2.5 EUR) in functie de locatie
Calorii: fara numar. Pot fi arse cu o sesune de Bubble Football

Vine invelit in hartie cerata - de care chiar este nevie, pentru ca este foarte suculent.

Nota 10!
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In Senegal, one of the most popular fast-food items is the hamburger. The Senegalese have their special take on the hamburger and make it with everything.


Bun: a rectangular bun, fluffy and very sweet. I think it is made with a lot of sugar only for hamburgers, since i haven't it for sale in any other places. It has a nice brown color from the oven and it is very tasty.
The Patty: it's not as much a patty as just a loose mixture of minced meat with onions and spices. I'd prefer not to know the source of the meat, after what I've seen in the animal market
Other ingredients: they add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and obviously fries. What surprised me is the fried egg present in every hamburger
Sauces: ketchup and mayo are standard. You can also get mustard and (very) hot sauce
Prices: somewhere between 1300 and 1800 FCFA (2-2.5 EUR)
Calories: infinite.Can be burned with a session of Bubble Football

It comes wrapped in wax paper - and you need it, since it is very juicy!

A+!







<< Africani gusta mancare romaneasca. Episodul 1:Dulceata / Africans taste Romanian food. Episode 1: JamCarabane, Senegal - Delfini, plaja si nuci de cocos / Doplhins, beach and coconuts >>
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Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Africani gusta mancare romaneasca. Episodul 1:Dulceata / Africans taste Romanian food. Episode 1: Jam

<< Senegal Street Food - Fataya Senegal Street Food - Burgers >>
XYZ

Daca tot am experimentat deliciile culinare senegaleze, m-am gandit ca ar fi timpul sa vada si ei cum sunt bunatatile romanesti.

Asadar, lansez serialul: Africani gusta mancare romaneasca. Episodul 1: Dulceata 
(alegeti subtitrarea romaneasca)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Considering I've been experimenting the culinary delights of Senegal, I figured it's time for them to see how Romanian goodies taste like.

Therefore, I'm launching the series Africans taste Romanian food. Episode 1: Jam
(choose the English subtitles)


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Saturday, September 23, 2017

Senegal Street Food - Fataya

<< Cap Skirring - ocean, sand and palm trees, old cars and dead fish [EN] Africani gusta mancare romaneasca. Episodul 1:Dulceata / Africans taste Romanian food. Episode 1: Jam >>
XYZ


Fataya sunt probabil cele mai populare snack-uri din Senegal. De inspiratie libaneza, in esenta o fataya este aluat umplut cu un amestec de carne, ceapa, ardei iuti, piper si sos tomat, prajit in ulei. Carnea poate sa fie de pui, deoaie, de vita, sau de peste, in cazul acesta numindu-se pastel.

Desi se gaseste la aproape orice colt de strada, nu as numi-o chiar fast food, pentru ca prepararea are multe ingrediente si etape si dureaza destul de mult. 

Cu precadere seara, pe marginea drumului, apar o multime de femei cu cate o masuta, niste oale cu ingrediente si o mica soba care se apuca si le prepara chiar acolo. Fataya-le care sunt gata sa pun intr-o caserola mare de plastic sau intr-un lighean si isi asteapta clientii. Din drum se servesc negresit pe o foaie veche de ziar. Costa aproximativ 100 XOF bucata (70 bani).

Daca le luati de la un fast-food, sansele sunt sa fie mai scumpe dar si mai mari. In plus, vin cu un sos de ceapa si legume.

Pofta buna!
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Fatayas are probably the most popular Senegalese snacks. Inspired from Lebanese cuisine, a fataya is essentially deep-fried  dough filled with a mix of meat, onion, hot peppers, pepper and tomato sauce. The meet can be beef, chicken, mutton or fish, the latter being called pastel.

Although you can find it on every street, I would not call it fast-food since making fatayas requires lots of ingredients and a lot of steps.

Usually in the evenings a lot of women pop out on the side of the street with their tables, pots of ingredients and charcoal stoves and start making them right there. The finished fatayas are stored in a plastic container and await their customers. You will always receive them in an old piece of newspaper. The cost is around 100 FCFA/piece (~15 E cents).

If you get them from a fast-food they will probably be bigger and more expensive, and they will aso give you an onion and vegetable sauce.

Enjoy!









<< Cap Skirring - ocean, sand and palm trees, old cars and dead fish [EN]Africani gusta mancare romaneasca. Episodul 1:Dulceata / Africans taste Romanian food. Episode 1: Jam >>



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Friday, September 22, 2017

Cap Skirring - ocean, sand and palm trees, old cars and dead fish

<< Cap Skirring - Ocean, nisip si palmieri, masini vechi si peste mort Senegal Street Food - Fataya>>
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It is time to show you one of the nice places of Senegal – Cap Skirring, the most popular tourist destination.

Cap Skirring is a little village on the Atlantic coast, being the last populated place on the southern border, kind of like Vama Veche in Romania. But alongside the village there are a lot of hotels and villas, some with their own private beaches. Probably the most famous one is Hotel Club Med, belonging to the company with the same name, a French group that deals in the vacation business.

Depending on where you look, Cap Skirring can be either:
  •           Superb and tropical






  •          or kind of crappy











If you choose to spend your vacation in such a place, you can either

- sit all day at the hotel or on the beach and enjoy
  • the tropical weather
  • the large beaches, with not so many people
  • the fresh food – fish and seafood
  • traditional music
  • depending on why you went there, sample the local pleasures (hint hint!)
- or if you have a guide you trust, visit the Casamance area, the traditional Wolof and Djola villages and if you are lucky, attend a tribal ceremony

Of course, like in all the region, or maybe especially here, since it is a touristic destination, you must be prepared to negotiate dearly. There are no prices displayed and the whiter your skin or the stronger your accent, the bigger the price you will be. It’s not about racism at all, it’s just that whites usually are tourists and have and are willing to spend more money, and who would not want to take advantage of that? :)

Now that it’s relatively clear what it’s like, how to get there from Europe and how much does it cost?

You can opt from:

1. Directly to Cap Skirring

Apparently there is a flight two times a week from Paris, but I cannot find it in any website It might appear only in the holiday season

2. Through Dakar

There are return flights to Dakar from Paris and Lisbon, at about 3-400 EUR/pers. Flight time about 6 hours

From Dakar you can get to Cap:

2.1 direct, by plane: Dakar-Cap, route operated by the local company Transair

PROs
CONs
  • flight time only 45 m
  • the price is quite high: return flight is ~270 EUR: the company has exclusivity on the route and they can make their own prices
  • the small plane is very confortable
  • there is only one flight per week

  • no layovers


      2.2 Dakar - Ziguinchor - Cap


On the Dakar - Ziguinchor there is a daily flight (180 EUR return flight), or you can do it by boat or by car, see this article

From Ziguinchor to Cap it’s just 70 km and you can easily get there by car, and that is an experience in its own. Which I absolutely wanted to try:


You go the grand bus station, which looks like this on the outside:

... and like this on the inside:

... any you hop in a public transport vehicle:
  • taxi 7 places, at 1700 XOF(2.5 EUR). Trip time about 1 - 1.5 h



  • or a minibus, at, la 1300 XOF (2 EUR). The time will be from 1.5 h upwards, depending on the number of stops along the  way



The road to get there is interesting, as it winds through palm tree forests. Rice fields, mangroves and various villages and settlements 










If you want to know what’s the story with the dead fish in the title, from the place where the taxi/minibus drops you off, you go straight down to the beach and you will reach a fist processing area

Things are like this:

In Senegal they use salted&dried or smoked fish as a flavoring for dishes. You take the fish, cut up a small piece, crumble it and sprinkle it over the food. But the way it looks…ugh…

Basically, fishermen go out on the river or on the ocean and spend a few days there, then come back with their boats filled with fish. The women pick it up, leave it a bit in the sun, then gut it and lay it out to dry on some “tables” made of wooden sticks. Each family with their own table.

After it dries (days, weeks), it is loaded up and sold in the markets.

I saw there sea snails, crabs, stingrays, sharks and lots of other species. Oh, and flies! You didn’t think there wouldn’t be flies on a few hundred square meters of raw fish, right?

The smell….it’s something else. However, it does not stink of rotten fish, it just smells very strongly of…fish.

If you have a sensitive stomach you might want to skip the next photos:














In the end, at the market it looks like this:


What’s good in all this is that the local restaurants can get fresh fish daily. For example, this one ended up from the water straight onto my plate.



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