A wide tray of tuwo shinkafa sits on a mat with a bowl of dark green miyan kuka beside it, and everyone eats from the same side with the right hand. Later a Fulani seller mixes fura da nono in a calabash, and strangers end up sharing a bench and the day's news.
Beyond the meal, the old city keeps the Hubbare, the tomb of Shehu Usman dan Fodio, close to the Sultan's palace, and the Waziri Junaidu museum guards old caliphate manuscripts. The climate is hot and semi-arid, with dusty, cooler harmattan months and short summer rains. A Local Friend can take you home to their own ward, where neighbors trade greetings at every doorway.
