tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52483403781753600392024-03-13T06:17:59.707-07:00Travelin' Geezers (TM)Chronicling our trip driving from Tacoma, Washington to Puerto Lopez, Ecuador and beyondtravelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-2637637270277306632024-01-22T11:43:00.000-08:002024-01-22T11:43:40.904-08:00Riding Through Our Final Days in Iceland<p>When we woke this morning, Chrissy still wasn't feeling well, but we had horseback riding reservations, so as the brave little trooper she is, she got up, and off we went to find breakfast. Our first attempt was closed, but Cafe Loki, just on the corner by the church, was open for breakfast. While eating, the riding stable called to confirm and make sure of our pickup location. They don't have WhatsApp, so I'll be eating some international calling charges, not just the breakfast I ordered. I usually don't answer calls while traveling because my plan includes data and text, but not calls. It wasn't long, though, should shouldn't be more than a dollar or two.</p><p>After breakfast, we went to the bus stop at the church to wait for the bus. It started spitting a little rain again. When we got to the stable, they had the big, heavy-duty waterproof outers, so I chose to put those over my waterproof things. I'm so glad I did! While riding, the rain picked up, often feeling like sleet hitting my face! It was awesome, though!</p><p>The Icelandic horse is a unique creature and very well cared for and protected under Icelandic law. They do not measure them in hands (1 hand = 4 inches), and there is a very good reason for that. Where most breeds are concerned, the defining line between a horse and a pony is 14.2 hands. Anything short of that is a pony and anything 14.2 or over is a horse. According to our guides, the average height of the Icelandic horse is 130 cm, which converts to just under 13 hands. But DO NOT under any circumstances call them a pony! They are horses, just very short ones! They live to be about 25-30 years old, just like other horses. Since they have never experienced any predators, they are very loving and approachable. A bunch of sweeties! And these guys are spoiled rotten, which is not a bad thing! The law limits the time an Icelandic horse can be worked, regardless of the work they are doing. There are no exceptions to this law for horses that just live on a farm with maybe one or two friends or horses who live in large stables like these. They can only work a maximum of 4 hours in any given day, and they must be given an annual four-month vacation, where they are taken to a "vacation resort", which is just a huge open field of multiple square kilometers, where they can just hang out and play. Kind of like being taken to Montana in the US and set free for 4 months! That's more vacation time than the people get! </p><p>The blood line is so protected that no horses of any breed are allowed to be imported into Iceland, and if an Icelandic horse is taken out of the country, it can never return. Apparently, at one time, there was an attempt to cross breed the Icelandic horse with another breed, and the results were less than stellar, resulting in the near decimation of the breed. Therefore, parliament passed laws in 982 AD prohibiting the importation of any horse, including Icelandic horses that had been taken out of the country. Those laws remain in full force and effect today.</p><p>The Icelandic horse has five gaits. Like all horses, it has the walk, trot, and canter. They also have the flying pace, which is just a normal pace in which both legs on the right side move together, then the legs on the left side move. The fifth gait is called the tölt. This has been described as similar to a saddlebred's rack, a paso fino's largo, or a Tennessee walker's runwalk. I've never ridden a paso fino (I should probably do that the next time I'm in Peru!), but I have ridden saddlebreds and walkers, and between the two, the tölt felt very similar to the runwalk of the Tennessee walking horse.</p><p>The coat on these animals is incredible, too! Our non-Icelandic horses developed an undercoat in winter to help insulate them, but these guys felt like they had a few coats! We were out for a little over an hour in the pouring rain. My waterproof gloves (that stayed dry under water for 10 minutes when I tested them to be sure they were waterproof and not just water resistent when I first got them) got soaked through in spots. I was so happy to have had the stable's waterproof top layer on. When I got off Piano, my horse, I rubbed my hands up on his neck, on the side that didn't have the mane flowing over, and he was bone dry under there! Nice and toasty, too! These guys don't go seeking shelter from a little rain! The stable hands said they seem to prefer being out in the rain instead of inside.</p><p>Because of the rain, I didn't take my camera with me on the ride, so the only shots on the horse are with my crappy phone camera. I got some shots and some video of them playing in the paddock after the ride was finished. As you can see, none of these guys look like drowned rats or even like the rain is a problem at all!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoYIr_MYMIg2i3y8Xrsr-2eHC-Y6w1LyV0MBqNzVSOniVl0MD0s53XCkYNHLYOd7rLwqT8h2lrSeFrhrCDo43T8TeJHjXKmCpfRpTYvv-EAuL4s54fX1oz1KKg6AVk9kPosF_Y05uH0SlAM5HUlsYGULpiEQcycOUrP097lpw5idBj9CvhYjdSvz28v8/s1403/20240111_105420%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1403" data-original-width="856" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoYIr_MYMIg2i3y8Xrsr-2eHC-Y6w1LyV0MBqNzVSOniVl0MD0s53XCkYNHLYOd7rLwqT8h2lrSeFrhrCDo43T8TeJHjXKmCpfRpTYvv-EAuL4s54fX1oz1KKg6AVk9kPosF_Y05uH0SlAM5HUlsYGULpiEQcycOUrP097lpw5idBj9CvhYjdSvz28v8/s320/20240111_105420%5B1%5D.jpg" width="195" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkwa8SDvN4FDKzVrGh7CwDcUCiEMbjNUgXfLjpqLD6SlC_O9q_f6HoGHQHfOyYtiupWPiAYs6hfVkwDjai5T_XQOhxp7bIwJsFrfD_8Lf6z-wbmgDtIOCVYPtIFOofWsv1ktypOQtjQAX9iIRfJMRXHf3hi-7NnAfDZiFxkGM4CMP-GiC17H_ooG6Nc4/s5472/P1330615.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidkwa8SDvN4FDKzVrGh7CwDcUCiEMbjNUgXfLjpqLD6SlC_O9q_f6HoGHQHfOyYtiupWPiAYs6hfVkwDjai5T_XQOhxp7bIwJsFrfD_8Lf6z-wbmgDtIOCVYPtIFOofWsv1ktypOQtjQAX9iIRfJMRXHf3hi-7NnAfDZiFxkGM4CMP-GiC17H_ooG6Nc4/s320/P1330615.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwgI0ddknadruDvtyaWyTlHH7e2CCoKJ1QPJUjLefQigoJAUsABXHW9LNRcwAed3_15F6O4CITS0LVyyqETiw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After riding, we had some hot chocolate and coffee and warmed up by the radiators. Then, they took us back to Reykjavik. We had a nice late lunch of sandwich and soup from a cafe across from our AirBnB and caught the Hop On/Hop Off (HOHO) bus to look around at the sights in the dry. Pictures from the bus aren't very clear, but I did get a couple of good ones through the rain-spattered glass.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Hofdi House, where Reagan and Gorbachev met in 1986</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJyJ_Nrr3y1BPIfYdhckg1ta8acMopmI8gXwVrlgNX1AI1gg1ts-HFUQJGGAWh2SXXGbOvJUwvH3tiAx6QH-NNxAkQukSnEdsLg0LzJtZJOJD_vVAMBThdQ_tZ2ZPaoO0Sz2H8qaUocpqBgEz_KouXzsaM0s15M8VAq65J5h8aXCMBw_o4YYbMQFtqFg/s5472/P1330620.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAJyJ_Nrr3y1BPIfYdhckg1ta8acMopmI8gXwVrlgNX1AI1gg1ts-HFUQJGGAWh2SXXGbOvJUwvH3tiAx6QH-NNxAkQukSnEdsLg0LzJtZJOJD_vVAMBThdQ_tZ2ZPaoO0Sz2H8qaUocpqBgEz_KouXzsaM0s15M8VAq65J5h8aXCMBw_o4YYbMQFtqFg/s320/P1330620.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sun Voyager sculpture on the waterfront</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym1bdnTu3EHOVaT6psqiOYCnJ1cAdopLhJjL8d7lQ2qrPJvFhzuBOyK9piHm8MOGKiXDF6zyQuelIkziqoJo1tkS5g0eojjI35pzdiDBvgNs-HenmffpQpfsD9beqGEtQ98OimBJXvw2XT3OanE1-N1nDHvpdmDeXjCc-GQsAW7k-QG3O2-X_3AkJDZI/s5472/P1330647.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjym1bdnTu3EHOVaT6psqiOYCnJ1cAdopLhJjL8d7lQ2qrPJvFhzuBOyK9piHm8MOGKiXDF6zyQuelIkziqoJo1tkS5g0eojjI35pzdiDBvgNs-HenmffpQpfsD9beqGEtQ98OimBJXvw2XT3OanE1-N1nDHvpdmDeXjCc-GQsAW7k-QG3O2-X_3AkJDZI/s320/P1330647.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the HOHO bus, we walked around a little bit to do some trinket shopping and find a post box to mail a postcard to a special little girl we know. (She gets a postcard from everywhere I go.) We found ourselves on the famous Rainbow Road, which is only a couple of blocks down from our AirBnB, on the same street. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5vgn2iRdefEcg-Tb3YTk7_iA8iI4av8sxvYXIXVBWQJRq-Wi8Wvfjx59bwNg_NqFaz7SdmX_jmInSMlZfJBIQaJmBuU3NFRdDOmOP5lf7KmJmb3JnDgnQ4E-AVEotgDe49qNWF5gFeToDckNMnf0lUpIlql7eYQl5VQCCQfe5VCLg4j1vBwyokaq1gM/s5472/P1330648.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB5vgn2iRdefEcg-Tb3YTk7_iA8iI4av8sxvYXIXVBWQJRq-Wi8Wvfjx59bwNg_NqFaz7SdmX_jmInSMlZfJBIQaJmBuU3NFRdDOmOP5lf7KmJmb3JnDgnQ4E-AVEotgDe49qNWF5gFeToDckNMnf0lUpIlql7eYQl5VQCCQfe5VCLg4j1vBwyokaq1gM/s320/P1330648.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With Chrissy still feeling poorly and a bunch of snacks and food at the AirBnB, we decided to just go home and finish the food we had there before leaving the next day. I kept peeking out on the balcony to look for the aurora, but she never appeared. It was a wonderful time in Iceland, even though we did not achieve the main purpose of the trip - seeing the aurora borealis or northern lights. I guess I'll just have to keep trying! Maybe Iceland again, maybe somewhere else, maybe even a last minute flight to Fairbanks when the skies are clear there and Lady A is dancing. We shall see!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-86902190239291435762024-01-21T09:55:00.000-08:002024-01-21T09:55:20.188-08:00The Snaefellsnes Peninsula<p>After breakfast, our new guide, Gylwi, and new tour group picked us up. A whole different vibe. Not a bad one, but a different one. Gylwi had spent significant time in the US, going to school in Arizona and Alabama. Definitely got the SEC (Southeastern Conference) culture down while he was at Bama and made a few digs at my University of Kentucky Wildcat non-football team! There was a lot more "bro energy" on this day than the last three. Still a fun time, though. We made an unscheduled stop at a roadside vista. It was pretty, but not really anything to write home about compared to the other sights we had seen.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgxy1LvTf74qE96RM_Dh8spod5WgHzgVu8nwCX2tijxMildk539miJbdVKk9sgc8BQs8Gjomrbyjeua-u6cTzL5ManlDEAVuGDA04-bKCMT8RgkuMPQ1FlqNt6IEFzWork3b-5ZQqNUnCkGS-05whfKP4A-bBqpPMfngkGgaDta5FV2vn32aJndoMBOk/s5472/P1330180.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOgxy1LvTf74qE96RM_Dh8spod5WgHzgVu8nwCX2tijxMildk539miJbdVKk9sgc8BQs8Gjomrbyjeua-u6cTzL5ManlDEAVuGDA04-bKCMT8RgkuMPQ1FlqNt6IEFzWork3b-5ZQqNUnCkGS-05whfKP4A-bBqpPMfngkGgaDta5FV2vn32aJndoMBOk/s320/P1330180.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9cfilQ6ztYLI2KCXBizFhlHqeGT4WAuqWGVi9jnvMO0It4tVlGmelH4VA0UmgZtT-anIZ_R1s04oy84b392nWurMIqWUwyzWKKvXIEO0udYK1aPbIEN-x_4v-IlOAPSA1qcQUaLjxtjAIpm8zdbA0nz5Qx1KiilS7Lgg6g38HZmJ6YksHYvoToCw6mI/s5472/P1330182.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9cfilQ6ztYLI2KCXBizFhlHqeGT4WAuqWGVi9jnvMO0It4tVlGmelH4VA0UmgZtT-anIZ_R1s04oy84b392nWurMIqWUwyzWKKvXIEO0udYK1aPbIEN-x_4v-IlOAPSA1qcQUaLjxtjAIpm8zdbA0nz5Qx1KiilS7Lgg6g38HZmJ6YksHYvoToCw6mI/s320/P1330182.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The wind was a bit brisker on this part of the island, so I put the liner back in my parka while we were driving to our next destination, Kirkjufell, or Church Mountain. This is apparently the most photographed mountain in Iceland. Those of you who watched may recognize it from Game of Thrones. Of course, I don't know if it was used in the show in summer or winter, but they tell me it's green in the summer. When we got there, there was a jerk that hopped the ropes and camped out just at the top of the waterfall, ruining everybody else's shot. He was there when we got there and was still there when we left. It was a good thing I put my liner in, too. The winds by this mountain and its associated waterfall (Kirkjufellsfoss) was no joke! It was at least as strong as the katabatic winds in Antarctica and may have been the northern equivalent. I had difficulty standing upright in the gusts, and they blew water up over the falls instead of down them. Chrissy pulled up wind information, and the winds were sustaned at 22 mph with gusts to 35 mph (about 35 kph with 56 kph gusts). I got a few good shots anyway, being careful to try to keep the jerk just outside of the frame. You can see him in the video showing the water blowing up the falls, though.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-F5eZw8k6p_4XNKVNN5D6QEpiF-9gzHpDp0kyGVbJ4LtKjsYdKohdErgN-yO_3JJadY5rNMcXbjxO4NAV1bELVFSCj_J-RBSndxI1t62wsR7fLF_BX51lfbtMGIIml68b9rGkecKk08iwTcuAV1KHHxCE8-sYMV_DB9kSC5M7Jzp2OUcnh2Yn4DJxSA0/s5472/P1330199.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-F5eZw8k6p_4XNKVNN5D6QEpiF-9gzHpDp0kyGVbJ4LtKjsYdKohdErgN-yO_3JJadY5rNMcXbjxO4NAV1bELVFSCj_J-RBSndxI1t62wsR7fLF_BX51lfbtMGIIml68b9rGkecKk08iwTcuAV1KHHxCE8-sYMV_DB9kSC5M7Jzp2OUcnh2Yn4DJxSA0/s320/P1330199.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA42ldrgN3_0RqiyW4EYxGBGzD9Is52ZVlF2DR0rvWm-jnMLeohybuip5g-vryoOWVyJ80_Z9B2SEIejLysQ0p7ZM2R8bvY7XG7xsTTl1isgtu7i8rziZiepNGaEOEuiIklvSmc7EVqlEgL-7g51-4KrdB-0KTcEEFhyphenhyphenxo0SVuZLMb6o_GsOmYpPlnl5A/s5472/P1330212.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA42ldrgN3_0RqiyW4EYxGBGzD9Is52ZVlF2DR0rvWm-jnMLeohybuip5g-vryoOWVyJ80_Z9B2SEIejLysQ0p7ZM2R8bvY7XG7xsTTl1isgtu7i8rziZiepNGaEOEuiIklvSmc7EVqlEgL-7g51-4KrdB-0KTcEEFhyphenhyphenxo0SVuZLMb6o_GsOmYpPlnl5A/s320/P1330212.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxdEKTRjHNiCabTwISOYBNs1BLPskv5j6RwcZHHAheOWP92QqPmWo3tdcNWm7YTTUwyyJoDrnmSX80l73URdg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After we were blown back onto the bus, we headed to Snaefellsjokull National Park. This is a huge lava field centered around the Snaefellsjokull volcano and glacier. It was featured in Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth" and is the source of much lore. Like most beaches, there are trolls on this one, too. One is the woman troll carrying fish on her back (Kerling). There is also an elven church (the largest rock stack on the trail). This was a fabled area of determining who was and was not worthy of becoming a seafarer by having a series of rocks of various weights and sizes. I didn't get pictures of these rocks. Remember that "bro energy" I was talking about?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Legend has it that this was the first place Bardar Snaefellsas came ashore from Norway and settled this peninsula. Bardar was a half man/half troll magical being. After an undescribed tragic ordeal, Bardar is said to have moved his family to the Snaefellsjokull volcano, where he continues to live and watch over the people of the peninsula that bears his name. For about 300 years, until about 1950, this area was a thriving but seasonal fishing village. Now it is a lovely park with mystical origins.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYdSgfDH2lU2gbiql_5e7e1xCduOO7S-rBxrmR4U12dgHojmpnEGEwKy6RrwcZoJ-xqdvCWZ9s7AajCz9m4lMH_vvSVAcahSjPDVZV63JoAk2KIv60_BUluwvcgvcMRlPfcEZX0gCEmr1_UKKaTEIL1lt01gJtr8xLTKGdYfg1O3WzjSAUVVj_518ZUk/s5472/P1330244.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNYdSgfDH2lU2gbiql_5e7e1xCduOO7S-rBxrmR4U12dgHojmpnEGEwKy6RrwcZoJ-xqdvCWZ9s7AajCz9m4lMH_vvSVAcahSjPDVZV63JoAk2KIv60_BUluwvcgvcMRlPfcEZX0gCEmr1_UKKaTEIL1lt01gJtr8xLTKGdYfg1O3WzjSAUVVj_518ZUk/s320/P1330244.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The tall one is Trollakirja, the troll church.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPTapiQls4Y14ciN58a2WOVc3ZZdS5of0jj-HSqMcMlUy_ABYvjQVScXosdJWlEnQZs14NJygVJCu71nw1BPZv4rQUVYr71XUx4CNg5qj_qLAG-mU2P-SL7_aO31QnuR6FCog-3VnM_LPvJhcvvhfJqqkC0U9fDj8khZtn39P-fs50ULvvnMLflWfW_A/s5472/P1330247.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCPTapiQls4Y14ciN58a2WOVc3ZZdS5of0jj-HSqMcMlUy_ABYvjQVScXosdJWlEnQZs14NJygVJCu71nw1BPZv4rQUVYr71XUx4CNg5qj_qLAG-mU2P-SL7_aO31QnuR6FCog-3VnM_LPvJhcvvhfJqqkC0U9fDj8khZtn39P-fs50ULvvnMLflWfW_A/s320/P1330247.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3PHoDeSeDGerIqdANR6UtMGpzRXvDFa4GCgLOh_hpY79BErMYWrpkQhyEEbfQmZYtv8JicGquo6bVgIpHwVt2cWhmAVtL05x9PoFzs1dsEOvgfsMztsN8lDEeHl1kgCyK9iDjTvhoRWSCM7t7DJARVTpsylbjihixVWsvJMaSdOQkCuuz2oBpdmCSCQ/s5472/P1330261.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3PHoDeSeDGerIqdANR6UtMGpzRXvDFa4GCgLOh_hpY79BErMYWrpkQhyEEbfQmZYtv8JicGquo6bVgIpHwVt2cWhmAVtL05x9PoFzs1dsEOvgfsMztsN8lDEeHl1kgCyK9iDjTvhoRWSCM7t7DJARVTpsylbjihixVWsvJMaSdOQkCuuz2oBpdmCSCQ/s320/P1330261.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This basalt stack is the troll woman with fish</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpZNSFRFxPUTff4GwAYSTLfO9jAY7MwtRvVwB3Wkd7ni3J5uhOB4Cg8HwBbDu8txctfQeQkqUUwyF27tFzTabXet5YLyMQKTSbV2rPE3n-pxCRNn8da-4YXZRrZdLo0icmnIwfZCYoAtmRItQVUlC8qJjELjXDPIzVw6kfFIppi_MGk8pHxYesYOVeWY/s5472/P1330279.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpZNSFRFxPUTff4GwAYSTLfO9jAY7MwtRvVwB3Wkd7ni3J5uhOB4Cg8HwBbDu8txctfQeQkqUUwyF27tFzTabXet5YLyMQKTSbV2rPE3n-pxCRNn8da-4YXZRrZdLo0icmnIwfZCYoAtmRItQVUlC8qJjELjXDPIzVw6kfFIppi_MGk8pHxYesYOVeWY/s320/P1330279.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I thought these posts were adorable! </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvLB3mSqWp8Gt8KPNzGjMf7F4fQQxmw_twme9zm2F8uSkfnwSTtVNrIeraHN9n0_2UMpB_ePWIyp5OL-cY8k_H3HTQlwq2atwVrYIWMLN4M869-sJf6zJOgBQzIck-rMUldis_UlC1ouVghOgBQA4T8yT3vi_6wzJ_wThDKs-WDFKFJEQGMv6z5GSMgg/s5472/P1330283.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvLB3mSqWp8Gt8KPNzGjMf7F4fQQxmw_twme9zm2F8uSkfnwSTtVNrIeraHN9n0_2UMpB_ePWIyp5OL-cY8k_H3HTQlwq2atwVrYIWMLN4M869-sJf6zJOgBQzIck-rMUldis_UlC1ouVghOgBQA4T8yT3vi_6wzJ_wThDKs-WDFKFJEQGMv6z5GSMgg/s320/P1330283.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our next stop was Arnarstapi Village, which is a vacation village on the peninsular coast. Apparently, no one lives in this village full time. It's a beautiful place with resident gulls (and probably puffins and other migratory birds in season). The waters come hit the shore and have drilled holes in the cliffs, where they splash up with a great spray! By the parking lot, there is a life-sized statue of Bardar Snaefellsas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZexnYhxnLzepaYL0scUYKh7tn3VYCuPoKVGn2lOqyJww6YmCpR5Ziu704Kw3TcAqOw0pmRaqvXoA9RM5HKRi-7ntJAPdBebNS012Mu0TZc-6qcHGMnDgFqn6p0x9L02Vb34Pdmbpa8zaXZV7SGESDQ7CULup1ShSj5ybe6Vj6TXY43y8eU7sTqyI3M84/s5472/P1330305.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZexnYhxnLzepaYL0scUYKh7tn3VYCuPoKVGn2lOqyJww6YmCpR5Ziu704Kw3TcAqOw0pmRaqvXoA9RM5HKRi-7ntJAPdBebNS012Mu0TZc-6qcHGMnDgFqn6p0x9L02Vb34Pdmbpa8zaXZV7SGESDQ7CULup1ShSj5ybe6Vj6TXY43y8eU7sTqyI3M84/s320/P1330305.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLDDGZAHLxcvS3yLees4TWJgJqlLoI4JYMRsWUsAvjyYLygAMlqZOqsxIBe2QBcbOSMgV3UdbF0Dz0HKPJB5d6wy8Zujx4u6IJ6kGeq0PkylqMyKGZGTSFwnC6-H-FIvwGIk1YDNCU2Edpoqehu4siElqoibxi2bKwSsOT9cH6aksIX3kpinvxhbnB4w/s5472/P1330311.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQLDDGZAHLxcvS3yLees4TWJgJqlLoI4JYMRsWUsAvjyYLygAMlqZOqsxIBe2QBcbOSMgV3UdbF0Dz0HKPJB5d6wy8Zujx4u6IJ6kGeq0PkylqMyKGZGTSFwnC6-H-FIvwGIk1YDNCU2Edpoqehu4siElqoibxi2bKwSsOT9cH6aksIX3kpinvxhbnB4w/s320/P1330311.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eDnJ2rD-gy3LuiTQG0Qv7XKCjncpZPO2bmgx45EBxCdWgygexnfImubITZY41Sdc6stQNuY-OL20f1MS2MWkUKECykDTmd1tvhPDbyu0L0BfMLc_xGnXeYw29nYv__7VU2nyLIroBp3Y-3VRbN8FRPSqIe08iYnFRZWAhzzPzx1ofJMo3WTV6FGTxVM/s5472/P1330372.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7eDnJ2rD-gy3LuiTQG0Qv7XKCjncpZPO2bmgx45EBxCdWgygexnfImubITZY41Sdc6stQNuY-OL20f1MS2MWkUKECykDTmd1tvhPDbyu0L0BfMLc_xGnXeYw29nYv__7VU2nyLIroBp3Y-3VRbN8FRPSqIe08iYnFRZWAhzzPzx1ofJMo3WTV6FGTxVM/s320/P1330372.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLw6XzyULHh61lLrhVmgay2L65V8gjhaM_tizpKQ5_eCHBsFao96ZagqRDWcV5zHzH-iMHQfm8wLSVAX1IvyajQYLKkpWg5a5KzktpFHFDgPsHxYjUcxYsNeUmL7w515RnGKhGgTQkiDGrq0Pz2uqIQ5J3SHHAJh0PshdzHrC88WDl8FR-IWO49Z2jkM/s5472/P1330430.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijLw6XzyULHh61lLrhVmgay2L65V8gjhaM_tizpKQ5_eCHBsFao96ZagqRDWcV5zHzH-iMHQfm8wLSVAX1IvyajQYLKkpWg5a5KzktpFHFDgPsHxYjUcxYsNeUmL7w515RnGKhGgTQkiDGrq0Pz2uqIQ5J3SHHAJh0PshdzHrC88WDl8FR-IWO49Z2jkM/s320/P1330430.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Barder Snaefellsas' life-sized statue. His legs alone are about the size of a one-story house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKhgU-jygY849BllrY_Jh3FTNOHebP4w0xhfjU5JfDQkIhnzvNKTg-vLRFv6gSRISNnXpRoSuGP8l1zf9aJqiNXKT-KDr4I1IrjEv2xn16sKgQTEL2G-ENo8NGXKjortVxJdMEaBOvbkk8QZ7ui1_GYF_BT9IaU-EdNuRY0YBfKirBfEMsYrhPkzco08/s5472/P1330451.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKhgU-jygY849BllrY_Jh3FTNOHebP4w0xhfjU5JfDQkIhnzvNKTg-vLRFv6gSRISNnXpRoSuGP8l1zf9aJqiNXKT-KDr4I1IrjEv2xn16sKgQTEL2G-ENo8NGXKjortVxJdMEaBOvbkk8QZ7ui1_GYF_BT9IaU-EdNuRY0YBfKirBfEMsYrhPkzco08/s320/P1330451.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The last two stops of the day were a little underwhelming. First was a black church. Nothing special about it other than it has been painted with pitch to help protect it from the elements. People consistently asked the tour guides to stop to see it, so they added it into the tour.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bNWDrqdVzdHx0zd_El2fIWgmrFs-yuDdk-JSNBvMsPC10hI2QDF2l1xtHznR8MKHHG-cMdeZei2KPMu0Gw8YDhE1Slff_dpIsboVBGvmg3kfHlLEnLqXpF4N9elT4Z8Az99WamOr8gPulJQhi7vthcK9vdSIsYfqUrUlVsAeS9XAIiFH4EcWQWwnmqc/s5472/P1330460.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bNWDrqdVzdHx0zd_El2fIWgmrFs-yuDdk-JSNBvMsPC10hI2QDF2l1xtHznR8MKHHG-cMdeZei2KPMu0Gw8YDhE1Slff_dpIsboVBGvmg3kfHlLEnLqXpF4N9elT4Z8Az99WamOr8gPulJQhi7vthcK9vdSIsYfqUrUlVsAeS9XAIiFH4EcWQWwnmqc/s320/P1330460.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our last stop was at Ytri Tunga seal beach, home of resident harbor and grey seals. We didn't see any that were hauled out, so there was no real way to tell if the few we saw in the water were harbor seals or grey seals, as they are very similar. I got some blurry shots of them bobbing up and down in the water and a video of a couple of them. But, that's all they did. No real playing in the water like the harbor seals do in the Puget Sound.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxE1QoToP2LwNm2Hr50cskFcxEnS3MreQyYmINZai5-hfAXRSfTC-sGkBkbywikNMP7CngVfHlQcTA-ohe4RQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After that, we drove on back to Reykjavik because it was, again, too cloudy for the northern lights. Gylwi dropped us off at the bus stop by Hallgrímskirkja, the largest church in the country (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland), which was only a couple of blocks from the Airbnb I had booked us for the rest of our stay. Chrissy had been fighting a sore throat and some sniffles all day, so I just popped into the Thai restaurant downstairs and got some noodles for dinner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrditlaAThrBXPOGT6WBrRCgWk0kw2epeIHPWEtvyANF05HmMtu2zpyE2XLh5SCzULKa4YjNGUkKn_By80Ho15cTeqc9-ZwBn4x4XtxyqhvXsz_fiAZR21IFaB9d0cwjW4mWdvJeca2wIvu-E2i-UU5PPNn3A8QSvL7sBm-1EIDPpEC4KLWXN0ZYaBNH8/s5472/P1330586.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrditlaAThrBXPOGT6WBrRCgWk0kw2epeIHPWEtvyANF05HmMtu2zpyE2XLh5SCzULKa4YjNGUkKn_By80Ho15cTeqc9-ZwBn4x4XtxyqhvXsz_fiAZR21IFaB9d0cwjW4mWdvJeca2wIvu-E2i-UU5PPNn3A8QSvL7sBm-1EIDPpEC4KLWXN0ZYaBNH8/s320/P1330586.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-79904959352370980382024-01-19T11:30:00.000-08:002024-01-19T11:30:58.177-08:00Through the Crevass Field to the Top of the Glacier!<p>After another night without the aurora lights, we woke for a trip to another glacier. This time, we were headed to the Solheimajokull Glacier, which sits atop the Katka volcano. Unlike yesterday's glacier, this one has a frontal section of cravasses, large sections of ice that are splitting off the glacier. Katka is an active volcano which erupts about every 100 years. It is past due. Geophysical authorities keep a very close eye on it, and in Iceland, they have tons of experience with earthquakes and volcanoes, so it felt safe to hike this glacier at this time. Authorities believe that this glacier will completely melt with the next eruption of Katka. </p><p>The glaciers in Patagonia are pristine and clear enough that tour operators will chip off pieces of the glaciers to use as ice in drinks. That's not something you want to do here! As we learned yesterday, the black seams in the glaciers here are volcanic ash that gets trapped in the snow. The top layer of this ash is from an eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull stratovolcano's eruption in 2010. In some places, that ash is at the very top of some peaks. Nate, our glacier hike guide, explained that not only does the ash get trapped in the snow, but it can also act as an insulator, keeping the compacted snow beneath it cold, inhibiting melting. We saw some spikes topped with ash as well as some ash that was mixed in with the compacted snow/ice. We also saw several moulins, which are tunnels in the glacier. I think these glaciers are more interesting than the Patagonian ones, though they are not as imposing, as they are melting faster.</p><p>This glacier showed significant evidence of climate change. Like with the other one, the glacier previously extended out to the edge of the lagoon. Nate told us that this glacier is receeding so quickly that the location of the glacier edge is visibly changed from week to week now. Also, the last eruption of a close volcano which left ash on this glacier occured in 2010 - 13 years ago. There are places on this glacier where the ash is still the uppermost layer, indicating that there has been little measurable lasting snowfall on this glacier for 13 years.</p><p>When we got to the parking lot of the glacier, they outfitted us with glacier-grade crampons (The ones we brought were not sufficient here.), a harness in case we needed to be fished out of a crevass or moulin, an ice ax, and a helmet. Those who didn't have appropriate shoes, waterproof pants or coat, or other equipment that wasn't provided could rent them at this time. The beautiful moon boots the two influencers in our group were wearing weren't appropriate. I hated that for them, but they took it in stride. Once we were all outfitted, we headed down to the glacier edge. Nate took his time, making sure we weren't worn out before ever making it to the glacier. When we reached the edge, he showed us how to lace our crampons onto our shoes. He then put me in the front of the line (slowest setting the pace and keeping any eye on me and being handy for any help I might need), and we headed up into the crevass field on the edge of the glacier. It was amazing! A much better experience than the rushed push in Patagonia on the Perito Moreno. Nate kept a close eye and was able to help me up anytime it was really steep and I needed help. When he felt like I needed to catch my breath, he would stop us and announce that it's a really good place to take pictures. Never once did I feel like I was a drain on the tour. Even after one particularly steep climb, when I tried to lean on one of the pillars of the crevass and just slowly slid down until I was sitting on the glacier, it was never any big deal. We just hung out there, taking pictures, until I was ready to be helped back up on my feet and heading further along.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Not as imposing as the Perito Moreno in Patagonia, but much more interesting.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGL9BUv3GAzV8UyA2hw2GaNxDu4IBcrRJ89cWgd_HF2LX2XZKpj_5XyZtVxkkTyeHl8WDVG2E4kusn2y58i7ELFw7iStW3WBAk-zWB0_UhDMVTkcVWlrAKSYQZpE-Kyqenk7vBuFmrfrAlC1n2PEjCHcZtZTIMPMhKYNMhF2FUDU3kycUCOJvpBb1m8U/s5472/P1330077.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGL9BUv3GAzV8UyA2hw2GaNxDu4IBcrRJ89cWgd_HF2LX2XZKpj_5XyZtVxkkTyeHl8WDVG2E4kusn2y58i7ELFw7iStW3WBAk-zWB0_UhDMVTkcVWlrAKSYQZpE-Kyqenk7vBuFmrfrAlC1n2PEjCHcZtZTIMPMhKYNMhF2FUDU3kycUCOJvpBb1m8U/s320/P1330077.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A moulin with water</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yNYUZyiTB4OMOYyx_LYJRSjGm3tsctu7FeFsiw3zNSd_l-w5AJXZTXdvBIjLh_1Zj5x_qHrqd-HT-0JaW-vVBQ6dtTCt_V-hnXJAA_DtQ3wAiBPUipxtwRwHVsHui5yciL1VUpo07ryoIh_0GdItua5pJ7tRj6VSLE2Secq8q1K9Y7fPizcpO2ijeQw/s5472/P1330093.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8yNYUZyiTB4OMOYyx_LYJRSjGm3tsctu7FeFsiw3zNSd_l-w5AJXZTXdvBIjLh_1Zj5x_qHrqd-HT-0JaW-vVBQ6dtTCt_V-hnXJAA_DtQ3wAiBPUipxtwRwHVsHui5yciL1VUpo07ryoIh_0GdItua5pJ7tRj6VSLE2Secq8q1K9Y7fPizcpO2ijeQw/s320/P1330093.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ash from the 2010 eruption insulating the packed snow underneath</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryykprK_6B8v2ZKBx5LPPGQ2huZum32Ypk7ROQTjkDR9llCeZZ1gsF-rwmwSfPlOzjJveyiHzvJuToL8oWM9heT_l4GGBXilVmd_bdy_lsdoyxLV4semVwLwSjVBTSaECukBOGIfNpcCebEGfygE1QJmvC7J-7FcsL7uEK572i0hoqgBPsjhIXlJo0ZE/s5472/P1330104.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhryykprK_6B8v2ZKBx5LPPGQ2huZum32Ypk7ROQTjkDR9llCeZZ1gsF-rwmwSfPlOzjJveyiHzvJuToL8oWM9heT_l4GGBXilVmd_bdy_lsdoyxLV4semVwLwSjVBTSaECukBOGIfNpcCebEGfygE1QJmvC7J-7FcsL7uEK572i0hoqgBPsjhIXlJo0ZE/s320/P1330104.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Isn't this beautiful?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HbW3a-vUBj38Okw9PDa4BzwK-CJiPMZrmuc9QRdi-QXzuFsBwEV-a2G2m55yKxHIXGVxb7u-_3dqe7okA9gYzd5ONoJAg6q448IgwRpR4kVKlTfM49p7b5AEK6n_UbejqHuI5xzCCG0rkPzI42F2k7p4gGsQ5RpHswdmXG4sy9NpMz51ZPQwpol-Tec/s5472/P1330109.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1HbW3a-vUBj38Okw9PDa4BzwK-CJiPMZrmuc9QRdi-QXzuFsBwEV-a2G2m55yKxHIXGVxb7u-_3dqe7okA9gYzd5ONoJAg6q448IgwRpR4kVKlTfM49p7b5AEK6n_UbejqHuI5xzCCG0rkPzI42F2k7p4gGsQ5RpHswdmXG4sy9NpMz51ZPQwpol-Tec/s320/P1330109.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">That group of people looks so small on top of the glacier! You can see where the crevass field ends and the top of the glacier becomes smooth.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ktmzQxn52TDacekPkocpfjJLImcHQybXIma3JiNVt9RqJ97wc6-Z02sk0WX2vTeH0Ky-glSG8dvLjOQGK3OWr7XbQ1Ix8I-kYrlowPjXhpeXvCyE5Mp19OUtBwrdJu7281Lx73rj0D3UeBqAO_FV3-MKTpKZRptpB_PZHyjIjnDZ3n1UNYR-8hGKuVI/s5472/P1330121.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ktmzQxn52TDacekPkocpfjJLImcHQybXIma3JiNVt9RqJ97wc6-Z02sk0WX2vTeH0Ky-glSG8dvLjOQGK3OWr7XbQ1Ix8I-kYrlowPjXhpeXvCyE5Mp19OUtBwrdJu7281Lx73rj0D3UeBqAO_FV3-MKTpKZRptpB_PZHyjIjnDZ3n1UNYR-8hGKuVI/s320/P1330121.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Somebody looks happy!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIpAEsY3Pk2nlcbl318O5x8AcIpqJ3azs1W6zG5-H4ZmcdRcWCnfDakOFhngxQKYEsVWHKa0viSPdXAyT-8JpsPg2vEIiXv4D7oNPCh3I40IK-VU9jvcc9D6dI75xmXi-yAC1WmeGusucyZZ3GLT6nxk89b5bCBaMe6UZ-dORK7yrO9Nh0wStWA3fbqU/s5472/P1330130.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIpAEsY3Pk2nlcbl318O5x8AcIpqJ3azs1W6zG5-H4ZmcdRcWCnfDakOFhngxQKYEsVWHKa0viSPdXAyT-8JpsPg2vEIiXv4D7oNPCh3I40IK-VU9jvcc9D6dI75xmXi-yAC1WmeGusucyZZ3GLT6nxk89b5bCBaMe6UZ-dORK7yrO9Nh0wStWA3fbqU/s320/P1330130.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking back from the top of the glacier, past the crevass field, over the lagoon, which used to be filled with the glacier itself.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTFMjes2JmWExzMuwxNhHIRVJMCqixb3PZbJeY93oI6bAM7hIWHso-nykvU2PZPINbb8IUWpRohcRqW5rVHu7FriFT6g6E5dLJu5vWZVc53qnj5hi9gKLEj_Ql_JT7GBh_asnUFgQ40c7NSXtRFYTHdd57fwwCvgb_Qi4swBTd-38VYXEb5kKrdAs6JU/s5472/P1330138.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTFMjes2JmWExzMuwxNhHIRVJMCqixb3PZbJeY93oI6bAM7hIWHso-nykvU2PZPINbb8IUWpRohcRqW5rVHu7FriFT6g6E5dLJu5vWZVc53qnj5hi9gKLEj_Ql_JT7GBh_asnUFgQ40c7NSXtRFYTHdd57fwwCvgb_Qi4swBTd-38VYXEb5kKrdAs6JU/s320/P1330138.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Somebody else looks happy, too!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2VvfxNTKZIxV04eSfzTqw-Ei26etbeQAaLV820_obyfvGLs16gBmd9b0XnTV9ajZwu27ej5qTrYfBZ4giHnI-UL6gNeWrsKvTNmfnaSdGNszB300YpLvo9IejtJtx4zgR3dlJpWOgFGwCgB7-ve238DoCCB_ilUbf8AHi3W-E3lVyvgy1qMrhFl9xIk/s1280/IMG_9909%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw2VvfxNTKZIxV04eSfzTqw-Ei26etbeQAaLV820_obyfvGLs16gBmd9b0XnTV9ajZwu27ej5qTrYfBZ4giHnI-UL6gNeWrsKvTNmfnaSdGNszB300YpLvo9IejtJtx4zgR3dlJpWOgFGwCgB7-ve238DoCCB_ilUbf8AHi3W-E3lVyvgy1qMrhFl9xIk/s320/IMG_9909%5B1%5D.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After we came back down off the glacier, Nate let everybody go back to the parking lot at their own pace. Our group all took their time getting their gear off, going to the bathroom, and just hanging out in the area. We were the last ones back to the parking lot, but not the last on the bus. I'm glad we decided to go with Troll Expeditions. They did a great job making sure we all got to enjoy all of the activities, including this, one of the more physical ones. I felt especially good about this after not being able to complete the hike on the Perito Moreno.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we all got back on the bus, we headed off to our last stop on the Golden Circle/South Coast part of the trip - Seljalandsfoss. This waterfall sits under the glacier on the Eyjafjallajökull stratovolcano, the same one that erupted in 2010. This eruption spewed so much ash that it disrupted air travel across Europe and beyond for quite some time. The wind was such that there was very little disruption to Icelandic air travel, though. The funny part of this is that the volcano name is so difficult to say for most non-Icelandic speakers that spoken media outlets shortened its name to E-15, meaning starts with E followed by 15 letters! This waterfall area is another example of how the island has grown based on seismic activity. The cliff from which the waterfall tumbles was once the coastal border here. Because of volcanic eruptions, lava floes, and ground upheavals, there is now a relatively short patch of land between the falls and the new coast (part of which houses the parking lot, bathrooms, small gift shop and sandwich shop). I didn't turn around and take the picture, but the ocean was visible from the falls. This waterfall also has a path that goes around behind the waterfall with a small cave. I would have liked to have done this, but I was tired and didn't want to get soaked in that cold water. Plus the path was supposedly very icy. So, I just admired this fall from a distance before going to the sandwich stand for a hot chocolate and hot panini.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkrwleZMErjquulsM85xH_X76jV0L8937Ze9IOFk-4vALB-aw8EXcWslJmhzHZtFkFB-XnAjVQge-YxuskqjMmrZurnOmawcE1pdwTD1McnK-XZWakwgrk9994p2UMEubU6QfrZ8jti7hKsHZ_d2aTD1V4sAE-c33YkVvCEfvwIrTi1Lbko37bZH7wAc/s5472/P1330166.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkrwleZMErjquulsM85xH_X76jV0L8937Ze9IOFk-4vALB-aw8EXcWslJmhzHZtFkFB-XnAjVQge-YxuskqjMmrZurnOmawcE1pdwTD1McnK-XZWakwgrk9994p2UMEubU6QfrZ8jti7hKsHZ_d2aTD1V4sAE-c33YkVvCEfvwIrTi1Lbko37bZH7wAc/s320/P1330166.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Because our 4-day tour was a 3+1, and the 3-day portion was over, we returned to Reykjavik, and Halmit dropped Chrissy and I off at the Hotel Island, where Troll Expeditions booked us for the night, where a new guide will pick us up in the morning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-70644019092152766112024-01-18T06:15:00.000-08:002024-01-18T06:15:05.943-08:00Deep Inside the Glacier for This Dane!<p>As we woke this morning, it was yet another foggy, cloudy day. While describing what should be seen outside the bus windows, we were growing accustomed to hearing Hilmat start with, "You'll have to take my word for it..."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDDsxDxpRej9DRvMRxT-L4QhgBwy6YHEITSsm1TORxFiFq6Sl3wOboNihnqRv6UWwI-XTeMzIoxSu5NFNCDaySWuy8BYyb6iSJBHWeu9RZlKpFfsjtIoECdOJh_YffWxAUt2dIMS2gnNb9xedd-f1TDkKkj4R3P6tVT5CjPPqsZ-PvrMDx2tx2JO4PFA/s5472/P1320764.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZDDsxDxpRej9DRvMRxT-L4QhgBwy6YHEITSsm1TORxFiFq6Sl3wOboNihnqRv6UWwI-XTeMzIoxSu5NFNCDaySWuy8BYyb6iSJBHWeu9RZlKpFfsjtIoECdOJh_YffWxAUt2dIMS2gnNb9xedd-f1TDkKkj4R3P6tVT5CjPPqsZ-PvrMDx2tx2JO4PFA/s320/P1320764.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But everything was great when we reached Diamond Beach. This beach is named after all of the small icebergs that have broken off the Breiðamerkurjökull Glacier, which is part of the Vatnajökull ice cap, Europe's largest. The small icebergs calve off the glacier and into the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where they wash out toward the Atlantic Ocean before being pushed back onto shore onto the Breiðamerkursandur black sand outwash plain. (Look at me, copying and pasting those names with the Icelandic letters instead of converting them to the closest English version! They're long words, and my memory is getting shorter!) The plain was formed when the three nearby glaciers were pushed forward from volcanic activity, which is pretty common in Iceland! In fact, we were there between active volcano eruptions around Grindavik, close to the Blue Lagoon. The icebergs in the lagoon are amazing and have stripes in them from the volcanic ash that is trapped as the glacier is formed amid volcanic eruptions. In case either I didn't explain it or you didn't read the Antarctica blogs, a glacier is formed from compressed snow, not frozen water. A glacier grows when the annual snowfall is greater than the snow melt off. It receeds, when more snow melts than falls. It takes many years for the weight of the newer snow to be heavy enough to compress the lower snow into ice. Unfortunately, the Icelandic glaciers are receeding, as are most of the world's glaciers. The blue color is because when the sun shines on the ice, all of the colors of the spectrum except blue are absorbed into the ice, leaving only the blue to be seen. When you get up close to them, they are, in fact, clear unless they contain air pockets or some snow that hasn't completely compacted into ice. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXAoN4BVbCY3NX6HLbZhYTE6rajLpXVMOv-RarMR28sOkj_OPxU21rokPRjVCbQF3o-ifwWD2yuSypUA8Nda4x3atAGHvnsp3Uxopx0bmMT5nZth7oUJfJDtFDhRcuPcWb4zaKe5oR_Vjax7SrSfr8JTuczoFSpGSoNh4PK5ZMSKDw9P-jdlWIWRbcV4/s5472/P1320886.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUXAoN4BVbCY3NX6HLbZhYTE6rajLpXVMOv-RarMR28sOkj_OPxU21rokPRjVCbQF3o-ifwWD2yuSypUA8Nda4x3atAGHvnsp3Uxopx0bmMT5nZth7oUJfJDtFDhRcuPcWb4zaKe5oR_Vjax7SrSfr8JTuczoFSpGSoNh4PK5ZMSKDw9P-jdlWIWRbcV4/s320/P1320886.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSNeYTuJeBWR4jtpj8_dBo2w2qC3NxHNJTMS6rsImf8vHv_UfDdtnWuERvrDEpmsR6Vc5AZGZJ0-aiIdte6e_dvnHrN6Kqo0mHBLWccjGLz9vKX7Ul6Z9bkGX_EgaH7qUQvmVgrF1nJfFj3VnLZoKqvoZKr4dBeo4Zd0fLfcDfPxWEtl0gH9QsUQEUMM/s5472/P1320897.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSNeYTuJeBWR4jtpj8_dBo2w2qC3NxHNJTMS6rsImf8vHv_UfDdtnWuERvrDEpmsR6Vc5AZGZJ0-aiIdte6e_dvnHrN6Kqo0mHBLWccjGLz9vKX7Ul6Z9bkGX_EgaH7qUQvmVgrF1nJfFj3VnLZoKqvoZKr4dBeo4Zd0fLfcDfPxWEtl0gH9QsUQEUMM/s320/P1320897.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While washing out of the lagoon and into the delta of the ocean, some melting occurs and much of the volcanic ash is released before the smaller iceberg washes back up onto shore in the glacier plain. Those icebergs look like diamonds against the black sand of the beach, giving the plain its common name of Diamond Beach!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymK9hG9faYfgU5lxmMkkTpOXbvJGU_ToTGsQwrA9xn33sJUCYhhpwSyADKEbgByIubszfQlT5uOeYenzCZ1n3qfdBzZhKIcmUbtNBL2PA_xFrBaqXgCAuv25mQOE_MSe5eIVc4ex2OFgTkx0ngRHDJO41-Tzc9KLYo_SAKag3e8M0OPGGtfhMTML-QFg/s5472/P1320798.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgymK9hG9faYfgU5lxmMkkTpOXbvJGU_ToTGsQwrA9xn33sJUCYhhpwSyADKEbgByIubszfQlT5uOeYenzCZ1n3qfdBzZhKIcmUbtNBL2PA_xFrBaqXgCAuv25mQOE_MSe5eIVc4ex2OFgTkx0ngRHDJO41-Tzc9KLYo_SAKag3e8M0OPGGtfhMTML-QFg/s320/P1320798.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithDMorVAj4LEWo2aMcGy02CnFNjfnyT43xWJvNx5olf72FcOi2vHWwWS3xo3KiXB1PetSEsbtfty_CfzOPX2gcqZSstdN28858u7Yl1NiXj0AMTsL0PGl3ms7-tH2g6UeDYCjdqnBm7NoFLD63q9cm83v0jYbiocrY2fi2yzHolS3MRMJPe7u4fPjk7Q/s5472/P1320818.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEithDMorVAj4LEWo2aMcGy02CnFNjfnyT43xWJvNx5olf72FcOi2vHWwWS3xo3KiXB1PetSEsbtfty_CfzOPX2gcqZSstdN28858u7Yl1NiXj0AMTsL0PGl3ms7-tH2g6UeDYCjdqnBm7NoFLD63q9cm83v0jYbiocrY2fi2yzHolS3MRMJPe7u4fPjk7Q/s320/P1320818.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmhVERS9vgagqbt1mwqYKJuVqKqdRJbAPauOAWcrO_g1nGlq4zJkXsc89Om5fGtycw56hagsb_6bdxN5JI7B0yFSTtKJ2XKCUQbWIZvJaMvuAhciUcavPx1mYTSHhWTa3NNTiR9CkyFpwaLrUsVDQ80KqWdJfpZc-H-dPcuWVAYA25_xbQV41_WGrjAM/s5472/P1320861.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmhVERS9vgagqbt1mwqYKJuVqKqdRJbAPauOAWcrO_g1nGlq4zJkXsc89Om5fGtycw56hagsb_6bdxN5JI7B0yFSTtKJ2XKCUQbWIZvJaMvuAhciUcavPx1mYTSHhWTa3NNTiR9CkyFpwaLrUsVDQ80KqWdJfpZc-H-dPcuWVAYA25_xbQV41_WGrjAM/s320/P1320861.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've posted these pictures in the order the icebergs flow. We saw the Diamond Beach first. Then we went around to the glacier lagoon.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After spending some time at the lagoon, we boarded what they call a "super jeep" and headed up to the Vatnajokull ice cap to what has become known as the Crystal or Blue Ice Cave. This is a natural hole made in the ice cap. Because the glacier is constantly moving (like all glaciers), it changes frequently. Our cave guide told us that he can sometimes see the difference from day to day. The cave was beautiful! While we were passing another group, we passed by a girl that I danced in the grocery store with the day before. We did a little dance in the cave, too! The pictures I got of the cave, including the frozen waterfall, don't do it justice. It was a beauty! Much larger and more interesting than the one that opened up last year in the Perito Moreno glacier in Patagonia, though for my first ice cave, that one was amazing, too!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">When we got off the jeep and put on our crampons, we walked across this smooth sheet of the ice cap.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ks-y1i6_EqNO82CMfLyT1ftX0J-rIvACtDvLHHjE23IO9dTzuYev5s7qd2fBh3lj8Ll672XhMsZlCORFiOPLlofsULO0Adg6YuZoYePsLgcdhadDvxgOTSx8h38EhBnhGq2K5NpUWc7ylkZhi8kBx7lrua2vgqj29tBcECsUezDnQt9FQ77BaQh1KM4/s5472/P1320932.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Ks-y1i6_EqNO82CMfLyT1ftX0J-rIvACtDvLHHjE23IO9dTzuYev5s7qd2fBh3lj8Ll672XhMsZlCORFiOPLlofsULO0Adg6YuZoYePsLgcdhadDvxgOTSx8h38EhBnhGq2K5NpUWc7ylkZhi8kBx7lrua2vgqj29tBcECsUezDnQt9FQ77BaQh1KM4/s320/P1320932.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is what the ice cave looks like from the top of the glacier.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31XVxYWqV2qi7G0ZbzQwAJYmVZJrWZ_xuq1tCTH1B7-tjTsIVVLmsQnCwO7iQenzBo2J2Cv6yPfVFKWqJhMNCo6sGqv3nfwo4SZaVdE6pyV2CwB2DnuCBsUIrc_hBEmjIgovZj8v88CIuacefcpdSKLy9k_WjPNUrTn2tl4EvcK9ioG2OBll8DYvoFAA/s5472/P1320949.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31XVxYWqV2qi7G0ZbzQwAJYmVZJrWZ_xuq1tCTH1B7-tjTsIVVLmsQnCwO7iQenzBo2J2Cv6yPfVFKWqJhMNCo6sGqv3nfwo4SZaVdE6pyV2CwB2DnuCBsUIrc_hBEmjIgovZj8v88CIuacefcpdSKLy9k_WjPNUrTn2tl4EvcK9ioG2OBll8DYvoFAA/s320/P1320949.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Now we're down inside the ice cave and the first magnificent site is the frozen waterfall with the flowing waterfall beside it.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI8l-MfbzhZFQrLBfStWUWqqHYYk9o0jbUBSo1frhp5u4WNAJcWFYJUmIvUW706l2muSQVKvmUOVBLEO3_vKI35kvxqFncBQ_dso_z9H8ruq1sksEgb-A9eJjZYge-WSjlhhOHm099v4jGHRyNm0oSVVdBZBmLGi0sepUW4CTJGfQUyib8c3EBUNpPbw/s5472/P1320963.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI8l-MfbzhZFQrLBfStWUWqqHYYk9o0jbUBSo1frhp5u4WNAJcWFYJUmIvUW706l2muSQVKvmUOVBLEO3_vKI35kvxqFncBQ_dso_z9H8ruq1sksEgb-A9eJjZYge-WSjlhhOHm099v4jGHRyNm0oSVVdBZBmLGi0sepUW4CTJGfQUyib8c3EBUNpPbw/s320/P1320963.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a look up from the cave toward the sky. I believe it's where it looks like there are two holes from the top (above picture).</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoAhjsG04yzOKHVxrJ1mg-jXST0gC7fa1kQYUUJbwqdnCn9zYl7FOqDHUNucitvUd6mtT8IsKn10I4CD3iL-LpAX05DrzEZI-qP0jHFOzwJ3ZkU-cBBGjfs88EwO8glS0X109BrhugAZu5H9mQS7eBOdmhFUY02RMxyGBeX6Vxal_aHzJ3-OuY1gO4Aw/s5472/P1320982.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaoAhjsG04yzOKHVxrJ1mg-jXST0gC7fa1kQYUUJbwqdnCn9zYl7FOqDHUNucitvUd6mtT8IsKn10I4CD3iL-LpAX05DrzEZI-qP0jHFOzwJ3ZkU-cBBGjfs88EwO8glS0X109BrhugAZu5H9mQS7eBOdmhFUY02RMxyGBeX6Vxal_aHzJ3-OuY1gO4Aw/s320/P1320982.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a second waterfall inside the ice cave, partially frozen with water flowing over the frozen part!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeNX20CUfWS8X9dI2vLfyOPedGx1oxE9X9eLwd52QptXg2aqbRviP_BHxuPDun7yu5UFE4Hb8tPK9Glss_JuaNM4BSvMR1aFJGuSlhjfObaXOcX29ONRJbBOg9ecGsCJRgnWS-wSfTVQL5e6nZ72Yw7eKh1iOrllFEfosywMGRtIuqvW9cr7wsfdLCbs/s5472/P1320989.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPeNX20CUfWS8X9dI2vLfyOPedGx1oxE9X9eLwd52QptXg2aqbRviP_BHxuPDun7yu5UFE4Hb8tPK9Glss_JuaNM4BSvMR1aFJGuSlhjfObaXOcX29ONRJbBOg9ecGsCJRgnWS-wSfTVQL5e6nZ72Yw7eKh1iOrllFEfosywMGRtIuqvW9cr7wsfdLCbs/s320/P1320989.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chrissy taking a picture while our guide is waiting to help us over a tricky spot.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WHw5XKaiMo38TE-BWUyB9nz_ONkFesb6ixv7oncSU32kv9CaZAnCOkJsqqaOyMxf2JQx-DEqWohLkogP8dUiNo-kHbOh_3Wfd8_XFwfBRYos-16UexPYS7t5IOmTErXP3OnYYIsO00ef0VE9Kvau6zS404Jbx4rhiZwK1pcAL_1dIxAEBsXkUFgQTIo/s5472/P1330033.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WHw5XKaiMo38TE-BWUyB9nz_ONkFesb6ixv7oncSU32kv9CaZAnCOkJsqqaOyMxf2JQx-DEqWohLkogP8dUiNo-kHbOh_3Wfd8_XFwfBRYos-16UexPYS7t5IOmTErXP3OnYYIsO00ef0VE9Kvau6zS404Jbx4rhiZwK1pcAL_1dIxAEBsXkUFgQTIo/s320/P1330033.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can see how the glacier and ice cap has receeded. It created this lake by being pushed out to the edge of it. As the compressed snow ice has melted, this lake has formed. You can see land at the edge of the glacier in the rear of the picture, so it has receeded all the way beyond the lake that it formed.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxv-FIihexhRNFEicidzk7dsetsk1p1U3_ux8SsqoR3EM3LE0rMxjLRriuet6GmeQMVgN1WYZcD7W3Wiz3yB5Y_MMnSF51xsPpIsJYKgieF8j5lARFozkuOw1XsgwDIcSKTfv-yfac2NKpfRSmTgLtVkF14n_IyBmuxuZyuQE6aRODuKurk45M2EuEtA/s5472/P1330054.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzxv-FIihexhRNFEicidzk7dsetsk1p1U3_ux8SsqoR3EM3LE0rMxjLRriuet6GmeQMVgN1WYZcD7W3Wiz3yB5Y_MMnSF51xsPpIsJYKgieF8j5lARFozkuOw1XsgwDIcSKTfv-yfac2NKpfRSmTgLtVkF14n_IyBmuxuZyuQE6aRODuKurk45M2EuEtA/s320/P1330054.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By the time we finished our ice cave hike and returned to the lagoon, it was starting to get dark, so we headed to dinner and our accommodations. For some reason, Chrissy has decided she wants to learn Gaelic on this trip, so she has started working on DuoLingo during our down time. While driving, Hilmat was telling us about the genetic ethnic makeup of the Icelanders. Studies done have shown that there is no real surprise that most of the men are of Scandanavian descent. But that ethnic background of the women was somewhat surprising. It seems most of the women are of Irish descent. This can be explained because of the Scandanavian settlements in Ireland and the islands around Great Britain, with many of the Viking men taking wives (some willing, some not) from those areas as they moved on. Knowing that my maiden name is McDowell and that we always knew we were Scotts-Irish, she started doing some linguistic digging. McDowell is the anglicized version of MacDougal, which accounts for my ancestors' migration from Scotland to Ireland. In Gaelic, "mac" means "son of", and "dougal" means "dark-haired stranger or foreigner". Apparently, the Scotts differentiated the Danes from the other Scandanavians by calling them "dark-haired". So, my last name literally translates to "Son of Dane." Well, that's good enough for me! I now consider myself Danish. I guess I need to put together a trip to Denmark! And before anyone suggests it, I don't want to do a 23 and Me type of DNA test. I kind of like the mystery surrounding my heritage!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was, again, too cloudy to look for the aurora. Since we were in individual cabins, I was able to step out the door and look to see if there were any changes the couple of times I woke during the night. We were in such remote places that if there had been a break in the clouds and any auroral activity, we would have been able to get them, as there wasn't even the hint of light pollution around us. But, another night of no lights for us. Some really great lamb stew for dinner, though!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-83640698418110788282024-01-17T09:49:00.000-08:002024-01-17T09:49:15.630-08:00Heading to the South Coast of Iceland!<p>After an excellent night's sleep, we woke, and Chrissy had her first egg-scented shower. During our trip, we learned that the ground is so porous that rainwater and snow melt doesn't run off in streams and rivers like we're used to. Instead, it seeps into the ground and pops back up as springs. All the time that it's underground, it hangs out with the magma, being heated and staying hot. As with most thermal waters, there is a faint sulfur smell to it. I just barely noticed it, but Chrissy apparently smelled it very strongly. It was nice, hot water, though!</p><p>After getting ready and packing up our bags, we walked across the street to the gas station and grabbed a couple of sandwiches before walking across the other street to catch our tour bus with Troll Expeditions. Our guide, Hilmat, and most of the rest of the tour group (a total of 11 of us) gathered us around 8:15, and off we headed to Thingvellir National Park. </p><p>Thingvellir National Park was the site of one of the earliest parliaments, originating in 930 AD, after settlement of the island began in 874. The leaders of the various tribes of the island would meet on the plains to conduct governmental business. They continued to do so until 1798, even while technically under the rule of various Scandanavian countries. Parliament was reinstated in 1844, but it was moved to Reykjavik. The declaration was that this parliament was a continuation of the same parliament that was founded in 930. Iceland finally gained sovereignty in 1918 and became a fully independent republic in 1944. Thingvellir translates to "assembly plains", and the parliament has always been officially called the Althingi in Icelandic.</p><p>Along with being one of the oldest originating sites of a continuous parliament, Thingvellir National Park is the site of the divergent plate boundary of the American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Hilmat explained to us that the island grows in a couple of different ways. One way is by these plates. These plates do not collide with each other, like we often consider plates to interact. Instead, when they shift, they tend to shift farther apart, widening the island, and creating multiple gorges, canyons, fissures, and other landscape marvels, which ultimately result in Lake Thingvallavatn, where people will dive and/or snorkle the Silfra fissure. The water is supposedly crystal clear here, but I'll have to take their word for it for now. We did not snorkle the fissure on this trip.</p><p>We arrived at the park around 9:30 a.m., which was still too dark for me to take pictures with my camera without the tripod and too dark for me to see to change the settings to the handheld dark automatic setting. We hiked down a trail of one of the canyons created by a diverging movement of the plates followed by a release of lava to "fill in" the gap and the emergence of a spring ultimately leading to the lake. Chrissy took these pictures for me while I picked my way through the icy path with the help of my crampons. It is a beautiful park. One could easily spend a day or two exploring all of the trails and snorkeling or diving the fissure (which occurs year round).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1yJsyomiN5OEPqHn-7CEURsbyJX3XpDYz47oaWDKyDOCbhJfXOtHTLnJIprSTCvQN6-LzTBemVJ3uI21HiDpr8cYTRzFtC_0k0IW6MLhyl1Kvy5KhQr6Mc7658pW3dEJhTH5Q8XxcUZkzgYJ7_JYwow2mDsd28ne7yJM55Tvd8hX-4clSFlLsk2b8UY/s4032/IMG_9114.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt1yJsyomiN5OEPqHn-7CEURsbyJX3XpDYz47oaWDKyDOCbhJfXOtHTLnJIprSTCvQN6-LzTBemVJ3uI21HiDpr8cYTRzFtC_0k0IW6MLhyl1Kvy5KhQr6Mc7658pW3dEJhTH5Q8XxcUZkzgYJ7_JYwow2mDsd28ne7yJM55Tvd8hX-4clSFlLsk2b8UY/s320/IMG_9114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOQqWgdbBXWCHpl5Ne2yUSanAFD5W2jh11pwvKH1zm96Z7EHIkC-RXLrcTdi8gfOqYa8IIYvEQyoNlOW9idqcXkRK0B5xcIC-aDR6QNTxJ_pP3Zli_FAZ0sFPbhjr9iN6YPv-4oWovpsNC8LuHdeBs7onwf1FLaXVWqsMtTRWQpSasnoCexrnqaimK-w/s4032/IMG_9117.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOQqWgdbBXWCHpl5Ne2yUSanAFD5W2jh11pwvKH1zm96Z7EHIkC-RXLrcTdi8gfOqYa8IIYvEQyoNlOW9idqcXkRK0B5xcIC-aDR6QNTxJ_pP3Zli_FAZ0sFPbhjr9iN6YPv-4oWovpsNC8LuHdeBs7onwf1FLaXVWqsMtTRWQpSasnoCexrnqaimK-w/s320/IMG_9117.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioR5BdqdAIJAcL2Znd897CTO9oU26FhZptK-xOJOLnt5gJUv9hfjEuRytiJvZvO1Hl16aSzjp4eaVuf2DB0s9qmkCASSJujl3ooWTUGoD_SoIqjPj2s69bkFMH2Lixbu51CfRVN3lkYAZRSNuQXX7CyEOwiA3peT5eq8bsBkz8OpYSFd7gdBMlACcLLus/s4032/IMG_9118.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioR5BdqdAIJAcL2Znd897CTO9oU26FhZptK-xOJOLnt5gJUv9hfjEuRytiJvZvO1Hl16aSzjp4eaVuf2DB0s9qmkCASSJujl3ooWTUGoD_SoIqjPj2s69bkFMH2Lixbu51CfRVN3lkYAZRSNuQXX7CyEOwiA3peT5eq8bsBkz8OpYSFd7gdBMlACcLLus/s320/IMG_9118.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We finished our hike here at around 10:00 a.m. It's still pretty dark out.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPcBO4TKyIurV7C0Wjp_cFtc8p5mhwFXrHV_h9iHEhKBKG-J4JnZYE76ktVMBQghDawFitpaeq2W6vQnR8bWlckh7XVyPviqq4EYcy5c5alB-4qVQ1TfFGZ1tAoLA7s5IuKzm3nE6pawt979xYG7Dy2t3g9eamG-wTqtoRGd3Ew7NbAf908tf6ABE_jI/s4032/IMG_9122.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCPcBO4TKyIurV7C0Wjp_cFtc8p5mhwFXrHV_h9iHEhKBKG-J4JnZYE76ktVMBQghDawFitpaeq2W6vQnR8bWlckh7XVyPviqq4EYcy5c5alB-4qVQ1TfFGZ1tAoLA7s5IuKzm3nE6pawt979xYG7Dy2t3g9eamG-wTqtoRGd3Ew7NbAf908tf6ABE_jI/s320/IMG_9122.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once the hike was completed, we got back on the bus to our first waterfall, and what an amazing waterfall it was! We went to the partially frozen Gullfoss (translated to Golden Waterfall). There were multiple paths to see the different sections of this fall, and all of those sections were lovely! There were spots on the path that were solid sheets of ice, so the crampons definitely came in handy. It was fun watching people without them slip-sliding along! We didn't see anybody fall badly. The girls in their moon boots had some difficulty, but not nearly as much as the guy in dress shoes! You can see all parts of the waterfall, including where pieces of it are frozen by Chrissy's right arm!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRALHXLRfwtJu7RTFlXCpeVKAyUkx4X1quTomkh7d8WAMPVubtlWNicE6PSSr5uhk3h0WrGSjs5EILKuyIa02iQkFYAkJ-b_SXsdSztZw_osp1P4OOorsXQ29o_zH61SV_nRoOFn_BZNEooIl7iPjuLxd0hkItJ_nyZyyQiR82P7AIy7HTu3KlOGDr40/s5472/P1320536.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRRALHXLRfwtJu7RTFlXCpeVKAyUkx4X1quTomkh7d8WAMPVubtlWNicE6PSSr5uhk3h0WrGSjs5EILKuyIa02iQkFYAkJ-b_SXsdSztZw_osp1P4OOorsXQ29o_zH61SV_nRoOFn_BZNEooIl7iPjuLxd0hkItJ_nyZyyQiR82P7AIy7HTu3KlOGDr40/s320/P1320536.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwjzr9EaqSOS_4_z30SSRR6K8yr3WO8THWc9NOvEUgtCU_6EMBAKeLFTUsTW3ZKYvfoyXY4qhLHTnTY-fuuNv3MLi5X6oyGkB3dn1GsLXe0mx6qCTYfR3gCFZqsKOvKa4v0qktGRmvNaUMxDVC139Sgti0g0x6aVc3W76CAJCSYpR6sNKfSfq66VX_T0/s5472/P1320547.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvwjzr9EaqSOS_4_z30SSRR6K8yr3WO8THWc9NOvEUgtCU_6EMBAKeLFTUsTW3ZKYvfoyXY4qhLHTnTY-fuuNv3MLi5X6oyGkB3dn1GsLXe0mx6qCTYfR3gCFZqsKOvKa4v0qktGRmvNaUMxDVC139Sgti0g0x6aVc3W76CAJCSYpR6sNKfSfq66VX_T0/s320/P1320547.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our next stop was the Geysir geothermal area. Geysir was the first geysir ever described in print, dating back to at least 1294. This particular geysir is where all the other shooting hot waters got their names. Until Old Faithful was discovered, Geysir was the largest and most famous geysir in the world. While Geysir itself is mostly dormant, having last had an active period for a few years in the early 2000s, a sister geysir in the same thermal field is routinely active, spouting about every 6-10 minutes. We watched Strokkur (the Churn) erupt a couple of times. The video shows the water in the spout hole bubbling just before it erupts. The next time, I took photos instead of trying to get it on video. Since we had limited daylight, time to both get to and watch Strokkur and have lunch was limited, so we only stayed for two eruptions. I did love the colors in the fields near where the original Great Geysir's location is.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30a5v4oXlABej98010Y2HI4ZFOXFPsqIVjI88TqRL0Iw8qd31Yjr9G7af3Q8O7-qdUUzwz4goGK-OTsLiR0DMe85KYVjnNfXUp3SQ1Q7rBHXBM4aIQIX26OJtSz491szZvUDHduAm0tf05GTOiYjk8SKVe7BN8-7a9lpJ14FnwRAGm4SZFZcJ2Ji-sIQ/s5472/P1320577.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30a5v4oXlABej98010Y2HI4ZFOXFPsqIVjI88TqRL0Iw8qd31Yjr9G7af3Q8O7-qdUUzwz4goGK-OTsLiR0DMe85KYVjnNfXUp3SQ1Q7rBHXBM4aIQIX26OJtSz491szZvUDHduAm0tf05GTOiYjk8SKVe7BN8-7a9lpJ14FnwRAGm4SZFZcJ2Ji-sIQ/s320/P1320577.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxeKGlkxMwtAGpOIXf_wG9pOo4Arhpp0Ku8mroPDn7w9XRXwwl_Rjj3oSxCHWeve-KD_KsboVS-V4-wedeAsQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjGHVGJgfLGRudicuAjplZXD4oiFvPdWXT5x52eb0RMWmVJ500EP8uBBDHR1D7HolarJBlKGy-FXEaUBk2MUl78ocEd-ixLWGegdK1mmikAmEPP7-4wVc_5aifnU28QR_yNjlOdIaciQTe1o3uFsbu-B9cYgJRziQOKf6AJuJx_gUgc4D8w_H96TumhY/s5472/P1320599.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjGHVGJgfLGRudicuAjplZXD4oiFvPdWXT5x52eb0RMWmVJ500EP8uBBDHR1D7HolarJBlKGy-FXEaUBk2MUl78ocEd-ixLWGegdK1mmikAmEPP7-4wVc_5aifnU28QR_yNjlOdIaciQTe1o3uFsbu-B9cYgJRziQOKf6AJuJx_gUgc4D8w_H96TumhY/s320/P1320599.jpg" width="213" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After lunch and having completed the "Golden Circle" (Thingvellir National Park, Gullfoss, and Geysir), we continued along the South Coast to one of the largest waterfalls in Iceland, Skogafoss (waterfall from the Skoga River). Another solid sheet of ice led up to it, but the fall itself wasn't frozen in any places and had a significant spray. Some of you may recognize this waterfall, as it is used frequently in media. In the US, you may have seen it in the following sources: Justin Beiber's music video to "I'll Show You" and multiple movies and shows that have been released in the US. Specifically: "Thor: The Dark World", "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", "Vikings" season 5 episode 2 (where Floki discovers Iceland), and the final season of "Game of Thrones".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcUTXuhwqKV4nFQU_KIIwxmC2NCdvOKfdlgVIHgxo-9OgwR8_6k-rZyX6OnpLcFURVwvaWrM8Efj4Br8rKFGF4T20qZ5pcCUoiby3YaeRBcNNKLXhxjzZ8x3B0xdIw-HgyGOWlIka-kNjWCnlOJwKX9-7mCGrIqshPbu89YRaKYVYGSl2yF7M-nCdaXM/s5472/P1320648.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzcUTXuhwqKV4nFQU_KIIwxmC2NCdvOKfdlgVIHgxo-9OgwR8_6k-rZyX6OnpLcFURVwvaWrM8Efj4Br8rKFGF4T20qZ5pcCUoiby3YaeRBcNNKLXhxjzZ8x3B0xdIw-HgyGOWlIka-kNjWCnlOJwKX9-7mCGrIqshPbu89YRaKYVYGSl2yF7M-nCdaXM/s320/P1320648.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our last stop of the day was at what is considered one of the most beautiful non-tropical beaches in the world and was named in 2021 as the 6th best beach in the world overall, Reynisjara black sand beach. This beach not only has lovely black sand and black volcanic rocks and pebbles, but is also home to these beautiful basalt cliffs and some rocky sea stacks just offshore. Folklore has it that the stacks and basalt formations used to be trolls that would pull ships from the ocean, crashing them onto the shore. One night, they were out searching for ships and stayed out too late, still being visible at daybreak, where the sunlight froze them forever.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTGDOcOHDbvjFsjB-0TqO_rojPttP7Mkmcv2CsuZ4LP1vK6g-MzlEyjxsQoCFm380YNxFmF-unzohNorcnTdSXXFrgMDkRef3LMB0QLwoYU-W3l3_Ev1wkrfNsKhc-jslly13EY1BRJCK-7c521_1m19I4r-BaNJUvHFBVuqpiEuPLJxNIjjAfAsJZDw/s5472/P1320710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTGDOcOHDbvjFsjB-0TqO_rojPttP7Mkmcv2CsuZ4LP1vK6g-MzlEyjxsQoCFm380YNxFmF-unzohNorcnTdSXXFrgMDkRef3LMB0QLwoYU-W3l3_Ev1wkrfNsKhc-jslly13EY1BRJCK-7c521_1m19I4r-BaNJUvHFBVuqpiEuPLJxNIjjAfAsJZDw/s320/P1320710.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4e7pWpGBInIZdR2ayslELzEnC4V4MIhbc8JO4ssK3YUqy5bfWuNvL3nfiEBO0qgdJYJS5tEoFfLsO6X0Sec99E-3E79JYehQsU0B8LSZZKvVd3loK5Y2vlAFPyrk_8MM5nqpmq8llBby-Ikb83i09BSLw4ADglM9FfHiOeBmXiR9ayAUx0jEyLTrGus/s3838/P1320723.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2559" data-original-width="3838" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4e7pWpGBInIZdR2ayslELzEnC4V4MIhbc8JO4ssK3YUqy5bfWuNvL3nfiEBO0qgdJYJS5tEoFfLsO6X0Sec99E-3E79JYehQsU0B8LSZZKvVd3loK5Y2vlAFPyrk_8MM5nqpmq8llBby-Ikb83i09BSLw4ADglM9FfHiOeBmXiR9ayAUx0jEyLTrGus/s320/P1320723.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpSzKeTC-01Q5OebjiKGu4yC0WXsuwz7TYUpZJVR7yzuEOTz2VclZdqE3qCbN3KF3FVLcEeETuvhZ7qdhJ_9CjwV0ZIsCeUp9Ps3I2Ox5GyJe1b4G5-YBEMrXPzHcHZDLS6skosn4kBDnwMhTiwOONTXrsr4YxSC7bGlTw4wIQv9sy2sCh2bKqkNy7Wk/s5472/P1320739.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpSzKeTC-01Q5OebjiKGu4yC0WXsuwz7TYUpZJVR7yzuEOTz2VclZdqE3qCbN3KF3FVLcEeETuvhZ7qdhJ_9CjwV0ZIsCeUp9Ps3I2Ox5GyJe1b4G5-YBEMrXPzHcHZDLS6skosn4kBDnwMhTiwOONTXrsr4YxSC7bGlTw4wIQv9sy2sCh2bKqkNy7Wk/s320/P1320739.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This beach is also known for its sneaker waves. This video doesn't give justice to the huge waves that were routine. At one point, I was too close to the water, so for the first time in years, I had to run! Thankfully, I didn't fall this time!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzgH3379ptOk7FQ6RG2V4LEQwyK1AUUXFaVbYCGQsgZFWqZTNemJXZDan-4STQVqv12Ib34omQxGfxzE2cmyg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As we left the beach, it was getting dark, so we headed to our accommodations for the evening. At dinner, Hilmat shared some more of his knowledge of the island and its culture, but wouldn't answer all of our questions, saying he had to leave some information for during the tour! Far too many clouds to even consider looking for the aurora, so we just turned into bed for a good sleep.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-16875080092795227452024-01-15T11:27:00.000-08:002024-01-15T11:27:11.018-08:00An Almost Empty Blue Lagoon Between Volcano Eruptions<p>As many of you know, I have had a goal of seeing the aurora borealis (northern lights) for a few years now. I've been half-heartedly chasing them when conditions are supposedly right while in Washington, but even with a decent sunstorm and other favorable conditions, the lights are only visible by the camera and on the horizon in Washington most of the time. This spring, Bruce and I came back to Washington early, and there were still enough dark skies and solar activity for us to go aurora chasing a couple of times together. After yet another miss, Bruce mentioned that it would be cheaper to just go to Iceland to see them. Obviously, I took that as an invitation and booked a trip soon thereafter. I took Chrissy with me, and we set off to see Iceland. I booked us into a multi-day tour with aurora chasing scheduled for every night of the tour, conditions allowing. Our plan was to land in Iceland and catch the bus to the Blue Lagoon on our way to Reykjavik, and the bus for both legs, entry into the lagoon, in-water massages, and lunch at the Lava Restaurant were booked far in advance, as the Blue Lagoon is a busy place. I was a little apprehesive because I've heard horror stories of the lagoon being so packed with people that you can barely move in it, but I like doing the iconic things, and I couldn't just skip the iconic Blue Lagoon, even if I've never seen the movie. I mentioned not having seen the movie, and Chrissy seemed like she had never even heard of it! I feel so old!</p><p>Anyway, as luck would have it, a volcano near Grindavik (a town close to where the Blue Lagoon is located) erupted in December. The damage to the town has been significant, with the town being evacuated and the Blue Lagoon being temporarily closed. As the eruption subsided, the powers that be have continually monitored the situation, deciding on almost a day-to-day basis whether to reopen. Our flight left Seattle on January 5, and our reservations were for January 6. The Blue Lagoon website said they were re-evaluating on January 5. As we left for the airport, they were still re-evaluating. A few minutes before time to board the plane, I once again refreshed the website, and they announced they were opening on January 6 with abbreviated hours and that those with reservations should modify as necessary on the website. Our reservations were too near for the website to allow me to modify them. I sent an email and got a response to modify on the website. I sent another email explaining that I could not and boarded the plane, hoping everything would be okay.</p><p>When we landed, I checked with the Airport Direct busline that was supposed to take us to the Blue Lagoon and then on into Reykjavik, and they said they would honor my ticket, but the first bus out would not leave until 12:30. The lagoon opened at 11:30. Our reservations were for 9:00. I had gotten another email from the Blue Lagoon telling me to modify my reservation online. We had significant time to kill in the airport, so I started trying to find different ways to get a person instead of an auto-responder and managed to reach someone through Facebook Messenger. She fixed our reservations for me and I took a nap on a bench while Chrissy walked around the airport, enjoying the brisk air. When I got up, I went out and looked around. The Keflavik airport is nice, and the sculpture outside is very pretty in the dark! It was very icy, though, so I didn't venture very far. My crampons were still in the suitcase.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUpeBBfyCW0yhHyrmfp89X0kGWGEhq-ApwH6ZoflqKVrVMw9rntPh92nEnDdmhIORetsL17K6R0nWLtR43BvB8LcNzaTWFBlRQequgyaht3w04MSzEQ9CNwDmOEySF1oUY9foGlT9-u2s35STjZWQ3y1eGkL0R2xRB0iqXgaI-hkTvxdbJVo72Pn98QE/s5472/P1320478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUpeBBfyCW0yhHyrmfp89X0kGWGEhq-ApwH6ZoflqKVrVMw9rntPh92nEnDdmhIORetsL17K6R0nWLtR43BvB8LcNzaTWFBlRQequgyaht3w04MSzEQ9CNwDmOEySF1oUY9foGlT9-u2s35STjZWQ3y1eGkL0R2xRB0iqXgaI-hkTvxdbJVo72Pn98QE/s320/P1320478.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizPbrNbIbu0UCpfE09ChWjAbZShNnjh5HiU2Yke0FowLX1liqV8ri0O34EB0U7C0WbgGLGEPSIQZ2GMeR0v1iaWGEAoZ1HnY1pUuV45EfrGApqZJn6KD01CdyOxFCVnWDNq8iQAtB6xY3tdgzFxV853uh281cBCztyI67bibRzkAbgdzIEoGtDhlOWa0/s5472/P1320479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizPbrNbIbu0UCpfE09ChWjAbZShNnjh5HiU2Yke0FowLX1liqV8ri0O34EB0U7C0WbgGLGEPSIQZ2GMeR0v1iaWGEAoZ1HnY1pUuV45EfrGApqZJn6KD01CdyOxFCVnWDNq8iQAtB6xY3tdgzFxV853uh281cBCztyI67bibRzkAbgdzIEoGtDhlOWa0/s320/P1320479.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>When we got to the Blue Lagoon, we checked our luggage into storage, taking our bathing suits out for the lagoon. From here, all pictures were taken by Chrissy, as I didn't want to expose the Lumix or the new underwater housing to the minerals in the water and Chrissy said her phone was waterproof. I offered to let her have a clear waterproof bag for her phone if she wanted, but she didn't. The walk from the parking lot to the lagoon, via a paved and lit path in the lava field, is beautiful. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HEqBAraFn77kSH10d5QYdMc8Tx5_7il7eS_ZuRuXob_GVQ8LePVsKH3OjCjJH70Lc-h1-N9qrtO5zVXnYIzSdFbhTqjdmMjpIuBzX6iSWSZNM4RVToN_HprMH-0IMgtH8GjmBbQXMOzP3ybyvTqYTVueHCjO5jRWqhq-JxyVJPGraYp9_366h5ruzlY/s4032/IMG_9054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1HEqBAraFn77kSH10d5QYdMc8Tx5_7il7eS_ZuRuXob_GVQ8LePVsKH3OjCjJH70Lc-h1-N9qrtO5zVXnYIzSdFbhTqjdmMjpIuBzX6iSWSZNM4RVToN_HprMH-0IMgtH8GjmBbQXMOzP3ybyvTqYTVueHCjO5jRWqhq-JxyVJPGraYp9_366h5ruzlY/s320/IMG_9054.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZP7rcwwdoHXLFiQekOgY3nN4Bp0MuIW6HZLP0NTsQG43zpBNLvj3Eed8nMgFg3240Fwh1NqZHDJaF-AmYysf0D3olsp38_R-f2zpy05RlCjQhQfPucqA7uKYej7ui6Gz6KubsM7PDlZMX0DnrXY69CzvbjAEHc8t6ep5oB8tZFesi1hUGLkIFfVg2nk0/s4032/IMG_9057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZP7rcwwdoHXLFiQekOgY3nN4Bp0MuIW6HZLP0NTsQG43zpBNLvj3Eed8nMgFg3240Fwh1NqZHDJaF-AmYysf0D3olsp38_R-f2zpy05RlCjQhQfPucqA7uKYej7ui6Gz6KubsM7PDlZMX0DnrXY69CzvbjAEHc8t6ep5oB8tZFesi1hUGLkIFfVg2nk0/s320/IMG_9057.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>We got checked in, took our showers, changed, and headed out to the lagoon. We didn't have the place to ourselves, but it certainly wasn't crowded. Except by the bar, there was plenty of space to spread out and be away from other groups of people. There was even plenty of room to swim! Because they say the minerals in the water will ruin your hair and my hair won't clip up well and stay that way, I put a swim cap on, which had a bump in it that looked like a smurf's point! The outside temperature was right around freezing, but it was quite comfortable in the water!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFRHFdWXa45659ldiijZfN7Cm-e80-9UVR8SJ7pYlFypRxvbtgNSniAVddnwso1tWjacxU6XgFk2e-Bn71clXYiNRgZZZDR1PEoMwRCTXVZodSkPppm22v_hUIXPtBuFGvG_Qi6sGsW0qZ5YEucgtJoFpsjo9kNkMoHvBEqhkxAH6L_CP6Mvtu0y4HoI/s4032/IMG_9070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFRHFdWXa45659ldiijZfN7Cm-e80-9UVR8SJ7pYlFypRxvbtgNSniAVddnwso1tWjacxU6XgFk2e-Bn71clXYiNRgZZZDR1PEoMwRCTXVZodSkPppm22v_hUIXPtBuFGvG_Qi6sGsW0qZ5YEucgtJoFpsjo9kNkMoHvBEqhkxAH6L_CP6Mvtu0y4HoI/s320/IMG_9070.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iEzutNqHWNsaU2mLx33z48ZRXFWbzViLVSncnZNRpMcyuHA5rr6S9aGZ-B0UR6DduYocSv7rl88zwqTWfkwd7JM_pqiHHx7U7uGNerArJbYYZ2i6SrYoMh5bLAjGT0SxKyIqo88czETHpdwnAuB7eKE-dwCd0w-y0SqouIn6LSQxVMGG3JHLHHQskfo/s4032/IMG_9076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7iEzutNqHWNsaU2mLx33z48ZRXFWbzViLVSncnZNRpMcyuHA5rr6S9aGZ-B0UR6DduYocSv7rl88zwqTWfkwd7JM_pqiHHx7U7uGNerArJbYYZ2i6SrYoMh5bLAjGT0SxKyIqo88czETHpdwnAuB7eKE-dwCd0w-y0SqouIn6LSQxVMGG3JHLHHQskfo/s320/IMG_9076.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvhqcZzBOq_x4dTaMKA7ePRKCS1FH5Q2uvx94J21coFkpvhdaj1OUpw8Abmu5mPVYKOIKvkjLOsdW0c35citJz1Cux3hgiS0Oj6MqyE6kvcmR_G5fNxz3jlb8ChCzIFNwLKLyX0JeNHGAIFX0SqltzoIvmDWWzidg4J1EHl0n3HRhFlmZZ8OAlN2oR2U/s4032/IMG_9088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGvhqcZzBOq_x4dTaMKA7ePRKCS1FH5Q2uvx94J21coFkpvhdaj1OUpw8Abmu5mPVYKOIKvkjLOsdW0c35citJz1Cux3hgiS0Oj6MqyE6kvcmR_G5fNxz3jlb8ChCzIFNwLKLyX0JeNHGAIFX0SqltzoIvmDWWzidg4J1EHl0n3HRhFlmZZ8OAlN2oR2U/s320/IMG_9088.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirL-ESXDPX2mYYlXQp9xl9eqXuBtt_FVrwGssVxlHHJw9dQ41-iDD4KZtOmwoxiqXQJCHTKLywEfR1V_tLd46nKZjvUgva0AgM181xJSjk31zaatEB93HJWEdhxdKGn7hbcdXui18lrXcdK_d1oOyUWZqV6pt7uddluEVWtI0rrM_6U09dEkdnCSaBuCA/s4032/IMG_9100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirL-ESXDPX2mYYlXQp9xl9eqXuBtt_FVrwGssVxlHHJw9dQ41-iDD4KZtOmwoxiqXQJCHTKLywEfR1V_tLd46nKZjvUgva0AgM181xJSjk31zaatEB93HJWEdhxdKGn7hbcdXui18lrXcdK_d1oOyUWZqV6pt7uddluEVWtI0rrM_6U09dEkdnCSaBuCA/s320/IMG_9100.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>When it came time for the massage, we made our way to the back of the lagoon, where we were each told to slather lots of a special conditioner on our hair. He said I could put the cap back on if I wanted, but I left it off. We were each laid on our backs on a floating mat that looked like a yoga mat, not a pool float, and covered with a blanket before being told to take our tops down so the masseuses would have smooth access to our backs. From that point on, it was ecstasy! It wasn't a full body massage, but he did a relaxing massage of my back, neck, head, both arms and hands, and feet and lower legs. Periodically, he would grab the blanket, and push my body back down into the water to make sure I stayed warm. This was an amazing experience, and if you have the opportunity to have an in-water massage in thermal mineral-filled waters, I would strongly suggest not skipping it! There are no pictures in this area, though, so you'll just have to use your imagination to visualize.</p><p>After the massages, we spent a little more time in the lagoon before heading back in, where we showered again and changed back into our street clothes before going to the Lava Restaurant overlooking a section of the lagoon and lava rocks for dinner. We each shared the cod and lamb, which were both scrumptous!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlEsv5tOOJs4lgdOlSFQydNCYx9K-NMrl8tXUHVSC-QwN68ymnlvFtmClzZs5Iy7Yuc0MPlNfoVQfyKgBZ-8lTTZVPTeGS5uMKJn_9o5NCV-JV9UYKdcZ6e67decGHI1Fo2NeY0zA3YBSj-UA2LTZnWFeMr-3QKw7kKykLEbKp77ktOxtPY-xipe8hqQ/s1280/IMG_9109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSlEsv5tOOJs4lgdOlSFQydNCYx9K-NMrl8tXUHVSC-QwN68ymnlvFtmClzZs5Iy7Yuc0MPlNfoVQfyKgBZ-8lTTZVPTeGS5uMKJn_9o5NCV-JV9UYKdcZ6e67decGHI1Fo2NeY0zA3YBSj-UA2LTZnWFeMr-3QKw7kKykLEbKp77ktOxtPY-xipe8hqQ/s320/IMG_9109.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>Before leaving, I went to the counter to make sure about our bus to Reykjavik. I wasn't sure about the bus stop we needed for our hotel, and I knew the time on our tickets wasn't right. The guy at the counter issued me new tickets for the correct time and told me he wasn't sure which stop we needed, as he didn't know where our hotel was. He said we would take the large bus to a central place in town and would change there to a smaller minibus. He said to confirm with the driver of the minibus which stop to use. Being Twelvth Night and the last night of Christmas, there were fireworks everywhere as we got closer to Reykjavik! It was a nice show driving through!</p><p>When we changed busses, I tried to ask the driver of the bus we got on, but he looked at me like I had three heads and didn't answer. I pulled up Google Maps and watched as we got closer to the hotel. When we got stopped at a stop that sounded familiar and was close, I indicated we should get off. Chrissy was adamant that we were supposed to get off at another stop, so we stayed on. As the bus kept driving, we started getting farther away from our destination. At the next stop (which was the one on our tickets), I took my phone to the driver, showing where our hotel was. Since I was standing in the aisle beside him, he had to pay attention to me. He took my phone and looked at it a while, finally telling me that we had missed our stop and would have to find another way to get there because he was going to the other side of town and then ending his shift. So, we got out and learned that we were now a 15-minute walk from our hotel. Not bad. I've been further with more bags to schlep! Since we were only going to Iceland for a week, I had a lot less medication to carry! This time, though, we were schlepping our bags through snow and ice, which made it a little more difficult! It wasn't too bad, though. We found the swans, which were lovely, and with fireworks lighting our way, we walked to our hotel. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyO2cQgRZ8pZ7GqbdBNs0M7X9m9A3KvwhgywFinr90kiWbO5L-MlkM1WaM39lYrcEX6FRt-ITl95PpO1Y2-jg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p>I didn't fall until we got to the parking lot of the hotel, and even then, it was a slow-motion fall, not really going all the way down. We put our bathing suits out to dry after tracking snow and water all over our room. With a plan for meeting our tour bus in the morning, I took another shower (that's three for the day) and went to sleep. The conditioner at the lagoon did a great job keeping my hair from drying out! Now that I'm home and started laundry, the minerals left white patches on my black bathing suit. I hope they come out in the wash - kinda. If they don't, it'll be another unusual souvenir!</p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-87654071523484920912023-11-18T08:51:00.000-08:002023-11-18T08:51:18.397-08:00How Do You Tell A Cheetah From A Leopard?<p> The original plan for today was to sleep until I woke up and spend the day at my leisure walking around the falls on both sides. I was going to walk across the Victoria Falls Bridge and watch some people bungee jump and see the falls from the bottom, even though it's the dry season. I did part of that. I slept until I woke up and I spent the day at my leisure. Both feet were throbbing and no amount of physical therapy techniques or additional meds were going to do anything about it. I didn't want to spend the day in the AirBNB, though. So, I decided there was a beautiful pool at the Rainbow Hotel, and I had been invited to come swim in the pool anytime I wanted. That sounded like a plan. I put on my bathing suit and got ready for a day at the pool. I WhatsApped the taxi guy, who had a good laugh, but did come pick me up to drive me the 400 meters (a quarter of a mile) to the hotel. I mean, if I'm going to be miserable, I might as well enjoy myself! So, I spent the day poolside or swimming in the pool. Being in the water actually helped the pain, so I did spend significant time actually being wet. I had downloaded some shows on Netflix and a couple of books on my phone, so I had plenty of entertainment. The pool wasn't a very busy place during the day. I pretty much had it to myself. Most people were out sightseeing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDPd5lQUshPWQY9XtFDhekdmFI4-1OIQ8yV9SuvBiKu9IpcsQoh_xYrbzH6fzsj7XZ8GC_sVj0IMB6kzieC79bB-r_F_FL2orWp_oiffk37d1oIbOyNhTTWjaYbU7E5NLqSRZU5CYrMKofeg9tFmBXwt8aZcH4WHnRPbU2xaQAjRjJaZeDfORetgB7NQ/s4000/20231015_101743.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdDPd5lQUshPWQY9XtFDhekdmFI4-1OIQ8yV9SuvBiKu9IpcsQoh_xYrbzH6fzsj7XZ8GC_sVj0IMB6kzieC79bB-r_F_FL2orWp_oiffk37d1oIbOyNhTTWjaYbU7E5NLqSRZU5CYrMKofeg9tFmBXwt8aZcH4WHnRPbU2xaQAjRjJaZeDfORetgB7NQ/s320/20231015_101743.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had grilled warthog for lunch. It was delicious, and the BBQ sauce wasn't bad. And a touch of Cheeky Chili's peri peri sauce added a bit of zing to it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uhspBD_2aXlb4xrLDES9IvBXUDTggMdo7zD8eqPjMFicC5LX-gFM3pMj8EbA-G0h_vWnQt85ltKCv29gxkpFc9bZXJ0gpVbKl1aaFynv1aR2sn57bjaoMcZ-zDpYaLxTcbgkjW4RzdDloMElUgdTSIRJggzTiZviihhe63bLv44WKVNsTt-HWn6EcQc/s4000/20231015_121821.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9uhspBD_2aXlb4xrLDES9IvBXUDTggMdo7zD8eqPjMFicC5LX-gFM3pMj8EbA-G0h_vWnQt85ltKCv29gxkpFc9bZXJ0gpVbKl1aaFynv1aR2sn57bjaoMcZ-zDpYaLxTcbgkjW4RzdDloMElUgdTSIRJggzTiZviihhe63bLv44WKVNsTt-HWn6EcQc/s320/20231015_121821.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are so many more things I wanted to do while here. There is a meerkat safari where the meerkats are habituated to humans. (It would have given me the interaction with Timon, leaving only Rafiki on the Lion King characters!) There's a speedboat that goes under the falls, similar to the boat I had in Argentina on Gran Aventura. There were more animal parks in Victoria Falls that I wanted to explore, mainly with walking safaris with "hides" where you could sit and wait for animals that would normally be shy around people. And of course, there is the falls themselves. I had planned to do all of those things, most of it being arranged when I got here. But, I guess I'll just have to come back! I mean, I do still need to get the wildebeest migration to round out the Ugly 5! And, it's not fair to compare Victoria Falls in the dry season to Iguazu Falls with record rainfall, so there's that, too. The guys at the Rainbow Hotel tell me that April is a really good time to see the falls with full water and the temperature is still warm enough to enjoy them (though you may not want to do the infinity pools that time of year). But, I had a pleasant day and grabbed a taxi back to my AirBNB, still less than a quarter of a mile away.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I got up the next morning, my feet were feeling better, though the right one was still difficult to bear weight, so I was still limping. Great. Today was walking with cheetahs. That's going to be interesting. They brought out two juvenile, not-quite-adult cheetahs - Zuma in a black harness and Niki in a pink harness. As the cheetahs were walking us, (Yes, the cheetahs chose where to go. I just held the leash and petted them.) the handlers explained a lot about the animals to us. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RAX3svk92voF1l7w_3c0TDZI4oSi8g5w2Jj38Fj-MgAqymgFw_YXAA4iComOD6Hv8aVXf3_NEGByiIBaEs8UpsMfR6cykgwoxKOFCBrqn0ooPQocwQ-xJfnsHvUfletN1lLHo4-rGbv7cZArNr11wbddAxfi5Y5K91Qy8hwTwEcqPWh_WqC9bXE5vmQ/s3648/P1320286.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="3626" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RAX3svk92voF1l7w_3c0TDZI4oSi8g5w2Jj38Fj-MgAqymgFw_YXAA4iComOD6Hv8aVXf3_NEGByiIBaEs8UpsMfR6cykgwoxKOFCBrqn0ooPQocwQ-xJfnsHvUfletN1lLHo4-rGbv7cZArNr11wbddAxfi5Y5K91Qy8hwTwEcqPWh_WqC9bXE5vmQ/s320/P1320286.jpg" width="318" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cheetahs are highly endangered, especially in Zimbabwe where fewer than 200 remain in the wild. This breeding program has been going on for some time, and when the animals reach adulthood and are deemed likely to survive in the wild, they are just released into the park. Until they reach adulthood, they are kept inside or on a leash because they are so vulnerable to attack. Cheetahs are the world's fastest land animal, but that is their only means of defense from their multiple predators. Their claws are not retractable, so they are usually worn down and dull, useless in a fight. Because of that, they are vulnerable to most of the carnivorous predators, such as lions, leopards, and hyenas. Sometimes even a warthog will take a cheetah cub, though they usually only take smaller mammals when they go for meat. The cubs don't even begin to start running until they're around six months of age, though, and then they have to learn to build their speed. Niki and Zuma are learning that in a controlled environment. They are also learning to hunt and are not put in situations where they associate people with food, only with walks. Cheetahs are the only large cats that purr, and my how loud that motor runs! Just listen to him go! He's loving his rubs!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw0c3YGhQPooXgGWMmSF8MaQkXZyLMapNI_Npum-kYnmDWJeS47UJzJJACie2ywdACZ3o_oLdaK5Y-eK135Gw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cheetahs and leopards look very similar, but there are some key differences. Cheetahs are taller and sleeker than leopards. Cheetahs have rings on their tails instead of spots. And cheetahs have lines on their cheeks that leopards don't have. The spot patterns on both, however, are unique and have been compared to fingerprints on humans. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDSevjaz3NtrEKBgFzlOrNbLyowp4sSlkWEsKNk4W8MyRltZgf0MwqNhWXplC3x0AvK0CBhyphenhyphenIsWCKeYp1DH72tljRKYV2ggRgHThf2HNzZPSx7GdJ5FxJ_6X23Aykb-ezPdDCaEGZI0Q6ss_LmLWJqwR1VOMFyL5XwVqfgoo3HHm3zUoARX25BbqFGF8/s3782/P1320299.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="3782" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMDSevjaz3NtrEKBgFzlOrNbLyowp4sSlkWEsKNk4W8MyRltZgf0MwqNhWXplC3x0AvK0CBhyphenhyphenIsWCKeYp1DH72tljRKYV2ggRgHThf2HNzZPSx7GdJ5FxJ_6X23Aykb-ezPdDCaEGZI0Q6ss_LmLWJqwR1VOMFyL5XwVqfgoo3HHm3zUoARX25BbqFGF8/s320/P1320299.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQb6G-ueIz_lEp6wznrDekLJgDwhan7pv8CdvAkkh4fiKJymfu-u643JBN4diSMRPy7kcVgMg5gYzy3Zg9cqf4JMEPEoHBAdrRPhgUUupDJ9J40qwRLvtYjznmGbqA54ziWesSqG7DXx5EaUwkJ_5CU0deZpGFyqPjOFy4GSrgnIoDhlJi9JZJCECVGVk/s3637/P1320308.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3637" data-original-width="2923" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQb6G-ueIz_lEp6wznrDekLJgDwhan7pv8CdvAkkh4fiKJymfu-u643JBN4diSMRPy7kcVgMg5gYzy3Zg9cqf4JMEPEoHBAdrRPhgUUupDJ9J40qwRLvtYjznmGbqA54ziWesSqG7DXx5EaUwkJ_5CU0deZpGFyqPjOFy4GSrgnIoDhlJi9JZJCECVGVk/s320/P1320308.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eventually, they and I got comfortable around each other!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SWb4Ks2wSI0WqkPEZPzf4msz6TwdVCart4d83Dm7TwifuRk22Hy1tv3dK_ZS14dLE25Dpd5NOPcmwzm0MooulmY1m6iNaLaoco720uhhTAEapEXzyWvYCMpK7Xan4x4R4IkVbxU-m7BWNP4cVtmJyxMco2VWPEzsd1Q3mxro4mNGM_7VxPsQ_G_RYnE/s5472/P1320450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2SWb4Ks2wSI0WqkPEZPzf4msz6TwdVCart4d83Dm7TwifuRk22Hy1tv3dK_ZS14dLE25Dpd5NOPcmwzm0MooulmY1m6iNaLaoco720uhhTAEapEXzyWvYCMpK7Xan4x4R4IkVbxU-m7BWNP4cVtmJyxMco2VWPEzsd1Q3mxro4mNGM_7VxPsQ_G_RYnE/s320/P1320450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Niki liked to sit up and have her ears scratched. She would really lean into it! I was terrified I was going to step on her tail because sometimes she leaned so much she pushed me off balance!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-lKBFI7sQ2PbIeZ3G8nE8QLdeM3TInZB9DV-cIiA5OnVKZ3qtvShxH4UvFA67q3wTn0WvRxeZ3lVFSYpbttNIv1voKdCQsrnFNNiS7moWcrRhrRAer7dP2OFBKtNnDuHxXiwbFOXuckUwSAXDuh73zwvr1l4MpooSgrdbhwxnt4S0pbzSP1fuyyPY9M/s5472/P1320397.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-lKBFI7sQ2PbIeZ3G8nE8QLdeM3TInZB9DV-cIiA5OnVKZ3qtvShxH4UvFA67q3wTn0WvRxeZ3lVFSYpbttNIv1voKdCQsrnFNNiS7moWcrRhrRAer7dP2OFBKtNnDuHxXiwbFOXuckUwSAXDuh73zwvr1l4MpooSgrdbhwxnt4S0pbzSP1fuyyPY9M/s320/P1320397.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They are shedding their baby fur right now as they're growing into adulthood. I asked if I could keep it, and the heandlers thought I was joking!! Imagine! Me joking about keeping cheetah fur!! Just so you know, it is now safely ensconsed behind the glass in my shadow box, right under my echidna quills from Sydney and above my bison fur from North Dakota (both of which came off of the animal without any assistance by me, unlike my cheetah fur)! There are rumors that this place releases animals into hunting lodges. However, it is illegal to hunt cheetahs in Zimbabwe and they release their cheetahs into the park that borders them. The rumors may or may not be true with their other animals, but it definitely is not with the cheetahs. Personally, if trophy hunting is going to be allowed, I would rather there be farmed animals for hunting instead of depleting the wild population. Farming was a major contributor in saving the American Alligator and it could help some of these other majestic creatures that are being hunted into extinction.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After spending time with the Niki and Zuma, I went back to my AirBNB, rested, and got ready to head home. I already had made arrangements for the same taxi that picked me up from the airport to take me back. The difference was that this time, I could barely walk. When I checked in, the airport staff didn't try to tell me I couldn't take my medical equipment. Instead, when I told them I could not do stairs, they made me prove I could walk to the bathroom on the plane on my own. For the most part, I had a pleasant set of flights home, even though they had to bring the truck to retrieve me from the plane in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia because I couldn't walk down the stairs to the tarmac bus. Chrissy retrieved me from the airport in Seattle, took me to dinner, and deposited me and my stuff in my condo. She brought me my walker and a nightgown, and I don't really remember her leaving, because I was already out by then! It was an amazing trip, and I am finally recouperating and preparing for the next adventure!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-20868725416859056962023-11-17T09:16:00.000-08:002023-11-17T13:03:14.139-08:00An Awesome Day in Botswana!<p>I woke up today feeling better. Foot still hurts – strike that – both feet hurt today, but not as badly, so I took an extra pill again. I was able to sleep longer than I anticipated. I got a WhatsApp from the people doing today's tour yesterday telling me they didn't get the minimum number. But, for an additional $30, they could switch me to the full day, which includes the drive I booked plus lunch and a cruise on the Chobe River. I thought that was a pretty good deal, and since there would be very little walking, jumped on it! Got dressed and got everything ready to go. The driver pulled up right on time and took me to pick up the rest of our Zimbabwe crew at their hotel. They were a couple from Tulsa, Oklahoma. As we were heading toward the Botswana border (through one of the Zimbabwean parks), we came across a herd of elephants crossing the road. There were a couple of babies in the herd. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzIv_yV6GSMtGE9GGhe28xiJJKCPv2pmDkFGH5QuWlbDnAtY6VmxA0Tm3Su8TGFE3e9Pfu3N-zQOK1pRdi5vw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />As one of them came and crossed, our driver started talking about how elephants have a gland between their eye and ear, and when that gland secretes fluids, it is a sign that the animal is stressed. This lady was apparently already stressed, as you can see the fluid running down the side of her face. As he is helping us find that gland, she starts fanning her ears at us. We ignored her. Suddenly, she charged at us. I initially thought it would be a fake charge like the guy did in Uganda. Nope. She kept coming. She chased us about 500 feet down the road! They can book! Our driver pretty much floored it to get away! This is what an elephant looks like when she charges!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DpjfsLoBT56WOm5DqCZJz4ILNrl6LAZHpt45H-x31Oly9Uec-PgdTMmkRf1UfHDy2KTQrKTg2tKVfoMnaz3exiViEnA8aNOO_WzP7DiQreB7FalDcCvbPs1tMclNNbn739_6P81lrnszk-MV7ES46HX6boXxYYSgsrvWlaw4SxL2iy5yxIvXDcOb3XU/s5472/P1310234.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DpjfsLoBT56WOm5DqCZJz4ILNrl6LAZHpt45H-x31Oly9Uec-PgdTMmkRf1UfHDy2KTQrKTg2tKVfoMnaz3exiViEnA8aNOO_WzP7DiQreB7FalDcCvbPs1tMclNNbn739_6P81lrnszk-MV7ES46HX6boXxYYSgsrvWlaw4SxL2iy5yxIvXDcOb3XU/s320/P1310234.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once we got to the Botswana border, we picked up the other two members of our group – a couple from South Africa, and off we headed to Chobe National Park. We saw lots of things, and had we seen a wildebeest, I would have rounded out the Ugly 5, too, but I didn't book the wildebeest migration. The Ugly 5 are the warthog, marabou stork, wildebeest, vulture, and hyena. I got a little irritated at our driver. He would get me into a good position and I would ask him to stop, and he would keep moving and ruin my shot. This happened far too often. He drove fast down the park, I'm sure missing many things, but maybe he needed to do that so we could see the high points in the time we had. But I was really irritated at all of the shots he ruined for me when he could have just paused for two seconds! Everybody else was thrilled with him, though, so I didn't say anything. The park, itself, is amazing, and I would love to do a full day just in Chobe with a slower driver!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Marabou Stork</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_UhzkHtoMf-vG8n_R5pfs57y59CQg5H6E_T_610_zqYDiGOhdqtkIqS6YGawvnRCH3fG9WeqYrURUsJwzanqflqKtrwPPLToK_DENPHBAhCB-f_s9z3qxViIkxIPmLbQzsDJtb5dS6edknFeue0jT2JMhziwUsslmQesQ__hYv6W57piBVsz7vR77zU/s2602/001A2768.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1922" data-original-width="2602" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg_UhzkHtoMf-vG8n_R5pfs57y59CQg5H6E_T_610_zqYDiGOhdqtkIqS6YGawvnRCH3fG9WeqYrURUsJwzanqflqKtrwPPLToK_DENPHBAhCB-f_s9z3qxViIkxIPmLbQzsDJtb5dS6edknFeue0jT2JMhziwUsslmQesQ__hYv6W57piBVsz7vR77zU/s320/001A2768.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Water Monitor</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyD5nECvfU244ObrRN8dHLye7OFlwn5PPnK5v68ytIW8S1IXSCpTmyidbj3VDW67fqffK6ngyCcMMpbtdm94Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoG8_iIk3-FWWRu8jiRC6T7lVcwK23VQ-va3ye9ky6ZP_3UVDJ3GFTv9O1CHftuK_k94mo967fP-hPA6cQUP-snDiDsrLZv15HJAGa1Z_QtcgPBuYCUo8qHrP2KnFGM17bwtCjwBlICoMZ0YP_ETGHTmy4npyv2CTP1j55yyoWswtUrYdMmw98Fm7TJHc/s4325/001A2801.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2604" data-original-width="4325" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoG8_iIk3-FWWRu8jiRC6T7lVcwK23VQ-va3ye9ky6ZP_3UVDJ3GFTv9O1CHftuK_k94mo967fP-hPA6cQUP-snDiDsrLZv15HJAGa1Z_QtcgPBuYCUo8qHrP2KnFGM17bwtCjwBlICoMZ0YP_ETGHTmy4npyv2CTP1j55yyoWswtUrYdMmw98Fm7TJHc/s320/001A2801.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjSUcAmAcuAHcUzPNX0OHUW7iUf-5KnPAF7Nz_9iQULBbtmRMr5oStqc_M-zo0yiSJpkPekTFS2Yqi8njHyGczqhmfBcMV8BsY4rAyV6AA_S-hYD82NAomKas6XtkrbjcevDrL8iRyuOZWut0vsbSLWfLk4qQK_i8olMXuw206v1UMlCyUm81JVc_BtY/s2260/001A2807.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1793" data-original-width="2260" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjjSUcAmAcuAHcUzPNX0OHUW7iUf-5KnPAF7Nz_9iQULBbtmRMr5oStqc_M-zo0yiSJpkPekTFS2Yqi8njHyGczqhmfBcMV8BsY4rAyV6AA_S-hYD82NAomKas6XtkrbjcevDrL8iRyuOZWut0vsbSLWfLk4qQK_i8olMXuw206v1UMlCyUm81JVc_BtY/s320/001A2807.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tsessebe</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki4SEw4g46ueMcSoxHkbZrOc5cKxQlfqyta7USy9WMliy24XiNJnuzpeQYsmCez_04MQL7VhlJfU4dKV7qhYGy-9cl5P7GUrW7OaCqHpWc9WtZUyTbei4qKMVZtxdsbm2go51ezJMRvODq79o88Qwn60QVaJrMrhgP7nZ1VTz0rpzxWmanSfTutoI1oc/s2402/001A2823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2376" data-original-width="2402" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjki4SEw4g46ueMcSoxHkbZrOc5cKxQlfqyta7USy9WMliy24XiNJnuzpeQYsmCez_04MQL7VhlJfU4dKV7qhYGy-9cl5P7GUrW7OaCqHpWc9WtZUyTbei4qKMVZtxdsbm2go51ezJMRvODq79o88Qwn60QVaJrMrhgP7nZ1VTz0rpzxWmanSfTutoI1oc/s320/001A2823.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Impala</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMIsjwoYhmtqTJkwy5MzgFi5K3tVXxkhmxFu_ffVjG0052GuYzT3k0f_kqokIGJSmxGhaO1YZoI9d2TekY4c-rhv5XDPnuv7FvhwwmEfJGlW7rV5ITFaJD2IwZcFGsLhx8rZUf1nz38yOJVUz41VGwvoHd4PlyKWqlHQUCfHzrDekilqF1xwjSgQz8xg/s2909/P1310328.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2506" data-original-width="2909" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMIsjwoYhmtqTJkwy5MzgFi5K3tVXxkhmxFu_ffVjG0052GuYzT3k0f_kqokIGJSmxGhaO1YZoI9d2TekY4c-rhv5XDPnuv7FvhwwmEfJGlW7rV5ITFaJD2IwZcFGsLhx8rZUf1nz38yOJVUz41VGwvoHd4PlyKWqlHQUCfHzrDekilqF1xwjSgQz8xg/s320/P1310328.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQdViEncmcv9npecv0-r87hQqs9yhMDq5OTU-05-jY4p2bzyYx8o1frNhDegF3uJU1uftL3yJdBfaFp_iwlSbsBkpEi4j6IVaoPUfqskOKPDWWwBx-k-GETkyGn25hM29MIoTdJJHO6c0Pnc_QYxKum7xXV_bUgu-7ynJ5lxiAh5rRHJ2cjcDu2GIs34/s2294/P1310331.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2294" data-original-width="2037" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQdViEncmcv9npecv0-r87hQqs9yhMDq5OTU-05-jY4p2bzyYx8o1frNhDegF3uJU1uftL3yJdBfaFp_iwlSbsBkpEi4j6IVaoPUfqskOKPDWWwBx-k-GETkyGn25hM29MIoTdJJHO6c0Pnc_QYxKum7xXV_bUgu-7ynJ5lxiAh5rRHJ2cjcDu2GIs34/s320/P1310331.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Kudu</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HePrOmVcc5TrWUufkdnVoW-oiez0gv6RH_Bi3ytGTXAwJ2L6STOZVXqDlEnrHjUBRi_fV4evkN1u28o3J_GDJgkNO85ijurIuNhrcWznjfj8Z8jJmtzV0X3TXHRkddoS5e15dVm6H7cbRCFZz17Jq4pOlrp11weGwInqzTSPMJbyeC1YtQpRRykhyj8/s3838/P1310368.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3167" data-original-width="3838" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HePrOmVcc5TrWUufkdnVoW-oiez0gv6RH_Bi3ytGTXAwJ2L6STOZVXqDlEnrHjUBRi_fV4evkN1u28o3J_GDJgkNO85ijurIuNhrcWznjfj8Z8jJmtzV0X3TXHRkddoS5e15dVm6H7cbRCFZz17Jq4pOlrp11weGwInqzTSPMJbyeC1YtQpRRykhyj8/s320/P1310368.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Giraffe</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOmi64Dk0pquBkVKzoemutPMaUQmwt_Ag-P3hbGs0VFdLbrbsSOUYI8kdZgequaOD8f4w6_i_n0GanR-oeOxjC4hytvslxZ9rXqBI_gjcVIMf6V3wzLAtTrFk55yBp2TZK6Rja4hYEWUVJRBgaDlyGyWQq2DOlsRMWmcOwlMGwbyS8-4Ad_mdFXVYt-g/s3849/P1310371.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3122" data-original-width="3849" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifOmi64Dk0pquBkVKzoemutPMaUQmwt_Ag-P3hbGs0VFdLbrbsSOUYI8kdZgequaOD8f4w6_i_n0GanR-oeOxjC4hytvslxZ9rXqBI_gjcVIMf6V3wzLAtTrFk55yBp2TZK6Rja4hYEWUVJRBgaDlyGyWQq2DOlsRMWmcOwlMGwbyS8-4Ad_mdFXVYt-g/s320/P1310371.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Greater Blue-Eared Starling</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g0wMkINhvgL0dFvpxtHW9HPOG3aU6enpOiza0pPUD4pg-JJRalgw9WvE5P2Z0ReL_cxr25F_Zc9Ai94rJZppVaH7fiLza2z7r8rWcy3TwiAw0C8vyRrwq75ka0kQqI9-HPyiOzF2J7PODd05GCu-jhN59f3Ptcs14Oh_7bj1cUCs_2P1SMv_UT7__vQ/s2484/P1310405.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2092" data-original-width="2484" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0g0wMkINhvgL0dFvpxtHW9HPOG3aU6enpOiza0pPUD4pg-JJRalgw9WvE5P2Z0ReL_cxr25F_Zc9Ai94rJZppVaH7fiLza2z7r8rWcy3TwiAw0C8vyRrwq75ka0kQqI9-HPyiOzF2J7PODd05GCu-jhN59f3Ptcs14Oh_7bj1cUCs_2P1SMv_UT7__vQ/s320/P1310405.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Red-Billed Hornbill (Think Zazu from the Lion King)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYp7V1bvXbIktom6_q30pnYtYB9g8UsL2-gzA_cpQq66-7akseeM1wwBB6PEQAFtsGMO3eshhiXTYsbYq3CCE-KD73wk30k4ijviql5fH2etD9oxM1KxLzJVvNuFaDrvQZ9yJfgeGFBffH7c8qgHP8rXEZ1YveGakN17bgOgo8uBDWzAq8EoeNMDb_t3E/s3178/P1310418.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2484" data-original-width="3178" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYp7V1bvXbIktom6_q30pnYtYB9g8UsL2-gzA_cpQq66-7akseeM1wwBB6PEQAFtsGMO3eshhiXTYsbYq3CCE-KD73wk30k4ijviql5fH2etD9oxM1KxLzJVvNuFaDrvQZ9yJfgeGFBffH7c8qgHP8rXEZ1YveGakN17bgOgo8uBDWzAq8EoeNMDb_t3E/s320/P1310418.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Leopard</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9jLyAhEleM3kLXig0hiMqaSEtzxnWOg_on7gWpjoODkYPT-ppG7Taxvi5RR_jSpPA1pxTftJ5I9JeBp1YE7zoiN4wcpAXQZPXaRQ1C8mtK2ydJX3JwAsXw34DEqzGsHEFlR3L7rcA6-dMaAmZUfSuFMhazkGMApiDrIrREkBvwMlYOmcGUGJPJxo5g0/s3693/P1310434.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2652" data-original-width="3693" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis9jLyAhEleM3kLXig0hiMqaSEtzxnWOg_on7gWpjoODkYPT-ppG7Taxvi5RR_jSpPA1pxTftJ5I9JeBp1YE7zoiN4wcpAXQZPXaRQ1C8mtK2ydJX3JwAsXw34DEqzGsHEFlR3L7rcA6-dMaAmZUfSuFMhazkGMApiDrIrREkBvwMlYOmcGUGJPJxo5g0/s320/P1310434.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">She had just recently taken down an impala and had it stored in her den. She'll apparently eat on this for a few days.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMPSZPz7qayueq-cKtTyf3md4NcMLFjnkS-mr2ALuPmu_KDSZXMhGdUBufwHQ0lZavFlV3H_sKt_lbX0MuF2zWNhnxvmOBWNARX7MkL0qJL9e4toC39EPNdrb3xutvJZqTfKGTiK4LprATylNENigRgsV4_k86Ucb4TeB4cwhZr77vXXWxYzaj_zzS4k/s4040/P1310453.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2954" data-original-width="4040" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMMPSZPz7qayueq-cKtTyf3md4NcMLFjnkS-mr2ALuPmu_KDSZXMhGdUBufwHQ0lZavFlV3H_sKt_lbX0MuF2zWNhnxvmOBWNARX7MkL0qJL9e4toC39EPNdrb3xutvJZqTfKGTiK4LprATylNENigRgsV4_k86Ucb4TeB4cwhZr77vXXWxYzaj_zzS4k/s320/P1310453.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This young lion was definitely not concerned about the humans and vehicles around!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVecqiNTQyDXTTDJlvkQGtqFNFS1nz3QHiVdHpCzeHpTVxMmJEQsKLLTKWmeBq1Zo1cF1MckH8XiScj9CSljy3pJeO-Szb86ydbEdkn-Y4jJdlQJLAFFRGn_hHczUIQJnD2mk3fWxKT08XldZSyxQ29c23dJgbwEG-alwftP8tXkmDniIgXaWae4dEvo/s5472/P1310490.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVecqiNTQyDXTTDJlvkQGtqFNFS1nz3QHiVdHpCzeHpTVxMmJEQsKLLTKWmeBq1Zo1cF1MckH8XiScj9CSljy3pJeO-Szb86ydbEdkn-Y4jJdlQJLAFFRGn_hHczUIQJnD2mk3fWxKT08XldZSyxQ29c23dJgbwEG-alwftP8tXkmDniIgXaWae4dEvo/s320/P1310490.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nor was this lady, who was busy grooming herself.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb1kGI2Pj9mS3Uq1pF4bnC8hCpE1gxyoOqrE4tHXGlVULr4js2aG87PqE4EhhGnFbUlCxq7nDim4EKkisFwxap0OoSAsECLn8kD2ZuKrS6zUJH0CXhIsci6SAM4lhnKcEa9tgyGML5IxQn4e4Lvfz1TkhuInyEAiEIRI9112Z5vkoPrR87p2b4bQYwXY/s5472/P1310521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpb1kGI2Pj9mS3Uq1pF4bnC8hCpE1gxyoOqrE4tHXGlVULr4js2aG87PqE4EhhGnFbUlCxq7nDim4EKkisFwxap0OoSAsECLn8kD2ZuKrS6zUJH0CXhIsci6SAM4lhnKcEa9tgyGML5IxQn4e4Lvfz1TkhuInyEAiEIRI9112Z5vkoPrR87p2b4bQYwXY/s320/P1310521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This one had a regal profile!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLREioWgVEbFno4Cr3o5caqko5sr_vcr-lbgdJsLs122K2hqEDE-516kwokZVfavzzGNWp1hXX85VE-lKXjUQmjZfLHtxhDPvYIG1LT1aNZAQpoGLxrOVvmdXFd-dl8n8-wQlJYAp1wGEDwUmv74FySxbEhP3uaqhA5v_WeDdkvEWHc_P_aofiOBUB_Y/s5472/P1310534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLREioWgVEbFno4Cr3o5caqko5sr_vcr-lbgdJsLs122K2hqEDE-516kwokZVfavzzGNWp1hXX85VE-lKXjUQmjZfLHtxhDPvYIG1LT1aNZAQpoGLxrOVvmdXFd-dl8n8-wQlJYAp1wGEDwUmv74FySxbEhP3uaqhA5v_WeDdkvEWHc_P_aofiOBUB_Y/s320/P1310534.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We also passed an elephant carcass. Our guide said it had been there for about two weeks. Apparently, it takes only a couple of days for the vultures to pick the carcass clean. The elephant died of old age/natural causes, just collapsing in this spot. The vultures will not eat the skin or bones, and it will take time for the animals of detritus to help the skin decay. The bones will bleach and lay for a long time.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcinZ5KqHJjR2Ssu6PJ6Url-q2kxM2yGr5jmiZc0VjyRZNi00ef8tZoY19erRe_x0tWn_HXMtTgGDVTvGblJpvvNFYEp5qAQNQac8TY1WOLCjf8OCCJyX3MFaE8PQUdmtLJCXLtH7fUJBZAIElhYf6lbvg1DKnvh1MGtOsFmUEJvk7-Oka-27G4aJy5u8/s4991/P1310581.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2518" data-original-width="4991" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcinZ5KqHJjR2Ssu6PJ6Url-q2kxM2yGr5jmiZc0VjyRZNi00ef8tZoY19erRe_x0tWn_HXMtTgGDVTvGblJpvvNFYEp5qAQNQac8TY1WOLCjf8OCCJyX3MFaE8PQUdmtLJCXLtH7fUJBZAIElhYf6lbvg1DKnvh1MGtOsFmUEJvk7-Oka-27G4aJy5u8/s320/P1310581.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Peek-a-boo!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFHPDtrQw5lkSIZlC3bMpbDLf7L-QLeCt-fLIF4h58SmtryeVMYc-BUSK5P5Unun1d4t7j3L4POAtr-eeqxWsdSzrMmsi54KwBwUAcKhfIQLKL617murlAmu8qyukYVh2TGs8DX4oR4OhakFofxqItSjkPUVTbAopjDhbduDLe7w5c6KtQYjhGDBPZIM/s2932/P1310601.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2932" data-original-width="2507" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqFHPDtrQw5lkSIZlC3bMpbDLf7L-QLeCt-fLIF4h58SmtryeVMYc-BUSK5P5Unun1d4t7j3L4POAtr-eeqxWsdSzrMmsi54KwBwUAcKhfIQLKL617murlAmu8qyukYVh2TGs8DX4oR4OhakFofxqItSjkPUVTbAopjDhbduDLe7w5c6KtQYjhGDBPZIM/s320/P1310601.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a nice buffet lunch and lively and friendly round discussing world politics, the five of us boarded a boat and headed down the Chobe River. The Chobe River is also the Zambezi River until you cross the Zimbabwe/Botswana border. Just like Zambia is on the other side of the river from Zimbabwe, Namibia is on the other side from Botswana. As far as I know, we did not cross into Namibia. Our driver promised to take us to the place where all of the borders meet, but then said he couldn't when we were on our way back to Zimbabwe. There is an island between Botswana and Namibia on the Chobe River, and the two countries had to go to the Hague to determine who the island belonged to. The international courts decided that because the river was very shallow between the island and the mainland of Botswana, but deep between the island and Namibia, and the land animals (like buffalo) can transit between the island and Botswana but not the island and Namibia, that the island is actually just part of the Botswana mainland and not an island at all. Therefore, it belongs to Botswana and not Namibia.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There were a lot more crocodiles in these waters than in the Nile cruises.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PBxbl5H2OgnQotkFgh1IOTSUUxYMDEJCNM4pLRtF-oDruUvFgpBymn7QeD6iuqbLlOtuGq2NgZM2aPjFhX05UHYKD0G34IN-vFDYW12pzXpJytpI6V67iLI1OoRjyTlJxRfXTazsotvAakH774y6p5lBw2LtGlazrKpQqz29reykk40zTf8teqwb1gA/s1511/P1310709.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="929" data-original-width="1511" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PBxbl5H2OgnQotkFgh1IOTSUUxYMDEJCNM4pLRtF-oDruUvFgpBymn7QeD6iuqbLlOtuGq2NgZM2aPjFhX05UHYKD0G34IN-vFDYW12pzXpJytpI6V67iLI1OoRjyTlJxRfXTazsotvAakH774y6p5lBw2LtGlazrKpQqz29reykk40zTf8teqwb1gA/s320/P1310709.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And our driver wasn't afraid to get reallllly close to them!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6UwpTZli0638Mk_hgW0dDy-cT4U2lAWexLHLSTek7YpqJnp3JNluRJl_pzdHXNsRW1hzsaUA6d7rtB-CmAUwsx9wBXavNMKUFJXvbRfmH1ewyZQOc-E841o5gJk6pBVDcTnBNCS6YNZCHZAHYxjgVDYP3mQLKe7GdOF7VCXMo-SaezK4FJOXtOMp1rk/s2753/P1310805.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1925" data-original-width="2753" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR6UwpTZli0638Mk_hgW0dDy-cT4U2lAWexLHLSTek7YpqJnp3JNluRJl_pzdHXNsRW1hzsaUA6d7rtB-CmAUwsx9wBXavNMKUFJXvbRfmH1ewyZQOc-E841o5gJk6pBVDcTnBNCS6YNZCHZAHYxjgVDYP3mQLKe7GdOF7VCXMo-SaezK4FJOXtOMp1rk/s320/P1310805.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In fact, this guy had a little trouble getting away from us and back into the water where he felt safe because our boat was in his way.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1QIeF3WbeATy1Ok-pVgHJu08doggBW_MvTc9Fv6W89TscSfNqmM1qd_xMz-p7uFAmWxwWfNJB3N2C-m19mJLWywdBaz77Q_8LxPfvru7j6cFI3jI-XmxNhHXLgielA1Kc-fTLKobB7Iep6rvRCud5aQABkT2HbUsDqf3XrHh0VTcuM6W81yVB9CXKfI/s5472/P1310886.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi1QIeF3WbeATy1Ok-pVgHJu08doggBW_MvTc9Fv6W89TscSfNqmM1qd_xMz-p7uFAmWxwWfNJB3N2C-m19mJLWywdBaz77Q_8LxPfvru7j6cFI3jI-XmxNhHXLgielA1Kc-fTLKobB7Iep6rvRCud5aQABkT2HbUsDqf3XrHh0VTcuM6W81yVB9CXKfI/s320/P1310886.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And we got waaayy too close to this buffalo. I held the shutter button down to get a burst, and this is the sequence of when he decided to charge us! This is when he's just doing his own thing.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8DAIGzcqhKnOu2m1XYL8dbLoFZPCKCtlytBpSqx8pzA4-e4o5DTSqU9vNi4gxE7_6WfmLEUVZJqvTeyxIQaTZn5fsnW_QKqOfYC1G8S4HNWI8b9BXanz_BZZ0yClyIJuoP4_yxdMKcv8UQd98HqQVX-f3hanorevrUtij6zZy-wcQOePB-UkfA79fRc/s5472/P1320070.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8DAIGzcqhKnOu2m1XYL8dbLoFZPCKCtlytBpSqx8pzA4-e4o5DTSqU9vNi4gxE7_6WfmLEUVZJqvTeyxIQaTZn5fsnW_QKqOfYC1G8S4HNWI8b9BXanz_BZZ0yClyIJuoP4_yxdMKcv8UQd98HqQVX-f3hanorevrUtij6zZy-wcQOePB-UkfA79fRc/s320/P1320070.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He has noticed we're getting a little close.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7FgwVKMuv4mHCNAZn6-x4AS6R2jB4Qvudi-OmHIAb34FOFNZf2rlerN2Edqqt_yVaMnQjlIq1-c9nQKSk1mToG5PVi3SLQMAuGVFIfn07oCBWe8Kd4Jsowx1bB1GTqL0sjFOiySYuGudsT90P0wwJIvb3GEG2CQ8HdeqOxtZeMhyphenhyphenDQHXDA0xVy_TFq8/s5472/P1320071.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy7FgwVKMuv4mHCNAZn6-x4AS6R2jB4Qvudi-OmHIAb34FOFNZf2rlerN2Edqqt_yVaMnQjlIq1-c9nQKSk1mToG5PVi3SLQMAuGVFIfn07oCBWe8Kd4Jsowx1bB1GTqL0sjFOiySYuGudsT90P0wwJIvb3GEG2CQ8HdeqOxtZeMhyphenhyphenDQHXDA0xVy_TFq8/s320/P1320071.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He's getting a little distressed.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFxZsIQiwQm14OBn3Ng93lZgKTfqEqRGkdS_tzDCsfgZ5M7VM8kTahooU2-8RbOB4MW6Ae_pojWP5ezRXyHbUlt83Tr8hGJPCJiUjA7DD7cOKF-no1a6R0UT_WRCFh3H5lMsq1DV3Dg2Uts_GFWvuz6v4LFOi_xUZEoWUtkAJVQXWe-SgKZ1V04KHCnM/s5472/P1320073.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaFxZsIQiwQm14OBn3Ng93lZgKTfqEqRGkdS_tzDCsfgZ5M7VM8kTahooU2-8RbOB4MW6Ae_pojWP5ezRXyHbUlt83Tr8hGJPCJiUjA7DD7cOKF-no1a6R0UT_WRCFh3H5lMsq1DV3Dg2Uts_GFWvuz6v4LFOi_xUZEoWUtkAJVQXWe-SgKZ1V04KHCnM/s320/P1320073.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You could feel the difference in the tension in the air when he decided to charge! The next shots were mostly blurs, including things being covered by the egret's wings as he quickly departed the area! Our boat driver revved our motor and steered so the noise of the motor went toward the buffalo, which scared the buffalo and caused him to turn away.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzmLWRAjIGqXoh6HHlsPLxA4_UV2r_7xTJFAihY1J0JbclCBsW42D3bJnJe7qwuervv7QYCo14iR76dQj8FfNHNBPImQBA2LRY8_TV-eF1h0lrLcnEhghyZfGuJV0-K0jA8vNQI3JXN9RcKIyrRjG_e7G9G0DyhHyyjNMDmXb_QdnDzGAI2nye38NMjM/s5472/P1320076.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtzmLWRAjIGqXoh6HHlsPLxA4_UV2r_7xTJFAihY1J0JbclCBsW42D3bJnJe7qwuervv7QYCo14iR76dQj8FfNHNBPImQBA2LRY8_TV-eF1h0lrLcnEhghyZfGuJV0-K0jA8vNQI3JXN9RcKIyrRjG_e7G9G0DyhHyyjNMDmXb_QdnDzGAI2nye38NMjM/s320/P1320076.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">White-Crowned Lapwing</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIhOc0UeWfVKgkNBY7UcxntHYEM8vuTlkuNZDeL9lm-NdupyxWC-DFdyAmS7p4TLU4mMvp2cUProRl1qBToVUQ5ubPJsGqRBOIT5Ega8qKom7mRLSmY4GBkWUq9NBTzE3gP-ZYwthhCkTGR9rSTx4cwdYUlRC406jU1O3XMmnPFIYFQDVgEMXb5GtdK8/s2484/P1320112.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2059" data-original-width="2484" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIhOc0UeWfVKgkNBY7UcxntHYEM8vuTlkuNZDeL9lm-NdupyxWC-DFdyAmS7p4TLU4mMvp2cUProRl1qBToVUQ5ubPJsGqRBOIT5Ega8qKom7mRLSmY4GBkWUq9NBTzE3gP-ZYwthhCkTGR9rSTx4cwdYUlRC406jU1O3XMmnPFIYFQDVgEMXb5GtdK8/s320/P1320112.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A hippo on land grazing.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBf78U_19LkKEi0wYyrciKMcrz66OB6ekC2LvBKACRR-qXONfda2_dF0ZHUbUNkYa4Y63gH_NWfNWgffFt_TjDIsp33IZagydNLkNVzCFxHp5LbQUbRNLOb-hjGCeNCMPcy6AEVyX3KLZkByQnMnpjkcvkAgfABbLZZvLIxeoIsOvLbUPQCV3Fs7fPN8/s5472/P1320145.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirBf78U_19LkKEi0wYyrciKMcrz66OB6ekC2LvBKACRR-qXONfda2_dF0ZHUbUNkYa4Y63gH_NWfNWgffFt_TjDIsp33IZagydNLkNVzCFxHp5LbQUbRNLOb-hjGCeNCMPcy6AEVyX3KLZkByQnMnpjkcvkAgfABbLZZvLIxeoIsOvLbUPQCV3Fs7fPN8/s320/P1320145.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Look at that sharp tooth! These guys are considered the most dangerous animals, not only because they are so big and strong or that they have such sharp teeth coupled with the bite force, but because they apparently give no warning when they attack. We got a little too close to some in the water and they grunted and lunged at us, but fortunately, our driver didn't get too close to this guy.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsv60DLetz-TwZqWA3S8WqtfKNMTATFS3xG3j9-chBU79Ux9wXt3hgtClz8S2j81CM8T7iT7ofcXFdEZc_zxthQ2tSpAWzGF_fkHG39AweD2oZwpUzNVlbEt6Ap64IRFZu9beA2rgm7Qcl5MZqz_zqeT00FEMZAFOHEUY3QN0pDLEINkyVi6eRAJhmtM/s5472/P1320179.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNsv60DLetz-TwZqWA3S8WqtfKNMTATFS3xG3j9-chBU79Ux9wXt3hgtClz8S2j81CM8T7iT7ofcXFdEZc_zxthQ2tSpAWzGF_fkHG39AweD2oZwpUzNVlbEt6Ap64IRFZu9beA2rgm7Qcl5MZqz_zqeT00FEMZAFOHEUY3QN0pDLEINkyVi6eRAJhmtM/s320/P1320179.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a very nice day and a really good set of game drives. I guess being charged by two large wild animals can make for a good day when you get away, not to mention very vivid memories! My feet were still throbbing, but having been off of them and even able to elevate them at several points throughout the day, they weren't nearly as bad as they were yesterday after just a few hours with the lions and hyenas. A nice shower, some more leftovers from the potjie dinner, and some ramen noodles, and I was ready for bed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-25901657119762894442023-11-16T08:46:00.000-08:002023-11-16T08:46:19.015-08:00The Feast of Beasts!<p>Today is the Feast of Beasts - the day I'll get to hide and watch the lions race for food - and my foot hurts! I can barely walk, but I'm gonna soldier through. Maybe I'll convince my foot that it's okay before long. I'll sure give it the ol' college try! My driver was on time (maybe a few minutes early). He's got jokes! He told me he was concerned about me because the tour operator called and asked if he could hurry me there because the lions were hungry! We got there, and I met Liki (the operator) and Angela (a photography intern from Alberta, Canada. I'm going to have to look into this program!). He put us in a caged truck because the lions are wild animals, and though they are well fed and likely wouldn't make any moves toward us, he didn't want to take that chance. Imagine getting in and out of that contraption when you're having difficulty walking and lots of pain! But it was worth every second!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGqpzpnXg1_JsYCnneqKG0b9aMTCCp1w0QJ1VwD5FXQbpppaXzo2YdcT7q26wAtVUnHRgKoHmTXXOGAHbDOtNpw4PviFOAoSVe1sxHGGoy8wq_mDZ8m_UQ-8CqgWZgXWe5GPy_HX7lVZTzRMxKj-RSloIcfaybnwnTI6ylwSC2ztlras9w800M6xPYrQ/s5472/P1310174.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVGqpzpnXg1_JsYCnneqKG0b9aMTCCp1w0QJ1VwD5FXQbpppaXzo2YdcT7q26wAtVUnHRgKoHmTXXOGAHbDOtNpw4PviFOAoSVe1sxHGGoy8wq_mDZ8m_UQ-8CqgWZgXWe5GPy_HX7lVZTzRMxKj-RSloIcfaybnwnTI6ylwSC2ztlras9w800M6xPYrQ/s320/P1310174.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The lion enclosure is huge, double fenced and reinforced to prevent the wild elephants from the national park damaging it. There are five lions in the main enclosure, four females and a male. The male is 20 years old, which is six years past his normal life expectancy. You can definitely see that he is in the final portion of his life. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Dk4yuAi6RHJA5rULmIduAKYdiOFHv3-r_bN3-OK94tD6rOVlPL_p3Q-TeQ5v1uFiHSTymVaXYXzS_YAEWBHarA69eAEEMvyKp_WNUuS3jL49J2qif4zeKlN0kKj3CIKzbe_8roFv37MYYL-CeJbOPJottmtQILkE1nk41A5BGdq8HFikMDcyb_fjVoU/s5472/P1300740.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Dk4yuAi6RHJA5rULmIduAKYdiOFHv3-r_bN3-OK94tD6rOVlPL_p3Q-TeQ5v1uFiHSTymVaXYXzS_YAEWBHarA69eAEEMvyKp_WNUuS3jL49J2qif4zeKlN0kKj3CIKzbe_8roFv37MYYL-CeJbOPJottmtQILkE1nk41A5BGdq8HFikMDcyb_fjVoU/s320/P1300740.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJT54Z-YDstRv7vwc8Qm780XV6JJrzfNiHnYaaDVeiz7T6mBHy82pXcEjOV8W_US5_fvk9REcn_M8UzpEMnU4gkh2K2w1unoJMPHm96V4p01a3yKtaNAvZ5ZQ5_xLA77q3srEEDTRor5mJ_IUT1Xtm5_6AcGovX9s_EL_isSYkJixVmgzALzfrT3W9Q4/s5472/P1300758.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBJT54Z-YDstRv7vwc8Qm780XV6JJrzfNiHnYaaDVeiz7T6mBHy82pXcEjOV8W_US5_fvk9REcn_M8UzpEMnU4gkh2K2w1unoJMPHm96V4p01a3yKtaNAvZ5ZQ5_xLA77q3srEEDTRor5mJ_IUT1Xtm5_6AcGovX9s_EL_isSYkJixVmgzALzfrT3W9Q4/s320/P1300758.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NCZyX9ev3c-7oUShyRpBtfwVFFkvXF7b-BoFSKJSiTj2NeZCzWdsY_Ta7JcZSmxdxujdCWoPkEiNSK4ogXIKyEEMx3Ey1b0qJOnhTLPJ9T6CuwaGEFbr7Fm-BW6jk0F4g_ZDEYD0TJmkwI-d4wjI08EKott4dUkSwTdoj9FEmLFwP7Bti5eaZXmRw-A/s3469/P1300769.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2820" data-original-width="3469" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NCZyX9ev3c-7oUShyRpBtfwVFFkvXF7b-BoFSKJSiTj2NeZCzWdsY_Ta7JcZSmxdxujdCWoPkEiNSK4ogXIKyEEMx3Ey1b0qJOnhTLPJ9T6CuwaGEFbr7Fm-BW6jk0F4g_ZDEYD0TJmkwI-d4wjI08EKott4dUkSwTdoj9FEmLFwP7Bti5eaZXmRw-A/s320/P1300769.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEHS9nBw1TF_ptE8QypextwyyoPBNcA-NtS8lRC2IF-uU4k_xPxjfaY3o38YzA4D7HO2OAeWJLIzSbpZ2ZzU57OvqP3QLnBb9TuEaSNRae-DnaApNNiSnRVbX8yl4hsvcUZagJeaRT7-AI2iQ1_1FFDaYg95KivdRckQWu7kwqIBjFwx-T79bw898G9k/s5472/P1300788.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwEHS9nBw1TF_ptE8QypextwyyoPBNcA-NtS8lRC2IF-uU4k_xPxjfaY3o38YzA4D7HO2OAeWJLIzSbpZ2ZzU57OvqP3QLnBb9TuEaSNRae-DnaApNNiSnRVbX8yl4hsvcUZagJeaRT7-AI2iQ1_1FFDaYg95KivdRckQWu7kwqIBjFwx-T79bw898G9k/s320/P1300788.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7f5HxKwUQl1xaXvjlBtasXs1so9l0cjy03EsLb_-5ubaKJJNHLhrPw5X-5W2DT3WpkdGf1ZomomEpHHbW-n8i2ixXiPF09D98bQwxAerDDx7ZOADJL0CXrmyexMCuBOWlCsh1QN3ihzsbrqzJwsFqoxdU-V1309sy-S3MgaY9oIrWVFnkn2pE6DTELwg/s5472/P1300833.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7f5HxKwUQl1xaXvjlBtasXs1so9l0cjy03EsLb_-5ubaKJJNHLhrPw5X-5W2DT3WpkdGf1ZomomEpHHbW-n8i2ixXiPF09D98bQwxAerDDx7ZOADJL0CXrmyexMCuBOWlCsh1QN3ihzsbrqzJwsFqoxdU-V1309sy-S3MgaY9oIrWVFnkn2pE6DTELwg/s320/P1300833.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>There is another, younger male in a smaller (but still pretty large) pen inside the enclosure that Liki is trying to get ready to introduce to the females of the pride. When it is time, they will take the old man out and let him retire. Liki said the females are wearing the old man out, as they come in and out of heat, and require his services every 20 minutes or so! At one point, the old lion decided to challenge the new young male. The fence was between them, though, so neither of them got hurt. Liki feels confident that if they went after each other for real, the old man would not survive. That's why he's getting the females used to the new male and will remove the old man before letting the young male out with the pride. Liki does expect there to be a bit of a row between the females and the new male before they accept him, but it shouldn't be so bad since they're growing used to his scent.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzsyrpvrG1WRzEx-THe3nRJRlWkqJUknhyc6teczfpmEes5hy9hArd3gHOcLGbFz3VCYfqLK2Jo4xez9YUkZQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After seeing the lion pen, we moved on to the hyenas. This was a welcome surprise, as the only hyena I had gotten to see was the one in Murchison Falls that was on the side of the road after dark. Liki let us out of the cage in the hyena pen. These guys could certainly kill us if they wanted, but they tend to be more scavengers than predators. We got much closer than the 3-5 meters he said, especially when they decided to follow us and walk right up to us. If it had been allowed, I could have reached out and petted one of the males that followed me. It's sometimes hard to tell the males from the females because the females grow a false penis. These guys are members of the cat family, but act, look, and move more like dogs. These particular hyenas are all wild born. There was a community in Zimbabwe where the hyenas were highly destructive to crops and livestock, and after having tried several measures to control the situation, the government finally issued a kill order, allowing community members to eradicate the species from the area. Liki went to the community and asked for the opportunity to trap and relocate them into a fenced in area where they could not return to the community, and they gave him a few days to trap as many as he could before they started killing them off. He managed to get a few. We saw the tracks where the wild hyenas from the park come up to the fence and play with the ones he captured. He says it sometimes looks like the wild hyenas have tried to get in, but he has never seen signs of his hyenas trying to get out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz_W-Mm6L2N0X0esFWFM7vg3XCF_quHx6oK_6CM8eONyTXK58j_RkVxgXQZV7T9YJr-Zs4NhP6OK24aWjqkYA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8kg9UCtr21M5VXZiRpLXQHrTu8zXKY8WlZEBKYalORatuqPIA6xO7d4raL2yIes-atdfStSbfcx3VcPbVXr84VhLfehKTzMC3QJrNdX26YoWuZhD9AM_sy_g3Y3sHyZYqpP6PPLCEsEzTdJiPqFOyIAhWSAVMXDKA-sJLb_9hesj9Uhuv_28Ps3lqE8/s5472/P1300858.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_8kg9UCtr21M5VXZiRpLXQHrTu8zXKY8WlZEBKYalORatuqPIA6xO7d4raL2yIes-atdfStSbfcx3VcPbVXr84VhLfehKTzMC3QJrNdX26YoWuZhD9AM_sy_g3Y3sHyZYqpP6PPLCEsEzTdJiPqFOyIAhWSAVMXDKA-sJLb_9hesj9Uhuv_28Ps3lqE8/s320/P1300858.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHe0zSzCVlayWzB72T6DWDta52CVFh9EuhfJ3pDgN6XBAAaIOcKYeQ_wdnFYBXGnVRRyGNcpq1HcwmPbmCzpO8K2pzB5Tl2JMjsX-ZuKtDqWEpqE6tL6edkbH2GOl574YI3HaTWkE2RkzwBKXEBw0FCC1U7PtTG3J5MQebocufnXCj8NKIshXeXIQnzU/s4040/P1300864.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3134" data-original-width="4040" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvHe0zSzCVlayWzB72T6DWDta52CVFh9EuhfJ3pDgN6XBAAaIOcKYeQ_wdnFYBXGnVRRyGNcpq1HcwmPbmCzpO8K2pzB5Tl2JMjsX-ZuKtDqWEpqE6tL6edkbH2GOl574YI3HaTWkE2RkzwBKXEBw0FCC1U7PtTG3J5MQebocufnXCj8NKIshXeXIQnzU/s320/P1300864.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8u4efvv1pJOYG5PTxpiMyqvbNzjinve9QJGDW095xCYHVShxI7EHTtFY8Jbi1EyDHNLuRVIOJmQwRh5pFAzdLtptS7hksXg2l84tI04d5FLgmVb4hG8U4sKPmuTM6rEB47NqBkDO7momRrx8XspPn_sAHLrhhyphenhyphent6deXf_1QwwIA0lG_C8KVQmTwLAy6c/s5472/P1300902.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8u4efvv1pJOYG5PTxpiMyqvbNzjinve9QJGDW095xCYHVShxI7EHTtFY8Jbi1EyDHNLuRVIOJmQwRh5pFAzdLtptS7hksXg2l84tI04d5FLgmVb4hG8U4sKPmuTM6rEB47NqBkDO7momRrx8XspPn_sAHLrhhyphenhyphent6deXf_1QwwIA0lG_C8KVQmTwLAy6c/s320/P1300902.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJoW3TmyGSOHfPNjkabUdcPhusCWxnj02zeuJcq6_SmFg3RKktUdgQzR32T7obq31BJXSAkHycDfatd2InJmpgtECfbcKj9_S3xFXgI_MF1kNc3DHUP2s8iJQftnY3_6BKorayBSD0MLu0Sef6jsLcnZ2j-FRzogszRbJvAELKP115JCSKZkodXOOQQI/s5472/P1300984.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJoW3TmyGSOHfPNjkabUdcPhusCWxnj02zeuJcq6_SmFg3RKktUdgQzR32T7obq31BJXSAkHycDfatd2InJmpgtECfbcKj9_S3xFXgI_MF1kNc3DHUP2s8iJQftnY3_6BKorayBSD0MLu0Sef6jsLcnZ2j-FRzogszRbJvAELKP115JCSKZkodXOOQQI/s320/P1300984.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxc6-HD8kxKQwMia2pQKBYjN4y-LVdStczaxkqyc2X1FQp5tY49oCl6ACkN1q0B_ctNPT0JNOOY7b0QdugS7Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After the hyenas, it was time to feed “the boys”. We went to a cave-like area with large-guage wire fencing. We were eye level with the ground. When we picked our spots and said we were ready, Liki phoned up and told the caretaker to release them. You could hear the ground thundering before any of the lions got close enough to see. I just had my camera taking burst shot after shot. I didn't want to miss a thing! And I didn't! I got some really great shots. I think I can make my favorite one multiple different shots because it has three out of the four lions that were feeding. The fourth wasn't interested to begin with, so he never even left his temporary enclosure, leisurely strolling down a little bit later. The third wanted to be shy, so he grabbed his meat and took off. The other two tore into the meat. You could hear them growling and munching. Soooo close to them! You could even hear the meat tearing off the bone! It was amazing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV47WWBgub6xbgDSunPsmknenl-5-n6TdPdJ9nWg1iF41HjyYeawUhzDmuceGSN62_FyJFFCmca0tsTbaFCcXda_Z8s7-H-bbYieA2m36p0C_EgYuSwbo4vStAgPVCTNfmtinjYLEaJgh1sDjKtZoCa5b9K_UrIHLFnxnkO4Ef3tAB6JfmEeKq_Iq7KgY/s4107/P1310036.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2496" data-original-width="4107" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV47WWBgub6xbgDSunPsmknenl-5-n6TdPdJ9nWg1iF41HjyYeawUhzDmuceGSN62_FyJFFCmca0tsTbaFCcXda_Z8s7-H-bbYieA2m36p0C_EgYuSwbo4vStAgPVCTNfmtinjYLEaJgh1sDjKtZoCa5b9K_UrIHLFnxnkO4Ef3tAB6JfmEeKq_Iq7KgY/s320/P1310036.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a separate shot of the guy bringing up the rear with the dirt in his face!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6j5zG7JRA0qy58Ic26eEIzC6siBZE3w1el4VYSFyWWZig_JRjFpW4uo0t1xwgaRp4fD2lLjiWnVWke1gY1ty2r3KNyUN4RLVqL2aij6uLgdtlol0Entc2Q7PlU6G-wh2_xEV6aYe6Cr3IYtYiG6PfFJFLklJDTgSbjgrbpDEZPKGYQYcpb-CJlk9O9g/s2372/P1310037.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2372" data-original-width="2260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc6j5zG7JRA0qy58Ic26eEIzC6siBZE3w1el4VYSFyWWZig_JRjFpW4uo0t1xwgaRp4fD2lLjiWnVWke1gY1ty2r3KNyUN4RLVqL2aij6uLgdtlol0Entc2Q7PlU6G-wh2_xEV6aYe6Cr3IYtYiG6PfFJFLklJDTgSbjgrbpDEZPKGYQYcpb-CJlk9O9g/s320/P1310037.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8TOn-_tYuQxrzYGpesRuSgRG3unlIosFiPv5DEjZxZvfTyD1Z2Czi6el7UF7qU1Vgp8mQfiKVKeq0HNbxwyM1qC6P5xQHS64YNmD_l9UEBAZN5f0dQJh9N0RXhh_VGCcNc7OW8sQZviUuLUgjmcfgtUlqWaaTCsBxFiENz7qXo_t_kryUqx0U7hOJ-Rw/s5472/P1310050.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8TOn-_tYuQxrzYGpesRuSgRG3unlIosFiPv5DEjZxZvfTyD1Z2Czi6el7UF7qU1Vgp8mQfiKVKeq0HNbxwyM1qC6P5xQHS64YNmD_l9UEBAZN5f0dQJh9N0RXhh_VGCcNc7OW8sQZviUuLUgjmcfgtUlqWaaTCsBxFiENz7qXo_t_kryUqx0U7hOJ-Rw/s320/P1310050.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNXn-Qb86VMfOIRvtbq_Ez1KX-ujxF4iKOBe971AVvvuYQEnB0AXCPqfpgezCkTzoD5Qc5lAjWQ6chhAbes5-4UGCCrXVLQ3tniRg3UH1wepjju3VrcqOSfMZ7sMQIPRCzx0VgpVeRSSZJkksLtAfqvrKTKodV1gVYwNGzQG2k25zABN3QdE8ujA6Zd0/s3447/P1310156.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3447" data-original-width="2619" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNXn-Qb86VMfOIRvtbq_Ez1KX-ujxF4iKOBe971AVvvuYQEnB0AXCPqfpgezCkTzoD5Qc5lAjWQ6chhAbes5-4UGCCrXVLQ3tniRg3UH1wepjju3VrcqOSfMZ7sMQIPRCzx0VgpVeRSSZJkksLtAfqvrKTKodV1gVYwNGzQG2k25zABN3QdE8ujA6Zd0/s320/P1310156.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After that, we went to see the ostriches. Not a big deal to me, and my foot was really hurting. In fact, I was starting to feel nauseous from the pain and the heat, but I just had to soldier on. We saw the crested eagle who is blind and can't fly, the duiker, and the two vultures, one of whom has only one wing (the other isn't injured and can fly away whenever he feels like it, but he hasn't felt like it yet).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When we got back to the lodge, a large breakfast was set before me. I just couldn't eat it. I had a couple of bites, but thought I was going to throw it up. I did have an apple that was delicious, some tea and pineapple juice. Those things went down well. I wished the protein would have. I tried the sausage and the egg. They were both good, but I just couldn't tolerate them. When I finally got home, I laid down and started removing items of clothing as I felt like it between naps. It was only 9:30. Finally, by about noon, I felt good enough to start looking at photos and around 1:00, I was able to fix and eat a bowl of ramen noodles.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Tomorrow is another early morning. I need to spend today working on my foot and getting things together. It's a motorized game drive, so I need to get The Baby ready for her last foray in Africa! Hopefully, I'll feel better in the morning with some exercises I learned in physical therapy and some extra meds!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-51510901861789183602023-11-15T07:47:00.000-08:002023-11-15T07:47:45.521-08:00Drums, Rhinos, and a Worm<p>Today was a bust. I went to the hotel to catch my scheduled village tour. Timed it perfectly. Garbage collectors were coming in and the guard had the back gate already open and let me just go right in. I waited. And I waited. And I kept waiting until it was past time for my pickup, I decided to WhatsApp the tour operator to see if they were coming. Apparently, the tour operator had an emergency come up and was unable to provide the tour. He learned about the emergency and cancelled the tour with Trip Advisor a week ago. I don't know why Trip Advisor charged me and confirmed the tour. But, oh well. I just requested a refund through the app. It was approved same day. So, since I didn't have a morning activity, I decided to use that opportunity to go to town and get some groceries. I boarded the shuttle, which was actually heading the other way, but he said he could drop me in town anyway. After a short hop, I was able to find my way to the OK Mart. I didn't need much with the leftovers from last night and a dinner scheduled for tonight. So, I picked up some ramen noodles, oranges (the only 2 pieces of fruit that weren't rotten, moldy, or otherwise unfit for human consumption), a six pack of Diet Pepsi in bottles and a couple of candy bars. All for a grand total of $7 and change. Since neither I nor the store had coins, I gave her $8. How magnanamus of me! (LOL) Then I hailed a taxi for $5 to my Airbnb. I ended up having to give him my phone with Google Maps on. He didn't know what the app was, so I explained it to him and showed him how it works on the phone. He didn't have change, so I tipped him extra. He gave me $2 from a $10 bill, and I called it even. I could have scheduled another activity for the day, but I'm really not feeling so good, so I just decided to go to my AirBNB and rest up.</p><p>When I got back to the house, Gerald was there, and he apologized that the water was turned off. No big deal. I hadn't really exerted myself today. Thought it was hot and I was sweaty just from the temperatures, I could go without a shower for a day. Besides, all I really wanted was an orange and a nap. I wasn't feeling very good and I wanted to be able to enjoy the dinner show tonight. So, I just laid in bed with my shirt off and the fan on and watched Eat, Pray, Love in shifts between naps. I also spent some time with Google trying to find out why my watch keeps refusing to charge. The consensus seems to be a software issue. So, I'll just turn it off while charging so it doesn't interfere and go to the store when I get home to see if they can fix it. Or maybe it will stop doing it by the time I get home. (Turns out the temperature was so hot, my watch kept overheating and stopping the charge.)</p><p>I finally finished the movie at about the right time to get up and start getting ready for dinner. So, I put my shirt back on, took my evening meds, and headed out to the hotel. I wanted to get there early because I didn't want to be walking at sundown. Since I was early, I walked on around instead of calling for help from the back gate. The hotel's concierge was there, getting ready to walk home after the day's work. He asked me why I didn't use the back gate. Told me to never feel that it is an imposition for them to open it for me and that I should get inside soon, as it was getting late. He pointed to the herd of water buffalo starting to come up and said I should never walk this late. It was about 5:30 by this time. Sunset is around 6:15. When the driver came to collect me, around 6:15, that herd of buffalo were just at the corner where I turned to go to the hotel entrance. Definitely proves they don't wait for the sun to get all the way down here before leaving the park and coming to town! I asked my driver if he could take me to my airbnb when coming back because I didn't think it would be safe to walk that late, and he told me that of course he could. He let me know that it is against the law for a tour operator to refuse to pick up and drop off from an airbnb so long as it is within the range that they would provide service to hotels. He said the city doesn't want tourists to have to risk their safety from wildlife just because they're staying in an AirBNB. </p><p>When we pulled up to the place where the dinner and drum show was being held, he cautioned me that there are several places in the show that it will appear that it is over. Don't be fooled. There is a dance show, the dinner, and the drum show is last. The drum show doesn't start until after the buffet is cleared and bills have been issued. The cue that the drum show is going to start is when they give you your own personal drum for the evening. I thanked him for the information, and he said he would be there waiting for me when it is over.</p><p>So I went in and got my sarong tied around me (and a picture made with it) and watched a little dance demonstration while waiting for the venue to open. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgne5-HfcQrB4PVvfUM3PdlXf_IiLT9YPau9CQXJr0CCST_ouCIVbBysbgDwfM673jfO9O1nRRvIJTlQiaxkX-3sP1UuK6qMWlpBXERUNZhIHFqwdCWPYpDbHAmm0IDsuZqUv_KIr81LldeUYp5OsPR6MUs9aaQq_h6U1FfHeZwqTuh1EyaU7OlY8UErsQ/s3268/P1300450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2854" data-original-width="3268" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgne5-HfcQrB4PVvfUM3PdlXf_IiLT9YPau9CQXJr0CCST_ouCIVbBysbgDwfM673jfO9O1nRRvIJTlQiaxkX-3sP1UuK6qMWlpBXERUNZhIHFqwdCWPYpDbHAmm0IDsuZqUv_KIr81LldeUYp5OsPR6MUs9aaQq_h6U1FfHeZwqTuh1EyaU7OlY8UErsQ/s320/P1300450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>When it opened, they seated me at a table close to the buffet and the presentation floor. There was a lamb on the spit and a brazilian type spit behind that with ram steaks on it. Those were both delicious. Zimbabwean style potato salad is right up my alley – it's boiled potatoes with some softened red onions. Delicious! I also had the butternut salad, which was basically spiced and roasted butternut squash. For the main course, I had to try to the eland steaks and the impala stew. The eland was dry and kind of tasteless. The impala was very good. Could have been the stew. I don't know how the meat would have tasted cooked on its own. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElmZUq4Nzdb_VIQUZP46Zq-VALgIhiZLs7c9uhFiZmqmDM58BYvH21Q1o1qwPgSgMWfDmWUXitQ8Wbf-x16DIAUJsmJ1UJm3VyWsqkMhrBpA2r3Kmj4k5NlX7K2SpbxHslkjhZ2-xar8524nQIgujO9FLwTRHsMchzihx5bdJQ9cu0bq4szSdSRRcl8Q/s5472/P1300451.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElmZUq4Nzdb_VIQUZP46Zq-VALgIhiZLs7c9uhFiZmqmDM58BYvH21Q1o1qwPgSgMWfDmWUXitQ8Wbf-x16DIAUJsmJ1UJm3VyWsqkMhrBpA2r3Kmj4k5NlX7K2SpbxHslkjhZ2-xar8524nQIgujO9FLwTRHsMchzihx5bdJQ9cu0bq4szSdSRRcl8Q/s320/P1300451.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLPrGhJfmqOKFymCeV6sxkmdgz1muX1RAeFHzxNIW1UM_D-Ps-ce2VbGB8s01jnpKQIfl2KiI4Cw6Ix4p10uAzn4HVap77dGS7zrvnHSubzzQjMpuQcNdNWTtW1dft2y0YLBPI_dIOu85srhtLkbByeB9ucYbvmi9OII4yk8k2e7jRwRXnVmaB8Hodcc/s5472/P1300465.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkLPrGhJfmqOKFymCeV6sxkmdgz1muX1RAeFHzxNIW1UM_D-Ps-ce2VbGB8s01jnpKQIfl2KiI4Cw6Ix4p10uAzn4HVap77dGS7zrvnHSubzzQjMpuQcNdNWTtW1dft2y0YLBPI_dIOu85srhtLkbByeB9ucYbvmi9OII4yk8k2e7jRwRXnVmaB8Hodcc/s320/P1300465.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjus7XDdGC1I1ELGnP2tEQb03Utt-Vwgtp_n5QW9xgAiNCksCIME9q_NPTdEBd12v2umzqjU8i-GwYGsaD8U_hRpjAb0vbQb4ed8lcLIfrJjisXxfPUWPjDU37LXaYwNczKDXcGW1THIJTRzMeuAlNHTShKEYgbn5kR55il91DycQ_MDieb_K-t33XlbDU/s5472/P1300470.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjus7XDdGC1I1ELGnP2tEQb03Utt-Vwgtp_n5QW9xgAiNCksCIME9q_NPTdEBd12v2umzqjU8i-GwYGsaD8U_hRpjAb0vbQb4ed8lcLIfrJjisXxfPUWPjDU37LXaYwNczKDXcGW1THIJTRzMeuAlNHTShKEYgbn5kR55il91DycQ_MDieb_K-t33XlbDU/s320/P1300470.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghauX6ZIH3ApvblfOPCQkarSf-R2K5cYE59AuOykh9SzwRi9z5YDAtzEdqY5rFypMQ3j-iT6Npw3Etl7-AkNmYpH0A1QEydypR6E-MvcngeTavchDCgXtKxq9yoj0cri9IiyPYri4CgQlacJ6T-run7BFRF-tkW5NDei5tHJjiht_Z2z2JbzVwZfSsoBs/s5472/P1300478.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghauX6ZIH3ApvblfOPCQkarSf-R2K5cYE59AuOykh9SzwRi9z5YDAtzEdqY5rFypMQ3j-iT6Npw3Etl7-AkNmYpH0A1QEydypR6E-MvcngeTavchDCgXtKxq9yoj0cri9IiyPYri4CgQlacJ6T-run7BFRF-tkW5NDei5tHJjiht_Z2z2JbzVwZfSsoBs/s320/P1300478.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>The center stage was the mopane worms. I had to try one. Big mistake! It was naaaasty!! I couldn't swallow it. Kept gagging. Stuffed it over into the corner of my cheek and spit it out in my napkin when I got back to my table. Maybe that's cheating, but I got my certificate! Also got some more food to wash the taste out of my mouth! Finished with some desert of a really thick chocolate pudding and fruit cocktail.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQl-VnrCi65_yWycdGjgdMlwLwvWO1x1kvMj0MTKfEOg17dB-4fcuGuyVp3vAIQqoWD1CJb6q4kftK05QxwN0xdY8opU8vMy_2z7aONNWYehNONmMs18KeggqOCbcAPbr0TwPEsd7BIumOkcCr4HL1uFSb1xuU-Nw-xzjIsVfHoHpijQ5pjjJMXBvzQ34/s5472/P1300472.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQl-VnrCi65_yWycdGjgdMlwLwvWO1x1kvMj0MTKfEOg17dB-4fcuGuyVp3vAIQqoWD1CJb6q4kftK05QxwN0xdY8opU8vMy_2z7aONNWYehNONmMs18KeggqOCbcAPbr0TwPEsd7BIumOkcCr4HL1uFSb1xuU-Nw-xzjIsVfHoHpijQ5pjjJMXBvzQ34/s320/P1300472.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz4qYr41Zlro5-uxTadt9qPWlmJlPbhCZlDCQptk1i-ZhHFbCuZpQw12Pm0VsAD-w95d0qPLqNyb39B7tmBVw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The dancers were awesome. High energy. Just like you would expect. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dynhuQ9Ox5QHB3vo2UTkzzM_p_RlBU-eL4A0djHbExjyZ8vsyGGQk6rfzURtnzXgjytr4DuaBZ5rXcflQBX7g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">He didn't miss a beat on the steel drum while jumping!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0i_S_jiEmR7oRSFrkxenzZlpM0l0W0mY3xWD3aAmRhURLxBz3QSqlzuWctMdzzx_1Y7SzY3puBVs5xDlWZt0VI-vru0lAVtrrarGso2W7LuyYWlSJaSw7U5TG-QcPZ0qpp7exgRIe43qpIlspXwNwiR4Et5TVDtBZPkwzXKCzA1sIr0fNHiYT82qzVc/s5472/P1300506.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix0i_S_jiEmR7oRSFrkxenzZlpM0l0W0mY3xWD3aAmRhURLxBz3QSqlzuWctMdzzx_1Y7SzY3puBVs5xDlWZt0VI-vru0lAVtrrarGso2W7LuyYWlSJaSw7U5TG-QcPZ0qpp7exgRIe43qpIlspXwNwiR4Et5TVDtBZPkwzXKCzA1sIr0fNHiYT82qzVc/s320/P1300506.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dy06XxRENnZey6NHcp27bVRMti_3JBlfCaxPYuHjocG9VJHYpTI5LTytvwsEpMZsQh3E4YamgyrQS4luRAWrw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like my driver said, a lot of people left when the dancers were finished. This left a table open right in the front, which I quickly took advantage of! They taught us the techniques of beating the African drums in the different places on the skin and had us playing as part of the drum band. I only got a few shots of this because I was just too busy learning how to play the African bongo!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf-ZDH-2Xiknu6Jiu0kzmR0j-_1MUj-h4GwwRUFHgby5zR0vbm4jbFqLOUB3WjlhCx-rAKQI5QxAlSwcNlpy9zoAHHfwYt8_bsnddNeZb3eE0O5wjvx4yzWQjd2WfurmospzLFJ68ilwSu8C609iIKgnCyGFxYQa-LhhUiQWtLbl5JcDidIN-0QZTx6w/s5472/P1300525.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf-ZDH-2Xiknu6Jiu0kzmR0j-_1MUj-h4GwwRUFHgby5zR0vbm4jbFqLOUB3WjlhCx-rAKQI5QxAlSwcNlpy9zoAHHfwYt8_bsnddNeZb3eE0O5wjvx4yzWQjd2WfurmospzLFJ68ilwSu8C609iIKgnCyGFxYQa-LhhUiQWtLbl5JcDidIN-0QZTx6w/s320/P1300525.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwjOfSW3WJYVCvlJUAPdHA0FWlNbrOErsvWa4dOsr-7fQfrfOmnadye1Twmnqj4CXqgKGSBEiLduy0lZnFv0A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then he had everybody get up and dance, which I felt was beyond my capabilities if I wanted to have energy for a walking safari tomorrow! My body is starting to really wind down. Maybe this length is still too long for me now. So, I just kept beating my drum and having a great time!</div><div><br /></div><div>As promised, Joseph, my driver was waiting right outside for me when the show was over. We talked about how nasty the worm was. He doesn't like it either, but his wife loves them. And, I got home and went promptly to bed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Up the nexst morning before the alarm went off. Decided not to shower and just go stinky. Obviously, I'll need to shower when I get back! So, I put on my dirty trekking pants and packed my backpack for a walking safari. When it started getting kind of close to time for my ride, I locked up my room and went to watch the door. I had WhatsApped them during dinner last night, and they agreed to pick me up from the AirBNB. There was someone standing just outside the front door already. It was my ride! He took me to the Zambian border where Clive, my guide, picked me up. If you've never done a game drive with rhinos, this would be a good one. If, however, you have been to Ziwa in Uganda and other parks with Kalema, it's nothing spectacular. They have 11 white rhinos here. One clutch has a baby, and they don't take visitors to see that clutch. They have started posting guards with each clutch to stop poaching. White rhinos only give birth every five years, so there is a hope that, with time, more rhinos will populate the park. We learned that the difference between white rhinos and black rhinos is their mouths. White rhinos have white-ish, ribbed mouths used for eating only grasses. They are strict grazers. Black rhinos have mouths that are suitable for eating both grasses and sticks, twigs, and bark. They are not strict grazers. Rhinos also use that small horn for communication. Noises come out of that little horn at the top! Who knew!? Because the town is so close to the park, the big cats have been transported out and relocated to other, larger parks in Zambia. The Zambezi River apparently keeps them from crossing back into Zambia from the Zimbabwe side.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTBKTlbyaAef1_YuXi1iJGmME5ESA0L0joqOKV6Ame5IRcYXCqp-VSXjaoH-LI85qSSYASUO0NfshyphenhyphenR-oSLK11IGPN25GDzhlcJku3lu-eopzR73Vr4li5jSPW62Cg1jX2psuQYDNCD97e2tsHzJekXFo5Y0Q0K9vh6LCiE87hWiZhdI_q5vd9Oo_W98/s5472/P1300591.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMTBKTlbyaAef1_YuXi1iJGmME5ESA0L0joqOKV6Ame5IRcYXCqp-VSXjaoH-LI85qSSYASUO0NfshyphenhyphenR-oSLK11IGPN25GDzhlcJku3lu-eopzR73Vr4li5jSPW62Cg1jX2psuQYDNCD97e2tsHzJekXFo5Y0Q0K9vh6LCiE87hWiZhdI_q5vd9Oo_W98/s320/P1300591.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicB1f-Jpq3ZdKrmZGh8DXhyro-TrmUeY1go-dmKg-ZVjudZ-5WsoLre3igHJvET6Qx7t2FQ_tynN0YknRW9YpeHELW6Nhy8ywBaXBAuR7BhoJ3ttyMtH5K1U8GFyTXG_t-GFUPu68Jm2tKmT8u9FmfDpUOLyXoJZPslll41H60ikwa0Hi8Cx0kp8tA5eU/s4566/P1300592.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2540" data-original-width="4566" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicB1f-Jpq3ZdKrmZGh8DXhyro-TrmUeY1go-dmKg-ZVjudZ-5WsoLre3igHJvET6Qx7t2FQ_tynN0YknRW9YpeHELW6Nhy8ywBaXBAuR7BhoJ3ttyMtH5K1U8GFyTXG_t-GFUPu68Jm2tKmT8u9FmfDpUOLyXoJZPslll41H60ikwa0Hi8Cx0kp8tA5eU/s320/P1300592.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Aside from the white rhino, we saw a breeding herd (because there is one male with horns) of impala</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Kt3n8sk-N3VI2aQAeqk0eMnvel0mkFibcGbfPfnVncErpuGTfidE4TuUhGmy78ma_wV-fWcWqO1OxqzpAx_XooBOmh5XLAqROD8qvECFgytdaYGV-a78J7Ff9j0W44ecPullImdq_ggEKH97CRjnXows2o1rUQJ8l7EEOsy8Oo161avt-lvUJi-osY0/s3133/P1300567.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1555" data-original-width="3133" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Kt3n8sk-N3VI2aQAeqk0eMnvel0mkFibcGbfPfnVncErpuGTfidE4TuUhGmy78ma_wV-fWcWqO1OxqzpAx_XooBOmh5XLAqROD8qvECFgytdaYGV-a78J7Ff9j0W44ecPullImdq_ggEKH97CRjnXows2o1rUQJ8l7EEOsy8Oo161avt-lvUJi-osY0/s320/P1300567.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">some white-fronted bee eaters</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElqIVORYU3yzljj1Z0woIlZz2YQQuQfQ9pJYxNGMIUXF0e0zFxF6viSgIyS_9n30R6uZuvWtNFEK8WlKkFMJQXLFy42uegnbjKuh1gf887lP8seBqiR9vHwANAjR3HHYcb2u864H3geKE50KGRNzEMKOwFOUzjM69J_sVWaAFYRMgelLOa4vfAg5GtGs/s1007/P1300577.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1007" data-original-width="862" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElqIVORYU3yzljj1Z0woIlZz2YQQuQfQ9pJYxNGMIUXF0e0zFxF6viSgIyS_9n30R6uZuvWtNFEK8WlKkFMJQXLFy42uegnbjKuh1gf887lP8seBqiR9vHwANAjR3HHYcb2u864H3geKE50KGRNzEMKOwFOUzjM69J_sVWaAFYRMgelLOa4vfAg5GtGs/s320/P1300577.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">water buffalo</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyP-_QEWHWX-hDKrHMmmjGkkkKniooUB_FYh7EslBCl9vifoGs3Cc8We4ZmVY4SgbH3o4xwagllfgWnJkSA-v8YFpyRtun1N-ZF1oDC0pyxbBcseKH_IcFfqikXQw4p702SvREQlZvHuuFREccxJVv2aw0Tfgw3Yr3n1eCNH-KVO5j6kUokcevWEUMNBg/s5472/P1300584.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyP-_QEWHWX-hDKrHMmmjGkkkKniooUB_FYh7EslBCl9vifoGs3Cc8We4ZmVY4SgbH3o4xwagllfgWnJkSA-v8YFpyRtun1N-ZF1oDC0pyxbBcseKH_IcFfqikXQw4p702SvREQlZvHuuFREccxJVv2aw0Tfgw3Yr3n1eCNH-KVO5j6kUokcevWEUMNBg/s320/P1300584.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">giraffes</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzVFzxZI8YdhGO0-wkJAn5d6W9iYyMU968pmEgMlLhqWRuERjjtlnY-oCPA9kdLp1FPYJrTS_E1CgcJrFW_hqblyzaCOdfNRwEgYUzgj1F7lFFAmnY70OkAu2bZ3BG6b7SDd3ut6oIG_5lvnZBvYHgjUdsy79jrH3ep9hFpb_4rNNES0XC0R3l9VVg90/s1175/P1300629-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="1175" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzVFzxZI8YdhGO0-wkJAn5d6W9iYyMU968pmEgMlLhqWRuERjjtlnY-oCPA9kdLp1FPYJrTS_E1CgcJrFW_hqblyzaCOdfNRwEgYUzgj1F7lFFAmnY70OkAu2bZ3BG6b7SDd3ut6oIG_5lvnZBvYHgjUdsy79jrH3ep9hFpb_4rNNES0XC0R3l9VVg90/s320/P1300629-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAOg5zO2-wKtlDc7EdtKuCE95WtvXpcTaZ6_GP4TM9BqLVAV9xVlQ3Q7_Cf2crT7QzgjQ-m498k_UfYcxCzHmWN0x_wm2jGMhyRA-7eZlFvwCRqDSJ7PCz5faKYCZaIwyZ0hyfvT3MRUsKIlzZoen_mtPJdCdJCULMKKv_H-1SzBE7zDQbvf4qTMGaPo/s2518/P1300629.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2518" data-original-width="1914" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhAOg5zO2-wKtlDc7EdtKuCE95WtvXpcTaZ6_GP4TM9BqLVAV9xVlQ3Q7_Cf2crT7QzgjQ-m498k_UfYcxCzHmWN0x_wm2jGMhyRA-7eZlFvwCRqDSJ7PCz5faKYCZaIwyZ0hyfvT3MRUsKIlzZoen_mtPJdCdJCULMKKv_H-1SzBE7zDQbvf4qTMGaPo/s320/P1300629.jpg" width="243" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">zebra</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bpVaYMQJkpMU-0sttPDHOUo88XQhiDreWiZfpjs4jhSz_FOSqz7BHvHCdstIndW_Z_eA005LnbkL07hMAd7zWGAW0BXgAMSFwC8-pbCfclEFgZL0QQ3ndIy3WM9uHhD-KgoCMT_rPFhiMdm_gtzNLp-b-tALwrgtly_Nuv_n_kcWSsg-VfTz9gtB848/s2865/P1300649.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2630" data-original-width="2865" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bpVaYMQJkpMU-0sttPDHOUo88XQhiDreWiZfpjs4jhSz_FOSqz7BHvHCdstIndW_Z_eA005LnbkL07hMAd7zWGAW0BXgAMSFwC8-pbCfclEFgZL0QQ3ndIy3WM9uHhD-KgoCMT_rPFhiMdm_gtzNLp-b-tALwrgtly_Nuv_n_kcWSsg-VfTz9gtB848/s320/P1300649.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We had to wait for the herd to cross the road.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggv9WwUdmpsgHPrmouiV1rbpz9xki84Vd7LSmFompdfzaQonSVFeqAhc1c2idiZpuONL-WNoQcfsZu021_UEAtYDHV4LSVUUvZEhbCRrO3ngg01oKI_8gqvXMCJ7i6dNY4UWAXRe_ljrxqIR6cybA6d4L5DMJgLAyKRbB9FWYcCLICsd5a-qhsKlztnGE/s5472/P1300678.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggv9WwUdmpsgHPrmouiV1rbpz9xki84Vd7LSmFompdfzaQonSVFeqAhc1c2idiZpuONL-WNoQcfsZu021_UEAtYDHV4LSVUUvZEhbCRrO3ngg01oKI_8gqvXMCJ7i6dNY4UWAXRe_ljrxqIR6cybA6d4L5DMJgLAyKRbB9FWYcCLICsd5a-qhsKlztnGE/s320/P1300678.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is what we saw when we turned that curve!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFo4tlM23OdT1BObGTiCblwJDlhqKuD7zUDdSTSjzSosINX2dnsCEP3UhIIkEfl0rl7x3NHn12agaZ68FflSX5uMj3dhRIS0uj5FfQij5gRX9NM1gZoUvFNt56F9Z3EQ7bkdb3arPbN9pHbE8FukW4Vn_wsqackE70kxE1dK7KhCX2I89xUaP6uQs3MY/s2507/P1300692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2015" data-original-width="2507" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBFo4tlM23OdT1BObGTiCblwJDlhqKuD7zUDdSTSjzSosINX2dnsCEP3UhIIkEfl0rl7x3NHn12agaZ68FflSX5uMj3dhRIS0uj5FfQij5gRX9NM1gZoUvFNt56F9Z3EQ7bkdb3arPbN9pHbE8FukW4Vn_wsqackE70kxE1dK7KhCX2I89xUaP6uQs3MY/s320/P1300692.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So we waited for this herd, too! Damn, these traffic jams!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRE-kOYtUkOZ7SSd_YMMELkb2bX5xtlrkhmmbndvK0HKz5xatxCf8V-EHI3MuHPOfayrsR1Ka1olRi3oxG5Vm364mM_DDnzZcsHP6-3S4bWsYulERuZHdLhSCUuspWZJVo53FLLNB-NMkPhytJOaxuzsURgkbGSLVk-iIXHIYrF_rxAo2YdA6X1FHA5tI/s5472/P1300709.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRE-kOYtUkOZ7SSd_YMMELkb2bX5xtlrkhmmbndvK0HKz5xatxCf8V-EHI3MuHPOfayrsR1Ka1olRi3oxG5Vm364mM_DDnzZcsHP6-3S4bWsYulERuZHdLhSCUuspWZJVo53FLLNB-NMkPhytJOaxuzsURgkbGSLVk-iIXHIYrF_rxAo2YdA6X1FHA5tI/s320/P1300709.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After the drive, my ride back from the border to my airbnb was nowhere to be seen, so Clive just arranged for a taxi that took me to the post office in town. I met an artist/vendor who was born in Lexington, KY. My homeboy! His father worked there as an engineer until he was 3, when they moved back to Zimbabwe. Obviously, he doesn't remember much about it, but he does have dual citizenship! I couldn't really buy any of his artwork (which was very good) because I don't have space for it in my luggage, but I did buy some Zimbabwean currency from him at inflated exchange rates. I found a nice postcard of the falls and mailed it off!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Though it was early and I had plenty of time to do another excursion, I hired a taxi to take me home, just in time for a nap before showering, eating, and taking another nap. I pretty much slept the whole afternoon away, taking a couple of breaks to watch Netflix or upload pictures or read some of my book. I slept all night, too. I guess I extended this vacation a bit long because my body seems to be rebelling. But, I'm really looking forward to some of the things I have planned, so I'm going to just push through!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-51892217049677054272023-11-14T07:54:00.000-08:002023-11-14T07:54:07.782-08:00On the Edge of One of the Three Largest Waterfalls in the World!<p> My flight was uneventful, I was able to get the multi-entry visa (not single- or dual-entry), and the taxi arranged by my AirBNB host was waiting at the airport for me. It was a bright, (bright), bright, (bright), sun-shiny day 🎶 with temperatures hanging around 105 degrees Fahrenheit (about 41 degrees Celsius). At least the humidity wasn't outrageous! I got to the house and was met by the caretaker, a lady named Beke (pronounced like Becky). She showed me around and gave me the keys. She told me there was laundry soap in the bathroom if I wanted to do any laundry. The line was out back, but when I hung clothes out, I needed to keep an eye on them because the baboons tend to steal them! I made a mental note to be sure to do some laundry at some point and bring my camera! She also showed me the elephant foot print in the front yard and warned me to never be out walking at night because the animals from the park come up into town. She pointed out many of the fences that had been knocked down by them. I told her that many of my excursions would be picking me up from the Rainbow Hotel and asked her to show me where it was, which was just down the street, less than a quarter of a mile.</p><p>So, I got settled into the house and walked over to the hotel. Turns out, the back gate is the one that is almost right there. To enter, you have to go down the hill, around the corner, and back up the hill to the entrance. The back is kept locked. I spoke with the concierge and explained that I was staying in an AirBNB down the street but that I had given the hotel as my pickup point for excursions. They were fine with that. I asked if it would be possible to enter through the back since some of them would be early, and they gave me the WhatsApp number for security and told me to call and have the gate opened when I got there. We then talked about the excursion I had booked the next day and for which I didn't have a time for pickup. The concierge said that excursion usually picks up around 7:20, so I should be there by 7:15. I thanked them all and headed back to the house, where I took a shower and promptly fell asleep. When I woke, Gerald, the host, was home, and we went through some logistics, such as the wifi password. He reiterated that it wasn't safe to walk outside after dark because of the animals, pointing out that most of the homes had at least part of their walls knocked down by the elephants. Apparently, to keep an elephant out of your yard, you must either put something on top of the wall that pricks or otherwise hurts the elephant's head (razor or electric wire) or you have to build your wall tall enough that the elephant cannot see over it!</p><p style="text-align: center;">This is a neighbor's house. Gerald has given up on keeping a fence!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJULhWFwbgs86kQls-W_ZfLvW515ukl5P17HO1pNLJjqZbdw6Auq8gOaCfAeUF487jzlHkNyZI7bhkjUoJb-4WYNif7WK9bHt4BLinvjLXNTsbfFbtiHVkzJ9XjumW0Fzqizj5_2256aht-J2nGlpxUAeGNrlExkNrBq2y-Ol10i_7vxhHa7wIuk_FYdw/s4000/20231015_094733%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJULhWFwbgs86kQls-W_ZfLvW515ukl5P17HO1pNLJjqZbdw6Auq8gOaCfAeUF487jzlHkNyZI7bhkjUoJb-4WYNif7WK9bHt4BLinvjLXNTsbfFbtiHVkzJ9XjumW0Fzqizj5_2256aht-J2nGlpxUAeGNrlExkNrBq2y-Ol10i_7vxhHa7wIuk_FYdw/s320/20231015_094733%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next morning I got up early, forgetting that I don't really need an hour to get ready when I don't have to pack up my bags! So, as soon as the sun started coming up, I headed to the Rainbow Hotel. Security let me in the back, just like they said. Since I was there early and hadn't gone to the store yet, I popped into the restaurant for some breakfast. Seven-thirty came and went. No tour for the Devil's Pool. So I stopped one of the porters. I had a phone number, but no indication of whether the guide was on WhatsApp, so the guy went to the desk and dialed the number and brought me their cordless phone. Apparently, TripAdvisor didn't send my reservation to him even though they charged me for the excursion. But, never fear! We can still make it happen. He changed me from the trip I booked which had a pretty significant hike to a trip to the natural infinity pool by boat. It was a little more expensive and needed to be paid in cash since TripAdvisor hadn't released any funds to him. He would help me arrange a refund from TripAdvisor, and the cost would be discounted because it wouldn't include TripAdvisor's fee. Since I didn't have enough cash on hand for this, his assistant took me to the ATM in town where I could withdraw the cash I needed and go in the bank and get change for the large bills. The US dollar is so accepted in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, that I was not given the option of withdrawing Zimbabwean currency at the ATM, just US dollars. And for those of you planning on doing Victoria Falls, you can get pretty much book any tour you want on the fly. When I go back, I won't pre-book anything.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With the trip to the Devil's Pool fixed and arranged, I just had to wait for the appropriate time. The porter told me that I was welcome to wait by the pool and he would come get me when the driver arrived. I reminded him that I wasn't staying there. He said his grandparents taught him that visitors are to be treated as family, and that even though I am not staying at their hotel, I should consider it my home when I am on the premises because a home where nobody visits is no home at all! From what I've seen so far, that seems to be the culture here. A big change from Madagascar where nothing is done without a request for tips!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When my driver arrived, I got in and joined a girl from Copenhagen. We crossed the border into Zambia, and there appeared to be no issue with my visa. One hurdle down! We changed shoes, got a towel, and boarded our boat, which took us over to a small island by the falls.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UafGdCjdKaTiT6FNs3m2En9ejf84bhuGELRKuuMdiOFfeJumCjWe_mFt1oSmphjcoE0KDI436ikl2fQVwiLwa6nzZn8zlfQT86bUKUN2U2XiW29SOGKhIkAmm2fuPs4Av-O06Flk5IZgRWdwk3D9ZNZQmexvaaxUUbiZ4RBOR3045cpJF9ahn2itp_M/s5472/P1300217.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6UafGdCjdKaTiT6FNs3m2En9ejf84bhuGELRKuuMdiOFfeJumCjWe_mFt1oSmphjcoE0KDI436ikl2fQVwiLwa6nzZn8zlfQT86bUKUN2U2XiW29SOGKhIkAmm2fuPs4Av-O06Flk5IZgRWdwk3D9ZNZQmexvaaxUUbiZ4RBOR3045cpJF9ahn2itp_M/s320/P1300217.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Past this cormorant resting by some rapids</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8njbq8ne21QppCe0LuIqTTVXIucoUB8kJBqap_jVu-TySv4IKWvWFWU-ubJ9EsWxiV9_CDSCMhwsjubMLsO-EsKbMOihKJ0HbVfO4zVJjLn0OSNAr0EhG39e8WwuZO-On2009j4pjsZK0HE-cPIoYrN62FPFSf2OVrtqKrBB3evOo5Kih9MS6dulutI/s2216/P1300227.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2216" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8njbq8ne21QppCe0LuIqTTVXIucoUB8kJBqap_jVu-TySv4IKWvWFWU-ubJ9EsWxiV9_CDSCMhwsjubMLsO-EsKbMOihKJ0HbVfO4zVJjLn0OSNAr0EhG39e8WwuZO-On2009j4pjsZK0HE-cPIoYrN62FPFSf2OVrtqKrBB3evOo5Kih9MS6dulutI/s320/P1300227.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we disembarked, we were served the traditional drink, Maheu, which is made from maize, but is non-alcoholic! It was delicious!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8jpO0etli3IHdsErRAfYFWhY3mRU-V4RXCm-mtoyC-OZ6oxSdjHG-WoGkkq_YsIEbJIZ50GB9h1rvZYHd6NQ0eWVvu0Gwd7PtJ-ohSROh8lZRZPQ29DBxAwPF-KbGnQ8prZO35VP3Qd57XPrEH6ZBTWwrWNUaNdPmyNR29q6O6vwU5Hu4hn9Igr55dU/s5472/P1300235.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr8jpO0etli3IHdsErRAfYFWhY3mRU-V4RXCm-mtoyC-OZ6oxSdjHG-WoGkkq_YsIEbJIZ50GB9h1rvZYHd6NQ0eWVvu0Gwd7PtJ-ohSROh8lZRZPQ29DBxAwPF-KbGnQ8prZO35VP3Qd57XPrEH6ZBTWwrWNUaNdPmyNR29q6O6vwU5Hu4hn9Igr55dU/s320/P1300235.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As we walked toward the falls, we passed the Loo With a View!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZoY0NMXu72gEvo74JwJEVmrkcZrV2R3LCBXc1s2hl1FA4ncDBSidiF_8im8MBNScl3z_svp8P5qkkQXxs9Rpdw2a6GKURkOR7F4SHjT-cJ7eLYJpr2wRSUF5eZ8PPQ3yM55n4xvPe0mYyvLj103SXaziVZz1DBViIy2JHHS5B7Y8PtWVhcdkfcasFFXw/s3212/P1300236.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2809" data-original-width="3212" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZoY0NMXu72gEvo74JwJEVmrkcZrV2R3LCBXc1s2hl1FA4ncDBSidiF_8im8MBNScl3z_svp8P5qkkQXxs9Rpdw2a6GKURkOR7F4SHjT-cJ7eLYJpr2wRSUF5eZ8PPQ3yM55n4xvPe0mYyvLj103SXaziVZz1DBViIy2JHHS5B7Y8PtWVhcdkfcasFFXw/s320/P1300236.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We then deposited things that shouldn't get wet into a trunk that they closed and locked and cameras that were not for water were given to one of our guides who put them in a dry bag and carried them to the pool where he would stand in a dry spot and take pictures! I carried my waterproof camera even though it had already started leaking in Madagascar and was probably going to have the same problems here. But again, a poor picture is better than no picture, and I did get a lot of poor pictures with it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To get to the pool, we had to walk through some fast moving water with some uneven and slippery rocks. To help, they had a rope line suspended across the area. I hung onto that rope like my life depended on it, and I made it across! The Devil's Pool is only accessible when the water levels are low. With the low water levels, the water doesn't rush quickly over the rocky ledge. When the water levels are high, the water rushes too quickly for the pool to be safe. This being the dry season, it was perfectly safe. When I got in the pool, I started feeling something tickling my legs. At first, I thought it was my bathing suit top, but then I remembered that my top shouldn't reach that low. So, I ran the camera underwater to see what it was! I can only guess it was some type of garra, the doctor fish that is commonly used for pedicures in Asia! I can't find any other option. They aren't listed as being native to the area, but they are now invasive to many parts of the world since they've been imported for pedicures.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwy0Fju9-lzYuI4Ogi66410QHSH2DLDQb624rYpVwaQJM3t35LOVL8kkrSvdkrvCr95-OWhUvDJiPxHlrZPfw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here is a still pulled from the video showing the fish sucking on my leg. They don't have teeth so they can't bite. Again, remember the crappy, leaking camera.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52XGaXqkGLLJbwKZYX93GhZRfTgmOPx8bKY_Xx7oucOlWxIxvUKFHuOTK1yP6sUVUcsf8X_aRwHtwjt8beJSI8vjyX-96YOCRBYvWrTdWwICI8LkDaoKoVZRW4JGhmT8xJyFwTfjrDOcECS7Z2kkSZHdOunQxqb3ANqtVIYoWQtxsra8d9NCSKJyj75w/s1920/DSCF2477.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52XGaXqkGLLJbwKZYX93GhZRfTgmOPx8bKY_Xx7oucOlWxIxvUKFHuOTK1yP6sUVUcsf8X_aRwHtwjt8beJSI8vjyX-96YOCRBYvWrTdWwICI8LkDaoKoVZRW4JGhmT8xJyFwTfjrDOcECS7Z2kkSZHdOunQxqb3ANqtVIYoWQtxsra8d9NCSKJyj75w/s320/DSCF2477.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When it was my turn at the edge, I enjoyed every second of it! Don't worry, folks! There is a guy off camera holding my feet! You can see his head in the shot where I'm sitting up!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxInLoa9qR3Ledj4JhpoC7skdUWoPMzmJXsBsv_Pccij1CXieZL13SnTlW6Pac7fMpmwoMbDqTAgN8urE6JaQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez3YhH18f_GBMY9MNP86xAdtfgYfjKogT-PjK8LQkp_1ieIEtx9jA7UMMyCt0R21SSXz6SXAASSC8mRHkgXpuEfKua9Gkl5jod9ot-2aT_0X6HgJBFOkxRh9UKR9W4QW4d6FJOvHMZ5N8F5eqX_ezLBBu142FpOc3DkJHyE4-hESRsL8itVBMnBRTobs/s5472/P1300243.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiez3YhH18f_GBMY9MNP86xAdtfgYfjKogT-PjK8LQkp_1ieIEtx9jA7UMMyCt0R21SSXz6SXAASSC8mRHkgXpuEfKua9Gkl5jod9ot-2aT_0X6HgJBFOkxRh9UKR9W4QW4d6FJOvHMZ5N8F5eqX_ezLBBu142FpOc3DkJHyE4-hESRsL8itVBMnBRTobs/s320/P1300243.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDyNpZUQUa6-HlbcCNvpPXoo2aDaiF6ZrtS1J9zJW5sTUQNJ2tRmiAlR92JzvL3SL5gUAeCvhaS1AcZ1dZxJoSJuMQVCvBVNiUZaPqhEMlop4CpUO-9saaIk5LL3RjbjZr7dvEIShgMUmNTJ1s_t4TwyPcj7U2MfeGyzE-tZpYpx45aXBUj4d5j6jsJk/s5472/P1300260.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDyNpZUQUa6-HlbcCNvpPXoo2aDaiF6ZrtS1J9zJW5sTUQNJ2tRmiAlR92JzvL3SL5gUAeCvhaS1AcZ1dZxJoSJuMQVCvBVNiUZaPqhEMlop4CpUO-9saaIk5LL3RjbjZr7dvEIShgMUmNTJ1s_t4TwyPcj7U2MfeGyzE-tZpYpx45aXBUj4d5j6jsJk/s320/P1300260.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5XPG41Yo8TFH_9LTZQeLKuhi69AV22Xxfof32qSoeAfmAajB6ZRnKKmy41PBbnDPqu691AiT8ge7P-bK3V7YWa_mUWpTBSpaRBr16_ErZW2L3PQadC1zdNKmNNHSsOhpBW3V4xu8wcrym2RbKxqlUSJJrUayvNiQTFFwvnUjgPJh8mjQelLoncgx7EA/s5472/P1300278.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5XPG41Yo8TFH_9LTZQeLKuhi69AV22Xxfof32qSoeAfmAajB6ZRnKKmy41PBbnDPqu691AiT8ge7P-bK3V7YWa_mUWpTBSpaRBr16_ErZW2L3PQadC1zdNKmNNHSsOhpBW3V4xu8wcrym2RbKxqlUSJJrUayvNiQTFFwvnUjgPJh8mjQelLoncgx7EA/s320/P1300278.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After we each had our turn, we made our way back over to land, using the same rope, and took some shots of the falls from a different angle. I really need to come back in the wet season if I want to make any kind of comparison between Victoria Falls and Iguazu Falls. When I saw Iguazu last year, they were flooding (like they are apparently doing again this year). It's not fair to compare a very heavily laden Iguazu River with a low Zambezi River and the falls they each create. Even dry-ish, though, it was easy to tell why the locals call it Mosi-oa-Tunya or the Smoke that Thunders! I can only imagine what it will be like in the wet season. I am told the best time to see them is in April or early May, when the rains have come, but the temperatures haven't dropped too far!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKE_mCPMD1egrVYmhCI81CYDfe5KnHc1DiHdgRFkXn_2jFg2KUPX2N9dbMSUTTmRL6mEJqUYksgrxMjMDRWUXKxp6GnVB-MCRwjtXOBs7xCDwYV9YjVzhPPNUMLxMJg16l0RP8BFSGavvqLUZhQfimS41Trod2g1rSIg-gFJ5Do9i6PAUlS3I5PUfGsM/s5472/P1300348.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKE_mCPMD1egrVYmhCI81CYDfe5KnHc1DiHdgRFkXn_2jFg2KUPX2N9dbMSUTTmRL6mEJqUYksgrxMjMDRWUXKxp6GnVB-MCRwjtXOBs7xCDwYV9YjVzhPPNUMLxMJg16l0RP8BFSGavvqLUZhQfimS41Trod2g1rSIg-gFJ5Do9i6PAUlS3I5PUfGsM/s320/P1300348.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had lunch on the island before crossing the Zambezi River again, past a bloat of hippos, before changing shoes and going back home.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWs9p5LfRS-RdLwwv4KpO0VEmrQSSQp98P-S1o7rhXcXVSCqV4wKIEj0hx0EFmkZGRoUHHRZj8V-diOAAHZWxtf9DBvx-N6AV_G6It-rE2awUx1RaAGMZEQ5MxU1fLWKNahnV9EJZQ9NXZps-DLjqrMPnZcAFzltPCgL19oTZscNrXtYkExdWQNGPkBjg/s4129/P1300367.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2216" data-original-width="4129" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWs9p5LfRS-RdLwwv4KpO0VEmrQSSQp98P-S1o7rhXcXVSCqV4wKIEj0hx0EFmkZGRoUHHRZj8V-diOAAHZWxtf9DBvx-N6AV_G6It-rE2awUx1RaAGMZEQ5MxU1fLWKNahnV9EJZQ9NXZps-DLjqrMPnZcAFzltPCgL19oTZscNrXtYkExdWQNGPkBjg/s320/P1300367.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There was no problem crossing back into Zimbabwe, so my visa was good for at least two crossings. We'll see if my luck holds up! The driver agreed to drop me off at my AirBNB, so I didn't have to walk back, and I could get showered and ready for the potjie (pronounced poikee) dinner that I had booked at a restaurant on the river called Pure Africa. I didn't have transportation booked, so I WhatsApped Dave (the driver who met me at the airport), who agreed to take me and pick me up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We got to the restaurant and were greeted by a family of mongoose playing in the yard! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxeG0T7v5wtDCTfJsBZsPoQm2JHrT8W7MnLdgQavJ7ldSVegHV5Dc0ScjAL7z7N4vEIFg4aNbWd5jTEdehcu6KAGufqXQXyHn9OV2p2e7I93yy9MtBdtBGpq8BDrbzze4j7zp3rqkhpN1LA-8x8ORGfeTGkPlbzOZtH60GvDuLKIVJjSZQVOUvkSplTQ/s2350/P1300381.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1802" data-original-width="2350" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxeG0T7v5wtDCTfJsBZsPoQm2JHrT8W7MnLdgQavJ7ldSVegHV5Dc0ScjAL7z7N4vEIFg4aNbWd5jTEdehcu6KAGufqXQXyHn9OV2p2e7I93yy9MtBdtBGpq8BDrbzze4j7zp3rqkhpN1LA-8x8ORGfeTGkPlbzOZtH60GvDuLKIVJjSZQVOUvkSplTQ/s320/P1300381.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz1upjscoq-84MsGGBkgiHF_-No70AZMACw-sKv_VXKvLtSyRT_ng3BoaFyPdjwenbSiVdcSid81dF-xI-FgA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You could also hear the hippos grunting in the Zambezi River! The staff says the hippos don't come up out of the water until the restaurant goes quiet, so I didn't get to see them. Dinner was good, but it was just a 3-course meal. I was kind of expecting some type of production. The food was good and the atmosphere was great, though. The meat was in a pot, cooked like a stew. Apparently, potjie means "small pot food" and is just a stew prepared in a three-legged, cast iron pot. The first course was butternut soup. The sides for the entree were a maize dish called sadza, African sorghum, couscous, red cabbage, and creamed cauliflower. It was good, but way too much! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHwWs3likGMhJxrWRHABQnxumUfFNmrRVNb0J3qNf9-Dg84P1UmpsCGcsH3OY3_IJWs7xN7Zef2yN2xE4VXlr9NmIUrpUC9NlogQp2DA9rL5U4j3XzlEu5Lz-P5M74WyGTZoTrSIdXhpgOS7SDRtm6VyZI12NqCRq-TtRTt1UO7PM4qtG7n1UP3s8gXY/s5472/P1300413.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHwWs3likGMhJxrWRHABQnxumUfFNmrRVNb0J3qNf9-Dg84P1UmpsCGcsH3OY3_IJWs7xN7Zef2yN2xE4VXlr9NmIUrpUC9NlogQp2DA9rL5U4j3XzlEu5Lz-P5M74WyGTZoTrSIdXhpgOS7SDRtm6VyZI12NqCRq-TtRTt1UO7PM4qtG7n1UP3s8gXY/s320/P1300413.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmCpjZAZ6KD-NhgywXaX2N2IuhI0bpklA8keIj8eoZVDpw7GsXZwTAGaA3wOnlCG9oFO9Uz3r580jrme7IGzmWpOfl7ZyAooLyxu9A9Uy9kdTdgIMbictOgJu41dljT9JfbDvcMVl7elzfa1XRj5LMmRKpsP2Mdm7fHZcSjdJ8nPz10XJf7NN7ZzzkaM/s5472/P1300412.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVmCpjZAZ6KD-NhgywXaX2N2IuhI0bpklA8keIj8eoZVDpw7GsXZwTAGaA3wOnlCG9oFO9Uz3r580jrme7IGzmWpOfl7ZyAooLyxu9A9Uy9kdTdgIMbictOgJu41dljT9JfbDvcMVl7elzfa1XRj5LMmRKpsP2Mdm7fHZcSjdJ8nPz10XJf7NN7ZzzkaM/s320/P1300412.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I did save room for desert, which was a delicious little flan-type number! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9G8P9-FpiCscmO4wPiL0dZ5KDq1_P_iF-pEi7zcxbd2FhF-QrYRJFGkA2hbFs4WVim0w8DBZcdGDzkq9WC0_g1Zu871OQjjiI_QBdJOnZcdqD493P8klFsLKK4TaTF3Rqb_VxlCQQVPJOMSkPgL0FMnzLwvi71qfNKkkqPxAPIRdbvvGstX5UJMQrg0/s5472/P1300415.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9G8P9-FpiCscmO4wPiL0dZ5KDq1_P_iF-pEi7zcxbd2FhF-QrYRJFGkA2hbFs4WVim0w8DBZcdGDzkq9WC0_g1Zu871OQjjiI_QBdJOnZcdqD493P8klFsLKK4TaTF3Rqb_VxlCQQVPJOMSkPgL0FMnzLwvi71qfNKkkqPxAPIRdbvvGstX5UJMQrg0/s320/P1300415.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I simply didn't have room in my stomach for much, but they were great about getting me a doggy bag! Now it's not so urgent that I make it to the grocery. They even had Coke Zero, so I kinda got my fix of that!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the way back, Dave swung by a sight just called "The Big Tree". It's even listed on Google Maps as The Big Tree. It's a 1600 year old baobag tree and it is protected in the area.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0prk4MU5oRRFl4cQGYVYNtgqEnq5MqOINAkk3espeJXxy2H6kVzeUiLmcOcm_8AZ2iMih70W7UHGsIYm28lCMj4VBJcMT3x9JwhI37_cOqWU1fGJOt_8KAImBG4ZFdYvxJqn2MtyKn2bway_4Sz2U0Iqnn0AwBOAUayKLBTK_xXW4DLLWUEYRne9Y6o4/s5472/P1300417.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0prk4MU5oRRFl4cQGYVYNtgqEnq5MqOINAkk3espeJXxy2H6kVzeUiLmcOcm_8AZ2iMih70W7UHGsIYm28lCMj4VBJcMT3x9JwhI37_cOqWU1fGJOt_8KAImBG4ZFdYvxJqn2MtyKn2bway_4Sz2U0Iqnn0AwBOAUayKLBTK_xXW4DLLWUEYRne9Y6o4/s320/P1300417.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I could have gotten a better picture if I had gotten out of the car, but it simply wasn't safe. We were pulled into a little parking lot and just next to us was a small herd of elephants crossing the road, causing a road block in the direction we needed to go! I don't think I mind these road blocks!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgnftETW5d3dT2a5ICslcHatwkHaXKWLS107agfkl4b6wTjg8Sr124amdVFTscvLz-VT8RvhB-TZj1Di5uLeq7CZkTihbArD2sBdIDzV4t8b8gi3GnbYYTOOnmGmx2iOAhUdBJuiXIfMNZn-ZbOvZl3KBwG8JSDNGS3zD-HIaKzdVcij-b2RMLA5CrJA/s2742/P1300424-Enhanced-NR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2328" data-original-width="2742" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgnftETW5d3dT2a5ICslcHatwkHaXKWLS107agfkl4b6wTjg8Sr124amdVFTscvLz-VT8RvhB-TZj1Di5uLeq7CZkTihbArD2sBdIDzV4t8b8gi3GnbYYTOOnmGmx2iOAhUdBJuiXIfMNZn-ZbOvZl3KBwG8JSDNGS3zD-HIaKzdVcij-b2RMLA5CrJA/s320/P1300424-Enhanced-NR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All these animals are beautiful and stately and you want to just reach out and hug them. But remember they are wild animals, even when they come into town. They are usually gentle, but with they are in distress, they are unpredictable and dangerous. While I was there, a security guard was dismembered by an elephant in Livingstone, Zambia (the sister city on the other side of the Zambezi River). Details were unclear, but it sounded as if he was guarding a hotel and an animal that was already in distress came where he was. He tried to both scare the elephant away and run, but he was unable to do so, and he suffered the consequences of whatever had upset the elephant beforehand. If you go, please, please, please don't think they won't hurt you. But, these guys weren't in any distress and we didn't do anything to put them in any. They crossed the road and we went on our merry way home. I put my leftovers in the refrigerator and had a good night's sleep.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-44455276783444360212023-11-13T13:59:00.000-08:002023-11-13T13:59:24.064-08:00Bring On the Baobab Trees!<p>Up bright and early after another glorious sleep by the ocean. My bags packed for returning to Toliara, and I gave my keys to the staff so they could schlep my bags to the boat for me. When I got my medication, I learned that they had frozen the Ozempic. The guy thought he was doing me such a favor when he told me he kept it extra cold. I told him I hope it will be okay. I hated breaking his heart, but he needed to know that freezing is not better than refrigerating when it comes to medications! I tried to be gentle, though. He was only trying to help, and he was generally a really helpful and friendly guy. Plus, there is nothing that can be done about it now. I secure messaged my doctor to see how to proceed next, ate my breakfast, and caught the ferry back to Toliara. Same process, and this time we still got the tractor instead of the zebu carts!</p><p>Joushia was there to pick us up and take us to Reniala Ecoreserve, a 60 hectare (about 150 acre) park in the baobab forest of Southwestern Madagascar. No need to see an avenue of these trees when you can visit a whole forest! There are eight species of baobab trees, with six of them being endemic to Madagascar. Our local guide walked us through the park and explained the various things we saw. We learned that the baobab tree isn't a tree at all, but is, instead, a succulent. It has no wood, but is filled with fibers that transport water throughout the plant. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Day Gecko</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPcC22XfwSNjwt1bkJu5_mJu0qOcKqyYavCuHtUG7eYCkVUpfJ28GqYS-RgA87GdnuF8X5WsObXOqvjWpr4vKvuGYDdbxI_qSNbg0iodt6k5-4ERg2Xaa9xNzxetnWtM5GMqkdZY0vSw5-O340PBrm0CyL3hg2ZkUHSEnxv8h-z7m2uG60OfEV27e3PI/s3010/P1300042.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="2216" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPcC22XfwSNjwt1bkJu5_mJu0qOcKqyYavCuHtUG7eYCkVUpfJ28GqYS-RgA87GdnuF8X5WsObXOqvjWpr4vKvuGYDdbxI_qSNbg0iodt6k5-4ERg2Xaa9xNzxetnWtM5GMqkdZY0vSw5-O340PBrm0CyL3hg2ZkUHSEnxv8h-z7m2uG60OfEV27e3PI/s320/P1300042.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A very prickly, semi-cactus tree called an octopus tree</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVN8Tg6VF0Lwc4SVaUYZ6BFpk6_UhCJbHwydolNm6qhbhME15mBMnG98vEMUZC68xvBB9u0-IqCiiyoYaQeVpXaU_4-QP8iPURb4eTh2oE1GdvV2whruBWNpNs4ij5fozeLXuhL4dIe2ELsXPhPzFRnjSPqviN3jONqBJENlPNj0VeJLFdQpOKALwq9Q/s5472/P1300048.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVN8Tg6VF0Lwc4SVaUYZ6BFpk6_UhCJbHwydolNm6qhbhME15mBMnG98vEMUZC68xvBB9u0-IqCiiyoYaQeVpXaU_4-QP8iPURb4eTh2oE1GdvV2whruBWNpNs4ij5fozeLXuhL4dIe2ELsXPhPzFRnjSPqviN3jONqBJENlPNj0VeJLFdQpOKALwq9Q/s320/P1300048.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Madagascar three-eyed lizard, so named because of the third eye on top of its head. This is truly an eye, though it only processes changes in light, helping it notice when predators pass overhead.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0R7MKKbGoMFzq0pUmgVyWOHgxFW6Dg1THqU5dZ657NmOwJ6etoHuSqPNNO1m1f4dgwqjZu6X17J5BOhFEeHJnUBASz5c6nsyhFD39c-VVStdAY4o5q42RT2yQv5-CFfr7pnDmJ6MvxTnkAlrfloqRcURYZiohw8YM536bbtJNGcRsUPqg-vQodT1FwaU/s2037/P1300052.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2037" data-original-width="1992" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0R7MKKbGoMFzq0pUmgVyWOHgxFW6Dg1THqU5dZ657NmOwJ6etoHuSqPNNO1m1f4dgwqjZu6X17J5BOhFEeHJnUBASz5c6nsyhFD39c-VVStdAY4o5q42RT2yQv5-CFfr7pnDmJ6MvxTnkAlrfloqRcURYZiohw8YM536bbtJNGcRsUPqg-vQodT1FwaU/s320/P1300052.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Baobab fruit. While in Anakao, we had baobab juice with breakfast one morning. It was very good!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBXWEvOIPZVrmSpXxRUeyM-x62cHy32FuwLgrLxvHNyhBUuJVUxPBvhmOujMPeOMJEj_ZBqG_XdNiVludWsqPzfcYGrkJkAX9ezReNy4tBrILGXzxnLbAPcTk4IyOEZXD2OomE5scZt6N_OrjMCpEuTEiWbwuPHSkBLpa1hvlKv8d3-dbxoJWstijSXk/s3133/P1300056.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2383" data-original-width="3133" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSBXWEvOIPZVrmSpXxRUeyM-x62cHy32FuwLgrLxvHNyhBUuJVUxPBvhmOujMPeOMJEj_ZBqG_XdNiVludWsqPzfcYGrkJkAX9ezReNy4tBrILGXzxnLbAPcTk4IyOEZXD2OomE5scZt6N_OrjMCpEuTEiWbwuPHSkBLpa1hvlKv8d3-dbxoJWstijSXk/s320/P1300056.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of the baobab trees in the forest</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81bTKhPBmGvMGNXwIlanJ8rLS_Q8r9-4BAkruDynMsh4XlRxZJLyJ7qxr17blw3lKhZRSFl32Vwd2_f2k92vvy-iKomduQf9JDtbcDohkACqN4jVYSg_qhDhNSE3isdg08YIdJfLd0C_Gz8OtuV-FilnsTjyBxJ-qBaxIhLHyHiRxUfBZ4Sb674O-UXU/s5472/P1300061.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh81bTKhPBmGvMGNXwIlanJ8rLS_Q8r9-4BAkruDynMsh4XlRxZJLyJ7qxr17blw3lKhZRSFl32Vwd2_f2k92vvy-iKomduQf9JDtbcDohkACqN4jVYSg_qhDhNSE3isdg08YIdJfLd0C_Gz8OtuV-FilnsTjyBxJ-qBaxIhLHyHiRxUfBZ4Sb674O-UXU/s320/P1300061.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Madagascar collared lizard</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKjVYifH9FR68i1jtKE-WdBfjRW-coJXo18helptdes82LarPrWXwf8R6MdMGCC9iNdnzf5eBweHpFx1y_ip4tFN5ZZXAmJ8WFFsFM3MWemrmKmTh1RISoSCdhR4ZdOJWaPHGIzD3B8WTkyrIKUUafLs0zBueb6UosXKZouwW9csU9gkPc0F4a0SHKUM/s5472/P1300067.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKjVYifH9FR68i1jtKE-WdBfjRW-coJXo18helptdes82LarPrWXwf8R6MdMGCC9iNdnzf5eBweHpFx1y_ip4tFN5ZZXAmJ8WFFsFM3MWemrmKmTh1RISoSCdhR4ZdOJWaPHGIzD3B8WTkyrIKUUafLs0zBueb6UosXKZouwW9csU9gkPc0F4a0SHKUM/s320/P1300067.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another large baobab tree</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvu0QmWWGzo2a2R1VzaVg-17iooUTiSgJtCgPc81EtM6Oj3KKMRZD3eCkVMH6Q6SSrtw8RMaf1wQCJHlzw-X5Z5nYTm1BHuqMvnMmyzj6v7MeaVu9D1ByvlyG4SCX6XdhOKab3JboqidwkSjafkvtWkcFkAWdIzmDio_wonf7D0cdpMO17NBleIyL71w/s3749/P1300075.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="3749" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPvu0QmWWGzo2a2R1VzaVg-17iooUTiSgJtCgPc81EtM6Oj3KKMRZD3eCkVMH6Q6SSrtw8RMaf1wQCJHlzw-X5Z5nYTm1BHuqMvnMmyzj6v7MeaVu9D1ByvlyG4SCX6XdhOKab3JboqidwkSjafkvtWkcFkAWdIzmDio_wonf7D0cdpMO17NBleIyL71w/s320/P1300075.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This baobab tree shows how they do grow back after being cut down. You can see where this tree was cut at the stump and then grew back.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkcJjJIZ1-0R4kZ-DQuSTm_vDr70BZSptt8ISARqkYIDUNZK454UIACfpeKoPtVdhqGrHB58DRh0j3fQt6rdsCcImhRHoPxowOHizpp4qBPjEBTfLixsVOQKhgL9jNgC-FYLFZ132gu-ZDjX47dvdATrfTDCH2PL3uArzSIeh9PJJiMvActbNt_YPd-g/s5472/P1300090.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikkcJjJIZ1-0R4kZ-DQuSTm_vDr70BZSptt8ISARqkYIDUNZK454UIACfpeKoPtVdhqGrHB58DRh0j3fQt6rdsCcImhRHoPxowOHizpp4qBPjEBTfLixsVOQKhgL9jNgC-FYLFZ132gu-ZDjX47dvdATrfTDCH2PL3uArzSIeh9PJJiMvActbNt_YPd-g/s320/P1300090.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This one shows how someone (long before the park was formed) cut footholds into the trunk of the tree, a common way of climbing them to reach the fruits.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhNC60bm2D2Gfwr8RWb2C5H0kJCI6tp1peYF7bDFoEePAJHd8Zr0kKPu79xW-t3d4fwu_10uG9Ktq8ZERr19BmjIke8nRH6FecAnMiYYXzx1lv_vntYRTZUE0vCIFF1SSoOt7gPIohUWtFPQyvJ92NSWMyoyo37CZ_mySBHWyVV-HZQ-sqiv76DEJQs8/s5472/P1300093.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBhNC60bm2D2Gfwr8RWb2C5H0kJCI6tp1peYF7bDFoEePAJHd8Zr0kKPu79xW-t3d4fwu_10uG9Ktq8ZERr19BmjIke8nRH6FecAnMiYYXzx1lv_vntYRTZUE0vCIFF1SSoOt7gPIohUWtFPQyvJ92NSWMyoyo37CZ_mySBHWyVV-HZQ-sqiv76DEJQs8/s320/P1300093.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another baobab tree - twinsies!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQ4Rn71fPOkN2x3X38CX9Y0AuEsxc4zDHgVnWyTasnrRMgm8xEl8PcIfMMudqaGpfLh-YvW0jrqjE5LfJZBz4Ppt3Vu-D7fJ_ue3_eNNseFB133Kse6leO-CzScfZCh1xwTSRbjxQh3FgXtrUDJOP-U0EguiVa_dARYnVlSC6L5nrrFEA1eAE9crPnPc/s5472/P1300099.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQ4Rn71fPOkN2x3X38CX9Y0AuEsxc4zDHgVnWyTasnrRMgm8xEl8PcIfMMudqaGpfLh-YvW0jrqjE5LfJZBz4Ppt3Vu-D7fJ_ue3_eNNseFB133Kse6leO-CzScfZCh1xwTSRbjxQh3FgXtrUDJOP-U0EguiVa_dARYnVlSC6L5nrrFEA1eAE9crPnPc/s320/P1300099.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A trio of baobabs </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhGGsv_X1R8qL0aPXgSlB0My78dlpoJ-luBp_GrZdGIVTlomzN083hfHEEPTk6f1wl260zWaIbikK21bp9QFX43TTupINJ94sLpzGuPV-snPWh9pMMVhwVjvHpgJUupK06T0nBvwOTJsYd6lSvtvOTIiNArx65ZRSNv81jzXoN60_aa0Rtf842Yq5nfM/s5472/P1300103.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKhGGsv_X1R8qL0aPXgSlB0My78dlpoJ-luBp_GrZdGIVTlomzN083hfHEEPTk6f1wl260zWaIbikK21bp9QFX43TTupINJ94sLpzGuPV-snPWh9pMMVhwVjvHpgJUupK06T0nBvwOTJsYd6lSvtvOTIiNArx65ZRSNv81jzXoN60_aa0Rtf842Yq5nfM/s320/P1300103.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A very wide baobab tree. There is a theory that the width of the tree is determined by the wetness of the earliest years of the tree's life.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7JbBnhG7PoZiHPeiNYA7xR36Gz3uisYFlaFJyxPqpfEl6COvvLqBsYg0bXSexUmZpIY5pMCtLtd4Lncn4pOXYJPBslvS6CAMtfqIIJtyvhcC1cN1VNxdAO4aaZyjxW7JdguF3aEHDFqYPzGMg4HKEan4gR1Falthq-OB_j0OYGARHr6UuVTEViMhA5xs/s5472/P1300107.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7JbBnhG7PoZiHPeiNYA7xR36Gz3uisYFlaFJyxPqpfEl6COvvLqBsYg0bXSexUmZpIY5pMCtLtd4Lncn4pOXYJPBslvS6CAMtfqIIJtyvhcC1cN1VNxdAO4aaZyjxW7JdguF3aEHDFqYPzGMg4HKEan4gR1Falthq-OB_j0OYGARHr6UuVTEViMhA5xs/s320/P1300107.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This baobab was cut down and had two growths from the stump!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqJpQ6TzladMJcsXJYRI6t8Z73xOqHs4KYIvD7_Pc242psFSlRUS_1YwycDRGyPJG50cctpQPE8pb3gB6yZlHobALf2cX4FUakbI3m4MnyV11aRIjf2hua9435B_M_skbW0S0XZYrN0BZEgnAJm5m2R5RAprWk0pNEWowofwsVkdJaAltdOacZjCba6k/s5472/P1300110.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghqJpQ6TzladMJcsXJYRI6t8Z73xOqHs4KYIvD7_Pc242psFSlRUS_1YwycDRGyPJG50cctpQPE8pb3gB6yZlHobALf2cX4FUakbI3m4MnyV11aRIjf2hua9435B_M_skbW0S0XZYrN0BZEgnAJm5m2R5RAprWk0pNEWowofwsVkdJaAltdOacZjCba6k/s320/P1300110.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another baobab tree</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_T76UeK2BUDdiXjmUQaO1MoE-7D1xt4OgFvNVkTGSMnG_kcsL_AJMGr7doX8p0d4x9NnOBgSE6yjN-JWGOrNHxx6AKR51YFnQ51Fw6GAmO8vOjmhH3ayw4E4UteP8nk0MaI1h2uGvx5NBt61Ltr2BKqmDsvkQVR80cmxUWTcWphgA7NEgX-l0Q16_iI/s5472/P1300112.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo_T76UeK2BUDdiXjmUQaO1MoE-7D1xt4OgFvNVkTGSMnG_kcsL_AJMGr7doX8p0d4x9NnOBgSE6yjN-JWGOrNHxx6AKR51YFnQ51Fw6GAmO8vOjmhH3ayw4E4UteP8nk0MaI1h2uGvx5NBt61Ltr2BKqmDsvkQVR80cmxUWTcWphgA7NEgX-l0Q16_iI/s320/P1300112.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The oldest baobab in the forest. I don't remember, but I think he said it was somewhere around 1200 years old.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokohVrz1Pb7TGdDxZXZy_vUHHmr9LZnsPun679SH-AdRydKssfDVXyWXOyk4bpz4iZvOkq4W26YCMSkjbzYLbabW2hPHTexaRW5fmGtFnLxN4inFAnYMNOfmAzy2tTfh2hFt2o4QxG3jQ_SHTgxg3c_AG5C3Qa0Ij4ezib-GvYle_2lxCL0jeER5kj-Q/s5472/P1300123.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiokohVrz1Pb7TGdDxZXZy_vUHHmr9LZnsPun679SH-AdRydKssfDVXyWXOyk4bpz4iZvOkq4W26YCMSkjbzYLbabW2hPHTexaRW5fmGtFnLxN4inFAnYMNOfmAzy2tTfh2hFt2o4QxG3jQ_SHTgxg3c_AG5C3Qa0Ij4ezib-GvYle_2lxCL0jeER5kj-Q/s320/P1300123.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Many of the trees were given names based on their shapes. This one was named the Rhinoceros Baobab.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs03cAGMnaxsoqmBSKvMDvtgBlDOEA0SbGG-cC-o9N78056wrK9Z2NaF5yjZbfVj-We810ixWGHi9GQqLbuIQBPAI0SJsvMvDiv-fBqL-PMWHngYejWCWOMVO3glbG5ZgD-taj4xk4gJbAMIOobXPVAOU1l-675HdfEtTZYNBqdRyBMzh88mee1QomneQ/s5472/P1300131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs03cAGMnaxsoqmBSKvMDvtgBlDOEA0SbGG-cC-o9N78056wrK9Z2NaF5yjZbfVj-We810ixWGHi9GQqLbuIQBPAI0SJsvMvDiv-fBqL-PMWHngYejWCWOMVO3glbG5ZgD-taj4xk4gJbAMIOobXPVAOU1l-675HdfEtTZYNBqdRyBMzh88mee1QomneQ/s320/P1300131.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There is a "fake baobab" seen here, also called the farafatsy. They can be differntiated because a true baobab has a flat trunk, that just goes straight into the ground and turns into a long, deep tap root that holds the tree stable even in strong cyclones. The farafatsy is an actual tree, but it is mostly hollow. The wood that surrounds the trunk is incredibly light, similar to balsa wood, so this tree is commonly used for making canoes by the Malagasy. The trunk, however, does not go straight into the ground, instead having root systems that branch out, giving it a "chicken feet" appearance.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjgIhTomjKAyGOq9PBTRmyGX5xdTQx1f5aEvSs9qwptBSHZUSf9izL6lGRIpfYCs7V_JvmlRyU9QdllkoW3hsgdKQJdmCNU0rSue4eZ0hbhyphenhyphenglpvng2foHz6R4_fJ8QUTFPhAp-xTAW_2uZh-_UxpMVgpQfSa48RoEtG4ZKphhTgogHlPX4-OUQa57VI/s5472/P1300135.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEjgIhTomjKAyGOq9PBTRmyGX5xdTQx1f5aEvSs9qwptBSHZUSf9izL6lGRIpfYCs7V_JvmlRyU9QdllkoW3hsgdKQJdmCNU0rSue4eZ0hbhyphenhyphenglpvng2foHz6R4_fJ8QUTFPhAp-xTAW_2uZh-_UxpMVgpQfSa48RoEtG4ZKphhTgogHlPX4-OUQa57VI/s320/P1300135.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This tree is commonly called the "vazaha tree" or "tourist tree" because it peels like a tourist with a sunburn! They named a tree after me! How thoughtful!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xRUjuJJbKAUhfKcW8M1nKnmvmVe0HaUs8oEt5ajhCawpDuZOWWhyphenhyphen0y7sgrRDP6hLQ5xcYloMTqhhjN_IxZzUg0doMsXHiprPgV8n5fzzahObacYlNS7cHnuqJaFD8bTGDpXzIeEFKqvd4KYwIwbFsDmyWB3PHqeEYoTWJ8il5SyZ7ZapsuFIXXLhE_w/s5472/P1300137.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_xRUjuJJbKAUhfKcW8M1nKnmvmVe0HaUs8oEt5ajhCawpDuZOWWhyphenhyphen0y7sgrRDP6hLQ5xcYloMTqhhjN_IxZzUg0doMsXHiprPgV8n5fzzahObacYlNS7cHnuqJaFD8bTGDpXzIeEFKqvd4KYwIwbFsDmyWB3PHqeEYoTWJ8il5SyZ7ZapsuFIXXLhE_w/s320/P1300137.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Coua</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuQbe7GRhSahT1ppeKr6dx9J4ukVug1zMJfLMshm1pRk6iRaSHyTJzaZLutFqSEKaKroUVH0z2F2y8NXtVnInEIerUtuFcaMf6ejwTeu0LVhhQHx_zAPS9Zqo_46q6bv9WsWD1yPdqszF1vihVOYprz4apZJ1G_xWVhxAEaij7W9-wyfD-A3nfeK11p0/s3973/P1300144.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2708" data-original-width="3973" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTuQbe7GRhSahT1ppeKr6dx9J4ukVug1zMJfLMshm1pRk6iRaSHyTJzaZLutFqSEKaKroUVH0z2F2y8NXtVnInEIerUtuFcaMf6ejwTeu0LVhhQHx_zAPS9Zqo_46q6bv9WsWD1yPdqszF1vihVOYprz4apZJ1G_xWVhxAEaij7W9-wyfD-A3nfeK11p0/s320/P1300144.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After learning about the baobab trees, we headed to a restaurant on the beach and hung out there for the rest of the afternoon until time to go to the airport and return to the capital city, Antananarivo. We arrived late at night and just went straight to our hotel, the same one we started at.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The following morning, we got up and met a new guide for the day. We went shopping for some souvenirs Susan wanted then headed to a pharmacy to see about getting me a new Ozempic pen. After a lot of pictures and failures in communication, someone who appeared to be the head pharmacist came out and took my phone with the pictures of what I was looking for to the back with her. She came back and let me know that Ozempic had not yet been approved for distribution in Madagascar, so I was not going to be able to replace it until I left the country. I'll be in Zimbabwe when the next dose is due, so I posted on some expat groups in Zimbabwe to see if anybody knew if I could get it there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We still had some time before needing to take Susan to the airport, so we decided to stroll through a street market that had set up for their weekly event. They sold everything here from baby chicks to chickens ready to kill and prepare for dinner, to kittens for pets, to grains and vegetables, to meats, to second-hand clothes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlqNQiWQLnOLXQb9SEIPID4xV4gwEszNW2trL9zTXB-1RjebTPcT5G3tt_ACEWblkzk2K23gtc_oOgSMb63tOcEjikzSlQNznMkQPFYZmjnxjeP_tNJ4RIs3NKMUinw56eewssyNT7h1hTwJ4wK7cLNE-yaDnG3Bmibc8_W4b3xUvFuWoh39FxsS1zrk/s5472/P1300173.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlqNQiWQLnOLXQb9SEIPID4xV4gwEszNW2trL9zTXB-1RjebTPcT5G3tt_ACEWblkzk2K23gtc_oOgSMb63tOcEjikzSlQNznMkQPFYZmjnxjeP_tNJ4RIs3NKMUinw56eewssyNT7h1hTwJ4wK7cLNE-yaDnG3Bmibc8_W4b3xUvFuWoh39FxsS1zrk/s320/P1300173.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With so many varieties of rice and beans, you could go at least a year without having the same combination making a different one every day! I guess that's a good thing since the Malagasy eat rice three times every day!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWVHQyCCLSAfxVhjK977nf_l6wmMfhbJk5Xt0cnOQnGaJCXoavx7szvZJx4a9v45YHRZTA-aH2lj6JJns8e4xUXLSZ1TvMDclL1Ugk9WS5KmZx5b7xes-I6DFV5n9h5rFdolYGJQZ1TAF97rwiPBUz1qHC8D3DrqHENqNHNFq8zJlJZf5V0LLYyFbbhg/s5472/P1300177.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWVHQyCCLSAfxVhjK977nf_l6wmMfhbJk5Xt0cnOQnGaJCXoavx7szvZJx4a9v45YHRZTA-aH2lj6JJns8e4xUXLSZ1TvMDclL1Ugk9WS5KmZx5b7xes-I6DFV5n9h5rFdolYGJQZ1TAF97rwiPBUz1qHC8D3DrqHENqNHNFq8zJlJZf5V0LLYyFbbhg/s320/P1300177.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzl2SPh9fafPfAc_A3WZPOyPRuNE8u2TIIGjuU_U8hyFqVQ2ZFhvBEvT7tcaYKTH2Uh0nG27poHJG_Yqwc1aLDmd-Utqc4re-tkBPxwVWfZlbLmlYMuDnvadxzI7FeoLisBmdxaz_iln7UKM2jPIeZVP4zxgWJq8zIe0f__z2bBwfntOPz3W19gJzG5og/s5472/P1300182.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzl2SPh9fafPfAc_A3WZPOyPRuNE8u2TIIGjuU_U8hyFqVQ2ZFhvBEvT7tcaYKTH2Uh0nG27poHJG_Yqwc1aLDmd-Utqc4re-tkBPxwVWfZlbLmlYMuDnvadxzI7FeoLisBmdxaz_iln7UKM2jPIeZVP4zxgWJq8zIe0f__z2bBwfntOPz3W19gJzG5og/s320/P1300182.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We came across several patisseries, and I got a creme horn that was soooo rich and delicious! Almost like a huge canoli, but with a flakier crust! So delicious, but I couldn't eat it all at once!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMraYXPpkjbxlWBipiGx5srCtomRSiMOMjth3DVnRU4avie7DtgOzF-HawyiMT2f4Ej913zz-MBYOE7zRwdCrZuyVNC4DG3Qv996mAcdOTUOlA-UwF5abGzG5n70nqJ63bObZbXDZOO2driNKpEq8dhc4p5pE4muOLZT3w26Cz_lGr_1LuAQMHffRN3N0/s5472/P1300186.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMraYXPpkjbxlWBipiGx5srCtomRSiMOMjth3DVnRU4avie7DtgOzF-HawyiMT2f4Ej913zz-MBYOE7zRwdCrZuyVNC4DG3Qv996mAcdOTUOlA-UwF5abGzG5n70nqJ63bObZbXDZOO2driNKpEq8dhc4p5pE4muOLZT3w26Cz_lGr_1LuAQMHffRN3N0/s320/P1300186.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Heading to the airport, we passed by this section of farmland just outside of the city. Each plot of land, separated by the irrigation canals dug from the river, is a different field and they are either owned or rented individually.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewN9buNF9gQeYrfofun3SjPKsSFS6sScAJ_Oj6bP2kCJLgMvrDKQbfljfF348CyUrtoEpkt23oXc4ztBezVDDC21-qr016wtPuN-Ub3xhlrB7xXu0w2nQ8z_FxKfZ1p3K0yHPz690p9QeKTV5W5Iqk-c3W-XIJtMXIF9__84lXnil3aVGWBlrxB_-vqM/s5472/P1300189.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhewN9buNF9gQeYrfofun3SjPKsSFS6sScAJ_Oj6bP2kCJLgMvrDKQbfljfF348CyUrtoEpkt23oXc4ztBezVDDC21-qr016wtPuN-Ub3xhlrB7xXu0w2nQ8z_FxKfZ1p3K0yHPz690p9QeKTV5W5Iqk-c3W-XIJtMXIF9__84lXnil3aVGWBlrxB_-vqM/s320/P1300189.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After dropping Susan at the airport, we headed back toward the hotel. There was a hearing going on in the city center because the current President apparently holds dual citizenship with France, which is apparently against the Madagascar Constitution. Therefore, certain roads have been closed. The driver dropped us off about a block away from the hotel and the guide walked me the rest of the way there. He also warned me to stay in the hotel grounds because there could be protests after the hearing is complete. I was tired, and I couldn't go to the city center anyway, so I decided to heed his advice, and finished up some laundry instead of going to the park across the street.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When the next new guide/driver (all in one this time) picked me up to go to the airport in the morning, there were police and gendarmes everywhere, armed with batons and other non-lethal weapons. I didn't see any lethal weapons, but I'm sure there were some. There were some busses unloading protesters. Apparently, the President was not removed from office, and many people were very angry. It kind of felt like a good time to be leaving Madagascar. The only violence I heard of, though, was in Toliara. There were conflicting accounts about whether it was overzealous policing into peaceful protests or whether the protestors were violent. There were, however, no reports of rioting or looting, only injured protestors. Granted, my Madagascar news sources are few. But, after arguing with Ethiopian Airlines about whether my medical equipment counts against my carry-on allowance (again), I was on my way to the next destination in this journey! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For those who may be interested in doing this, I would probably change my itinerary now that I know more about the country. I would probably fly from Tana north to Masoala National Park (on the northeast coast) for a couple of days and skipped Manakara. The round-trip flight would have added cost, but I feel like I would have enjoyed Masoala more than Manakara. Don't get me wrong! I enjoyed Manakara immensely! But, Masoala has both lemurs and beach! Then, I would have stayed in Toliara instead of going to Anakao, as the reef extends all the way up the bay, and they say it's better snorkeling closer to Toliara than Anakao.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-54227983547488650942023-11-12T06:43:00.000-08:002023-11-12T06:43:22.711-08:00The Third largest Reef System in the World!<p>I woke this morning with no new information from the tour operator in Antananarivo, so I packed up and headed to breakfast. But, when we met up with Joushia, we learned that the issue had been fixed. The hotel was running a plug to my cabin, and all of the previously scheduled activities were back in place. Maybe I should have just gotten with him to begin with. Of the two, Joushia seems to be the one capable of (or willing to) sorting out issues with accommodations.</p><p>So, after breakfast, we headed to the docks, where we would catch a speed ferry to Anakao, across the St. Augustin Bay. The ferry is the easiest and fastest way to get to Anakao because there are few bridges across the Onilahy River. Definitely a unique boarding situation! When the boat came in, the passengers coming from Anakao and their luggage were brought to the platform by zebu cart!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat1lyPQgCr-2qFG2B83Q1kkL2QnNRHoJsaSsT_O2XhELS4Ou8mBtbi9jnXsynmej1TUIe8gbFDm2_862ti18cTat4EcHmMuQR_NP-vbzCxB4zJecnPgGkk9w7yDsZvgtnAVPGcCsyRwOzLSc4-PMBKPjq8SPEZRuj5xozJve2953DaPjPGscDzW0IRoA/s5472/P1290898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat1lyPQgCr-2qFG2B83Q1kkL2QnNRHoJsaSsT_O2XhELS4Ou8mBtbi9jnXsynmej1TUIe8gbFDm2_862ti18cTat4EcHmMuQR_NP-vbzCxB4zJecnPgGkk9w7yDsZvgtnAVPGcCsyRwOzLSc4-PMBKPjq8SPEZRuj5xozJve2953DaPjPGscDzW0IRoA/s320/P1290898.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSQkmiERMU9FjNd8gFjEiuBcz4o45LYhGHzm4rc3HH7GoHGDwgJ-nhf-vtwSz-6ojc6i-BnzLk5Q44lRiXmEinf3X_8SK6KqsCY5i3HM3wsSZ1NsxA8ndB88TLMhumyZ6LiBYzB2T1zN-P0f62BDFbmQXX6yj0DuqiO4WdoNgysmNXdDPBLkDNaYzQII/s3961/P1290907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2562" data-original-width="3961" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZSQkmiERMU9FjNd8gFjEiuBcz4o45LYhGHzm4rc3HH7GoHGDwgJ-nhf-vtwSz-6ojc6i-BnzLk5Q44lRiXmEinf3X_8SK6KqsCY5i3HM3wsSZ1NsxA8ndB88TLMhumyZ6LiBYzB2T1zN-P0f62BDFbmQXX6yj0DuqiO4WdoNgysmNXdDPBLkDNaYzQII/s320/P1290907.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kYocgXq4bY8" width="320" youtube-src-id="kYocgXq4bY8"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For us, they brought out a small tractor and loaded us all and our baggage into a wagon. When we got to Anakao, we were supposed to get off on the beach in front of our hotel. We didn't know that and were waiting for another platform or even just somebody to tell us what hotel we were at. We pulled in to this welcoming committee and watched a lot of supplies being off-loaded from the boat, but no passengers got off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJox7u-d2jXTEsibzXKcCtY6-apObBcZUjpTDRl9AWbT_WXJjz834vHvDRrjaHbq9PL0tG-9cpKQ7pobTuGWmTHdljlHS7m_fJlMFdfi7jNuhDDuBsQ4IabzKivG1ZoLm7Jm8z3z-VPP-_bU3w-fRaR_bEtQFZAT5I-t5v_PMRQGy_ZH9rkI-XV4M2pF8/s5472/P1300009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJox7u-d2jXTEsibzXKcCtY6-apObBcZUjpTDRl9AWbT_WXJjz834vHvDRrjaHbq9PL0tG-9cpKQ7pobTuGWmTHdljlHS7m_fJlMFdfi7jNuhDDuBsQ4IabzKivG1ZoLm7Jm8z3z-VPP-_bU3w-fRaR_bEtQFZAT5I-t5v_PMRQGy_ZH9rkI-XV4M2pF8/s320/P1300009.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>So, we took an extra trip along the coast until we got back to the first stop, where our welcoming committee returned to the beach, grabbed our bags, and took us to our cabins. While I was getting settled in, the owner came in and lectured me about giving such short notice of needing a plug. I went right back at him and made sure to let him know that I gave that information to the tour provider back in January when I booked the tour. That it wasn't my fault he didn't bother to communicate that to the hotel owner or book a hotel that had the facilities I required. He and I came to terms that I appreciated his efforts to make sure I got a plug, but his anger was misplaced, leaving us both frustrated with the tour operator in Antananarivo. Once we got that ironed out, the owner of the hotel was pretty cool. The hotel was rustic, with bucket-flush toilets (and a big barrel of sea water for flushing) and bucket showers with pots of water in sun ovens to get hot water.<div><br /></div><div>After getting settled in and learning how everything functions, including washing out some clothes and hanging them to dry, it was time to eat. I headed to the restaurant and got some fruit and learned about the excursions that were available. It took some time to figure out how it worked, so I just hung at the restaurant, looking at the water and resting. (It is uphill in soft sand, hard to walk, to get from the beach to my cabin.) It is beautiful here, and we were treated to a lovely sunset before dinner.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtMnX4zURvXUYgsWHVHZALVURj12jakzoAzJm74bGF3WTJePK9FnK7_hASPekyp8qtOTfrA9-tMNc3iA-QYkUG4Je0WrxtaDLu3BmiRYvKlC2lW8oe42u5Iajzr0qK4NXjZ-F6QE5gecNkdeMbOLqRFRUTmVKeQI5NKCIJdXB-qf9L4Sn3S5y7KuCvdw/s5472/P1300021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLtMnX4zURvXUYgsWHVHZALVURj12jakzoAzJm74bGF3WTJePK9FnK7_hASPekyp8qtOTfrA9-tMNc3iA-QYkUG4Je0WrxtaDLu3BmiRYvKlC2lW8oe42u5Iajzr0qK4NXjZ-F6QE5gecNkdeMbOLqRFRUTmVKeQI5NKCIJdXB-qf9L4Sn3S5y7KuCvdw/s320/P1300021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>The next morning, after a lovely night's sleep, chasing down my clean and dry underwear that had blown around overnight, and a good breakfast, I headed down to the beach with my waterproof camera. Doing the snorkeling excursion was Susan and I along with a gentleman from Australia and a couple from Belgium. We had all met between dinner last night and breakfast this morning. A group of fun people for snorkeling and exploring the island of Nosy Ve. We boarded two lakana (outrigger canoes) and headed out to Androka National Park and the portion of the reef located in the Mozambique Channel Marine Ecoregion. <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXdPN5G3pZ4tkZZuudJ_izU3ZtupvDvQcNqWCsWBMQrBUja_g0RKrZjmxbd0MVFxv_q9mGDRYlRc-xS-McxO61dmxSl9VZw2BMKu2E3ijm8XCY1U6SWH6AOhWAnBt086I9HSddfag6vyiaEaoRfc2eF__DO9OyAsu6hR-oRnsL3TypLSDhEZs9iA-txE/s4608/DSCF2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXdPN5G3pZ4tkZZuudJ_izU3ZtupvDvQcNqWCsWBMQrBUja_g0RKrZjmxbd0MVFxv_q9mGDRYlRc-xS-McxO61dmxSl9VZw2BMKu2E3ijm8XCY1U6SWH6AOhWAnBt086I9HSddfag6vyiaEaoRfc2eF__DO9OyAsu6hR-oRnsL3TypLSDhEZs9iA-txE/s320/DSCF2012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><div>This is the third largest reef system in the world, right behind the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia and the Mesoamerican Reef off the Yucatan Peninsula to Honduras. I was happily surprised to learn that it is also a very healthy reef! Unfortunately, my little Fuji underwater camera decided to choose this trip to be the one where it would start leaking. Fortunately, the leak didn't prevent it from working and didn't reach the SD card or battery. It just clouded the lens and made it almost impossible to see what I was shooting. I was looking for an excuse to replace it, and I guess this is it. Anyway, I apologize for the lack of quality in these pictures, but I got the best I could given that I was mostly guessing where I was shooting!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzlT7sXCMnkqfx1irL-HMV-hx615amrcL2hqtk4FnXgubuijAMh_h5SR5EcWpBjw1FlnRvFOpn3GjVaBuI_HQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkFLKQj-U2z15lZNiN6YSQ1K4P6SDO-G4Qhii9DbeJneVYVnuFonhyqYZe8IFgZ7UK9DdL3jvVvxIACpL9PXEX6FG9HcDeFMslYqLmJ6VptlukCTxbA9z6iYlWW4W-R_-GFFq_b_5pa6iQt7Jk9xx1Zs5QUlSFtrVpzA9SAEF1aEXNLPEOQ7eH19moM9E/s4608/DSCF2069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And my selfie!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3emEocBt7katSB1xiKtC_nFTA0FmkxDSdbfUgISYU4cql7vN3yFBsyGhmyrlXBGP0KeSmLlm9pOpDbKBIxBJaqcSPDGZmktDcPHZ6o5jmDRHeJMHEmEEYml9iu_Yr8F9kIpvy9zQsuTGKLKVuH7VnT5Qr0RRRHNHt8sI1Es2jhDgehWJaDdE4pJ8dYQ/s4608/DSCF2346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd3emEocBt7katSB1xiKtC_nFTA0FmkxDSdbfUgISYU4cql7vN3yFBsyGhmyrlXBGP0KeSmLlm9pOpDbKBIxBJaqcSPDGZmktDcPHZ6o5jmDRHeJMHEmEEYml9iu_Yr8F9kIpvy9zQsuTGKLKVuH7VnT5Qr0RRRHNHt8sI1Es2jhDgehWJaDdE4pJ8dYQ/s320/DSCF2346.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><br /><div>While we were snorkeling, a couple of the guides went spear fishing and caught the fish they would cook on Nosy Ve Island to feed us for lunch! Again, sorry for the haziness. I pulled as much haze as I could out of them in post processing, but there was fog on the inside of the lens.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv43v3u5Zex5hVeHiY0x_Bs7xF_-Ija4buBZwRrTRKnrhOiMMwXGWPrwxsVEh3xFhQJt3p-bHNMvbOQ9KyqN9zkRamVJRx2Wkg96xbPVDEFJ6zbYrvwOfa0C7Q4h_pY8-ILBE8i_viXuIWDhzHdS7jDSHdFa2u7K6ele0HmwMQGwG-np9eiXcIGXazVtw/s4608/DSCF2424.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv43v3u5Zex5hVeHiY0x_Bs7xF_-Ija4buBZwRrTRKnrhOiMMwXGWPrwxsVEh3xFhQJt3p-bHNMvbOQ9KyqN9zkRamVJRx2Wkg96xbPVDEFJ6zbYrvwOfa0C7Q4h_pY8-ILBE8i_viXuIWDhzHdS7jDSHdFa2u7K6ele0HmwMQGwG-np9eiXcIGXazVtw/s320/DSCF2424.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBROEKyFhRVXa1yoLUss7qEwOCNu4Rd8P7DLCrx4pDCzvVxIjCPPifN67lLvexMpL-sewsjeomlamJKyv4vNBAdJBir2BIOHrCuztPiruEb1Ka74uxeJNNJAg_Tn9b70k9ICUseFfxDHq8sxRMH2Kr_N0qkhvVoY6jB7gnUAlmF0Ia4sycW-lcbRf8N-E/s4608/DSCF2428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBROEKyFhRVXa1yoLUss7qEwOCNu4Rd8P7DLCrx4pDCzvVxIjCPPifN67lLvexMpL-sewsjeomlamJKyv4vNBAdJBir2BIOHrCuztPiruEb1Ka74uxeJNNJAg_Tn9b70k9ICUseFfxDHq8sxRMH2Kr_N0qkhvVoY6jB7gnUAlmF0Ia4sycW-lcbRf8N-E/s320/DSCF2428.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While the guides cooked our lunch, we all took a walk around the island. It was very lovely, though barren in several spots. I mean, it is a very small island, approximately 5x2 km (2.5x1 mi). It is also the only home of the red-tailed tropic bird. Remember when I said a bad picture is better than no picture? Well... I can't see it in the picture, but he has a little red thread-like tail that I could see with my eyes! If you run this one through a Google image search, please don't be fooled. This is definitely NOT an albatross! It's just a really bad picture!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-ZKqSSQHFqjIgqFZOTa0X5b-dITfcokixR8CbiqzOyA-txPe8w_ntONaYcsOOmw1jdtM989pzoCVR3dVs7a7VIx139kjm2eDxZP5azM92TQde8NiPY6ElDhd_g-Qfkznqo-uDwmeyrqT0k2uLZ7yuBBVlU2K1B4UyRAlA4ins-yrWtOfkDGDuiMp6BU/s1651/DSCF2458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1230" data-original-width="1651" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN-ZKqSSQHFqjIgqFZOTa0X5b-dITfcokixR8CbiqzOyA-txPe8w_ntONaYcsOOmw1jdtM989pzoCVR3dVs7a7VIx139kjm2eDxZP5azM92TQde8NiPY6ElDhd_g-Qfkznqo-uDwmeyrqT0k2uLZ7yuBBVlU2K1B4UyRAlA4ins-yrWtOfkDGDuiMp6BU/s320/DSCF2458.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a wonderful day! Took an interesting bucket shower when we returned. Then, had a good time hanging out and chilling before dinner and slept like a rock again!</div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div></div>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-335423259557877572023-11-10T10:19:00.000-08:002023-11-10T10:19:13.186-08:00The Last Visit With Lemurs<p>As thoroughly impressive as the ringtail lemurs of Anja Park were, lunch on the grounds was a little underimpressive. I am well aware that French for potato is "<i>pomme de terre</i>", which literally means ground apple and that it is often just shortened to <i>pomme</i>. The menu also had English translations, and for almost every dish that was related to "<i>pomme</i>", they translated as potato. For "<i>pomme sautee</i>", they translated it as "fried apples". That sounded great to me, so I ordered it. It was home fried potatoes, though. I love a good home fry, but I was kinda looking forward to fried apples. Fruit had been difficult to find. But, oh well. I enjoyed my home fries, and we headed out with hopes to get to the Isalo window at the magic moment.</p><p>All was going well until we came across bribe-hungry gendarmes at two check-points, back to back. Niko had to go into the building, and ultimately, we had to stop in a town to pick up some more cash. We barely missed that magic moment.</p><p style="text-align: center;">This is what we were trying to get. (Joushia sent me this shot he took on a different day.)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2QeRd3mgDkZioMckJBeyYAAwC3_7fGhBpCRg2ykBjQ8xfeN5a8ZcsmohOECf8oclETYA3LyO36t392VSrQYTUfvmK-2guBBIqPCL_gystodsG_pTGaNnFRSNo7OrrMg-8Wf-Pa-lVABfQhXCyuZk7PmCC1Yp5CO68BcOczA0d2qTYmw9itGboeSr0so/s720/IMG-20231003-WA0000.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib2QeRd3mgDkZioMckJBeyYAAwC3_7fGhBpCRg2ykBjQ8xfeN5a8ZcsmohOECf8oclETYA3LyO36t392VSrQYTUfvmK-2guBBIqPCL_gystodsG_pTGaNnFRSNo7OrrMg-8Wf-Pa-lVABfQhXCyuZk7PmCC1Yp5CO68BcOczA0d2qTYmw9itGboeSr0so/s320/IMG-20231003-WA0000.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is how close we came to getting it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7qZc92wtZs9cHpoqznjn79yFtAcCDhMW3BqRw26OM_VXYXqJwHMP3IahCuRIyrTYvOoTkfb34rT1iNyC866fyjGpf87ePCZLGhfzjQC4Oo0kotkgAC9xANV3P70SVImk17O1TZBTUAW_nHg1_l57cJt2MTTb2NsYXOrXLD8-6Cz3GG4cON4Kx7jNNfQ/s5472/P1290560.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB7qZc92wtZs9cHpoqznjn79yFtAcCDhMW3BqRw26OM_VXYXqJwHMP3IahCuRIyrTYvOoTkfb34rT1iNyC866fyjGpf87ePCZLGhfzjQC4Oo0kotkgAC9xANV3P70SVImk17O1TZBTUAW_nHg1_l57cJt2MTTb2NsYXOrXLD8-6Cz3GG4cON4Kx7jNNfQ/s320/P1290560.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a beautiful area. And there was a yellowish/greenish sheen on several spots of the rocks. Our guide the next day said it was lichen growing on the rocks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt4O-ACvCYeuuorT9BM-PHDG7cVXLd16Ojwh2LQxCrPkyR3GUKHBY6zv72C8bBq2O5Qz7rk4-wG9ryjvvEx9zEuJq3-x-oUpj4zeo7vWVGVpU0zIFQL7GyuJOxJKx-k7lk6NvrnEG3xcZSvJEIXTV8DSjpQ785X5DoQ6VgrijJNQJsh4zWM3ghcfC8oE/s5472/P1290609.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt4O-ACvCYeuuorT9BM-PHDG7cVXLd16Ojwh2LQxCrPkyR3GUKHBY6zv72C8bBq2O5Qz7rk4-wG9ryjvvEx9zEuJq3-x-oUpj4zeo7vWVGVpU0zIFQL7GyuJOxJKx-k7lk6NvrnEG3xcZSvJEIXTV8DSjpQ785X5DoQ6VgrijJNQJsh4zWM3ghcfC8oE/s320/P1290609.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMlg2uxp3aA-GWsaGtsf_AVeS6teWXcbJKDtLZLlMDdMOKPPu-3k7WolJxx-qK7xgtdBR4YbmwBJ64uqBT_nRRFgJCHDpeznhgcH4W2OtnqPFRud8UA5cxLCmR9IV6TIbeD6SiXyDRT6Cj2Jiu7TPFcbsbUWaoeRIWYQlJ1ooDsqyTxi9YI5II0c_Y7U/s5472/P1290613.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMlg2uxp3aA-GWsaGtsf_AVeS6teWXcbJKDtLZLlMDdMOKPPu-3k7WolJxx-qK7xgtdBR4YbmwBJ64uqBT_nRRFgJCHDpeznhgcH4W2OtnqPFRud8UA5cxLCmR9IV6TIbeD6SiXyDRT6Cj2Jiu7TPFcbsbUWaoeRIWYQlJ1ooDsqyTxi9YI5II0c_Y7U/s320/P1290613.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After looking at these, we headed to the hotel had dinner, and tucked in for the night. The next morning, we were up and packed bright and early. We set out for our hike as soon as we got to Isalo National Park. On our way down, we happened upon some more ringtail lemurs!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FWVbZCuEidAi4QdLB9S1oLR7ZS00yVaeXbzA7EqIRJ2x_rAUbmBj3tXlFfqOaZiSIE4daPPoNKt8P1BqmtKVXY8l0MqyB4Z15cMhefqZh7zCpz7rOqKSQrqevzkOLfwP0w-5d6AT6beSv0aJ9bmCLkMl2LHrDQeqppvNVD3Oq-45EV-bs8h9I34tGhw/s3033/P1290661.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2899" data-original-width="3033" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1FWVbZCuEidAi4QdLB9S1oLR7ZS00yVaeXbzA7EqIRJ2x_rAUbmBj3tXlFfqOaZiSIE4daPPoNKt8P1BqmtKVXY8l0MqyB4Z15cMhefqZh7zCpz7rOqKSQrqevzkOLfwP0w-5d6AT6beSv0aJ9bmCLkMl2LHrDQeqppvNVD3Oq-45EV-bs8h9I34tGhw/s320/P1290661.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We hiked further into the park. There is a waterfall and two pools. One pool is very deep and is called the black pool. The other is very shallow and is called the blue pool. We opted for the waterfall because it was the easiest of the three hikes. It was brutal, but I was able to do it with significant help. The waterfall was lovely. It was in what I could only call a topless grotto. Where the water trickled down, you could see some of the same formations that are commonly found in wet caves, mostly the ribbony drapes. Since there is light, plants grow, also. Plus the lichen are all over the walls. It was lovely.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9zKAqPTgQWGpGrsSv9pr1MSRbbLhhcEDhSlPpJ9ohsqC5r7iEXGnNxoWqX01DTrZCAJTHD1gyWLZQH1bTENGkCzT7nFGk6ipNvaIA5yyR2TkkzEpadbpAJT3vnVyNCopiE0vKedkrXvCSGH8ypE6qiZg19oA3sCYQhSDAgpi8HuAA0HutJIuUruVP3c/s5472/P1290693.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio9zKAqPTgQWGpGrsSv9pr1MSRbbLhhcEDhSlPpJ9ohsqC5r7iEXGnNxoWqX01DTrZCAJTHD1gyWLZQH1bTENGkCzT7nFGk6ipNvaIA5yyR2TkkzEpadbpAJT3vnVyNCopiE0vKedkrXvCSGH8ypE6qiZg19oA3sCYQhSDAgpi8HuAA0HutJIuUruVP3c/s320/P1290693.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the picture, you can barely see the waterfall itself in the back. But you can see where trickles fall along the sides and see the drapes better in this video.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxagFnouVHyrgErOqNMFlyKEDqzBXk9bsyRjOB3i1c5vFK2piWRzvfJtD3t5odMsgz3HElIqhei5bfs-nzyBg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we got back to the camping area, our food was ready and sitting on our picnic table. Just as we were getting ready to dig in, our guide asked if we wanted to see some more lemurs. Of course, the question needn't have been asked, as the answer was a foregone conclusion! Out came the camera and off we trotted (well, hobbled in my case) to see another group of lemurs. These guys were sifaka or dancing lemurs again, but this was a color variant. They were almost solid white with their little black faces. There was one baby, who was often difficult to see.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I couldn't resist this picture. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaz-qdxLHGK2X0hXhm3urvW3_Fpz4sxk9znta11rOtuLDnuuYKaD8pWLsWGY6UPcJy0uUnDy7FUYZK3kNIHnNshcIfo7fvgRU4bcjv31yGQIPxIj1IWPCWg8vkYbrzqRBSjLqF98wkqAm7W_MbEPRQDczM_HPJtMQpj9ZqDVhWpk8Gf9koSVAVpccFz2I/s2574/P1290801.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2574" data-original-width="2518" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaz-qdxLHGK2X0hXhm3urvW3_Fpz4sxk9znta11rOtuLDnuuYKaD8pWLsWGY6UPcJy0uUnDy7FUYZK3kNIHnNshcIfo7fvgRU4bcjv31yGQIPxIj1IWPCWg8vkYbrzqRBSjLqF98wkqAm7W_MbEPRQDczM_HPJtMQpj9ZqDVhWpk8Gf9koSVAVpccFz2I/s320/P1290801.jpg" width="313" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">If you look closely at the lemur at the top, you will see her baby in front of her, close to the branch.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShrIJ3QD62zawK41GWQwADcrX_pT4D5Cmy3Wwj_HWweH6id1zHa3xi_3D0djifCth7n_5XYmv0hfYKzmcElU0bqHu2eNXKVL6tfKB1vz5O49UhWEwX6HGDXuO2dxWio7ibAcQ7Z0o48meOoQxNTUc4z15DYtTnk5C7QzZAsDRPyCs5QayLN4cXg7EFQ4/s3648/P1290822.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="2564" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjShrIJ3QD62zawK41GWQwADcrX_pT4D5Cmy3Wwj_HWweH6id1zHa3xi_3D0djifCth7n_5XYmv0hfYKzmcElU0bqHu2eNXKVL6tfKB1vz5O49UhWEwX6HGDXuO2dxWio7ibAcQ7Z0o48meOoQxNTUc4z15DYtTnk5C7QzZAsDRPyCs5QayLN4cXg7EFQ4/s320/P1290822.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I've blown Mommy and Baby up for you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcLDweUYA3xGaIeP_MKHPYYvA5W3m5vsw5G4m8E2gj35KKf50gM-gQD3B8JKKxtd5a2vKOvtCarrXLCT5WLgTTlJbpFDkJ-SAo-QdyPF7kYIcWNR7jlxAZGpCmxQ2P2JxJfU8DFmPsz6GGJcUgQivOh1jQQbtSwYMw2Utydm1SAbgSLjTZKY0jQ03FKk/s1199/P1290822-2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1199" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjcLDweUYA3xGaIeP_MKHPYYvA5W3m5vsw5G4m8E2gj35KKf50gM-gQD3B8JKKxtd5a2vKOvtCarrXLCT5WLgTTlJbpFDkJ-SAo-QdyPF7kYIcWNR7jlxAZGpCmxQ2P2JxJfU8DFmPsz6GGJcUgQivOh1jQQbtSwYMw2Utydm1SAbgSLjTZKY0jQ03FKk/s320/P1290822-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That's the best shot I could get of the baby. It tended to stay in the background.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a while, we had to go eat our lunch because another group was scheduled to use our picnic table, and we needed to head out for our next destination, Toliara, a beach town on the western side of the island, on the Mozambique Channel. It was a pretty significant drive. Along the way, we passed our first boabab tree, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(The Avenue of Boababs was not part of our itineraray because it was so far out of the way and boabab trees could be seen along the way.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi08S0ew5pl0VCnxJyuad0blTFn9tiIDVvsyfkc6iI4PdYAtCplWsbvGzWN_fjVwnbcte7GzgzqPSVWazcKaOiKLZT3M0g5G8QhS15DhZ9ARMzyP279FKtOplEvR06ut99lfXUqGJYCzkSNVV3EszQqcDBeniK0HmYaGeALg-tZEpQozM2OAJDlmF1_60/s4263/P1290850.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="4263" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi08S0ew5pl0VCnxJyuad0blTFn9tiIDVvsyfkc6iI4PdYAtCplWsbvGzWN_fjVwnbcte7GzgzqPSVWazcKaOiKLZT3M0g5G8QhS15DhZ9ARMzyP279FKtOplEvR06ut99lfXUqGJYCzkSNVV3EszQqcDBeniK0HmYaGeALg-tZEpQozM2OAJDlmF1_60/s320/P1290850.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">an area where there were a number of tombs of the type that the bones would periodically be exumed to be cleaned and taken around to visit the descendents,</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8sCjzejbmlgEWzuxGAvd05XSF93MmUfMf6oBjfesmQASvoTBbVu6n6Qs7ZedJWupSRn5RWieUzkAsjy0_tXBw5JLXX1DkvHVCo_SkQwYa9XA4-S7nqaX8xX0Nude-ApqP1172EyxCGJjw78PbKNBj7tTNiVy5nMaY0b8olxmEBcAD772Rz8B0Y6SrK4/s5472/P1290881.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI8sCjzejbmlgEWzuxGAvd05XSF93MmUfMf6oBjfesmQASvoTBbVu6n6Qs7ZedJWupSRn5RWieUzkAsjy0_tXBw5JLXX1DkvHVCo_SkQwYa9XA4-S7nqaX8xX0Nude-ApqP1172EyxCGJjw78PbKNBj7tTNiVy5nMaY0b8olxmEBcAD772Rz8B0Y6SrK4/s320/P1290881.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and these rare trees called alluaudia comosa. I can't find a common name for it. I just saw it once as we were passing by, and I forgot to ask Joushia what it was after we stopped and I looked at my pictures.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGckPm8UFpKG_7ULQ_RcD21OyD_OKaJHe5xT44JG_qoE5RwPyavREEVq1FF9e7vnPvTs02jJ0qR4XXHWH_a1yGAVRRXCUyrUrPAn0GOnXo7h8FATsu8P4egbrQHKsteq_4XGPHV2Dewwm0sUHwZKABRnL4ZPuqCowW86O21tYB__DsZnuYK-4_ZV_liM/s3447/P1290893.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2619" data-original-width="3447" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqGckPm8UFpKG_7ULQ_RcD21OyD_OKaJHe5xT44JG_qoE5RwPyavREEVq1FF9e7vnPvTs02jJ0qR4XXHWH_a1yGAVRRXCUyrUrPAn0GOnXo7h8FATsu8P4egbrQHKsteq_4XGPHV2Dewwm0sUHwZKABRnL4ZPuqCowW86O21tYB__DsZnuYK-4_ZV_liM/s320/P1290893.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we got to our hotel Susan started looking at reviews for the place we were supposed to stay on the small island we would be on for the next two nights. That's when we learned there were no electrical outlets in the cabins and I would have no place to plug in my BiPAP. I messaged our primary tour guide in Antananarivo. Instead of saying he would take care of it, he had the audacity to chastise me for not telling him earlier! I informed him of my need to use BiPAP in January, eight months before the trip, before he quoted me the price for the trip. I tried my best to make sure he knew my needs for accommodations before he quoted me a price so that he could be sure to quote appropriate accomodations. Apparently, he just ignored me. It explains why Joushia had to sort out my room so often. This guy even had the audacity to ask me if I would rather change to a more expensive hotel or do the additional activities that were scheduled when we got back off the island before going to the airport for our flight back to Antananarivo! I had to ask him if he was seriously asking me if I would prefer to do an activity or breathe overnight! He stopped responding, and I, obviously, had a very poor sleep that night.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-65644743126344590732023-11-09T13:32:00.000-08:002023-11-09T13:32:26.837-08:00The Largest Population of Ringtail Lemurs - And Growing!<p> Heading south from Fianarantsoa, we stopped in Ambalavoa to learn about making paper from the avoha tree, a small, shrub-like tree with soft, silky fibers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsw2NoOMmGzM_ZunvMqYgSy5WRx-FsaR7zGbSfw-tYcxNkdNTQSgfLC50_IqZ5iRb2v1zp8CBNFKEIqUafvOzZ03L0B-m33Az06ajXDYITLKQnCOjbVcvLiidd7MF9d5YsUPRZRUaYJZ9BHJudDOFZH1xw2Y8_NDAg0MsoMJsL4_P5FGmIgvzw6_QK-4/s5472/P1290146.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsw2NoOMmGzM_ZunvMqYgSy5WRx-FsaR7zGbSfw-tYcxNkdNTQSgfLC50_IqZ5iRb2v1zp8CBNFKEIqUafvOzZ03L0B-m33Az06ajXDYITLKQnCOjbVcvLiidd7MF9d5YsUPRZRUaYJZ9BHJudDOFZH1xw2Y8_NDAg0MsoMJsL4_P5FGmIgvzw6_QK-4/s320/P1290146.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>They strip the bark and fibers, making bundles like these.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgIpB6skFHMYFmVGA5hyphenhyphener4gFbvLxe0gq9jMvfeX1Km7U5RBL7JBQDC41ex5srJgVSEZm8Ym2dECKj0y1rne4qbTulsbQNApdQdoeDF1NpawwHSFDKrD5R5OEzwZa_kPpOpGCCwsAnnzJpJQJ3OLaWShCCvDtaTUK4lFbJy66AwUOI8mUJq72PM-YL1Y/s5472/P1290148.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgIpB6skFHMYFmVGA5hyphenhyphener4gFbvLxe0gq9jMvfeX1Km7U5RBL7JBQDC41ex5srJgVSEZm8Ym2dECKj0y1rne4qbTulsbQNApdQdoeDF1NpawwHSFDKrD5R5OEzwZa_kPpOpGCCwsAnnzJpJQJ3OLaWShCCvDtaTUK4lFbJy66AwUOI8mUJq72PM-YL1Y/s320/P1290148.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxwRP-9oDX57mpe8WDuI0Ko3bKLs1zPk2d_-D6dBTQsd4Q_V336T_wvuv2kHBNLn2xAyCoXXLFf8S9DKa33xNBiUQeJSOrz9-iEMU7y1QQ4ah7wpsUt4nMj7tVq6k9anu6GeuooJp95E1JmOEgU1cIYap3F64tN13gYgKRk-gDn0SCvQ_eAoRVUoPXtM/s5472/P1290154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxwRP-9oDX57mpe8WDuI0Ko3bKLs1zPk2d_-D6dBTQsd4Q_V336T_wvuv2kHBNLn2xAyCoXXLFf8S9DKa33xNBiUQeJSOrz9-iEMU7y1QQ4ah7wpsUt4nMj7tVq6k9anu6GeuooJp95E1JmOEgU1cIYap3F64tN13gYgKRk-gDn0SCvQ_eAoRVUoPXtM/s320/P1290154.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After soaking them in hot water and pounding them into a pulp, the pulp is formed into a ball</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCm6WBd6a-tUNeIKDkMF1T1LhKYy9ErDieFuDi7bqIXDhWB5Fy_X3xO4ABo7R0MuaNiR0GXI2o7EKKCOxUJgV5x8e9k1G8q0b_hUlz9R2MbseUH-xZOjWNAK1BRbyOalpEbz-y0xDF0ubRr83p4FtuY27jDy4CjbDi1R2GfEUPRIGPM6_Vq6sh3n9zBw/s5472/P1290161.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCm6WBd6a-tUNeIKDkMF1T1LhKYy9ErDieFuDi7bqIXDhWB5Fy_X3xO4ABo7R0MuaNiR0GXI2o7EKKCOxUJgV5x8e9k1G8q0b_hUlz9R2MbseUH-xZOjWNAK1BRbyOalpEbz-y0xDF0ubRr83p4FtuY27jDy4CjbDi1R2GfEUPRIGPM6_Vq6sh3n9zBw/s320/P1290161.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">which is stretched over a frame. At this point, it can be set out to dry if a solid whitish sheet is what is desired. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBf6wN6KFYwjMpc4qShXkfkJmh_fy6wJ4Ygv1DoFaQkgEtfxuG1SkcTT9zH6V05txycvtTDja2cQk09aSBHzKKRCKgHwB1-c5JdeelqykrCgOdgDwlq9LPfAPiHT8Nv0OshMLZGxdIKRLXbD8OdSizdR2IUgWyX1x6JXgGqxtqJ21zbWYgbx1o6jJJKk/s5472/P1290170.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBf6wN6KFYwjMpc4qShXkfkJmh_fy6wJ4Ygv1DoFaQkgEtfxuG1SkcTT9zH6V05txycvtTDja2cQk09aSBHzKKRCKgHwB1-c5JdeelqykrCgOdgDwlq9LPfAPiHT8Nv0OshMLZGxdIKRLXbD8OdSizdR2IUgWyX1x6JXgGqxtqJ21zbWYgbx1o6jJJKk/s320/P1290170.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If not, while it is still wet, it can be shaped into postcards or other items and decorated with flower petals, leaves, stems or other things while still wet. They try to stay with mostly natural materials.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AbKugfb-DRi2oRYoLjWoYSOEYfojzevyY_kecMiwf_UHCefmChVU9POV63UGl7VoH6kvMxmafQ8CwHZlBEYJEn8WBEQQl8387mxQdqxaUc0Ibna_AhiXzkxDRPMnsejzEOy8WoKXMgYZSCyjcuvGAPbiZ3jnt_scsmFBhAkWQOuA_lapvdrWdE7aPgI/s5472/P1290176.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-AbKugfb-DRi2oRYoLjWoYSOEYfojzevyY_kecMiwf_UHCefmChVU9POV63UGl7VoH6kvMxmafQ8CwHZlBEYJEn8WBEQQl8387mxQdqxaUc0Ibna_AhiXzkxDRPMnsejzEOy8WoKXMgYZSCyjcuvGAPbiZ3jnt_scsmFBhAkWQOuA_lapvdrWdE7aPgI/s320/P1290176.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When the pieces are dry, they can be combined or shaped to whatever finished product is desired.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tJNVNQ47qh7cn71POJ2ozN68NSYCkD4EOyRMPh1eJt02SZPWGLZ3tuL3bHGhPxZzK4CzY-dkXew6VwHYWE4QlzTlVGZ28WxZldq6Ea8g1UGsBIpgiiHugFXaEiGqghoCgu7C9MWKz0OjfinU6ilssf_Ne0f42oxBmKZXGVfAt5iiLRLt6jxpUpBQVxo/s5472/P1290182.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2tJNVNQ47qh7cn71POJ2ozN68NSYCkD4EOyRMPh1eJt02SZPWGLZ3tuL3bHGhPxZzK4CzY-dkXew6VwHYWE4QlzTlVGZ28WxZldq6Ea8g1UGsBIpgiiHugFXaEiGqghoCgu7C9MWKz0OjfinU6ilssf_Ne0f42oxBmKZXGVfAt5iiLRLt6jxpUpBQVxo/s320/P1290182.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Having been sufficiently educated on paper making and history, we headed off on a short trip to the Anja Community Reserve. The landscape became dotted with mountains with sheer sides. The kind Chrissy loves!<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcI3qs8covJI7Ri-abVu4Syvsp4rgAelyDose0FMJ_RQ7gKO_2Fc4eg99NsWOvuqjldo5H6zGzw9hmqXSbcsXqMHLMr-EtJy4iDUfNO5VM55LcIPnoSIk6RTr_YVJlBHD3UUKyPg7fjqaRt-Cw67IleOV18XFJ4EHonCge-4BEjBzZvyFRyYj6nl_nGc/s5472/P1290187.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWcI3qs8covJI7Ri-abVu4Syvsp4rgAelyDose0FMJ_RQ7gKO_2Fc4eg99NsWOvuqjldo5H6zGzw9hmqXSbcsXqMHLMr-EtJy4iDUfNO5VM55LcIPnoSIk6RTr_YVJlBHD3UUKyPg7fjqaRt-Cw67IleOV18XFJ4EHonCge-4BEjBzZvyFRyYj6nl_nGc/s320/P1290187.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGb-_JCncmpXSNZKk31Wjf9KjOSkWUInFna3ZdZ2LkwX_oAW99uw1OndFc9OrywAEqWwbstMMKtbDzAZSNcIIrp6mh99qNyvvNRt-dtzPcPMyqPLZ90UpG1dCz-aSoZik4eBh35kxcxHKVG0nZSXwthdSxhJKDioU_tZsRTzy5RsOrPAh3WAcweV8aYjQ/s5472/P1290191.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGb-_JCncmpXSNZKk31Wjf9KjOSkWUInFna3ZdZ2LkwX_oAW99uw1OndFc9OrywAEqWwbstMMKtbDzAZSNcIIrp6mh99qNyvvNRt-dtzPcPMyqPLZ90UpG1dCz-aSoZik4eBh35kxcxHKVG0nZSXwthdSxhJKDioU_tZsRTzy5RsOrPAh3WAcweV8aYjQ/s320/P1290191.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This particular one is part of the 30 hectares that makes up the park. The grounds consist of a lake and two caves and is home to at least 300 maki, or ringtail lemurs, a number that is apparently growing.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ng1Ztgr4j-4bJ5_5ia2XJWGYaQ0F5e9sVhcvBwAgycUCom-tw9zIsO69N4WzUG4g8z2eaMOwbH0AQkr_L7hUsXE1KPBzcw6ta4idvmY9oXmeUtfyKciM-9BnUw7OM06xxqhddK3TS6QLJVRzzop9wuju4dx3OsFeBVVHsQmDDelduaF8NhLBkAj0h4E/s5472/P1290212.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ng1Ztgr4j-4bJ5_5ia2XJWGYaQ0F5e9sVhcvBwAgycUCom-tw9zIsO69N4WzUG4g8z2eaMOwbH0AQkr_L7hUsXE1KPBzcw6ta4idvmY9oXmeUtfyKciM-9BnUw7OM06xxqhddK3TS6QLJVRzzop9wuju4dx3OsFeBVVHsQmDDelduaF8NhLBkAj0h4E/s320/P1290212.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As we headed through the park, we came across some local reptiles, a couple of oustalet chameleons.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd2hB_gsHgN9qbatgZWzUasJ4dS6hq3VJLKkxe7jYet5Wfn_y2K_qv7YKZg2SiHn5C3sYFz8_sEAhoBHC5XkrHI1iTIt9sOMls9f3mO0SyznQEYPszUTEKctF5ZWEUqYul4BygAaFtR8gLamlx_jkvpe9kYnilmSa4cTl1s_VtdUeZ3mMlDGkVtfaBpI/s4286/P1290219.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2551" data-original-width="4286" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfd2hB_gsHgN9qbatgZWzUasJ4dS6hq3VJLKkxe7jYet5Wfn_y2K_qv7YKZg2SiHn5C3sYFz8_sEAhoBHC5XkrHI1iTIt9sOMls9f3mO0SyznQEYPszUTEKctF5ZWEUqYul4BygAaFtR8gLamlx_jkvpe9kYnilmSa4cTl1s_VtdUeZ3mMlDGkVtfaBpI/s320/P1290219.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz34LehHgipYjhFfJJGYtS7cNDbNPcjLyKKQPXJGB68cqkpvyyq_kHpT2s88tM_FWv5xsEZ-wAZFLXXXDE8Kw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our guide taught us quite a bit about the ringtail lemur. Most importantly, he taught us that ringtail lemurs are most assuredly a matriarchal society. If there is any such animal as King Julian, he holds the title in name only, kind of like Prince Philip, who only held the title by virtue of his marriage to Queen Elizabeth II. Now that we have that out of the way...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The ringtail lemur lives to be about 20 years of age. When they are ready to pass, they will retire to a cave and bury themselves alive. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Gestation is about four months with babies being usually born in May. Almost every female we saw had at least one baby sticking very close to her! The babies will spend their first week clinging to the mother's belly and the next four weeks clinging to her back. After the fourth week, they will begin exerting a little independence, running back and forth between the ground, tree limbs, or whatever they fancy, but always running back to the safety of Mommy's back! The ringtail may not leap like the sifaka lemur, but the babies are absolutely adorable the way they hop!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxOXvNlllzZA23aQBN7BCWCqaV7nB2oRixWzIqy-HXswgKPuIlv4yP81nutRi-Kt2fgnDyLSlfVi9MFgeFSLg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzJg6uNgYr4aw928djIn0n34deHcZyVzqzeCjivUXky_T_MAjg5N3B__AeFzAeSMpsT2-6u-cYQceMXt4zH9A' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHj0GQ7m07WBH8aKq59V57jvIuH9s2mXN8RB9M8gZM2MqF26JXPcONYmzS2UuVdu6c74cdV9-K8jfTPvtHOm4qKkQEGQD0TTBkkj4xBxje5GjgOO_K1pb3IEEY1AxhuxQ-RSb1Gp62Cpt08JfG6TMFxF3PK_6F24yLolr1nRj3M8HD9aRC1kC-wffjUSg/s3212/P1290264.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3067" data-original-width="3212" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHj0GQ7m07WBH8aKq59V57jvIuH9s2mXN8RB9M8gZM2MqF26JXPcONYmzS2UuVdu6c74cdV9-K8jfTPvtHOm4qKkQEGQD0TTBkkj4xBxje5GjgOO_K1pb3IEEY1AxhuxQ-RSb1Gp62Cpt08JfG6TMFxF3PK_6F24yLolr1nRj3M8HD9aRC1kC-wffjUSg/s320/P1290264.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-gCHn4DWC-jsIF0FjlIE5kciXJugrYPAys3sqNzxG_WP1rwWnhn7tdsg5nex7kzrVEJz3aLd584qIwKLHcxjCZbRwNanRKFPBQmfs5n5dhXHiKQvo_lC-KNcCJp267lJ-TAA_LO5pYG4NbKGubtQXwkBAl3sbOKOlR4YrvNVzST1qWkqK4R_LGPp_wA/s3648/P1290356.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-gCHn4DWC-jsIF0FjlIE5kciXJugrYPAys3sqNzxG_WP1rwWnhn7tdsg5nex7kzrVEJz3aLd584qIwKLHcxjCZbRwNanRKFPBQmfs5n5dhXHiKQvo_lC-KNcCJp267lJ-TAA_LO5pYG4NbKGubtQXwkBAl3sbOKOlR4YrvNVzST1qWkqK4R_LGPp_wA/s320/P1290356.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUiLj1C1x-Au1eSozB2IaRo7H_P9b2Ze_Iwlsri1S1APdHOU98Bm4zt_G5139dW6OegsiRTxC-x_3leA9dpUaFdD96BzJeAusMDBKNEmZTgQzYJf9lcrgH9nhgfAiNpPy1H9-fPJjd15NTo4lLF6TNgBOkLMp0klN2QIR9z39tWvLJtB-u09PZxtRYa0/s3323/P1290385.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2696" data-original-width="3323" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUiLj1C1x-Au1eSozB2IaRo7H_P9b2Ze_Iwlsri1S1APdHOU98Bm4zt_G5139dW6OegsiRTxC-x_3leA9dpUaFdD96BzJeAusMDBKNEmZTgQzYJf9lcrgH9nhgfAiNpPy1H9-fPJjd15NTo4lLF6TNgBOkLMp0klN2QIR9z39tWvLJtB-u09PZxtRYa0/s320/P1290385.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxc_u4QMXpLeECJ_v7egSQzMQ19dBjFn89AS-LE6WoMNb50-vJYiVIxS8Ix36OvjkC2DPE2prxTYE61HEMCtWX0XPbbFJn_qdd1iebH31gs9W9ey9GHG9fp6s33LlFenjSmNz2eu50ymaSBWt838NHLU4zibSYcHYlIB-tsWxhWfJemF057lXk9nW_-mI/s3816/P1290440.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3212" data-original-width="3816" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxc_u4QMXpLeECJ_v7egSQzMQ19dBjFn89AS-LE6WoMNb50-vJYiVIxS8Ix36OvjkC2DPE2prxTYE61HEMCtWX0XPbbFJn_qdd1iebH31gs9W9ey9GHG9fp6s33LlFenjSmNz2eu50ymaSBWt838NHLU4zibSYcHYlIB-tsWxhWfJemF057lXk9nW_-mI/s320/P1290440.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyHnh-GQwYPSSlxbLgJ7nRyNY42SI5soQc5f9rzxAhL1nVk78Xo7_lpVvShP679jO2E8TgYDzsvgLBloEjNuw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzyb72n_YrUv9xy8KOFPSQIq44hYabFIWYdoTNvSXM743hSMrBpHVzLl7wRjKppzVe_mBaniYtB44hW5S6xWw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><br /></div>One curious thing about them is their diet. They eat primarily eucalyptus leaves, but they are also very fond of lilac seeds. Unfortunately, lilac seeds are poisonous to them. They have figured out the antidote, though. There is some type of mineral in the ground on the reserve that acts as an antidote to the poison. Therefore, you can see them eating the blooms and seeds from the lilac trees and then see them licking the ground and eating dirt.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaX81Uu1UnZ-NbmOz8nGJrXBI31mQfeGpx3Bj2c4JOLDNORf_OlMXEl2ro3MSySF-PwZak0dcshLVEHK9UfmqHKMLY4TukPG8MrxiYtRdW16Z1LeziX4REUxIrBwv7eXfvA1mDzPQNZOuLb9n_p5BVKMbhFKwmH359a9uYEItz0PbjpnGtpkTz71GL3A/s4655/P1290460.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="4655" height="141" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuaX81Uu1UnZ-NbmOz8nGJrXBI31mQfeGpx3Bj2c4JOLDNORf_OlMXEl2ro3MSySF-PwZak0dcshLVEHK9UfmqHKMLY4TukPG8MrxiYtRdW16Z1LeziX4REUxIrBwv7eXfvA1mDzPQNZOuLb9n_p5BVKMbhFKwmH359a9uYEItz0PbjpnGtpkTz71GL3A/s320/P1290460.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6JB-fuppaNTZ3ExRzBKzv6kPc_9sS2Gn86IHytPK-EnIoQDOUKbxpcVsc2HVZKKaRun2UwfLe7ey_tHNCfWW6UiKRHaV-e0jOtQTPQhdCiyol3Y9afpvn02bUArkrB4TiJnYGO5oS1YAQIc8HxMZWOQO-y4ihz73i3dpiEOrxT7MvdP4eYr-ODozKrs/s5472/P1290469.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6JB-fuppaNTZ3ExRzBKzv6kPc_9sS2Gn86IHytPK-EnIoQDOUKbxpcVsc2HVZKKaRun2UwfLe7ey_tHNCfWW6UiKRHaV-e0jOtQTPQhdCiyol3Y9afpvn02bUArkrB4TiJnYGO5oS1YAQIc8HxMZWOQO-y4ihz73i3dpiEOrxT7MvdP4eYr-ODozKrs/s320/P1290469.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0iT7YNkRyp7A0AFC-Zk3T-IdZyGTRsFV09OHlx2zTubJj0y_lY3hyx8rAdxZZeblvqyCeu_zuqyjR1Ruk1pWLj2p97ngz4sZFp9cp9SzjhVJswHuEAeQIxt9GeU5jNMLCl1LdusTPHo9J-DeDV3hQVRVKLzUh68r2ikgLmU8A2Mlz13MIRG7jOTBbZI/s5472/P1290478.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0iT7YNkRyp7A0AFC-Zk3T-IdZyGTRsFV09OHlx2zTubJj0y_lY3hyx8rAdxZZeblvqyCeu_zuqyjR1Ruk1pWLj2p97ngz4sZFp9cp9SzjhVJswHuEAeQIxt9GeU5jNMLCl1LdusTPHo9J-DeDV3hQVRVKLzUh68r2ikgLmU8A2Mlz13MIRG7jOTBbZI/s320/P1290478.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I guess mother nature has blessed other animals than humans with the desire to find junk food! But, as primates, I guess lemurs are still our cousins, after all!</div><br /><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div><p><br /></p></div></div>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-11626660425166758272023-11-08T11:15:00.000-08:002023-11-08T11:15:57.466-08:00Essential Oils on the Beach and a Historical City<p>After a glorious night, sleeping with the waves crashing just outside, I was all ready for a relaxing day on the intercoastal waterway and the beaches. So, into our tourist canal boat we climbed.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwET-ol2MVCDwbGtvT0R8Wbp7gU5EGGOzDbyUrt6XKJ3PEdtfcfxJ50EJRlV2Zj87V9xhjztUUp3VrN1KiGgQMWrUBATNEgBHqueHY03GQzRbnosVA4qRwmRPOq8-8ho-EQqVJMTS_HXnQaAQO7x8cN96C0q1CpKybHM536GpUWRx5d8tDJzPurU-r_zk/s4608/DSCF1962.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwET-ol2MVCDwbGtvT0R8Wbp7gU5EGGOzDbyUrt6XKJ3PEdtfcfxJ50EJRlV2Zj87V9xhjztUUp3VrN1KiGgQMWrUBATNEgBHqueHY03GQzRbnosVA4qRwmRPOq8-8ho-EQqVJMTS_HXnQaAQO7x8cN96C0q1CpKybHM536GpUWRx5d8tDJzPurU-r_zk/s4608/DSCF1962.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXMp3ROADMnZFEeI87bnJdGkULYT1jtwwmkjdST2ZMSx47FGBBdNNLyDqZYUkzmR9KOo6vgnqQrAJM_5-YLC8Gt0S3fOnNu0MsHkwIKiBHVOCe62xdoM6KF2fm1e1Usjgspz7OnOQl8sR06PkjftbkGjcZ78wEQphh5Eb5w7ZLer7PMVgs5qOvvBE6RM/s4608/DSCF1912.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXMp3ROADMnZFEeI87bnJdGkULYT1jtwwmkjdST2ZMSx47FGBBdNNLyDqZYUkzmR9KOo6vgnqQrAJM_5-YLC8Gt0S3fOnNu0MsHkwIKiBHVOCe62xdoM6KF2fm1e1Usjgspz7OnOQl8sR06PkjftbkGjcZ78wEQphh5Eb5w7ZLer7PMVgs5qOvvBE6RM/s320/DSCF1912.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div></div><p>We stopped at a fishing village to pick up the seafood for our lunch.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjj8DoghNCT6rvcLMJlw7rbovzYT5AnIPVtCyYBUG8XGoaPMsC5njR7hYDGd18eJbxnjHs6i86S5k5XDlY2zNmIzkoyks0owfYbvAciI9JnTP88w2u7U5290MCiLW2UPHztgFZ0K0JsZPRWyzyoyMKAPv7ENY_F823C-o1CQrBwSSuSFR0YAsv4ksmVLo/s4608/DSCF1936.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjj8DoghNCT6rvcLMJlw7rbovzYT5AnIPVtCyYBUG8XGoaPMsC5njR7hYDGd18eJbxnjHs6i86S5k5XDlY2zNmIzkoyks0owfYbvAciI9JnTP88w2u7U5290MCiLW2UPHztgFZ0K0JsZPRWyzyoyMKAPv7ENY_F823C-o1CQrBwSSuSFR0YAsv4ksmVLo/s320/DSCF1936.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I loved this ocean-going boat canoe and its pieced together sail! Most sails were piece-meal like this!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYmrSlJUqBFfuD0kKI-7h8oxGis7CVbxdx4l8jNTO190K4PVZXDah_iHP19ncYl20UTSGWGkYuxfIi1KVocOLGfTBXly6PoYrj0ODCHIRfZRbMdwK4nanB4pBJSxBwhGuUqleMKRrmDcwd84Er9tvhLDffJRBfJyyC8nR8MmMU3HoyMxtSYfsG3DmyD0/s2246/DSCF1928.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2246" data-original-width="1580" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYmrSlJUqBFfuD0kKI-7h8oxGis7CVbxdx4l8jNTO190K4PVZXDah_iHP19ncYl20UTSGWGkYuxfIi1KVocOLGfTBXly6PoYrj0ODCHIRfZRbMdwK4nanB4pBJSxBwhGuUqleMKRrmDcwd84Er9tvhLDffJRBfJyyC8nR8MmMU3HoyMxtSYfsG3DmyD0/s320/DSCF1928.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The waves going around the jetty were brutal for these little canoes. I was surprised the little one with the blue sail in the back (and others like it) made it, but they all did!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nQty8bs_WEtyxgQF2l6Rkxy_HMmNUGEeZTKS6kjLTT1vmnW8W26mrpYEJzyqFAjK53oBIURBeKDUPIB5QEDOWjHPiijTAf3y1LoUJOBmMKgXKkqKwn5NeXmy3y-ptwPf04XuexMAIulVLX3Ydupv9SiO9Nc0P8SAduep-HuCLD6vHdgdqZaKVCxI8p8/s2954/P1280300.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1611" data-original-width="2954" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8nQty8bs_WEtyxgQF2l6Rkxy_HMmNUGEeZTKS6kjLTT1vmnW8W26mrpYEJzyqFAjK53oBIURBeKDUPIB5QEDOWjHPiijTAf3y1LoUJOBmMKgXKkqKwn5NeXmy3y-ptwPf04XuexMAIulVLX3Ydupv9SiO9Nc0P8SAduep-HuCLD6vHdgdqZaKVCxI8p8/s320/P1280300.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After getting our provisions, we cruised along the intercoastal waterways, enjoying a bit of history along the way. We learned that the canal is part natural and part man-made. It is piecemeal, like the sails. It was a pleasant ride, and the crew even sang a few songs to us as we went along. When we got to the second fishing village, some of the crew got out so they could begin cooking our lunch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqGDEz8X2e2oX_q84Ad0r3z5Wgq99yVWgFaZLAZQbThy7XUuBwZIV3b0ocqG8p30mWZBmGpzA9a61h28US6yXcgt_8NjPlFzIPfnjSZWagZB5O9lWuqpO3tvNStAAel9TLOcJtBMIyAP8HJzV65ewQLDHS2cn18u14AxnaRhlY1x6Unxco5MQ5UmNhz0/s2403/DSCF1958.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1474" data-original-width="2403" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjqGDEz8X2e2oX_q84Ad0r3z5Wgq99yVWgFaZLAZQbThy7XUuBwZIV3b0ocqG8p30mWZBmGpzA9a61h28US6yXcgt_8NjPlFzIPfnjSZWagZB5O9lWuqpO3tvNStAAel9TLOcJtBMIyAP8HJzV65ewQLDHS2cn18u14AxnaRhlY1x6Unxco5MQ5UmNhz0/s320/DSCF1958.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We dropped them off and continued on to another beach, where the children playing in the water quickly dispersed so they could come back and try to sell us their parents' handicrafts and other wares.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXgJWnEKY2amjzmd-GW0xb_VuO6FfMW979pU-M2WdTTRewMvCsZCojPM03zsiNNcr1Co7LyyOy-CHtJ1cHtNWXvMaKAGA99isL0C_TYQ66BE5Fd1rM7ThqCOpTrzaeFyF0dxpfEE3AKdagPAlEUM8zxyCd8lPPJwEj2B0ec16C3iZFunMFWqkOrsyrp_o/s4608/DSCF1962.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXgJWnEKY2amjzmd-GW0xb_VuO6FfMW979pU-M2WdTTRewMvCsZCojPM03zsiNNcr1Co7LyyOy-CHtJ1cHtNWXvMaKAGA99isL0C_TYQ66BE5Fd1rM7ThqCOpTrzaeFyF0dxpfEE3AKdagPAlEUM8zxyCd8lPPJwEj2B0ec16C3iZFunMFWqkOrsyrp_o/s320/DSCF1962.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We walked around on this area and received a fleeting education on the flora of the area. I say fleeting because even with my notes and assistance from Google Images, I can't make heads or tails of what a lot of my pictures have. I know all the plants are either spices or medicinal and get used for essential oils, but that's about got it. For one tree, the bark is soft and can be used for bandages or toilet paper. I remember that because a strip of bark made it home in my shorts pocket. I can't remember the name of the bark for sure, so I hope I labeled it right in my shadow box!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is how the beds are laid out for starting the plants. As they get taller, the trays of thatch are raised on the posts.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aFddKBC-L_oAEqBgxeWTsI7Q_P3YOAtULFfk5zTdmV1Dw9ozd3aeEx9Reqd-DzYsE-PM82XBIqiBBpwxEhQZQSHxaXTrMmWLIcU-HbIYZCWXQjDkFXW-VrG5qqBKEdbfjgl3qWNI6kTYBF7mjZEU_mo048AW7nU3Hl1RYEfPDMf8vqgC_MjCGa12APs/s5472/P1280316.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5aFddKBC-L_oAEqBgxeWTsI7Q_P3YOAtULFfk5zTdmV1Dw9ozd3aeEx9Reqd-DzYsE-PM82XBIqiBBpwxEhQZQSHxaXTrMmWLIcU-HbIYZCWXQjDkFXW-VrG5qqBKEdbfjgl3qWNI6kTYBF7mjZEU_mo048AW7nU3Hl1RYEfPDMf8vqgC_MjCGa12APs/s320/P1280316.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The yellow pitcher's plant is on the 2000 Ariary note.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1z1Gxn2tcQ2skw1gjNIHJoYZMofDzScz-mqL4m6ZaLlV5IBaa1Ga-mUESFwW6vP04CqR3-h12Zyy8tBimOWVfOM1sku99eAlTJPVHgOdYfVjtNeClt0-eLVbbXVGjVWL0SwUE1sro8sNm721BkJDtJSWkzQ8gvUqH7XjCrikypFfVMkSe7MGOkf37tY/s5472/P1280329.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK1z1Gxn2tcQ2skw1gjNIHJoYZMofDzScz-mqL4m6ZaLlV5IBaa1Ga-mUESFwW6vP04CqR3-h12Zyy8tBimOWVfOM1sku99eAlTJPVHgOdYfVjtNeClt0-eLVbbXVGjVWL0SwUE1sro8sNm721BkJDtJSWkzQ8gvUqH7XjCrikypFfVMkSe7MGOkf37tY/s320/P1280329.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here's a red one. For those who don't know, this plant is carnivorous. Insects fall inside and cannot get out. The plant's digestive juices dissolve them and they are absorbed into the plant. My mom had one in the house along with a Venus fly trap when I was growing up. It's the only one I recognized right away and remembered when I got back!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf8ddPcj21vBZtGIgvN_-7by3BuzCqG-Ma5Szrsl9ODpexH2WesaB9pAvBW49liMVB22ozz3PZqnuUoFhUTvo_zYhr7CH30P6pfuk4oluANUgz_AJrJd8LBBFTsoAde0mw8rastELcNb8Yhzszcc6REsP7iWn6-RJVwIBCht9PoY9OJK2GT5iJWONe_E/s5472/P1280341.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWf8ddPcj21vBZtGIgvN_-7by3BuzCqG-Ma5Szrsl9ODpexH2WesaB9pAvBW49liMVB22ozz3PZqnuUoFhUTvo_zYhr7CH30P6pfuk4oluANUgz_AJrJd8LBBFTsoAde0mw8rastELcNb8Yhzszcc6REsP7iWn6-RJVwIBCht9PoY9OJK2GT5iJWONe_E/s320/P1280341.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another thing I didn't know is that essential oils are distilled just like alcohol! If any of my "hillbilly" friends get caught, just tell them you're making essential oils! The still is even set up the same (except they carry water to and fro instead of setting it up by a creek)! They just have a layer of oil to separate from the water instead of alcohol when they're done!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuzyHYlgvyfyjBp2prJIIHq47TuIPWQDMkCVlz4ZNwBJgTVqm2dHXKCl2JaYvOA9if-IO4A120ulI_Q-pMdP-tqSZPbU91ydBsO5K8gegOwAh92CApMsUD4jWOuGQ7bBmxcZqdVEO7hLy3Lq6hRGF6dzIoaNNyAz8hptEizXxpyQGlUacpWkqn0cNKoY/s5472/P1280348.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuzyHYlgvyfyjBp2prJIIHq47TuIPWQDMkCVlz4ZNwBJgTVqm2dHXKCl2JaYvOA9if-IO4A120ulI_Q-pMdP-tqSZPbU91ydBsO5K8gegOwAh92CApMsUD4jWOuGQ7bBmxcZqdVEO7hLy3Lq6hRGF6dzIoaNNyAz8hptEizXxpyQGlUacpWkqn0cNKoY/s320/P1280348.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After learning how to distill leaves and barks for essential oils and the properties of the oils distilled here, we went back to the village where we dropped off the rest of our crew. Lunch was almost done! We had a few minutes to walk on the ocean side of the beach before eating.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_t1MhmQggIiLSwIOwx5RX1qpDH7HBEXjZWFMrwE8iVtcgkQBzU9djrHVBMpXt78KO9f4Fjf8vbpUzLMBwezxWLEv9-qQxqFI_xD_rkdvBy95bz8WIL2FtfdzqnDT9nrGX0AfTCZlpgCPDqcMDS7nGw5RWQLOAGJryWfDJcYEZNmePkWvXoJjiArALmE4/s5472/P1290014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_t1MhmQggIiLSwIOwx5RX1qpDH7HBEXjZWFMrwE8iVtcgkQBzU9djrHVBMpXt78KO9f4Fjf8vbpUzLMBwezxWLEv9-qQxqFI_xD_rkdvBy95bz8WIL2FtfdzqnDT9nrGX0AfTCZlpgCPDqcMDS7nGw5RWQLOAGJryWfDJcYEZNmePkWvXoJjiArALmE4/s320/P1290014.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We were told to leave this hermit crab alone because he would hurt us. I just took them at their words because they live there and I don't, but I now wonder if they were just afraid we'd get pinched or if there was something toxic about him. I can't find any information on Google about saltwater crabs that are toxic when not ingested.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdht_yt2RXJXtLkPg4OgHULmm05G9WAEnkoWIpFler_6V2vn7K_cgJCVndF9At96Z1g-gMf29lAj6AAJJjnpW4I0hbUJjtFnnQ0IxGsgIr5H-a3xRGzjOceddFCMWcD9GVApjEUbWIf57xZw2t7P4QYaV92yBiIGk6Pm5rA5C2ZR7WKTEF8LuaaCvfKRo/s2831/P1290018.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2630" data-original-width="2831" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdht_yt2RXJXtLkPg4OgHULmm05G9WAEnkoWIpFler_6V2vn7K_cgJCVndF9At96Z1g-gMf29lAj6AAJJjnpW4I0hbUJjtFnnQ0IxGsgIr5H-a3xRGzjOceddFCMWcD9GVApjEUbWIf57xZw2t7P4QYaV92yBiIGk6Pm5rA5C2ZR7WKTEF8LuaaCvfKRo/s320/P1290018.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We bought some vanilla on the beach</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5A9cPMrFRhO6wZf9rT4otKnkSM5yf1_yi4SS3K0XI6JSDJiAa8t7K5iNwy9LnWedskvS3FHeMRIE22x0fQkrHWzth7x6R7mbF9dbCctXSB7hjRL-C_h7by5voH1CpA2OO7o_0sSKE8S3jWyJYiINRulNk03B2OEPU4p1eNx8T3FSS6CjrDzK2TgEX1X0/s5472/P1290030.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5A9cPMrFRhO6wZf9rT4otKnkSM5yf1_yi4SS3K0XI6JSDJiAa8t7K5iNwy9LnWedskvS3FHeMRIE22x0fQkrHWzth7x6R7mbF9dbCctXSB7hjRL-C_h7by5voH1CpA2OO7o_0sSKE8S3jWyJYiINRulNk03B2OEPU4p1eNx8T3FSS6CjrDzK2TgEX1X0/s320/P1290030.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Et voila! It looks as delicious as it tasted!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheL0xrNwSSUPLlFfmYqxsj0s2UELKNW68Wp4OB6o5-nSCzVYMrDasPmbG5tbeiKp6z1g3TqAYC58Wj5GgmHXgRWxd6051DgudeQybk6S_iwzHyOoHBgehkalIoeO9ejd9Z7LFhKamFuQuD0187fJM3RuXWqMa10mx5W2MzMLr_AkrF-fyu8g5LjFEQh8/s5472/P1290034.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiheL0xrNwSSUPLlFfmYqxsj0s2UELKNW68Wp4OB6o5-nSCzVYMrDasPmbG5tbeiKp6z1g3TqAYC58Wj5GgmHXgRWxd6051DgudeQybk6S_iwzHyOoHBgehkalIoeO9ejd9Z7LFhKamFuQuD0187fJM3RuXWqMa10mx5W2MzMLr_AkrF-fyu8g5LjFEQh8/s320/P1290034.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After lunch, we headed to Fianarantsoa. Because of the lack of infrastructure and good roads in Madagascar, that meant doubling back through Ranomafana before heading southwest. We got a flat on the way, which Niko and Joushia changed quick as a flash! It was probably from a pothole, which are plenty on the island. While the roads are better than the ones in Ecuador, they still have interesting ways to mark off roads that have fallen down the hill! So, whatdya think, Bruce or Ecuador peeps? Which would you prefer - white paint and a rock or orange paint and a stick?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_u9dmdBsC_2RZIzDSODR38_aBAbxx1ipU8FXVXICFf5q5F_9twVNCnqEru5smHGuv6O1oLaC99Xq308xZlB71yxDcmD96SCk3518mP5Z6gxygMjmpr6F_x8KiluTrxS2YNQNlgPVuNheICPbJtVNVXhadCuBru7VkwhwcYesML1uTfzWrtjwOYH1i7wc/s5472/P1290041.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_u9dmdBsC_2RZIzDSODR38_aBAbxx1ipU8FXVXICFf5q5F_9twVNCnqEru5smHGuv6O1oLaC99Xq308xZlB71yxDcmD96SCk3518mP5Z6gxygMjmpr6F_x8KiluTrxS2YNQNlgPVuNheICPbJtVNVXhadCuBru7VkwhwcYesML1uTfzWrtjwOYH1i7wc/s320/P1290041.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Also, the bananas grow naturally here, just like in Uganda. No bagged bananas on the trees here!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pQ7yZRRXW-auslfhVkD2H_uxw71aGBLRe-BGLGqoo4rN_ac3fFZcotEicSNdWouS3ppNZHMo6S5L2TgYDhgj6MLaWknXt3J0rZp5E483BNwfk6IDuuEHj0tnjME3UCu0bZ3aPI4I7bD6WmFv1yOBqjt-NDWKqtMPdsKrlh5ls3URsUlZ6KDs0v_cUng/s5472/P1290045.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pQ7yZRRXW-auslfhVkD2H_uxw71aGBLRe-BGLGqoo4rN_ac3fFZcotEicSNdWouS3ppNZHMo6S5L2TgYDhgj6MLaWknXt3J0rZp5E483BNwfk6IDuuEHj0tnjME3UCu0bZ3aPI4I7bD6WmFv1yOBqjt-NDWKqtMPdsKrlh5ls3URsUlZ6KDs0v_cUng/s320/P1290045.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We arrived at Fianarantsoa after dark and got settled into our hotel. Again, Joushia had to sort us out. This time, I messaged the tour operator and let him know there were issues with the hotel he had booked. This one had an unlit stairwell and only a trickle of water in the bathroom. But it slept well, and there was a balcony where I could put my clothes that hadn't dried in Manakara out. They were dry by morning. There was a decent view of the city outside my window.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNk3XN0eWiXGBMVmljnVl8-LBmb00c6fTuPCPMYA0YdYIJ5DhN1wBbDZRP2hNXwstWrHvmJ_e9wFSi45Pfm1DQG9LM2Sj3_UeNEKqQrXXuy4w_PTowg3j42oTU4u6l-buzdqDiF8klMHmQSuvVOMI5j9jlCYgNcgDFV2DqNe5yzLq_XELWahtZN_BGJFY/s5472/P1290050.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNk3XN0eWiXGBMVmljnVl8-LBmb00c6fTuPCPMYA0YdYIJ5DhN1wBbDZRP2hNXwstWrHvmJ_e9wFSi45Pfm1DQG9LM2Sj3_UeNEKqQrXXuy4w_PTowg3j42oTU4u6l-buzdqDiF8klMHmQSuvVOMI5j9jlCYgNcgDFV2DqNe5yzLq_XELWahtZN_BGJFY/s320/P1290050.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Fianarantsoa means "good education" in Malagasy, and it boasts a number of universities and other educational institutions. It is the hub of education and wine making in the country, though many of the educational institutions are also religion based, mostly Lutheran, Protestant, and Catholic. The native religion is a form of animism. Many of the tribes still practice the ritual of exhuming the remains of ancestors every five years or so (when the shaman says it's time) to clean and re-wrap them, taking them around to visit their descendants before returning them to their tombs. We took a walk around the old city and enjoyed ourselves.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIk1IsfL5LNxsujyB-l1chcpm_eN8IOS-1ZIBP8X6G0UCchx7VSWuWiYU-LXwLlS7AmWOjjNcMET8o0ZhtmLWBys0gKLVnVQrZo7KZLk8PlHG_ixkiMefU1QWxGiuidvEP45fxISjpwsFRuueEa4ISKNb6QEl4YQF9FyUos_mSCwn1HTqGPimtVG99yQ/s5472/P1290058.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIk1IsfL5LNxsujyB-l1chcpm_eN8IOS-1ZIBP8X6G0UCchx7VSWuWiYU-LXwLlS7AmWOjjNcMET8o0ZhtmLWBys0gKLVnVQrZo7KZLk8PlHG_ixkiMefU1QWxGiuidvEP45fxISjpwsFRuueEa4ISKNb6QEl4YQF9FyUos_mSCwn1HTqGPimtVG99yQ/s320/P1290058.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2wvVEl2rC1PRg3IgMTO3_dyNdfYystMhFkQz3LiTiZmpXnFdL7rjAiQv6-iBEQRs5DQ0VwczJhSf1KeKKCcPzRhA_djnBQW-dO30GewNCsAUdi8f94W8lb6w9YC198206CzPc11KIfVXD2CX8fq6Zka8ekjOh-bA1UgTeqx662ckzy15vJ0Eo8biwIA/s5472/P1290068.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs2wvVEl2rC1PRg3IgMTO3_dyNdfYystMhFkQz3LiTiZmpXnFdL7rjAiQv6-iBEQRs5DQ0VwczJhSf1KeKKCcPzRhA_djnBQW-dO30GewNCsAUdi8f94W8lb6w9YC198206CzPc11KIfVXD2CX8fq6Zka8ekjOh-bA1UgTeqx662ckzy15vJ0Eo8biwIA/s320/P1290068.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Remember the orb weaving spider from earlier? There are a whole bunch of them here! I passed this quickly!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuPCNTAlvWJrwH5A9q1adSnu6egGYCr966oE9ZcLoKZbf9w_HDZLzeBTmDK3A2Z__11VbCxXcKPFPXYfgfuZ_9e0MvGHaZIDaukEr8u8ZRZPAy5VMCrlaBXGJ2rJw2uBOFm5w8AorxtE-5F7wl1htChHWXpnbQBWm_BwREAWjpPlebqxSg-ca8jOY-8M/s5472/P1290073.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieuPCNTAlvWJrwH5A9q1adSnu6egGYCr966oE9ZcLoKZbf9w_HDZLzeBTmDK3A2Z__11VbCxXcKPFPXYfgfuZ_9e0MvGHaZIDaukEr8u8ZRZPAy5VMCrlaBXGJ2rJw2uBOFm5w8AorxtE-5F7wl1htChHWXpnbQBWm_BwREAWjpPlebqxSg-ca8jOY-8M/s320/P1290073.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This pair of doors is carved with relief of the old city. Lovely! There is a girls school on the other side.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3BgIAOfRXUePjYSvI0UZmH-6pFh0Hmsvl63EnYoIzj6NyLpWbP_sInTT_3B0xCneJq7XD4qg9JJb7dEKgmU-sbWVKwEEN6gWSSPdZS4rr_a8Ubn-6rCnba1GofEnYltKRV18Yr_w6yUwKR0ZF-uCC25A8o_GwRvD8k1DWCsj53i10K6FQErPcPudyKo/s5472/P1290082.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ3BgIAOfRXUePjYSvI0UZmH-6pFh0Hmsvl63EnYoIzj6NyLpWbP_sInTT_3B0xCneJq7XD4qg9JJb7dEKgmU-sbWVKwEEN6gWSSPdZS4rr_a8Ubn-6rCnba1GofEnYltKRV18Yr_w6yUwKR0ZF-uCC25A8o_GwRvD8k1DWCsj53i10K6FQErPcPudyKo/s320/P1290082.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On our way back to the car, we met our first ringtailed lemur! This guy apparently used to be a pet, but was set free. Now, the neighborhood treats him like a pet and he roams around the area with food and water available in multiple locations. Not the ideal environ, but it's what is familiar to him, and he seems happy and healthy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxu-oN06L_iC42JpQ2KWQmQztmQVJgu-mH8AwW0-WV9xbuBLT1057xNe5ln2oHZpIRC0O4uPbatw5s-4JiaHQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we got back to the car, we hit the ATM for some cash, the post office to mail off post cards, and the supermarket for another big bottle of cola without sugar before heading to our next destination!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><p></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-69666904701698568602023-11-07T14:49:00.000-08:002023-11-07T14:49:36.771-08:00Ranomafana to the Indian Ocean!<p>Once Joushia got our rooms sorted out and we dropped our bags, off we headed to the park. Time for another night walk. Our local guide here was Linda, as pretty as her name suggests and with eyes that I'm convinced can spot anything! She (and other local guides) were smart enough to bait the mouse lemurs with little bits of banana this time and encouraged everyone to be quite. Anytime the lemurs got spooked, the lights were put out until they had time to settle back down. We got some amazing looks! And I got some nice shots. They move so quickly, it was difficult to get any stills, but I got several wonderful videos. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyLYbaJFKeCDAbzA32bzkAul7bWw5hVAzQMxetfOIzr1NltoGMtpg_cqaaA-D_nCbH-MrSHUESnCI4BnvRbnw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After some time with the the Mort look-alikes, we headed on to see what else we could find. And we found so many reptiles and insects!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bright-Eyed Frog</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7B-MN-n7TGkSCJ_k4M-6vIreNdZq41M1iaqE_-yuLrryy-9vwbNbl0SD6HZEJmVbeLL90QNYqiyJzsCNgd4EY1G0twcYMozFnhl6s4cpOzPi-W5I9P_iqVbKJ1D7Tz2DxdkzFeiZA0QA2Wr74fW-Ce_t2OMcpZZ5vORJAKABx1ZUMn6ZkCBPISchmNc/s2249/P1280150.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2126" data-original-width="2249" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk7B-MN-n7TGkSCJ_k4M-6vIreNdZq41M1iaqE_-yuLrryy-9vwbNbl0SD6HZEJmVbeLL90QNYqiyJzsCNgd4EY1G0twcYMozFnhl6s4cpOzPi-W5I9P_iqVbKJ1D7Tz2DxdkzFeiZA0QA2Wr74fW-Ce_t2OMcpZZ5vORJAKABx1ZUMn6ZkCBPISchmNc/s320/P1280150.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nose-Horned Chameleon</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxS-gmUfFWzpecJxgEDNgyw5Xf972C-5kOSx5f0hYgq3s-RxakTlPWE-IL2KgpRCchcY2bgBGrZ4k6zJIPhQGqrc0Zrw6vOXgLusuhpBNo7hNtaK2X6YtlABtmxudWLgtCKDo2iL9qdDylgeZLQOjLE7nyM50V9IF_4i8DAlucxHakB3_0VCXyyMqR29c/s2559/P1280151.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2559" data-original-width="1651" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxS-gmUfFWzpecJxgEDNgyw5Xf972C-5kOSx5f0hYgq3s-RxakTlPWE-IL2KgpRCchcY2bgBGrZ4k6zJIPhQGqrc0Zrw6vOXgLusuhpBNo7hNtaK2X6YtlABtmxudWLgtCKDo2iL9qdDylgeZLQOjLE7nyM50V9IF_4i8DAlucxHakB3_0VCXyyMqR29c/s320/P1280151.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">another Bright-Eyed Frog. You can see his eye better.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf59P8_vrbs6NGldhbafQdyMdPleBjf5e9cGN-RYaKTV6g4-99xYA19tXSwrVXyoeWkkdyTEfqbC3-Q9C0lCGHxVIMwYYSK5MvVU8cvMBq-g00tFL-kNzpg7ZwKflNlAcRfb4VvG8z3gG9XVPsSTK4LTRfeZUvFR_pDp7l-F6YQB09oAmhJubouijQc4/s2171/P1280158.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1981" data-original-width="2171" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFf59P8_vrbs6NGldhbafQdyMdPleBjf5e9cGN-RYaKTV6g4-99xYA19tXSwrVXyoeWkkdyTEfqbC3-Q9C0lCGHxVIMwYYSK5MvVU8cvMBq-g00tFL-kNzpg7ZwKflNlAcRfb4VvG8z3gG9XVPsSTK4LTRfeZUvFR_pDp7l-F6YQB09oAmhJubouijQc4/s320/P1280158.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We think this one was a baby, potentially a Parson's or Panther, but were not sure.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QJHUqAwRiL_ZdRXCluD65Zfo2i83gIA_vaVc9vaTT20wFpHwY_k4pRRM6pGtOMUcQtwnhBgC9WZKN6jHHfn4ekLi8E7BqrjebUsCXBvyoA13IuCR7DZ45prumd2ZwENn8m1Alp8MYzxZm-Vz26fsjqpA__5oSaFlA09GfXLc5WEK6Ms4U7pLfMia_WA/s2216/P1280167.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2071" data-original-width="2216" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9QJHUqAwRiL_ZdRXCluD65Zfo2i83gIA_vaVc9vaTT20wFpHwY_k4pRRM6pGtOMUcQtwnhBgC9WZKN6jHHfn4ekLi8E7BqrjebUsCXBvyoA13IuCR7DZ45prumd2ZwENn8m1Alp8MYzxZm-Vz26fsjqpA__5oSaFlA09GfXLc5WEK6Ms4U7pLfMia_WA/s320/P1280167.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Stick Insect</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtNvHEvQ2-FGLgizt25fngre7g5-A4saXxRVQfoqTwB7Y4zvhq7Kym53t6xb_RVdLVU9CN0FeVSglHeR_2bSBCm7Wld6p0HzvWlVQq54YbcPnRPCFam1SNA_3j2TLoG46MAU1qjQEMjbHDtCBFbpV2XAFBq8KjL0CkxLPX8dxkS2Uzr2Q_-3dRpqYhck/s5472/P1280171.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbtNvHEvQ2-FGLgizt25fngre7g5-A4saXxRVQfoqTwB7Y4zvhq7Kym53t6xb_RVdLVU9CN0FeVSglHeR_2bSBCm7Wld6p0HzvWlVQq54YbcPnRPCFam1SNA_3j2TLoG46MAU1qjQEMjbHDtCBFbpV2XAFBq8KjL0CkxLPX8dxkS2Uzr2Q_-3dRpqYhck/s320/P1280171.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Google Images says it is an O'Shaughnessyi Chameleon, but Linda said Parson's Chameleon. The two are very closely related, so it could be either one.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzJOSFHt1wZMYTu0HLzL3GvZ7c9RONXNzcez2jqwAlnW_B7dVYLc3BH2PCyX6ThX67V9eeSyZ1ft3UeL-3HhnBioskd9hV97E0Wein3FxPuZVIfqToo-OZyTD1EXoX5wZKRRbnT4s9FfbvZAo-jC_bIkgT3QVdq6aEAlHZ7tNREUZwqMRMyKmAziUtCc/s2439/P1280172.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1801" data-original-width="2439" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZzJOSFHt1wZMYTu0HLzL3GvZ7c9RONXNzcez2jqwAlnW_B7dVYLc3BH2PCyX6ThX67V9eeSyZ1ft3UeL-3HhnBioskd9hV97E0Wein3FxPuZVIfqToo-OZyTD1EXoX5wZKRRbnT4s9FfbvZAo-jC_bIkgT3QVdq6aEAlHZ7tNREUZwqMRMyKmAziUtCc/s320/P1280172.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And then we got this little bright-eyed frog doing his throat thing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dySHHa2OJzBMvgRRUfAGjAT0JdAWsmofetqjPkftngHse5SMtVbsBgxyR-2lZt48mpOtXw968wBG1u8TBgEzw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We saw a lot more reptiles and bugs than most of the other people who were on the night walk. It started sprinkling, so most of them went back after seeing the mouse lemur. We, however, decided we were neither sugar nor the other, so we stayed out. The reptiles seemed to like the sprinkles. We went so far that we had to call Niko to pick us up at a different spot! And we were late getting back to the hotel causing the restaurant guy to huff when serving our dinner that we had ordered before leaving. Then he pretty much ran us out of the restaurant. I mean, it was closing time, so I can't really blame him, but he could have been a little more pleasant about it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, off to bed, where the mosquito net didn't fit the bed and the extension cord was wonky. Between bug bites and having to jiggle the cord to get the BiPAP working again, it wasn't a good sleep. But, I was still ready to go see some lemurs! And I have learned to carry the hydration tablets with me! I got a couple of nice shots after breakfast while Joushia and Niko were loading the car.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Rice paddies</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLt7Djv8VL5emUFLezeHE0NijFK_gWFTiMvAN4_x0c7TiFnlzVx5bVci3SyYuhJF7EfxpwMcG_9zXUZ-tSaB1MbbWMYv_hbxjJkVY4eZevLpTfTV-R_wB61n5jpmznttG5c2IHkLJnA5ZnugXgQjTNhPTIJA9KcPio6Fd5Iv4dhbuSPc6UPyveBc2-io/s5472/P1280184.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoLt7Djv8VL5emUFLezeHE0NijFK_gWFTiMvAN4_x0c7TiFnlzVx5bVci3SyYuhJF7EfxpwMcG_9zXUZ-tSaB1MbbWMYv_hbxjJkVY4eZevLpTfTV-R_wB61n5jpmznttG5c2IHkLJnA5ZnugXgQjTNhPTIJA9KcPio6Fd5Iv4dhbuSPc6UPyveBc2-io/s320/P1280184.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Red-Legged Golden Orb Weaver (golden because of the yellowish-tint to the web)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20tPy6v1a2lRzMcQxA18aC824MCk-t4RlRd8CDOoFpYf2NjxW-jWQ7aAdrbSVD1InYwosnp22Sso4dIb4AckGgukCs0tdmxdRvzxgdwAyLbXEAo4bC85okV1LfZZka584VIT1KNTzr-rvFTu4Ananb72KGQdt5RnK9hdBnDngUvwAFCUfbicLg7DcqMQ/s5472/P1280186.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20tPy6v1a2lRzMcQxA18aC824MCk-t4RlRd8CDOoFpYf2NjxW-jWQ7aAdrbSVD1InYwosnp22Sso4dIb4AckGgukCs0tdmxdRvzxgdwAyLbXEAo4bC85okV1LfZZka584VIT1KNTzr-rvFTu4Ananb72KGQdt5RnK9hdBnDngUvwAFCUfbicLg7DcqMQ/s320/P1280186.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We picked Linda up in town and headed to the park for a more significant hike than I was expecting. While we were still in the easy part, she pointed out lots of the plants and insects, and we came across this beautiful weaver!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_YIfdJ_0fBET6HdrNVC4pD5MSNIq-JVEiZamhNbEb7JyZBogBUXPuISJJFszOxZX_BpvHsh1aAHtOTkZy0R73t647CFZz11fwWQeWJetCeqq-6NUVYQiT0KujHowUrUVypLPrwfZF3qNgAzETTx8m9j4lw-mtKT6UmGPJgt6bEFKvE_aRVOd4Id29Nc/s1768/P1280209.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1768" data-original-width="1578" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp_YIfdJ_0fBET6HdrNVC4pD5MSNIq-JVEiZamhNbEb7JyZBogBUXPuISJJFszOxZX_BpvHsh1aAHtOTkZy0R73t647CFZz11fwWQeWJetCeqq-6NUVYQiT0KujHowUrUVypLPrwfZF3qNgAzETTx8m9j4lw-mtKT6UmGPJgt6bEFKvE_aRVOd4Id29Nc/s320/P1280209.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Good thing I had my hydration! At one point, she gave me a choice to either follow the tracker to the Red-Fronted Lemur that was moving quickly and may or may not be well seen or follow her to the Red-Bellied Lemur that was sitting still, but also a pretty good hike away. I chose to go to the one that was most likely to be seen instead of the one that had already run from us several times! I did send my camera with the tracker for some pictures. These were the best shots he could get of the red-fronted lemur, so I think I made a good choice!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgtlni5HORWk72LopTsUeUjEVNTu3U-yQIRgEIfdosLt55GKgeiK3ABrMItMGMIJrun2-lWl3z4Isx_wpwqiTsC5l-l4ws1ga8tuDJosOI28aOe_GTV1BwlkmpTxXHf3VFPhP1oiSa1xwUzfITGnpr4nlrSfsaUGrAOgYVdqXzlxkc1zbFEu9fSCtRAo/s1981/P1280220.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1545" data-original-width="1981" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgtlni5HORWk72LopTsUeUjEVNTu3U-yQIRgEIfdosLt55GKgeiK3ABrMItMGMIJrun2-lWl3z4Isx_wpwqiTsC5l-l4ws1ga8tuDJosOI28aOe_GTV1BwlkmpTxXHf3VFPhP1oiSa1xwUzfITGnpr4nlrSfsaUGrAOgYVdqXzlxkc1zbFEu9fSCtRAo/s320/P1280220.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">She wasn't kidding when she said it was a steep hike to get to the red-bellied lemur! At one point, she was pulling me uphill while Joushia was pushing! I hope the seat of my pants hadn't already split by then! (When I got home and did laundry, I noticed I had split out the seat of my pants that I wore on the more intense hikes, like the chimp, gorilla, and golden monkey treks, and most of these park hikes in Madagascar!) But, I'm guessing I probably split them when I had to rest and sat on a rotten stump, which was perfectly positioned to take a bunch of shots of this beauty! And we got there at about the same time the tracker made it with my camera! Worked out great!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhor-PyC-EbbTJoVkfaYOV4gBjf9e_-jGigkWnF2B15CL9X95qfEKJ2PaacvGya_4Tbrz7bq5JjbtBM7tCalV-6tquwBGTyqUfGyiG9SfXNNwlUwEgigm-Iipql7NJafstjf4JLhkzQ3nye6Pti2tac_DvTqLB3ceVS0oc_6A94z2avyP3YsPTXJusxnbo/s2171/P1280249.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1925" data-original-width="2171" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhor-PyC-EbbTJoVkfaYOV4gBjf9e_-jGigkWnF2B15CL9X95qfEKJ2PaacvGya_4Tbrz7bq5JjbtBM7tCalV-6tquwBGTyqUfGyiG9SfXNNwlUwEgigm-Iipql7NJafstjf4JLhkzQ3nye6Pti2tac_DvTqLB3ceVS0oc_6A94z2avyP3YsPTXJusxnbo/s320/P1280249.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we finished the trek and took Linda back to town, we headed east to the beach. This would be my first time at the Indian Ocean, so I was kinda excited! We decided for lunch that we didn't want to stop at a tourist place, where the options were spaghetti, vegetable soup, or something else we could get just about anywhere. We wanted authentic Malagasy food, like what the guys ate. So, we were able to convince them to take us to lunch with them. OMG! It was delicious! It looks like nothing special, but the local restaurants aren't catering to tourists who may come from places where food is bland. For the locals, they aren't afraid to use the spices and other seasonings! It's not served spicy hot, but spices are used liberally and expertly for a very satisfying taste experience! The choice was zebu (beef), chicken, or pork. I chose zebu. The local common lunch is rice, meat in sauce, and a broth that can be put over the rice. There is chili on the table to be used at your discretion if you want a spicy hot. Joushia warned me to use it sparingly, and he was sooo right! It was some good stuff! A little dab will do you, even if you like spicy food! So, I put a little bit more in and mixed it with my rice! I think that was the one of the best meals I had on the island!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTbjufUJyoFYA2fiDULDVtzwxVmT-WfDBVGStFsyM7ARG1bAZ7jpNgEdUSodPZ6PG0WZWkAvV4NxncFy54iBEdncpIaBn5QeYjz6Y3ISkrF5sFbMTVWXPIvTkjOVX5LOLKr8wRAEuPTszcF7j46bTfnw7LsYyn0ehcQOQ2COy4pW0ztMbTVKRd_hTUgY/s5472/P1280283.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaTbjufUJyoFYA2fiDULDVtzwxVmT-WfDBVGStFsyM7ARG1bAZ7jpNgEdUSodPZ6PG0WZWkAvV4NxncFy54iBEdncpIaBn5QeYjz6Y3ISkrF5sFbMTVWXPIvTkjOVX5LOLKr8wRAEuPTszcF7j46bTfnw7LsYyn0ehcQOQ2COy4pW0ztMbTVKRd_hTUgY/s320/P1280283.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We got to our cabins right on the beach in Manakara with plenty of time to take a swim in the Indian Ocean! Definitely an active ocean, and I enjoyed every second of it! A great session of hydrotherapy on my joints!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSNPDBf3vSdH0Pj44g6T2cVA1737EWnYRD7SM_b8CqXgn1J60RypugX33QPGig7QLvqsDDOSy2MkKPF1qrFxRR4DcWDkDaUlj3oaoBq87kclQh7VMvmxAhwtRVQc2zeyJgFdxU3AWPPXNc-F8AgDeHYMJPdzY_W42md4Dxak4h6C4MksaiEJIbwBeyFM/s1186/IMG-20230930-WA0005%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="739" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGSNPDBf3vSdH0Pj44g6T2cVA1737EWnYRD7SM_b8CqXgn1J60RypugX33QPGig7QLvqsDDOSy2MkKPF1qrFxRR4DcWDkDaUlj3oaoBq87kclQh7VMvmxAhwtRVQc2zeyJgFdxU3AWPPXNc-F8AgDeHYMJPdzY_W42md4Dxak4h6C4MksaiEJIbwBeyFM/s320/IMG-20230930-WA0005%5B1%5D.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBXmS_dbe9rDALLToXR3njQQQ4GyuxOuMRkg_Ne_JcXcVW88eBrBRaScqA1BBqBhNPnUGnmOO1btseeHZeNkKyBuZJOi_kXLpuhXlxDKb2hITXA7Jvqv4J9xS93E5s3V5C-FySvu9_eExW_mvM9rbwM8Bgd2yVipSihYg8X3aP9vGDtRTjezuA0JWVQ0/s1600/IMG-20230930-WA0004%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBXmS_dbe9rDALLToXR3njQQQ4GyuxOuMRkg_Ne_JcXcVW88eBrBRaScqA1BBqBhNPnUGnmOO1btseeHZeNkKyBuZJOi_kXLpuhXlxDKb2hITXA7Jvqv4J9xS93E5s3V5C-FySvu9_eExW_mvM9rbwM8Bgd2yVipSihYg8X3aP9vGDtRTjezuA0JWVQ0/s320/IMG-20230930-WA0004%5B1%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The intent was to go back into town for a local dinner, but you know me and a beach! So, I washed out some underwear and socks to put out on the deck overnight with my bathing suit, and spent the evening at the restaurant staring at the beach and loading pictures. Maybe we'll eat in town tomorrow, but tonight, I have the ocean, and I will sleep like a rock!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-38797582864715945142023-11-06T12:23:00.000-08:002023-11-06T12:23:14.067-08:00Artisans of AntsirabeAfter breakfast, we hit the road again, heading to the City of Water, Antisirabe. It's called the City of Water because of the multiple spas and baths there, but we didn't visit those. Antsirabe actually means "where there is a lot of salt" because the soil is rich in salt and other minerals. We didn't go out of town to see the mines, either. We focused on the artisans. On the way, we stopped in Ambatolampy to learn how they melt down old aluminum parts (like car parts) and turn them into beautiful nick-nacks or useful pots and pans. We watched them make pots.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">They start with this.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzK4NwFLvV27naItuuvRP68aCNg7RMVL9UBmD3QEGAD7gGWXNF_twag5Z8_wxJVn3xOWPCwcgdwaXY_m5zITqQfBHnKfqsW-KCydpknz57s3XhFN22natBUXCR3iDDTqna6JnB268v5UC-5PH6xTj4uf0R8X3lY-JnGyytu0I7UgB2Tpulz2i5ZWA6a-Y/s5472/P1270721.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzK4NwFLvV27naItuuvRP68aCNg7RMVL9UBmD3QEGAD7gGWXNF_twag5Z8_wxJVn3xOWPCwcgdwaXY_m5zITqQfBHnKfqsW-KCydpknz57s3XhFN22natBUXCR3iDDTqna6JnB268v5UC-5PH6xTj4uf0R8X3lY-JnGyytu0I7UgB2Tpulz2i5ZWA6a-Y/s320/P1270721.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then they melt them into globs like these.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQjXH2iU9LwEAy497_n8L9TncyyHMzeRqGf0UxGerrqg1rCZa_WYLdIoQknISu3wxb-ZxToRkbYHwqWr-T4Tmp9SwseLdhFJEtTbu3JtxBdemLih5JZAlgLxIzkw2Q6p5cSJ_wt9gEsMXZJsaTwtu8lEIGRMXZeTJc4kZDtX8WG_wS-n5TC9xMlDscj0/s5472/P1270728.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifQjXH2iU9LwEAy497_n8L9TncyyHMzeRqGf0UxGerrqg1rCZa_WYLdIoQknISu3wxb-ZxToRkbYHwqWr-T4Tmp9SwseLdhFJEtTbu3JtxBdemLih5JZAlgLxIzkw2Q6p5cSJ_wt9gEsMXZJsaTwtu8lEIGRMXZeTJc4kZDtX8WG_wS-n5TC9xMlDscj0/s320/P1270728.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Then, they start making the item, in this case, cooking pots. This is making the frame. Notice that when he removes the already made pot from this frame and puts the top back on, there will be a small space between the packed dirt that was inside the "template" pot and the packed dirt that was around that pot.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2pxifJEPTvw" width="320" youtube-src-id="2pxifJEPTvw"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Once the mold is ready, they pour the melted, liquid aluminum into the mold. After a bit, they drain out the excess aluminum. It doesn't take long for it to set. If you look at one point, they are making a lid in another spot in back. When they lift up the frame, there is a new pot. Some excess aluminum must be scraped away. These guys are working with this super hot metal in flip-flops or barefoot!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eFjQionA2uI" width="320" youtube-src-id="eFjQionA2uI"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Aside from pots to be sold in the markets, they also make these trinkets.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDg2MQlzexypoCgCE02Bv7MZt0QZ-2X8O1JSDwcfRUbkWYvyV4HcSgleBlbKUNypuuKkLAjSDrQ23tFzRaINp3Qn_IVvHg__243epGdtyBRAU_qcKQBH0rhQ5Uhp6Teq2aYZOMpJNLW_hHLKpzVW4DmmwBllp900o4cbKVedb6SLHdUvjDEvqXZUy4x-g/s5472/P1270739.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDg2MQlzexypoCgCE02Bv7MZt0QZ-2X8O1JSDwcfRUbkWYvyV4HcSgleBlbKUNypuuKkLAjSDrQ23tFzRaINp3Qn_IVvHg__243epGdtyBRAU_qcKQBH0rhQ5Uhp6Teq2aYZOMpJNLW_hHLKpzVW4DmmwBllp900o4cbKVedb6SLHdUvjDEvqXZUy4x-g/s320/P1270739.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tdM4MP5tulB7CFFLoE4rVaoKyCMw9SlPcT2TWZrs5T4aIl8joQ1hRVH9zz9TO4gMwNwAyEFLtt3F_hWjl_r6_bz2p9xZLbx3UACN4PNcQKyof3w53de-N1qZ87eS5tw0S2mzsjPFh-qtEcL5vLdcC5ZOcofo3EzBar94wC8piw-ci7pSIdBefLm8Ajk/s4319/P1270744.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2663" data-original-width="4319" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0tdM4MP5tulB7CFFLoE4rVaoKyCMw9SlPcT2TWZrs5T4aIl8joQ1hRVH9zz9TO4gMwNwAyEFLtt3F_hWjl_r6_bz2p9xZLbx3UACN4PNcQKyof3w53de-N1qZ87eS5tw0S2mzsjPFh-qtEcL5vLdcC5ZOcofo3EzBar94wC8piw-ci7pSIdBefLm8Ajk/s320/P1270744.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When the demonstration was complete, we headed on toward Antsirabe, arriving in time to get settled in our rooms a little before dinner. I got such a welcome text from Joushia that he found diet cola in the supermarket! That has to be a stop tomorrow!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a breakfast buffet that included a Malagasy breakfast of mixed rices with a broth to pour over it (which was yummy), we headed out in our pousse-pousse - a person-pulled rickshaw. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We stopped by the Fahaleovantena Monument, which depicts the 18 tribes of Madagascar and has some notes from the National Anthem at the side.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvE5c6n7PwDFyONflOY3lYNVsDX7648Fw5vpObVIBA4RnHaEKlXErNyH_3tZtYFLli76sbRx-2mVBFOyVQBnvaz1ZCMiCSAz2MjGr3dzMl1-elsF8d5RPabcYq91Ke1OWG7ARZxzty5RgMaBZyalpvWPVlMmjcNxcxKx688xbtcnFGnwJhOMZvtFxmII/s3653/P1270799.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3653" data-original-width="2875" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvE5c6n7PwDFyONflOY3lYNVsDX7648Fw5vpObVIBA4RnHaEKlXErNyH_3tZtYFLli76sbRx-2mVBFOyVQBnvaz1ZCMiCSAz2MjGr3dzMl1-elsF8d5RPabcYq91Ke1OWG7ARZxzty5RgMaBZyalpvWPVlMmjcNxcxKx688xbtcnFGnwJhOMZvtFxmII/s320/P1270799.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We stopped at the Hotel Des Thermes, which is an old colonial hotel, left over from the French colonization. This hotel has a photo gallery down the hallway that depicts part of the history of Madagascar.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcIc0ykwCawrfQkg0SYQD6uRK3_c9rzeisZlUxXof0og-58LkCFTW-OIxGvcjzpvfumIaMNK2pDya3t7lRtHS__f4ufO2W2ICKOWeMo-DeVnI0RVg4TXrKHyBcTnPagm-SR9ymIIQ9-tRGAWoyAdL2Up5z12HQxkXTeBAzFUbsvfZccRNeQIzehbrAFY/s5472/P1270809.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcIc0ykwCawrfQkg0SYQD6uRK3_c9rzeisZlUxXof0og-58LkCFTW-OIxGvcjzpvfumIaMNK2pDya3t7lRtHS__f4ufO2W2ICKOWeMo-DeVnI0RVg4TXrKHyBcTnPagm-SR9ymIIQ9-tRGAWoyAdL2Up5z12HQxkXTeBAzFUbsvfZccRNeQIzehbrAFY/s320/P1270809.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Madagascar flag flying in front of the Hotel Des Thermes</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfw1hXy68QzxwP1pChOgn33p-hz3AMCXzzHjmW4gouveDl0BOlnC_fDTNX4Vvr2ZwKhI5qBFcE44KJQsuTV4Ua1l7J2jjp7UAQ3HniYaJNUd47K4PBCLkNZuUfDtBKQia3TIpjCZV3BKIUPZ1307uqNHt_XYZ_7rqasbejFz_FM7MGtvD9rPYUXuzHR0/s5472/P1270817.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihfw1hXy68QzxwP1pChOgn33p-hz3AMCXzzHjmW4gouveDl0BOlnC_fDTNX4Vvr2ZwKhI5qBFcE44KJQsuTV4Ua1l7J2jjp7UAQ3HniYaJNUd47K4PBCLkNZuUfDtBKQia3TIpjCZV3BKIUPZ1307uqNHt_XYZ_7rqasbejFz_FM7MGtvD9rPYUXuzHR0/s320/P1270817.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We stopped at a rock shop where they have many beautiful rocks, jewelry, fossils, and trinkets made from different stones</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCZJp29ErcLRnWCcW-0-MlzlbmmsH5VpwEBPjJ_bXR0tAzpud_Jzn60prS2sVZclVlWonolb-LFKkwIY4hOJZbMiQUPh52ZMt9kyRgiHugLADOB32mxSvvYAEyZ0TgnZ03sLdiBhR_06EXXzlcbsrC92idnb735_0ZTQ6ComaNmbnr6fzw6oK89V0DlU/s5472/P1270838.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrCZJp29ErcLRnWCcW-0-MlzlbmmsH5VpwEBPjJ_bXR0tAzpud_Jzn60prS2sVZclVlWonolb-LFKkwIY4hOJZbMiQUPh52ZMt9kyRgiHugLADOB32mxSvvYAEyZ0TgnZ03sLdiBhR_06EXXzlcbsrC92idnb735_0ZTQ6ComaNmbnr6fzw6oK89V0DlU/s320/P1270838.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They also have a few tortoises that they brought out from the garden for us to see.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie46qnwcALXCQRn7cxgTPL2C2Dtl0QVhPtwNPovjnUoHzvlECkvyhzMpMabwVytkS5pKMUzEK8ZlfY_ZF6x6LkMPHOQ8Go2GCxCf_ehB8gukf56B95_-qdXfQSm83UtB_PzEMDV8BKjXImlslvt4yustb1Yfpeo7uEpH4Qm9yYjlfHtn0kEZ8pDL_I1ws/s5472/P1270846.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie46qnwcALXCQRn7cxgTPL2C2Dtl0QVhPtwNPovjnUoHzvlECkvyhzMpMabwVytkS5pKMUzEK8ZlfY_ZF6x6LkMPHOQ8Go2GCxCf_ehB8gukf56B95_-qdXfQSm83UtB_PzEMDV8BKjXImlslvt4yustb1Yfpeo7uEpH4Qm9yYjlfHtn0kEZ8pDL_I1ws/s320/P1270846.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We went to see another group of artisans who do handicrafts. This gentleman taught us how he makes miniature bicycles.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRlsB7xXhv_UqZpj1TFddEg7flX_zYx5ZY23tcAP709QwRTab1Pma73oRSABAH-Uu6ZTFdWmChuDsCH1UirzQM9EdSa9Hrc60C5bDqVMsXOSfKTXgzjddGS_8e88YfLtIHetyFyPoPIQjFLSpo4g4DG8URaupxelAbqdM2Y1y80Nc2DlUFrPHuRZOBew/s5472/P1270892.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnRlsB7xXhv_UqZpj1TFddEg7flX_zYx5ZY23tcAP709QwRTab1Pma73oRSABAH-Uu6ZTFdWmChuDsCH1UirzQM9EdSa9Hrc60C5bDqVMsXOSfKTXgzjddGS_8e88YfLtIHetyFyPoPIQjFLSpo4g4DG8URaupxelAbqdM2Y1y80Nc2DlUFrPHuRZOBew/s320/P1270892.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We watched this lady do some very intricate embroidery</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHMwtI72Oe4Bxm6z7UFNqDEGLPb0xKP10JASsCuvgCRuiF83xbQrr1Eg9yuRMvYGW_r0hrjYgHW9u_vh55uYS1ir6pz_rzPaD-SLhs08XR4EaMrnoI64xCWKEguQM52zygbeKgbqwOcZmMmsbiXAWrQ3v95i0kBoX_5Nvo2eayZfKsjeBP4fAqq5Kzvk/s2798/P1270897.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2764" data-original-width="2798" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvHMwtI72Oe4Bxm6z7UFNqDEGLPb0xKP10JASsCuvgCRuiF83xbQrr1Eg9yuRMvYGW_r0hrjYgHW9u_vh55uYS1ir6pz_rzPaD-SLhs08XR4EaMrnoI64xCWKEguQM52zygbeKgbqwOcZmMmsbiXAWrQ3v95i0kBoX_5Nvo2eayZfKsjeBP4fAqq5Kzvk/s320/P1270897.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">And we were introduced to this most lovely musical instrument, the Madagascar valiha. The small ones are kind of tinny and are made mostly as children's toys. I wanted the large one, but it is far too big to fit in my suitcase, which was just a carryon (for most US standard airlines). Joushia did take us to the local DHL office to see how much it would cost to ship it home, and it was far too extravagant (around $250 US just for shipping)! If I go back, I WILL find a way to bring one with me!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVTIGBX0WjqnGatLULZ80_i_1Q-qv8cs1GtR18U79dfIOKHfVZMnUkFLqXr441strE0JAjQdfcrEcBbbJSqEansqqlRTHuc4-Da6BX9LfoBOpC1546WzB6sYBU0u-I0n1RQjqa3lwrfzcrrbvofOgQw4KMA4LB-4LDms4VJbx4uJnjNbYv4AkF2z9BTM/s5472/P1270888.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVTIGBX0WjqnGatLULZ80_i_1Q-qv8cs1GtR18U79dfIOKHfVZMnUkFLqXr441strE0JAjQdfcrEcBbbJSqEansqqlRTHuc4-Da6BX9LfoBOpC1546WzB6sYBU0u-I0n1RQjqa3lwrfzcrrbvofOgQw4KMA4LB-4LDms4VJbx4uJnjNbYv4AkF2z9BTM/s320/P1270888.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Isn't this one of the most beautiful sounds? I can't find anyplace to order one.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KUZGD9vI6wQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="KUZGD9vI6wQ"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After striking out at DHL, we went to the supermarket, where I finally got my Diet Coke! It was an off brand, but I drink off brand most of the time anyway! We also decided to get sandwiches and snacks for the road instead of stopping for lunch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we got to Ranomafana, our lodgings were kind of a dump and way up a steep hill that I had difficulty climbing. Joushia checked to see if other places were available, but apparently, this was the only place available in town that the tour company could put us in. But, Joushia was able to get me moved down to the bottom of the hill, at least, so I could get back and forth to my crappy room. He was also able to get me an extension cord so I could use my BiPAP. These are things the tour company should have taken into consideration when booking the room. I told him my needs when I booked the tour eight months ago. But, Joushia was able to make it functional. The scenery getting here was nice, though!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKXYdwhxCoydIhzDLvMe_9EE3OICKZgvNxusiyU-GHL0YK9CjRYLWVjFeao7ci-XhLvHftbJfbFl_7ANXE7cM58HNUF3owvjWiOyLR2tMvjsYiO3b7Deeol7Xykp59eNV8GZy9yYqwNEJMzqPkwbnG6iR8XAGG1y4IkO9K6nAPFGUuEjS1JdukHb4_hw/s5472/P1280089.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKXYdwhxCoydIhzDLvMe_9EE3OICKZgvNxusiyU-GHL0YK9CjRYLWVjFeao7ci-XhLvHftbJfbFl_7ANXE7cM58HNUF3owvjWiOyLR2tMvjsYiO3b7Deeol7Xykp59eNV8GZy9yYqwNEJMzqPkwbnG6iR8XAGG1y4IkO9K6nAPFGUuEjS1JdukHb4_hw/s320/P1280089.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This waterfall was actually in the park</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsP1SrkylU4vF9znt4O2Q84dnqZzrx6WzsiSUVfwrjUkg2fzDYWgHe7weCGA7vs9MYY9Yfm9ZSO-l0JjOMWwvHryiZmxfD_8Dque98C4VCaqMZqSvEQ_V-JBiO-P5UnGemmoUPRMRc8tohnsMmYNFx6ZSO1xMgmRl17R-jlFHGpCcKkcH2Jn2dLLibkE/s5472/P1280090.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbsP1SrkylU4vF9znt4O2Q84dnqZzrx6WzsiSUVfwrjUkg2fzDYWgHe7weCGA7vs9MYY9Yfm9ZSO-l0JjOMWwvHryiZmxfD_8Dque98C4VCaqMZqSvEQ_V-JBiO-P5UnGemmoUPRMRc8tohnsMmYNFx6ZSO1xMgmRl17R-jlFHGpCcKkcH2Jn2dLLibkE/s320/P1280090.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br />travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-12502298342874790482023-11-05T10:37:00.000-08:002023-11-05T10:37:54.501-08:00Introducing the Lemurs of Madagascar!<p>What an amazing, but exhausting day! It was raining when I got up, which was a bummer. The first day of rain for a trek, but the trek wasn't supposed to be very big. Our local guide is the same guy we had last night, and he said it was an easy walk for a few minutes, then sit patiently to wait for the lemurs. Easy peasy, right? Not so fast, my friend! We started a nice, easy walk. Had my poncho on to protect my camera (and keep me dry). We stopped and looked at the jewel beetle and some other small bugs that didn't photograph well.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2snVv49qrnN_IU6dmueUanzHcZ5lnBhiwCIzuNLkd6VMKLiM6nAsbzXMPOxASGzuMHyJeS8mSsE9YgFAmR4e9Pv2xEDB_IautzuS2ugSqj_iQpIzN1HpSe1AB1WMmoGEz_lIse7HGMv3GqZCxtKArXXO3zl29Av1ikhyjbe06T-bIOjVisET9lQnDgQA/s1645/P1260841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="1645" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2snVv49qrnN_IU6dmueUanzHcZ5lnBhiwCIzuNLkd6VMKLiM6nAsbzXMPOxASGzuMHyJeS8mSsE9YgFAmR4e9Pv2xEDB_IautzuS2ugSqj_iQpIzN1HpSe1AB1WMmoGEz_lIse7HGMv3GqZCxtKArXXO3zl29Av1ikhyjbe06T-bIOjVisET9lQnDgQA/s320/P1260841.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I liked this fungus on the tree.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpWBhfetNIksj0AtxYeGO4sgGdpW6ECFBW2zDG7MR6KPDsoJqxitUZ-b9cTeIT6i1npd3r2BtIRPeCEC1OxyX3c0lkh5fNLXplI-vlVowGVxtWa_2Fe9ZIeYTIFaENM7aXVe9SCgqmvvZei6lGpDhasYG87otjCFKzadst07CjsVqfcvgCtkmnKFd9II/s5472/P1270015.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvpWBhfetNIksj0AtxYeGO4sgGdpW6ECFBW2zDG7MR6KPDsoJqxitUZ-b9cTeIT6i1npd3r2BtIRPeCEC1OxyX3c0lkh5fNLXplI-vlVowGVxtWa_2Fe9ZIeYTIFaENM7aXVe9SCgqmvvZei6lGpDhasYG87otjCFKzadst07CjsVqfcvgCtkmnKFd9II/s320/P1270015.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p>Then, we headed uphill. Not too steep and not too far before getting a little downhill. I'm keeping up pretty good. Joushia is only having to help me over the really big or slippery spots. After trekking a good portion of the park, we finally found the Indri lemurs, the largest lemur. They don't have tails. Lovely creatures. There was a crowd of people, and every time I found a spot where my camera would focus through the leaves onto the lemur (instead of focusing on the leaves and blurring the lemur), somebody would bump into me or stand right in front to block my shot. Our guide said the lemurs don't tend to come down when the ground is wet and muddy, and he didn't like all the crowd, so he suggested we leave to go find the dancing lemurs and come back for the Indri later. Probably a good idea, as this was the best I could get, and you can barely tell there's an animal at all in there!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz1wjktSrlQtPw7stge-vGOB5NUhXbTjo2yCTVRv4vFqTuHbUtv-aQuU1YTeQgKQQN9IRwznrb3rHKcn_V_cA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Getting up to the dancing lemurs was some seriously steep climbing! I needed Joushia's help a lot! But it was worth it when we found them, and we were the only ones in the area, so we had them all to ourselves! They were awesome! I wish I could have caught all of the movement on camera, but these guys are fast!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwYxtuJAFEfzF16-4DesXcmtt-WCufLNqvHXlEd0iJZH_akkeZ1uV7Szwhiqw8bL5ckztfyQ6cCXRuEwBCDOw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGtqgMn6yIMWqZEp28iHU5bnaic8YD5g2R-ogRPBqAK4nwIcBn25h_qB6Ceg72wvbzhECscVWR5NMeBFsCW4574eRgbLJh5ix99ECEu6MAvyAdHr3ZmsewGQoIBFmUiM9ty-QpQ2j235pjFd_-xwX79bKMoBV1JaX0_TPzs9zjkGPYbiUCSt6fPP_Hzw/s2999/P1270055.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2495" data-original-width="2999" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijGtqgMn6yIMWqZEp28iHU5bnaic8YD5g2R-ogRPBqAK4nwIcBn25h_qB6Ceg72wvbzhECscVWR5NMeBFsCW4574eRgbLJh5ix99ECEu6MAvyAdHr3ZmsewGQoIBFmUiM9ty-QpQ2j235pjFd_-xwX79bKMoBV1JaX0_TPzs9zjkGPYbiUCSt6fPP_Hzw/s320/P1270055.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLpw105dxsCaXUKUQC2beWQEk0DwCHNBiTa6L59mTMBGLsxYYb5_2OkJlNEQ136soJD-I50LuLsU9ovarM35uP22HbttdZDfhh3GmnKJv2hfchky4KKP36mDzXVZ_xDBG19hiQFh1S6B_ZNuizib2ucIjc2nFumjmUyTLUsDcB3fwCNON_74aPRTFp-I/s3066/P1270109.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3066" data-original-width="3032" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLpw105dxsCaXUKUQC2beWQEk0DwCHNBiTa6L59mTMBGLsxYYb5_2OkJlNEQ136soJD-I50LuLsU9ovarM35uP22HbttdZDfhh3GmnKJv2hfchky4KKP36mDzXVZ_xDBG19hiQFh1S6B_ZNuizib2ucIjc2nFumjmUyTLUsDcB3fwCNON_74aPRTFp-I/s320/P1270109.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxUH1zpqWC-IwdrJ5VsVG-t6HH_oufpMAIxFi9ILOHC82U7KIAvFZk2MMMkAEvyez2wtWZXA8HEwtQ5lLbpqQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a bit, we headed back to the Indri. Doing that was definitely a good call! When we found them, there was only another couple and their guide there, and we were all pretty respectful of each other. With the rain slowing and so few people, the Indri lemurs came lower in the trees and we got some awesome looks at them. I got some really good shots, but the sun was behind us. I cleaned them up as best as I could, but some spots were so washed out they were unrecoverable. Before we finished up, though, I was thoroughly dehydrated. I had to take a seat on a rotten tree stump for a while. Luckily, it was right in front of one of the Indri and I could sit and shoot as if there wasn't a problem in the world! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx894RfwcjIT05JZRGzGVBUywP1DVH36m1a7AGodReNdKb0Cu2l0dwKBx7DzqNUwYPFQGdeQHnmTenUtiCTdA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LbANFSRbIUsAk9tCm4a2cYALsa5UBXe9i4BKE_sLSxNOwbAdWnG8sgpvUed4XX5IeO1d8iVjWOsXXl0kaBJs5bXj9-yWk_45Iim6HJOwfwKnmdt-etTga-6RF8xUQk9M8-t3WNg0jcu3rtsy6TeZ28c_NdCqFUbEoP8u9Br25MEazYWm2ct0kU5xgF8/s5472/P1270206.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-LbANFSRbIUsAk9tCm4a2cYALsa5UBXe9i4BKE_sLSxNOwbAdWnG8sgpvUed4XX5IeO1d8iVjWOsXXl0kaBJs5bXj9-yWk_45Iim6HJOwfwKnmdt-etTga-6RF8xUQk9M8-t3WNg0jcu3rtsy6TeZ28c_NdCqFUbEoP8u9Br25MEazYWm2ct0kU5xgF8/s320/P1270206.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuqlPmDt0MwoyRlJwPAh0HN6FlqMGTytYQx7ts9zbAL64twkaf4n_oK7gp1PhOsG6vSJDHvPWtwBtKoam1JEaL5QUyCpuyc-gE2bm455-DMlXDOSVzL9c3OqfzxL3syvHMh7yTF_DLPsIWsSnQLThK9eRPsg4wu7XZzVBEmnpcnbWBPN_nLMtZZuLqT8/s3648/P1270279.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="3167" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuqlPmDt0MwoyRlJwPAh0HN6FlqMGTytYQx7ts9zbAL64twkaf4n_oK7gp1PhOsG6vSJDHvPWtwBtKoam1JEaL5QUyCpuyc-gE2bm455-DMlXDOSVzL9c3OqfzxL3syvHMh7yTF_DLPsIWsSnQLThK9eRPsg4wu7XZzVBEmnpcnbWBPN_nLMtZZuLqT8/s320/P1270279.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzPgwx906MX-UevLfLMtt-3rnnqoONLBg2AHzIc7uytX0FhkS93FbZmiMI5BYU3qXB9x1RdgLfxUeD0hWCuK5yFJxqFQlQADsDzc4Pf5_nRywW5jL5i1XZBf7D141sakZsRhyphenhyphenys3ZjIj3TZAh6gwSu2VrFCDNG-o0avqHJFQn9i8dAO_fGNhcuBMJbWo/s4217/P1270305.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4217" data-original-width="2907" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzPgwx906MX-UevLfLMtt-3rnnqoONLBg2AHzIc7uytX0FhkS93FbZmiMI5BYU3qXB9x1RdgLfxUeD0hWCuK5yFJxqFQlQADsDzc4Pf5_nRywW5jL5i1XZBf7D141sakZsRhyphenhyphenys3ZjIj3TZAh6gwSu2VrFCDNG-o0avqHJFQn9i8dAO_fGNhcuBMJbWo/s320/P1270305.jpg" width="221" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">When we decided we had enough, Joushia asked if we wanted to just go straight to lunch and then to the lemur island. I had to go back to the room and get a hydration tablet. I just couldn't finish the day as dehydrated as I was. I was getting dizzy and really relied on Joushia to get back to the car! So, I ran into the room and got the tablets and took them to the restaurant with me. I learned to carry the hydration tablets with me every day instead of just the days I was expecting heavy exertion or extreme heat!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The soup of the day was like a ramen in chicken broth with egg strips, carrots, onion, and ginger. It was delicious, and for 12,000 Airy, it was about $4 US. Huge bowl. I got some water to dissolve the hydration tablet and downed it and started feeling better. The soup was just what I needed to go with it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After lunch we went straight to the lemur island. This is a private park with a mote around it so the lemurs can't get off the island. These animals are very well taken care of and free ranging, though they're captive. They can't grow enough food to feed the animals on the island, so they supplement. The white-ruffed lemurs need some protected areas for mating and raising young, so they provide it since the island doesn't have the type of camouflage Mama needs. Since COVID, they have stopped encouraging the lemurs to interact with people, but the lemurs are not afraid of you at all. One was almost in my head while I was taking pix of another one, and they come right up to you. The new rules, though, are that you may not pet the lemurs. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Okay, these guys aren't lemurs! That's Joushia and Niko waiting for their canoe to cross the small canal circling the lemur island.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNW9GfgtQAcgcpav4BBRFcFrDtVoAWdI3rHWtGDlSiGs7_wd4vqjp4upexenUOPGxvgpUC6E-v-IQo3Dcy1clYr8nPeDDf2NbfbrJ4btCRVe7prBzosYF6h1VzTG88MhMEvSgZqmHq_OfpuDoIEr3yoLjbXVzIINPE0sAABHz2dRWs7IVdY2I4j82FhQ/s5472/P1270333.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVNW9GfgtQAcgcpav4BBRFcFrDtVoAWdI3rHWtGDlSiGs7_wd4vqjp4upexenUOPGxvgpUC6E-v-IQo3Dcy1clYr8nPeDDf2NbfbrJ4btCRVe7prBzosYF6h1VzTG88MhMEvSgZqmHq_OfpuDoIEr3yoLjbXVzIINPE0sAABHz2dRWs7IVdY2I4j82FhQ/s320/P1270333.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">White-ruffed lemur</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DsnL5LWI9QPRt5aYofe8KeZGDo18bBT-m_4YE8CqzOKhKL1WM-gPB80e8DlDgxHqB-usazLttoQIjSWYnzAk31eH3VyJxpojk3hs3J9aK0w7MeGFwGqcbtnmibA628ewIut5L2gDKo6Z0ExUPp08NpkHIRymsQcf2fAw8sGZ4yOPQjqYLYmhQI_oa8k/s3849/P1270340.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3122" data-original-width="3849" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6DsnL5LWI9QPRt5aYofe8KeZGDo18bBT-m_4YE8CqzOKhKL1WM-gPB80e8DlDgxHqB-usazLttoQIjSWYnzAk31eH3VyJxpojk3hs3J9aK0w7MeGFwGqcbtnmibA628ewIut5L2gDKo6Z0ExUPp08NpkHIRymsQcf2fAw8sGZ4yOPQjqYLYmhQI_oa8k/s320/P1270340.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIetzBFWeiub-IRI_P0EKRLt1lINV5wxRQIqByWe6EWiEbsKJ_1JwVrP7VmQ38bsVL526bXXIiBut7f__aiPAJNHQP6FeIiB02qc6U2UNFy15ySWkvEl-sF4bY0HqV_9atPs14GBWeDAwPqV6GbSjlIu9is1QSP6NDfU_mT-hpTL9wIqMBcl64PxqVrw4/s5472/P1270358.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIetzBFWeiub-IRI_P0EKRLt1lINV5wxRQIqByWe6EWiEbsKJ_1JwVrP7VmQ38bsVL526bXXIiBut7f__aiPAJNHQP6FeIiB02qc6U2UNFy15ySWkvEl-sF4bY0HqV_9atPs14GBWeDAwPqV6GbSjlIu9is1QSP6NDfU_mT-hpTL9wIqMBcl64PxqVrw4/s320/P1270358.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dancing or Sifaka lemur</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4D_Ehpk38vh2sWFGGFbTtVzcD59kayKleF6zThsldq5xLZobS0oE35p6TwUSFPqwcrgtzK3j6J-8cS9s7Y3AEvmCIXNDqmjsBxaKXlpMFJzVtz3GosWZ8w3IJM6QxR_HohsGkHbzPo25962JYz-0umXe-1SUvOskbTk6-5rhZAgFGU1RrB3WhVIBvlJ8/s2663/P1270384.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2607" data-original-width="2663" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4D_Ehpk38vh2sWFGGFbTtVzcD59kayKleF6zThsldq5xLZobS0oE35p6TwUSFPqwcrgtzK3j6J-8cS9s7Y3AEvmCIXNDqmjsBxaKXlpMFJzVtz3GosWZ8w3IJM6QxR_HohsGkHbzPo25962JYz-0umXe-1SUvOskbTk6-5rhZAgFGU1RrB3WhVIBvlJ8/s320/P1270384.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Common brown lemur</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifleQiFsCqAPDSP_05xc9L_DKLjOuXNH8CP5JOvM0LiQBHN8Snu0DMDlzm24XKO9Wfp-iiZmFgBphx1THyq3mFAmDFq95k5EzC2iGoqvtE_1I3k_n054y6Xv0-zNq2_Xs-ZpLLxQTdtA0bolU2hI1simmvTbHOuhQ6Cu_FbYILTYnJyOvA8C-kAl9kPg4/s3402/P1270402.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3402" data-original-width="3201" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifleQiFsCqAPDSP_05xc9L_DKLjOuXNH8CP5JOvM0LiQBHN8Snu0DMDlzm24XKO9Wfp-iiZmFgBphx1THyq3mFAmDFq95k5EzC2iGoqvtE_1I3k_n054y6Xv0-zNq2_Xs-ZpLLxQTdtA0bolU2hI1simmvTbHOuhQ6Cu_FbYILTYnJyOvA8C-kAl9kPg4/s320/P1270402.jpg" width="301" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bamboo lemur</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOjyBgfU3SnggB5AOm90ZZG7cxGdrOMyLdrnCav71zC3AJ2xPJDdp9SNoFz-enfhwSSMgFaDjRQwA0b-POegEpjpaFdHd0_pfueFipimRK7KDJ57dgS8WUGVun6dv597BszJjvLhr1HwLIdg5fNPqE3MGRdcmw1FQcT7o2GP8XWETcdDSZdExKrs_RdQ/s4732/P1270467.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4732" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOjyBgfU3SnggB5AOm90ZZG7cxGdrOMyLdrnCav71zC3AJ2xPJDdp9SNoFz-enfhwSSMgFaDjRQwA0b-POegEpjpaFdHd0_pfueFipimRK7KDJ57dgS8WUGVun6dv597BszJjvLhr1HwLIdg5fNPqE3MGRdcmw1FQcT7o2GP8XWETcdDSZdExKrs_RdQ/s320/P1270467.jpg" width="247" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a brown lemur mommy with a baby still clinging to her waist. You can see its adorable little face if you blow up the picture. The guide said they will start venturing off Mama and start exerting their independence and eating other food at about 8 months.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2VLa1IhBRrFy0imdY5Yp-oTKneHKMMZkUDlr1JSwZD89yZnYBwAOBTjBa3s0J7BHd5kGSWvaMwreFP338Q8O6XZQGh6Rl5qJye122mZZ3Yf5KoBrRoGbY7gIrEvYKlCAhZxBnUDV28tYHrwiTpFdNlNoOwEgawoecJ9K4wD5x_lTIMFXPjDzlUx2Y8Q/s3299/P1270549.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3299" data-original-width="3197" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2VLa1IhBRrFy0imdY5Yp-oTKneHKMMZkUDlr1JSwZD89yZnYBwAOBTjBa3s0J7BHd5kGSWvaMwreFP338Q8O6XZQGh6Rl5qJye122mZZ3Yf5KoBrRoGbY7gIrEvYKlCAhZxBnUDV28tYHrwiTpFdNlNoOwEgawoecJ9K4wD5x_lTIMFXPjDzlUx2Y8Q/s320/P1270549.jpg" width="310" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Peek-a-boo with a white-ruffed lemur</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPFek7pqSoVWF5zDhfkzQupNE1g-LK2p7teIrlypZvqEJcnis_ATysGQtSirVtbQiP5OGn9Depo6qDqmz4VD1eggavL-TZRaEoDut37bfaZ3I0MGI4KUNFSWpltVBFgBX5YzgDY8saNddfUC5jC6CrmkmmoRTe8JTUYQyuEMv5t7iKD7nX4vokRecM4E/s4017/P1270566.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="4017" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPFek7pqSoVWF5zDhfkzQupNE1g-LK2p7teIrlypZvqEJcnis_ATysGQtSirVtbQiP5OGn9Depo6qDqmz4VD1eggavL-TZRaEoDut37bfaZ3I0MGI4KUNFSWpltVBFgBX5YzgDY8saNddfUC5jC6CrmkmmoRTe8JTUYQyuEMv5t7iKD7nX4vokRecM4E/s320/P1270566.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Does anybody remember the kids' show Zoboomafoo from the 1990s/2000s? Chrissy used to absolutely ADORE that show! The lemur on that show was a safika lemur. "Leaping lemurs! Leap! Leap!"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyOETFFQi6AoObO87L4wBCNXYw-6e058S1yevYEYb89SSDUYJwXDSZWdfi1gmmED5doP2ZCQOITjiYjwyCvEQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div>We also saw a red-ruffed lemur, but he was so far off that I couldn't get a decent shot with only a 400 mm lens, and the bigger lens is too heavy to carry on hikes. The park is amazing! It's a must-do in Madagascar!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After that, we saw the crocodile reserve. They were pretty cool. Those fresh water crocs are big and some of them got up and went into the water while we were there. Not really a must do, but if you're there...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxJQ0HF5wo1iXn0L1VuncdWi-T6t6IGGJrc3CFSNg0OKRgaXh9FvpcL9jLLraDmdo5fEvFcJ1bwcy3RrAdzMjem-5XB90OblsaPBDkEXiQpjsezY5nEx5lptjUicvWx9QiyNbNkmgl4yWeoOoAsMbB1SK7bLjidRqZoRHCub2nbcWnXjKBkXnhQ5eRos/s5472/P1270625.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxxJQ0HF5wo1iXn0L1VuncdWi-T6t6IGGJrc3CFSNg0OKRgaXh9FvpcL9jLLraDmdo5fEvFcJ1bwcy3RrAdzMjem-5XB90OblsaPBDkEXiQpjsezY5nEx5lptjUicvWx9QiyNbNkmgl4yWeoOoAsMbB1SK7bLjidRqZoRHCub2nbcWnXjKBkXnhQ5eRos/s320/P1270625.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Rather than going back out for dinner, we decided to eat at the hotel early and get cleaned up, rest, and ready to check out and move tomorrow. So, I've showered now and will brush my hair, start gathering some things, and probably hit the sack early. I'm beat!</div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-71994784920553594492023-11-04T09:55:00.001-07:002023-11-04T09:55:06.662-07:00Welcome to Madagascar - Meet the Reptiles!<p>Ah, the first full day in Madagascar. A long car ride was in store. Actually every day was a long car ride because Madagascar doesn't have a lot of roads, so there is also a lot of backtracking. But, I digress. After breakfast, we met Joushia, the guide that would actually be traveling with us, employed by the tour company. So, we loaded up and headed over hill and over dale to our first stop, Mandrake Park, where we were introduced to the common local reptiles. </p><p>On the way, we talked about the culture and countryside of Madagascar (actually called Madagasikara in Malagasy). We learned that approximately 80% of the Malagasy people are farmers and the primary crop is rice, which was evidenced by all the rice paddies we passed. However, they do not export rice, instead needing to import because they are unable to grow enough to meet the needs of the people on the island. Apparently, the Malagasy people eat rice with every meal. Over the years, I have grown to love rice, but that might be a little much even for me! In the dry season, many of the rice paddies are used for growing beans and other vegetables. If a field starts having difficulty producing, they harvest the top layers of soil (often with a high clay content) and make bricks from them, similar to the way bricks are made in Uganda. </p><p>While small towns do have their own markets, the big markets tend to travel from town to town on a weekly basis. They may buy some things from local farmers while making their rounds, but mostly the farmers ship to the larger cities and sell there, and the traveling markets puchase from the holders in the larger cities for the secondary markets.</p><p>When we got there and Niko parked the car, it looked like it was going to be a hike, but it turned out to just be a small walk kind of uphill to some enclosures where we met the reptiles to be expected on the island of Madagascar.</p><p style="text-align: center;">The golden mantella (mantella means frog in Malagasy, the most common native language on the island)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8Uu-y_x507IJIpgT8Xuc9S7kgQO7fW7dTXfyF6XXp8lFumql_fsbJWAy64zscR5jHyEuf6UjDzaIeRYzK3Mmb6OaDiQy5AA0NkgQFUJzpD8ddwTW4N6kk3o9tHGFF6FottEe1sM1WsrHzGT1tDuHurZEfKL_nDbvmm7dxJ9KM6m66we0fVcc6FoNK0w/s2876/P1260419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2081" data-original-width="2876" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH8Uu-y_x507IJIpgT8Xuc9S7kgQO7fW7dTXfyF6XXp8lFumql_fsbJWAy64zscR5jHyEuf6UjDzaIeRYzK3Mmb6OaDiQy5AA0NkgQFUJzpD8ddwTW4N6kk3o9tHGFF6FottEe1sM1WsrHzGT1tDuHurZEfKL_nDbvmm7dxJ9KM6m66we0fVcc6FoNK0w/s320/P1260419.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Madagascan mantella</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1D9xqPbhzZ-yNukYaMkDyD0201Y2Uyrr0O64HlIfGI5oEQXK9SNeE88EmriQFd4FhSK-SkW60wDPKWgHzJ6lfUygSlHYCKH4F78zfHGkAYIPwwEaJs5JyLHqw-FapwdMKL1sKTIjvIGWmG_Vw43KLz_NoyIKdkQpXzUPh4WFYizWE8n_E-J_A5Xqc880/s2842/P1260429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2036" data-original-width="2842" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1D9xqPbhzZ-yNukYaMkDyD0201Y2Uyrr0O64HlIfGI5oEQXK9SNeE88EmriQFd4FhSK-SkW60wDPKWgHzJ6lfUygSlHYCKH4F78zfHGkAYIPwwEaJs5JyLHqw-FapwdMKL1sKTIjvIGWmG_Vw43KLz_NoyIKdkQpXzUPh4WFYizWE8n_E-J_A5Xqc880/s320/P1260429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Parson's Chameleon (think Pascal from Tangled, except the males have horns on their faces, so Pascal was female!)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLH8hGcQr_1XeWl5NH5gSdJv1nPkNOzBNyUdWzNBARlRGCgGydVahCdyb5OvIqiJ4CF_On8uvztanYitE_-xhhLYSjx7pSEQHT1gHgRpujomE4VTu_cXAKq9kdfUlx7My5_BIrnRnkaGkTr3q8Mnf0wC3UZ2DWbj7Cmox9e2tbfnFLGUhBan3kNLcmo7E/s5472/P1260439.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLH8hGcQr_1XeWl5NH5gSdJv1nPkNOzBNyUdWzNBARlRGCgGydVahCdyb5OvIqiJ4CF_On8uvztanYitE_-xhhLYSjx7pSEQHT1gHgRpujomE4VTu_cXAKq9kdfUlx7My5_BIrnRnkaGkTr3q8Mnf0wC3UZ2DWbj7Cmox9e2tbfnFLGUhBan3kNLcmo7E/s320/P1260439.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">elephant-eared chameleon</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjafVxWxcfuPBpOGtznbPqOPDju1w4oaV7O8B_dV4dGF-EM86KXa0yxWjb2qJyJXkntBHz9yNghRHIOHs6ON9E1oEuASjC3uaH1T5XVFQlvZO5H1-fid1cYmQqm-S31HyEP6vx9bn-yueR5qIoDiURXL5xSkl2MF5FU2RJb4l4YA34hDsqVpwr1FJ7Ea4/s5472/P1260471.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjafVxWxcfuPBpOGtznbPqOPDju1w4oaV7O8B_dV4dGF-EM86KXa0yxWjb2qJyJXkntBHz9yNghRHIOHs6ON9E1oEuASjC3uaH1T5XVFQlvZO5H1-fid1cYmQqm-S31HyEP6vx9bn-yueR5qIoDiURXL5xSkl2MF5FU2RJb4l4YA34hDsqVpwr1FJ7Ea4/s320/P1260471.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another Parson's chameleon. The horns on his nose show him to be male.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFBaz-d5ZITjSoVx8BpNqskOAmwuR1pI0EYdr0d9e4t4A2mte4rWgQDGxP-RMwqssD8tLQfxWrtgz_k-8oaaXj1ABtcUX-vYulwr0HlO4QqTUrhagttPOPtdGLhtsKUmTed7QDAZvvdS3UUI1YXiMNcaP8jH8wCekgpCYvg1xHxcliMT5mH9ch9janpY/s4230/P1260479.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="4230" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFBaz-d5ZITjSoVx8BpNqskOAmwuR1pI0EYdr0d9e4t4A2mte4rWgQDGxP-RMwqssD8tLQfxWrtgz_k-8oaaXj1ABtcUX-vYulwr0HlO4QqTUrhagttPOPtdGLhtsKUmTed7QDAZvvdS3UUI1YXiMNcaP8jH8wCekgpCYvg1xHxcliMT5mH9ch9janpY/s320/P1260479.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Google images says this is a smooth-helmeted iguana, but I don't think it is. I don't remember and don't have any notes of any iguanas in this park, and the smooth-helmeted iguana doesn't live in Madagascar. My best guess is that this is a small oustalet chameleon, maybe a female.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFHKK20FlihyAQm7sndezLYk6Afg7wEqzFJys5wrQR_zoA0Z3BQ9dPkqVABRUdPlB3OW5Lmd1Q1vNihqYf4aLF-VN-rdnYle4UczB56c63qAHVx1t3PjoI0YTOuNxqR5A2O7zXLAIgJ85cjZmrHNtwF536erAbqVLfoKwLwFzvTAdXGvqndWAv9Vx-Rc/s5472/P1260484.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFHKK20FlihyAQm7sndezLYk6Afg7wEqzFJys5wrQR_zoA0Z3BQ9dPkqVABRUdPlB3OW5Lmd1Q1vNihqYf4aLF-VN-rdnYle4UczB56c63qAHVx1t3PjoI0YTOuNxqR5A2O7zXLAIgJ85cjZmrHNtwF536erAbqVLfoKwLwFzvTAdXGvqndWAv9Vx-Rc/s320/P1260484.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Panther chameleon</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJ8L86UaJonpCh7bYiuvGd5JfoHvktpPAIBZYwEO9JdIb0GIqLivxsHulP4UpHRjSN4a4QxSttuwtnfwiGPTPkGFa3MIxRzQXNordL3hSMDnfGJ_pvif5R1O51JFFeiVyrvGD70Otni-INQnVfRtbwlNI58OZqk2idM1sy4NHb5gfaD8jG7icbashVg4/s5472/P1260517.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDJ8L86UaJonpCh7bYiuvGd5JfoHvktpPAIBZYwEO9JdIb0GIqLivxsHulP4UpHRjSN4a4QxSttuwtnfwiGPTPkGFa3MIxRzQXNordL3hSMDnfGJ_pvif5R1O51JFFeiVyrvGD70Otni-INQnVfRtbwlNI58OZqk2idM1sy4NHb5gfaD8jG7icbashVg4/s320/P1260517.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another Parson's chameleon</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8Zb3owQU-MIZEssIhmsVA42dlPSkfqI8aRb2KeGphwwPZJk9319OayH7IsjIaEh7c7I4sHzwSw7Wd1YvF8uCBgIIMDLeI0Vwy-T1tU9rOcLMvaiZuaUIuJkv1CfauFFUDQP2ghelB3Zw21iTNpG7TCxcngf0gD__GDVu0j8gtS1WdBGPY0lGmpI9bdw/s5472/P1260555.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH8Zb3owQU-MIZEssIhmsVA42dlPSkfqI8aRb2KeGphwwPZJk9319OayH7IsjIaEh7c7I4sHzwSw7Wd1YvF8uCBgIIMDLeI0Vwy-T1tU9rOcLMvaiZuaUIuJkv1CfauFFUDQP2ghelB3Zw21iTNpG7TCxcngf0gD__GDVu0j8gtS1WdBGPY0lGmpI9bdw/s320/P1260555.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Parson's chameleon eating a cricket</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIo9IlSpkuX1roLuuzafSQVNQVrVCO3H4T3KfMMOLAKGZweGeSlK6mpQsPnzaNicn_Ab6PSEeG72WthAeMQWGM00xXjcwwhAIsz6QKpHr4JMr9lvNMr2jG6BX99VbJ8tu60vBS3OGiJioUx0YLEKXiMoWg7A1byDqTU0GQmZ2fkZ0p-y4Sp4KZOFpFwzA/s4566/P1260574.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="4566" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIo9IlSpkuX1roLuuzafSQVNQVrVCO3H4T3KfMMOLAKGZweGeSlK6mpQsPnzaNicn_Ab6PSEeG72WthAeMQWGM00xXjcwwhAIsz6QKpHr4JMr9lvNMr2jG6BX99VbJ8tu60vBS3OGiJioUx0YLEKXiMoWg7A1byDqTU0GQmZ2fkZ0p-y4Sp4KZOFpFwzA/s320/P1260574.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The park has a pen with one crocodile in it. I didn't ask what kind it was.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYeu4d3uOLw3W7ATaWwrKj9X2wFxWIYs9AKTqWGtjEed3ghrURh7yOpM6g7fUXsrlRoljf5ZSpB7N7q0l6Fy48D5YuJQWIGFA8X57y636-hDul2hxUHe8agJ7Fs0olwOGfa77BLxFdyV1Qn_-7hpHrN5Iu-jHjdLR33kguGqLIje3W0JPccCesywuhlg/s5472/P1260643.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYeu4d3uOLw3W7ATaWwrKj9X2wFxWIYs9AKTqWGtjEed3ghrURh7yOpM6g7fUXsrlRoljf5ZSpB7N7q0l6Fy48D5YuJQWIGFA8X57y636-hDul2hxUHe8agJ7Fs0olwOGfa77BLxFdyV1Qn_-7hpHrN5Iu-jHjdLR33kguGqLIje3W0JPccCesywuhlg/s320/P1260643.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Tomato frog</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLOPx2K_hGIHDgVVJeWHkt5oH2jEgz5Eh9QxRo86A0ba5NeB4r0utjyw8OG1hq57tSwtmYYmu0ISGVuKBxs5NaXo2pAZq8SOBIWbAjVf1izlUKCjpWaVEXYaB6LNSpi8zWxhpohikAnaNkWO-SnF0GQ24PUFpfrDh_1TtoU8NVjucsEVoZt9ZPrILsgQ/s5472/P1260665.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLOPx2K_hGIHDgVVJeWHkt5oH2jEgz5Eh9QxRo86A0ba5NeB4r0utjyw8OG1hq57tSwtmYYmu0ISGVuKBxs5NaXo2pAZq8SOBIWbAjVf1izlUKCjpWaVEXYaB6LNSpi8zWxhpohikAnaNkWO-SnF0GQ24PUFpfrDh_1TtoU8NVjucsEVoZt9ZPrILsgQ/s320/P1260665.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Madagascar ground boa</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgTgRTDDN5d6yixeFQk4-3pJgFUB1iFIduU8wzFt3YJJN3OOCXJINgzXTXrQqEun5Ou2zbqFWKIP7yPfbvfFxiFs8wyO9KDOemKG8hGQob2W2Tzofjc7ypDGkQlDnHn54zR9qmGm06gBoURMyM8-YTSICkpPdBwmegg8h_5GM1yMAdh4KYr7erlCNpFQ/s5472/P1260678.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDgTgRTDDN5d6yixeFQk4-3pJgFUB1iFIduU8wzFt3YJJN3OOCXJINgzXTXrQqEun5Ou2zbqFWKIP7yPfbvfFxiFs8wyO9KDOemKG8hGQob2W2Tzofjc7ypDGkQlDnHn54zR9qmGm06gBoURMyM8-YTSICkpPdBwmegg8h_5GM1yMAdh4KYr7erlCNpFQ/s320/P1260678.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Madagascar tree boa</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCh7wFL-_d29jU5CTWtxSrGN5dCjbD403mmIlxBlu0hee9c9XzNq07BL4mkU2wviBirW1qYQzBamBED2-qdR29QtnAA_ysWu8ywFNIiBAP5XEzGiJUeMWZSSPW2ti9bi8Jf2Cgm8OjWzX_IXcDrGb8JiHDFlAJev-LKp8Wfw4m2p4QknwmmYKzcgxrF0/s5472/P1260692.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCh7wFL-_d29jU5CTWtxSrGN5dCjbD403mmIlxBlu0hee9c9XzNq07BL4mkU2wviBirW1qYQzBamBED2-qdR29QtnAA_ysWu8ywFNIiBAP5XEzGiJUeMWZSSPW2ti9bi8Jf2Cgm8OjWzX_IXcDrGb8JiHDFlAJev-LKp8Wfw4m2p4QknwmmYKzcgxrF0/s320/P1260692.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Flat- or leaf-tailed gecko (Google image couldn't find him. Can you?)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7VmwQ13M-kwUHjBEXs1eio42B1-lxtgVBNdTM2BppvlVTNRlCcSxqtNOnDm0MJpSbDOfmoqDM1QF8Nt2cqAVyqdTAF_4ay7vOz7SOvwUjJViG_TMtzRiO75NMbx5YYd3yo86qSauBbAdSI4xWy1w_dLs4ngPvdObWy70S8kB42YVK1hzX4OYWqIJpKA/s5472/P1260701.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU7VmwQ13M-kwUHjBEXs1eio42B1-lxtgVBNdTM2BppvlVTNRlCcSxqtNOnDm0MJpSbDOfmoqDM1QF8Nt2cqAVyqdTAF_4ay7vOz7SOvwUjJViG_TMtzRiO75NMbx5YYd3yo86qSauBbAdSI4xWy1w_dLs4ngPvdObWy70S8kB42YVK1hzX4OYWqIJpKA/s320/P1260701.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I didn't take this guy's name in my notes, and Google can't find him on the leaf. Awesome camouflage!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVKxMDcwQ13wOkAR7EevgnK3j5zRs3gMGZ82TdOJnSVgJ0ndZGmnO2i-9YeAsVWCwvjc1uxRIOlKY2dE3xzuSGJI8Ql2dmUqwWpdYE_uE7-MjXsBREsEp2MK9gsnUPLBQG368GBsSaM_2dw5QLUH_rRc1xfT9Y1MA6bBMNxa7iZjdvczOOvWQHQKg8lg/s5472/P1260710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOVKxMDcwQ13wOkAR7EevgnK3j5zRs3gMGZ82TdOJnSVgJ0ndZGmnO2i-9YeAsVWCwvjc1uxRIOlKY2dE3xzuSGJI8Ql2dmUqwWpdYE_uE7-MjXsBREsEp2MK9gsnUPLBQG368GBsSaM_2dw5QLUH_rRc1xfT9Y1MA6bBMNxa7iZjdvczOOvWQHQKg8lg/s320/P1260710.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another type of leaf-tailed gecko</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYuNV9nZ70ecUCNk5p7APK3Gr40kHg09RLqQMf-5fKylilWA3n9pMjMGtlHViiTfaCLezd-1yF_DOalVdHADIN3ue4KSjsw_vY_nqsNrh6VA_ydlUu3R8e4f_T4XmGBxkkw6LjlMqDjC55meOmsZrCVWxT9_AQ8dlQwnvD_NnVcM3dcTmqFQGlq2Fj2-s/s2932/P1260716.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1981" data-original-width="2932" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYuNV9nZ70ecUCNk5p7APK3Gr40kHg09RLqQMf-5fKylilWA3n9pMjMGtlHViiTfaCLezd-1yF_DOalVdHADIN3ue4KSjsw_vY_nqsNrh6VA_ydlUu3R8e4f_T4XmGBxkkw6LjlMqDjC55meOmsZrCVWxT9_AQ8dlQwnvD_NnVcM3dcTmqFQGlq2Fj2-s/s320/P1260716.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Leaf-tailed gecko on a tree. I ran it through Google images just to see if it could find it, and believe it or not, it saw this one but not the two above! I think this guy was much better hidden than the others!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWeyeZ9fSLLmGxLDC-UmZz3qgualbKAc09X8NtlF6SGEOakcAQeVFdPLjusm-RH3nBoea1vAbIzyTctLU8KYdzGXsU1htutZNTYXrnaPTbLadw0G4-gsFxqoHKsORvtZLLBaZEmOBQNaBSHxM-0tDoXTNlmCN1l3SHSimM-99HIUeOKJZ7Nw9T74TotI/s5472/P1260725.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWeyeZ9fSLLmGxLDC-UmZz3qgualbKAc09X8NtlF6SGEOakcAQeVFdPLjusm-RH3nBoea1vAbIzyTctLU8KYdzGXsU1htutZNTYXrnaPTbLadw0G4-gsFxqoHKsORvtZLLBaZEmOBQNaBSHxM-0tDoXTNlmCN1l3SHSimM-99HIUeOKJZ7Nw9T74TotI/s320/P1260725.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Google images could only give me this guy's scientific name. According to my notes, it's commonly called a stick snake. The head is very distinctive as snakes go and looks very much like the end of a stick!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QNbp3UsJgEehTGHUH1iw4uHwIBhy8bz5rmd8OjCMx7aX_NSNZxwz8entz1f-hEvFpbzpwAJTZsCQ1apCjUjV3LoRebETG2D7hAg0mIrtZC1i_G_w57bRykoWQtj-9_kGPJd9hfQ3xNa5TPsafDEGmXuP_vs4YQmJSMEcpG8qJcQzm4VxNJUEM40NgRY/s5472/P1260744.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1QNbp3UsJgEehTGHUH1iw4uHwIBhy8bz5rmd8OjCMx7aX_NSNZxwz8entz1f-hEvFpbzpwAJTZsCQ1apCjUjV3LoRebETG2D7hAg0mIrtZC1i_G_w57bRykoWQtj-9_kGPJd9hfQ3xNa5TPsafDEGmXuP_vs4YQmJSMEcpG8qJcQzm4VxNJUEM40NgRY/s320/P1260744.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>After the reptile park, we headed to the village of Andisibe where we had lunch before resting for the afternooon in our hotel. For lunch, I had ravitoto sy henakisoa. This is a local dish made of pork and crushed cassava leaves and spices. It was quite good!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSuNnR3HTf1xVSG0n3bmSc3B9hSg-9DzdzHvSr37pZ26wcvyXj1nRthlVtkzj7CupZQEJTwoFa7VYX19gXidu0713nwBq9kwx26J7nszxGL-keVKYce6D1ifb4rQ-dqcbwvXyFSpZNVL3Nprk2RcvNAwZ6DIC_B-1TvwpZDO9UaqutNaSd_HrUVxMOvQ/s4000/Food5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtSuNnR3HTf1xVSG0n3bmSc3B9hSg-9DzdzHvSr37pZ26wcvyXj1nRthlVtkzj7CupZQEJTwoFa7VYX19gXidu0713nwBq9kwx26J7nszxGL-keVKYce6D1ifb4rQ-dqcbwvXyFSpZNVL3Nprk2RcvNAwZ6DIC_B-1TvwpZDO9UaqutNaSd_HrUVxMOvQ/s320/Food5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a rest and some laundry, we headed out to the Analamazaitra Nantadia National Park, where we would be taking a night hike. So, with my trusty little flashlight and wearing my bug shirt, having learned a little bit about night photography on my Lumix camera while resting (Thank you Google and T-Mobile!), I hoped I could stay upright in the dark. Joushia assured me it was a relatively smooth hike, so I was very hopeful. He was mostly right. We weren't going over any big brush areas, and he and the guide helped me whenever they felt I might be a little off balance. It was the start of a helpful and needy relationship! The night walk was wonderful! Our goal was the mouse lemur. Think Mort in the movie, Madagascar.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span> We found the leaf-tailed gecko</span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYk6yDYrLGsNkO2eFdMkdhGqJGTTnJdyy8mbEOv8cxJwxbwrfq0_SNDp6GWOEfs_f0kJJpFs56CgfxOnqR6zqu38B_iKq29dtrodGN_qmeifeh_P_w3M2M1ZIB4Db6qHR6t9uVMeaeKQ13DAbd0o3Qc3mluZwBHLdZNQFTj3tDKrBWXzDGEo67W_LbHX8/s3245/P1260789.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2540" data-original-width="3245" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYk6yDYrLGsNkO2eFdMkdhGqJGTTnJdyy8mbEOv8cxJwxbwrfq0_SNDp6GWOEfs_f0kJJpFs56CgfxOnqR6zqu38B_iKq29dtrodGN_qmeifeh_P_w3M2M1ZIB4Db6qHR6t9uVMeaeKQ13DAbd0o3Qc3mluZwBHLdZNQFTj3tDKrBWXzDGEo67W_LbHX8/s320/P1260789.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Parson's chameleon</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPIbCdVrT3wfAQpOUCv-T9s-Oyjbqn8kIwh4vU3clfFtR7KqGR43fPkWa7okklTZaZzeWgUFnst-AmPKN0DQcpVWpd3nodrzzMhOugr-K5XK80cdJRftgVbrWtK3bwFMPfELQoedMmluhmyvAe8WO9XyV7SjQEYcdn9uUGBNajUAdbZEesXTyjQDIywQ/s5472/P1260793.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPIbCdVrT3wfAQpOUCv-T9s-Oyjbqn8kIwh4vU3clfFtR7KqGR43fPkWa7okklTZaZzeWgUFnst-AmPKN0DQcpVWpd3nodrzzMhOugr-K5XK80cdJRftgVbrWtK3bwFMPfELQoedMmluhmyvAe8WO9XyV7SjQEYcdn9uUGBNajUAdbZEesXTyjQDIywQ/s320/P1260793.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This beautiful moth that I don't think we got the name</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJonsAeeJ5geVkSV2Ql0zaeN1FkAKprDoUs4Adjfv9lbYnvvxJhl1MF8aMxSZWmeK1vzyRJiluKyMo6YyS0agw3qUfMhbU3fvdio1hqc7L2DnzFl9yeVxwmxu5SnGoqMWQ7Dv-ywMS9TYtZCCE6FSn5rdUCLAXpe8OfCYQDa_lU5sZMhqxMj8M3gfacI/s5472/P1260797.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixJonsAeeJ5geVkSV2Ql0zaeN1FkAKprDoUs4Adjfv9lbYnvvxJhl1MF8aMxSZWmeK1vzyRJiluKyMo6YyS0agw3qUfMhbU3fvdio1hqc7L2DnzFl9yeVxwmxu5SnGoqMWQ7Dv-ywMS9TYtZCCE6FSn5rdUCLAXpe8OfCYQDa_lU5sZMhqxMj8M3gfacI/s320/P1260797.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also saw the dog-headed spider and multiple insects, most of which I didn't get a clear picture. But, we didn't spot our target animal while walking through the forest. So, our guide had us stay by the sign while he searched along the road. He finally found one and called us over. Our guide and the other guides around made so much noise, I'm sure the little guy was scared to death. He kept trying to run away, but flashlights kept finding him. Mort is certainly a fast little fella, and this was the best I could do for a picture before we convinced our guide to just leave him alone and let him settle down.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklmSeAYOdGQgQhhizwk0x0fWKO9jwxP_4tysxZ00scgo937wDVtgmdhGszoKqb1scNDZJoX_v-phP4q7UNBOvrJCewijKUu8U5O8wHDfCKfgWwM3zLf-Y_P0aOq144Nu6hpUYK271fb42O5lzUQqyVm36_xedhVt50qKWqUozgn8-10yuC8whq3bDhvA/s3133/P1260804.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2543" data-original-width="3133" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhklmSeAYOdGQgQhhizwk0x0fWKO9jwxP_4tysxZ00scgo937wDVtgmdhGszoKqb1scNDZJoX_v-phP4q7UNBOvrJCewijKUu8U5O8wHDfCKfgWwM3zLf-Y_P0aOq144Nu6hpUYK271fb42O5lzUQqyVm36_xedhVt50qKWqUozgn8-10yuC8whq3bDhvA/s320/P1260804.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the way back to the car, we saw some other insects, like this stick insect.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtc5W59-Zf-fvIDLNDCmTVlADaf9FpncbI5sZz08ByyJzZNQpR5cRa5Llm5M7kqsGTuvcf6KbSUWf2_N6z1MhJzlXrzJjikVcI1nQetwd2enLNM0DH0fd1MdPmRGbGuEcP9jNo1-NnSbpcCnWDLiqXfJQ4y8dWRO9LhuVNldboINaXUnMOhJuddItHxD4/s2932/P1260811.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2932" data-original-width="2898" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtc5W59-Zf-fvIDLNDCmTVlADaf9FpncbI5sZz08ByyJzZNQpR5cRa5Llm5M7kqsGTuvcf6KbSUWf2_N6z1MhJzlXrzJjikVcI1nQetwd2enLNM0DH0fd1MdPmRGbGuEcP9jNo1-NnSbpcCnWDLiqXfJQ4y8dWRO9LhuVNldboINaXUnMOhJuddItHxD4/s320/P1260811.jpg" width="316" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we went to dinner, I was still pretty full from lunch, so I just had a fruit plate. Pineapples and bananas rather artfully arranged. But it satisfied me. I tried to order a diet cola, but when I asked for anything other than water that was "sans sucre" (without sugar), they looked at me like I had three heads! We looked at some other little shops close by, but apparently, sugar is king here! Oh well, I think I can survive two weeks without a soda pop! They'll have them on the plane when I leave!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-20723547799487130842023-11-03T13:53:00.001-07:002023-11-03T13:53:36.228-07:00Uganda to Ethiopia to Madagascar<p>We made our flight from Entebbe on time, which is good in part because I had already gotten a nasty text from the girl in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who I had contracted to do a cooking class for us during our layover. Apparently, she thought we were going to be getting there this morning and that we stood her up. I'm kinda confused why she thought I told her we were getting in late at night, asking if she could do the class and coffee ceremony that late at night. But, oh well. One thing I have learned is that putting "am" and "pm" doesn't really mean anything to many non-English or Latin-based language speakers. I'll know better next time. There was also question about whether the transit visa the airline would purchase for us included the ability to go into town, so I had made sure we could be picked up from the hotel instead of the airport. But, once I responded and let her know we would be there tonight, she was better and said her husband would be there to pick us up when we arrived. It turns out that our visa only allowed transit between the airport and the hotel. But, the hotel didn't care and helped me communicate with the provider about where to find us. The Ethiopian Airlines Skyline Hotel has multiple towers, but it is a nice hotel for an overnight layover, especially since the airline arranges the transit visa and the hotel room.</p><p>For those who are curious, yes, I'm aware going to a foreign country and being picked up by a stranger to be taken to a private home can be dangerous. But, life can be dangerous. Some things you can do to make these types of activities safer is to book them through the national resellers, like Viator/Trip Advisor. Those resellers don't vet the tour providers or do background checks, but reviews will clue you about whether the providers are legitimate or shady. While I didn't book through the national reseller, that is where I found them. And they had good reviews. Also, when I'm travelling, my family has a detailed itinerary and knows when I'm doing something a little less safe and they can track my movements if I don't check in when expected.</p><p>However, a cooking class and coffee ceremony late at night turned out not to be a great idea, especially when the provider didn't understand it was late at night instead of the morning. The woman who was supposed to be giving the class wasn't able to do it, as she had to be up early in the morning. So, she had a friend provide the class, and this friend didn't speak English. The provider's husband was there and he spoke English, but he wasn't really all that familiar with all the things the lady cooking was doing. We know some of the spices she used on the dishes that were cooking on the stove, but mostly we got oil, onions, chili powder, cumin, salt, and whatever else you want to put in it (like chickpea sauce, lentils, potatoes, chicken, or whatever).</p><p>We did get to try our hand at Injera, Ethiopian tortillas. I kind of expected to learn how to make the batter, too, but it was already mixed up. He was very vague about what was in it, so I'm assuming it was a box mix or something similar. It looks pretty simple. Just pour the batter in a spiral without leaving holes...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyYBzdLf8OFFcVxwvmeChUfaP7XvEqiIJKqHXx1BrNTyZY-i-hsEIjYSMPu8f2Dok5YOWPipLxxc8P2CwZgLg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After it cooks for a while, lift an edge, slide the large trivet under it, and pick it up. Easy right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyYYwGemCQl7bjzjdw6B-owyGroMcAoR03L-yhz0xry-WzmhLQTnsUg3OWxCaQfXnAhWfJGqcixn_ygVs2Lsg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On mine, you can see where I had to pour extra batter to fill in the holes I left. Also, you can see where it broke when I tried to slide the trivet under it. She had to take it up for me!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfprpbvkn7l1nU_iH06nqYRYvTA35rSu7w7-K6xnEfEvxt_Rude9icEMwMKByT_DBZMmirVRrkQfn2FC7mIwdh0pBRrR-oEiwaPDQf-xurYNZ5kxh5PE7N9k0U-tQHulYl50QmSvua6Wi4meShlpc-nt77jPEXJzKnlU5hyphenhyphenP4_4nNSiiBVfhJikp68HZ0/s5472/P1260278.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfprpbvkn7l1nU_iH06nqYRYvTA35rSu7w7-K6xnEfEvxt_Rude9icEMwMKByT_DBZMmirVRrkQfn2FC7mIwdh0pBRrR-oEiwaPDQf-xurYNZ5kxh5PE7N9k0U-tQHulYl50QmSvua6Wi4meShlpc-nt77jPEXJzKnlU5hyphenhyphenP4_4nNSiiBVfhJikp68HZ0/s320/P1260278.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When dinner was cooked, it was amazing! And they gave us some spices, which were not mentioned during the class, so I hope I can figure out what to do with them. I've already used berbere spice in my lentil stew, but I'm not sure what to do with the one that I apparently lost the sticker for (so I don't even know what it is), or the mitmita. Suggestions are welcome. Ethipian food is delicious, though!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fIBh7T0NCfGr7XfGk8AqKpBl1aDWNTqnZrqRPAeNlUoe-NotHVU6mVew7-zLIvWmxJjv5xKH82UaSh8pJz69jyI_QHe7ThAN79r7KLgRca0tOGHHr-Vet1X2wAxSfLGI2mV2L1MoPDiE7TTC0LzLktkmILXRf5eCzQPpgc1eC51OqGFA_uMRSu5JZpA/s5472/P1260311.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5fIBh7T0NCfGr7XfGk8AqKpBl1aDWNTqnZrqRPAeNlUoe-NotHVU6mVew7-zLIvWmxJjv5xKH82UaSh8pJz69jyI_QHe7ThAN79r7KLgRca0tOGHHr-Vet1X2wAxSfLGI2mV2L1MoPDiE7TTC0LzLktkmILXRf5eCzQPpgc1eC51OqGFA_uMRSu5JZpA/s320/P1260311.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The coffee was also delicious, but the ceremony was lacking. I would assume the whole ceremony would be done if we had our class at an earlier hour. The layout was beautiful.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09Peh3kgxf8OhrWDr8i-GETQ8USILWhyphenhyphenBmphmWn0PpoO5OKFLq8JMy5zXB8fjgB-CJmDITv6zwezBId-4dNotYJ6q_Z5nUtSR4tNGHPCqueiu8oR0rxQr2XRBVN_dtr2VvfYPm_HtIXWTHGgoLgvtJNKVvf3hN7LiRQo83qvDttGxn5hgi1qx67_wpEw/s5472/P1260290.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg09Peh3kgxf8OhrWDr8i-GETQ8USILWhyphenhyphenBmphmWn0PpoO5OKFLq8JMy5zXB8fjgB-CJmDITv6zwezBId-4dNotYJ6q_Z5nUtSR4tNGHPCqueiu8oR0rxQr2XRBVN_dtr2VvfYPm_HtIXWTHGgoLgvtJNKVvf3hN7LiRQo83qvDttGxn5hgi1qx67_wpEw/s320/P1260290.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We started with raw, green coffee beans over a charcoal fire.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrSwGu8uO6CQ3J6UHh6cdVS3MlcHcAoIVXmPvNqb5pIviKQrmzzf-iUQDgqvzh4DwOLEumtKRa8w64ZYOWaWfm468i_YD6kkrQGft5rhWSwxXx6bjfUL50ufoz3_9h49gA9sqgw7otj5Q8gEwUUyOljMKrddtJrkjT8-AzfcwyAbrce3xNE617pvMsIU/s5472/P1260294.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitrSwGu8uO6CQ3J6UHh6cdVS3MlcHcAoIVXmPvNqb5pIviKQrmzzf-iUQDgqvzh4DwOLEumtKRa8w64ZYOWaWfm468i_YD6kkrQGft5rhWSwxXx6bjfUL50ufoz3_9h49gA9sqgw7otj5Q8gEwUUyOljMKrddtJrkjT8-AzfcwyAbrce3xNE617pvMsIU/s320/P1260294.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They were roasted until very, very dark. The house was uncomfortably smoky by then, even with the front and back doors open.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_dJucX3E9v8_CvEwAWG6JnXowgu4c203DmWFDNi6uVnf8MyRRNqeXHvWj3lS7xikKhTPT6ftSFBJaekBrwmh9ztLNCucq1Aem8GzH42AC0PvXl_PzOJIH5_qcLzTHIVs10RQ9LX5nq7M0b9vvx4J5VBDfnBss79BJ9Wx5tKn900HD4pxAh1ugvUrmpY/s5472/P1260305.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_dJucX3E9v8_CvEwAWG6JnXowgu4c203DmWFDNi6uVnf8MyRRNqeXHvWj3lS7xikKhTPT6ftSFBJaekBrwmh9ztLNCucq1Aem8GzH42AC0PvXl_PzOJIH5_qcLzTHIVs10RQ9LX5nq7M0b9vvx4J5VBDfnBss79BJ9Wx5tKn900HD4pxAh1ugvUrmpY/s320/P1260305.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then steeped in an urn of water</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_npwBuO6ELQLBaCVA9hMvEMkhD8T06OLI3UAS-TLGMQWY0JeCyP8hcpHiTGx3jHyJNAURKL1-B5BbcajBc6NqM_0K1x0-uwiHoeOOczHY0UQfEMN_4I0_q9qvEFWlhqdLS6Mbd1s9HoL9jJ6DOd8QenNQXD8KHA6iDztYsBGhIXLAjtPutLfwq9dfDZE/s5472/P1260310.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_npwBuO6ELQLBaCVA9hMvEMkhD8T06OLI3UAS-TLGMQWY0JeCyP8hcpHiTGx3jHyJNAURKL1-B5BbcajBc6NqM_0K1x0-uwiHoeOOczHY0UQfEMN_4I0_q9qvEFWlhqdLS6Mbd1s9HoL9jJ6DOd8QenNQXD8KHA6iDztYsBGhIXLAjtPutLfwq9dfDZE/s320/P1260310.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">until ready to be poured into cups. It was very, very good!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqNfk-Xq0ghV8Nd8HeVL96Dh2SpqdP5UzCW_p00z2wCZw40KTaqspMfDt06hqxRJdf97zFEdUa6y1Pdtm4oC6t9Fewqto_tA1ZF4AvNJYmcGIjuqjA344TM0Vl2mFPMXWm9IPUYVt6L1MvfwWk9JC50sjum1stnMjooAGVyicDNvmHLBPUxuTZUcJBpA/s5472/P1260315.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqNfk-Xq0ghV8Nd8HeVL96Dh2SpqdP5UzCW_p00z2wCZw40KTaqspMfDt06hqxRJdf97zFEdUa6y1Pdtm4oC6t9Fewqto_tA1ZF4AvNJYmcGIjuqjA344TM0Vl2mFPMXWm9IPUYVt6L1MvfwWk9JC50sjum1stnMjooAGVyicDNvmHLBPUxuTZUcJBpA/s320/P1260315.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After our coffee, the provider got us back to our hotel sometime a little after midnight or so. This left very little time to sleep, and my bag with my night stuff was checked through. So, I just swiped the toiletries, slept in the buff, and got up the next morning putting my same clothes on. The offered toiletries were only soap, shampoo, and conditioner and didn't include toothpaste or toothbrush, so my breath just had to stink. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The breakfast buffet was interesting. I think it was leftovers from the night before and bread. The french fries were so hard I couldn't bite through some of them! But, the bus got us back to the airport and we made our flight to Madagascar.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When we got to Antananarivo, Madagascar, the capital city, we were met by our tour guide. Since we had some time, we decided to visit the Queen's Palace before going to our hotel. It is a lovely place and grounds, but pictures are not allowed inside. I recommend seeing the Queen's Palace early in your trip to Madagascar, as it gives you a background of the historically significant happenings that impacted the culture. It also helps describe some of the more important things in each part of the country. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world, but only if you consider Australia to be a continent and not an island. In size, it ranks behind Greenland, New Guinea, and Borneo. There is evidence that Madagascar wasn't visited or inhabited by humans until much later than most other places, with some evidence suggesting that human settlement didn't begin on the island until just 1,300 years ago. This is one major reason there is so much diversity in the island's indemic animal and plant life. Also, because the first inhabitants were from Indonesia and Malasia, the Malagasy people don't consider themselves true Africans, but identify more with the Indo-Pacific peoples. The delayed arrival of humans also explains why even the oral history doesn't show the first monarch to have arrived until the 1300s, supposedly sent down by God, himself, and quite possibly the model for King Julien. The Queen's Palace covers the history of the known and verified history of the Merina monarchy, from the uniting of all the tribes of Madagascar until the French Protectorate was forced in 1896. I'm still not sure why the French needed to protect the island from any country other than the French. The only other significant wars I can find at the time was between Britain and Zanzibar.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here are some pictures of the exterior and surroundings for you to enjoy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gYjDY4yAmtDsFLmIZsC7WjJ8IGYa6uvbUWRjoM3rL9Sm_EWkFy6ufQUydPCwuAfucxtzBzTNFTQRuf7oqGx_AH0S-nDwfY4ylcKAFdqOPpKmO8ayVpJk_lvPSWfGk8AUaAM_jpVb4OlUIlAbp0DAfPNSh1Vtao13K3GlkJZe_Hm-s80zjSFJbDyWs6g/s5472/P1260339.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4gYjDY4yAmtDsFLmIZsC7WjJ8IGYa6uvbUWRjoM3rL9Sm_EWkFy6ufQUydPCwuAfucxtzBzTNFTQRuf7oqGx_AH0S-nDwfY4ylcKAFdqOPpKmO8ayVpJk_lvPSWfGk8AUaAM_jpVb4OlUIlAbp0DAfPNSh1Vtao13K3GlkJZe_Hm-s80zjSFJbDyWs6g/s320/P1260339.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These canons were purchased from the British at a cost of 50 slaves each</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYQti8WhF4h51x7C5xwoMYXfCKNjm5j8YlrZbjjV3ghzwJAfca-4xUuJCSNLTdg2_WjhWtUtz0aV1FYMEJOatU8r7f7kBhr62Fk7FTQDGL1YS_Qra_3r5rzVGe0Mtr_sPuQZmz3ecXrlaK8083jcmr7s8QLTDnPao5l4qaadm0SBH7a1fRVUaguiaNfY/s5472/P1260344.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYQti8WhF4h51x7C5xwoMYXfCKNjm5j8YlrZbjjV3ghzwJAfca-4xUuJCSNLTdg2_WjhWtUtz0aV1FYMEJOatU8r7f7kBhr62Fk7FTQDGL1YS_Qra_3r5rzVGe0Mtr_sPuQZmz3ecXrlaK8083jcmr7s8QLTDnPao5l4qaadm0SBH7a1fRVUaguiaNfY/s320/P1260344.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5zI6BWv13uNle5Y979nprEpb0xCDqzRbo7UREPSUXedxYey6134nFcnPTnB_D9_aTQbJaCDdQAKdXaKgC1w2YaFQuTSs8D-fVxZwOfeBB2HlHe45dE6oY_3kJYOu5rgnSHqaqZJfZVaDJQOJ1DD6AjP6jklcNn4Q47XL-cXaBLd6VOoyc5RSiBHp23k/s5472/P1260346.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5zI6BWv13uNle5Y979nprEpb0xCDqzRbo7UREPSUXedxYey6134nFcnPTnB_D9_aTQbJaCDdQAKdXaKgC1w2YaFQuTSs8D-fVxZwOfeBB2HlHe45dE6oY_3kJYOu5rgnSHqaqZJfZVaDJQOJ1DD6AjP6jklcNn4Q47XL-cXaBLd6VOoyc5RSiBHp23k/s320/P1260346.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">These white buildings cover the remains of the queens</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gKs_SX1FeUuydSln7fTwyp6lZS70CKev2BRCMZiIcSE1J9EoAXpztMQshjR98ZaS6epT3SPZMvdXyy95ChyphenhyphenRa-dtW3LLxv6aRkmhD6zkLIFoYeL6nO-GN5mfaLdMalECzT688jNIT8hzYwwT7LAWqRxYzjqIHBNlNy4ShLj11TTRYCDRf14LAJNLcYQ/s5472/P1260352.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gKs_SX1FeUuydSln7fTwyp6lZS70CKev2BRCMZiIcSE1J9EoAXpztMQshjR98ZaS6epT3SPZMvdXyy95ChyphenhyphenRa-dtW3LLxv6aRkmhD6zkLIFoYeL6nO-GN5mfaLdMalECzT688jNIT8hzYwwT7LAWqRxYzjqIHBNlNy4ShLj11TTRYCDRf14LAJNLcYQ/s320/P1260352.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GRSsTEeV6OsDOzlbZv84CIUyXSW_4ulYe4Vv3K8XxcbQUzhfSR5pJFDJE1FMnWfbUsJxrEpzEcubV6tUb-ncdcXTPFMnMqHmDL05qpiv6fmbC5iMKShzk2cWH00m11lHD3h9feJb7lfHNhyphenhyphenyO4S5jY6bZdVCYBtB1UqBGTviEw-e_OMH1klWaCItoMg/s5472/P1260366.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1GRSsTEeV6OsDOzlbZv84CIUyXSW_4ulYe4Vv3K8XxcbQUzhfSR5pJFDJE1FMnWfbUsJxrEpzEcubV6tUb-ncdcXTPFMnMqHmDL05qpiv6fmbC5iMKShzk2cWH00m11lHD3h9feJb7lfHNhyphenhyphenyO4S5jY6bZdVCYBtB1UqBGTviEw-e_OMH1klWaCItoMg/s320/P1260366.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIF_VIEI-BU9VPF9lQAl7bEMOciyizsa1UvGU4QdZAgmEcyGQqcS5PD8SIF_PNZafmT_xOka2SgmysbjZJS5geCl14OtBB0uFR5erdusccxyGrCBwkMBsLOgrVCgCloLOkSCzgT2D88IKtbhRf9HBTQztdOXZ3g8WSti-AU5_QLLvIshkqL4ZpBBtDZ8/s5472/P1260381.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOIF_VIEI-BU9VPF9lQAl7bEMOciyizsa1UvGU4QdZAgmEcyGQqcS5PD8SIF_PNZafmT_xOka2SgmysbjZJS5geCl14OtBB0uFR5erdusccxyGrCBwkMBsLOgrVCgCloLOkSCzgT2D88IKtbhRf9HBTQztdOXZ3g8WSti-AU5_QLLvIshkqL4ZpBBtDZ8/s320/P1260381.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHS3m7C7duh4HCxmYM6B6Z0pZI9CXZkjGUlvnNY6nJuXjmKYF5EuPCi0EkdswLykhMx51-iIvKdfMw0xmpGy2R9TyjFiBNWLXTIb0gTNrx1vK6_grQhgbcPOYLSyH2_tj6v0vnzqiaR1wMrYhblXgaZhYWFNSwnRRTolOAikVhsjpd_cOynRToXm5BcY/s5472/P1260390.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBHS3m7C7duh4HCxmYM6B6Z0pZI9CXZkjGUlvnNY6nJuXjmKYF5EuPCi0EkdswLykhMx51-iIvKdfMw0xmpGy2R9TyjFiBNWLXTIb0gTNrx1vK6_grQhgbcPOYLSyH2_tj6v0vnzqiaR1wMrYhblXgaZhYWFNSwnRRTolOAikVhsjpd_cOynRToXm5BcY/s320/P1260390.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This historical teachings go from the earliest settlers from Malaysia and Indonesia to the immigration of people from the African continent and trade and hostile engagements. It includes the attempts to repel the French and the issues with the French Protectorate status that dissolved the monarchy. It's definitely an interesting tour. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After touring the castle, we stopped at an ATM so I could get local cash (Ariary) and then went to the hotel for the evening, where I was finally able to shower and brush my teeth!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-70031783798799387262023-11-02T15:10:00.000-07:002023-11-02T15:10:06.408-07:00Luwombo, Matooke, and a Shoebill Stork<p>We were back in Entebbe, in the hotel I first started in. And we got to really sleep in. We didn't expect Kalema until about 10:00 or so, and we were staying another night here, so we didn't even have to pack up! After a relaxing breakfast on the balcony, we headed out to Kampala for a cooking class. Kalema and Rukia (one of the school teachers) was going to teach us how to make fish luwombo and matooke, national dishes of Uganda. And they taught us the traditional way!</p><p>We first cut our banana and plantain leaves. Then Susan and Rukia walked up the hill to the market while Kalema and I peeled the green bananas and steamed and prepped the leaves. Once they got back with vegetables, groundnut paste, and smoked perch, we got started prepping the meal.</p><p>First, we mixed the groundnut paste with water. Then we chopped the vegetables. Tomatoes, carrots, and onions. I tried dicing the onions, and I was told I was doing it wrong. Bruce, do you think I might need some extra kevlar gloves?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwD1LDfHDSHuQf1q1leYCF6K3MdurSVrDp5tEZkp7TKhd1UAtWT8YC83yhunptQsAYoGJfmW5mw_5H_18FjGg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After getting the groundnut paste, water, and vegetables to a nice, soupy consistency, we added salt and curry powder. Then, we cleaned, skinned, and boned the smoked Nile perch. Basically, just broke it up so we had just the meat. Then came the fun part - making the bundles! Soup in banana leaves. How hard could it be? Rukia made it look easy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OQLDk_bJZLw" width="320" youtube-src-id="OQLDk_bJZLw"></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I, however, failed miserably, and Rukia had to fix my bundle for me. Then, we made another, bigger bundle for the bananas. The bundles were all put in pans of water which were set over fires so they could steam. Some of the luwombo was just put in a pot and cooked like a normal soup. I think that's probably how I will make it when I get home. I don't think I have the patience to make the banana leaf bundles! I'll need to think hard to try to decide what substitution to use for making the matooke bundle. That stuff's also delicious, and I really need to have both of these on my rotation for regular food!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After everything cooked, we took the bundle of bananas out of the pan and kneeded it - or rather Rukia did, periodically dipping her hands in lukewarm water to cool them from the heat. That's some hot stuff, and it has to be kneeded while it's hot. I think I'll need to get some smaller silicone gloves for that. The ones I have are massive and are used just for grabbing dishes out of the oven. Everything was worth it as we opened all of the bundles and ate the fruits of our labors! It was sooo delicious. My list of things - learn to make or find groundnut paste and find banana leaves or find a substitute for them so I can make matooke in my big steamer that so far only makes crab/lobster boil and tamales! We got flatware, but the traditional way of eating this is to pick up a piece of matooke and run it through the Luwombo, eating with your fingers! Mm-mm great! - Better than Campbell's soup!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAXOJ_2MGmqWwfyhqQiYYHvk588Wi21LsSPeVJmzQb93HheQiRdNnHt-cmovMJJBO4gihdSGLw41I9fvghjEulwfO-cRyHcnmTDdzoX8ho5j9yad7jRCVmgzrNkcyNnnVfW-U0htcTDKJ_WLvymRdqZXIm97eubYo5C1RS8g0t_aq5IF5CAuwFp9pw6U/s5472/P1260019.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYAXOJ_2MGmqWwfyhqQiYYHvk588Wi21LsSPeVJmzQb93HheQiRdNnHt-cmovMJJBO4gihdSGLw41I9fvghjEulwfO-cRyHcnmTDdzoX8ho5j9yad7jRCVmgzrNkcyNnnVfW-U0htcTDKJ_WLvymRdqZXIm97eubYo5C1RS8g0t_aq5IF5CAuwFp9pw6U/s320/P1260019.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwx9SEwijOj-kgpQPlfRq1TprOB91eeFXX8xzAY7LR3jdbfuAcEl2uQrl0SMQgPGlByrAN0iyGPE_hyphenhyphenaUx1Mc7W1lysOEfQrdDrgu8LUdgf6rLqtsaO0Rz8UGhKVcl1oA3d5REgoVq-eUbWeHNYzE-OtpMcfOe9vZqHpnFzwYPiAzmFCF9IWoFPZVpu6c/s5472/P1260032.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwx9SEwijOj-kgpQPlfRq1TprOB91eeFXX8xzAY7LR3jdbfuAcEl2uQrl0SMQgPGlByrAN0iyGPE_hyphenhyphenaUx1Mc7W1lysOEfQrdDrgu8LUdgf6rLqtsaO0Rz8UGhKVcl1oA3d5REgoVq-eUbWeHNYzE-OtpMcfOe9vZqHpnFzwYPiAzmFCF9IWoFPZVpu6c/s320/P1260032.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Between cutting our own banana leaves to cooking over small charcoal fires and considering it was teaching (and we students had no idea what we were doing), this took all afternoon, but it was sooo delicious!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next morning, we packed everything up and got ready for our last activity before heading to the airport. I still hadn't seen the shoebilled stork, so Kalema put together one last activity to try to make that happen. It was raining, but we headed out to the Mabamba Swamp anyway! We took a motorized canoe from the shore of Lake Victoria to the swamp. Then we changed from that boat to a smaller one. We saw lots of birds.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Weaver</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfwS8Du6rXx1nYy1EflzvTSjvFdkDE5tZzX-WiRavhQvEaoD8vxnTlq1LoQpP6zPpG8V5KCvJluovJpfL580fUu6I13iUQqTRwRjHND0EMPp98d18El2rN5G0AkaxBzIVfTFWEeDnqaprLNRI4nX6Wo7HNdZCnES0PuNfTveBJHeFZ8O6RSlqz9lBp9I/s2462/P1260065.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1947" data-original-width="2462" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsfwS8Du6rXx1nYy1EflzvTSjvFdkDE5tZzX-WiRavhQvEaoD8vxnTlq1LoQpP6zPpG8V5KCvJluovJpfL580fUu6I13iUQqTRwRjHND0EMPp98d18El2rN5G0AkaxBzIVfTFWEeDnqaprLNRI4nX6Wo7HNdZCnES0PuNfTveBJHeFZ8O6RSlqz9lBp9I/s320/P1260065.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Purple Heron</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzoIZMr0TvIXUSpg7wXsKGg7KAAYahXP79-NJ4mxds5wJ7Kwu1aP8VFwMNgz5RlXpvVKKaK4HBcpYLbACFB6UHEiP7KY72nf-Sj5yKf3GJU4l92AMQEptqxQ9SCtzSHG6kGTf7V65zSdI2kDkg1bULAKR8mtC7Ew4VXHp_mB5cHrvxqlsKrGV6z0A93s/s1444/P1260073.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1410" data-original-width="1444" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIzoIZMr0TvIXUSpg7wXsKGg7KAAYahXP79-NJ4mxds5wJ7Kwu1aP8VFwMNgz5RlXpvVKKaK4HBcpYLbACFB6UHEiP7KY72nf-Sj5yKf3GJU4l92AMQEptqxQ9SCtzSHG6kGTf7V65zSdI2kDkg1bULAKR8mtC7Ew4VXHp_mB5cHrvxqlsKrGV6z0A93s/s320/P1260073.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Reed Cormorant</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BxKAZfNhp5fNxY-xwY6cL4UDYPP7o9PN7gK1fwD_C4E5DQr8AOh8Fynvg1bmf9Lc5i3vAD0zOK-gRLGwKWA2zhDDwfDG4JQ0XceBZnUawMnr77BxV09An4n1YCUuiPzaBmLpPidvxmJ334fXgHyJjOUpU_IYZ-Apyo_-VZ1XHeJQblcsZn9W2gwltLU/s2048/P1260119.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1835" data-original-width="2048" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3BxKAZfNhp5fNxY-xwY6cL4UDYPP7o9PN7gK1fwD_C4E5DQr8AOh8Fynvg1bmf9Lc5i3vAD0zOK-gRLGwKWA2zhDDwfDG4JQ0XceBZnUawMnr77BxV09An4n1YCUuiPzaBmLpPidvxmJ334fXgHyJjOUpU_IYZ-Apyo_-VZ1XHeJQblcsZn9W2gwltLU/s320/P1260119.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">African Jacana</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBZKl-3YniXJ3AGeqklpvsz9fg1nqxTFEkKZPN5ZJGbhKaF-RlyJ-20M5cvSFarBlSNwYRi9HivEZP0kpUMOFFQKL5ubAA0KfPirrsoNm4mIavSu3SbSXISPOx81Oy8u1P57RcEXi2RiocVQjJqzoTO0aUjG8FkLt1lNnWddIaMiojHb4eG7EXQaR8yw/s3066/P1260140.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2484" data-original-width="3066" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBZKl-3YniXJ3AGeqklpvsz9fg1nqxTFEkKZPN5ZJGbhKaF-RlyJ-20M5cvSFarBlSNwYRi9HivEZP0kpUMOFFQKL5ubAA0KfPirrsoNm4mIavSu3SbSXISPOx81Oy8u1P57RcEXi2RiocVQjJqzoTO0aUjG8FkLt1lNnWddIaMiojHb4eG7EXQaR8yw/s320/P1260140.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow-billed Duck</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnv0PuuE90h52w26Lo2lobCnJPsb1THZLJpdqmtf0lfY4PSYSllGjhLYm-1GWM_RAZr_J8b4MwF_lkWuF-KJEHrRKbfrL7UQlgputsOq2kt9gmJQVdES7YLRvzJ4MTEjJE9uuv_YasWRwpvPKIPA_rmr3CqHuLp09ek0EW9j7DkpL4Nga13QNdkT-WScY/s2652/P1260179.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2652" data-original-width="2305" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnv0PuuE90h52w26Lo2lobCnJPsb1THZLJpdqmtf0lfY4PSYSllGjhLYm-1GWM_RAZr_J8b4MwF_lkWuF-KJEHrRKbfrL7UQlgputsOq2kt9gmJQVdES7YLRvzJ4MTEjJE9uuv_YasWRwpvPKIPA_rmr3CqHuLp09ek0EW9j7DkpL4Nga13QNdkT-WScY/s320/P1260179.jpg" width="278" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Squacco Heron</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNhrEHbfNqQR1QkIOOk4C8ndKLFIUiHoEU41XqA1HjhPF7p58zgqh5SyO0fp21uZyJ4QT5cu_8JGbsMguS1rh1qzJZEZuwWV6i3jPx6kRJVCMslxy7LcAwfmAArYWdawfRtPH4Q5vzjfBEhh6T9r7ZKm-UNnQjONnsIRuMLkYzjvJVKmEq3dfPbaqRNw/s2607/P1260215.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2271" data-original-width="2607" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNhrEHbfNqQR1QkIOOk4C8ndKLFIUiHoEU41XqA1HjhPF7p58zgqh5SyO0fp21uZyJ4QT5cu_8JGbsMguS1rh1qzJZEZuwWV6i3jPx6kRJVCMslxy7LcAwfmAArYWdawfRtPH4Q5vzjfBEhh6T9r7ZKm-UNnQjONnsIRuMLkYzjvJVKmEq3dfPbaqRNw/s320/P1260215.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We went up and down through the different channels, some so thin and across some areas where they had to push the boat with the paddels. As we were getting worried about the time because we had a plane to catch, we finally found a shoebill stork! It was extremely shy. Every time we would get close enough to barely see it, it would take flight and go somewhere else. As I have said before, a bad picture is better than no picture! You can barely see it in the standing picture, and the flight picture isn't the clearest in the world, but you can definitely tell it's a shoebill stork!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQIJSFNPihBQLUI_RcmSuKjceq13d0QWJEgGyGPf7aVv9VnGvcIitR_jniHAsNHomWE9AS8h5F1GFqJi9RHDZOSBvD-vIuT2ggdUxwffPu_zwqks4Me0EXGWnjCpoJXXxwp9HLEOwOCb3rTtqZ6_WN_glh2fg2ZOpjO4QzEc5Re9bsrb3zZhZM29qOps/s1202/P1260239.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1373" data-original-width="1455" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGxrA7fjo3yn5NzCCoJ4p8BUbw087NVFQ1ygnS2vzRGOkXDw0CTF5qT0TJn182C9uFeDOUAwlCjGMB5Kl6F119g7Mj32i-x_Sz4evrDg41ZKNJn9pIh_JRUa8KL1DjwksTqzq6NbcNWPaVD4LXgPlONMgjSzZMDaSP6_7EhMFvIYBNbM7JelgM-KRTZ8/s320/P1260249.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQIJSFNPihBQLUI_RcmSuKjceq13d0QWJEgGyGPf7aVv9VnGvcIitR_jniHAsNHomWE9AS8h5F1GFqJi9RHDZOSBvD-vIuT2ggdUxwffPu_zwqks4Me0EXGWnjCpoJXXxwp9HLEOwOCb3rTtqZ6_WN_glh2fg2ZOpjO4QzEc5Re9bsrb3zZhZM29qOps/s1202/P1260239.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQIJSFNPihBQLUI_RcmSuKjceq13d0QWJEgGyGPf7aVv9VnGvcIitR_jniHAsNHomWE9AS8h5F1GFqJi9RHDZOSBvD-vIuT2ggdUxwffPu_zwqks4Me0EXGWnjCpoJXXxwp9HLEOwOCb3rTtqZ6_WN_glh2fg2ZOpjO4QzEc5Re9bsrb3zZhZM29qOps/s1202/P1260239.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1202" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqQIJSFNPihBQLUI_RcmSuKjceq13d0QWJEgGyGPf7aVv9VnGvcIitR_jniHAsNHomWE9AS8h5F1GFqJi9RHDZOSBvD-vIuT2ggdUxwffPu_zwqks4Me0EXGWnjCpoJXXxwp9HLEOwOCb3rTtqZ6_WN_glh2fg2ZOpjO4QzEc5Re9bsrb3zZhZM29qOps/s320/P1260239.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;">And we got back and to the airport with plenty of time to catch our flight!</div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-5170559204072929972023-11-01T07:18:00.001-07:002023-11-01T19:03:28.269-07:00Zebras and Local Culture<p>Today was an easy day. We slept in for an 8:00 am departure time. We stopped to see some birds along the way, then drove through part of the Lake Mburo park. We only skirted the edge of the park because we made some modifications to our schedule and wanted to get back to town. We even got out after a little while and walked through a field where we saw lots of zebra grazing with some farmer's cows! The farmers aren't allowed to mess with the zebra in their fields! Pretty wild. We also saw some other animals. There are eland in this park, but they're apparently very shy and hard to find.</p><p style="text-align: center;">Wooly-necked stork</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj4R2IUrVOc3kYwcuBbsKbCE0x8YFzKt0Ab8g9RawqDB2gNfOGtomeYpdpbRPKf2ergcfKMRv3Q11bwvro1NtVLcBv-B4NtTYb8QL6C9_QeJBjaG3xb5Ayt46BRqt3XYNSYdQX2SisyJbGW66JxKyYXg9LwNk6eKiJBUS5LZtd29V0A9SRIGg9-r5Zxw/s2104/P1250301.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1802" data-original-width="2104" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtj4R2IUrVOc3kYwcuBbsKbCE0x8YFzKt0Ab8g9RawqDB2gNfOGtomeYpdpbRPKf2ergcfKMRv3Q11bwvro1NtVLcBv-B4NtTYb8QL6C9_QeJBjaG3xb5Ayt46BRqt3XYNSYdQX2SisyJbGW66JxKyYXg9LwNk6eKiJBUS5LZtd29V0A9SRIGg9-r5Zxw/s320/P1250301.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">more pied kingfisher</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNiGt3NgGBzYKEfRN-iPxUjLC7PK92CWU08FPTeewh0YygVOtQsILdejLmGg6MJwcM_iwzsZ9cM4mEh5JJh5Uu-D5pIecR-Oxj38xIrBltWsp5_uWaKvPxViLRfY1vm0OKG_otaJO9RX9D0s2RknO_xOK36UtV5J5ViF7UL2jEYu_kYJBiqGwaYaIdOQ/s2204/P1250314.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1902" data-original-width="2204" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtNiGt3NgGBzYKEfRN-iPxUjLC7PK92CWU08FPTeewh0YygVOtQsILdejLmGg6MJwcM_iwzsZ9cM4mEh5JJh5Uu-D5pIecR-Oxj38xIrBltWsp5_uWaKvPxViLRfY1vm0OKG_otaJO9RX9D0s2RknO_xOK36UtV5J5ViF7UL2jEYu_kYJBiqGwaYaIdOQ/s320/P1250314.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wahlberg's eagle</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhRagUMDhGYwMolRUcopAKEVu8LrCHyw6wJw4ClXy7JLVvDXrbEMEaYHGMHGhjsHBcebP6gl6pr3J7jfoqe44ynpCK-S6wHiEc8Xu-sQTzA4MmmTmNfV_6IGXcDDC834Tv_SNg9VTlPWfw6BQqi2OPgkizTGug3T_Yh9nN8-PQwOMJvjMv65oWASgWks/s1768/P1250320.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1768" data-original-width="1645" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVhRagUMDhGYwMolRUcopAKEVu8LrCHyw6wJw4ClXy7JLVvDXrbEMEaYHGMHGhjsHBcebP6gl6pr3J7jfoqe44ynpCK-S6wHiEc8Xu-sQTzA4MmmTmNfV_6IGXcDDC834Tv_SNg9VTlPWfw6BQqi2OPgkizTGug3T_Yh9nN8-PQwOMJvjMv65oWASgWks/s320/P1250320.jpg" width="298" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-0rNib60nkUIro-ef6hhm5sLyXuBrPiALNEyZR-ypCdqI6_XkICzDsxU8wwzHPjjXGrVNiwCHMm5mVlJg4lPdPv693wQjrPKU169i5DzbGnmpGgoeM6dQEs1VOVeht9dSlTEIeaWXxeGJOU2K0RXezEEckg7Uz74uX4otLboQgRDG979X81oyELWiiw/s5472/P1250366.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2708" data-original-width="5472" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-0rNib60nkUIro-ef6hhm5sLyXuBrPiALNEyZR-ypCdqI6_XkICzDsxU8wwzHPjjXGrVNiwCHMm5mVlJg4lPdPv693wQjrPKU169i5DzbGnmpGgoeM6dQEs1VOVeht9dSlTEIeaWXxeGJOU2K0RXezEEckg7Uz74uX4otLboQgRDG979X81oyELWiiw/s320/P1250366.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzHvR6RHEEj0bEJqrndD6yoOI9WYlrp8IJ6K7asU90Ez7-jNG_VeONhDYyHWDx7V3rFwjwpbmBvlDOMnjtx0g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7v2QapNtajMSdVLqpWw_eQKqRSXBKXrWlwmllc565bAS9Q-gRuDsuyZ0cU7tIvDUklb36GLhzXRwBX5DVfC5-aI99RvKl6m2dCWGTZ2tyk4ta_UapZfUh3dL0H-SDo5LlRbGh4S7-tO8p0I8ikQIr-jM3ivNt3aVBmErG-cw3k7RGGG7cUDAwuBg6jWw/s4577/P1250419.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2641" data-original-width="4577" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7v2QapNtajMSdVLqpWw_eQKqRSXBKXrWlwmllc565bAS9Q-gRuDsuyZ0cU7tIvDUklb36GLhzXRwBX5DVfC5-aI99RvKl6m2dCWGTZ2tyk4ta_UapZfUh3dL0H-SDo5LlRbGh4S7-tO8p0I8ikQIr-jM3ivNt3aVBmErG-cw3k7RGGG7cUDAwuBg6jWw/s320/P1250419.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8gvCohYDGDThu52N_ezMKJjG_tEU6S6xkXYWJ_blzZcftCwrn7Lvpo9Ol6r3nVvKDDKLKpLf_ox4v_RMWkJm-HYFt8zpFUAzKIep44Z6771BohyTcgv3mF-RQNXLH46NAfW8LGzO3u9-zsTz7GKnP6aAjLNCXh1lBgbphD0OAP1YuXNcxFfIIkyeBwc/s2249/P1250436.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2249" data-original-width="1678" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ8gvCohYDGDThu52N_ezMKJjG_tEU6S6xkXYWJ_blzZcftCwrn7Lvpo9Ol6r3nVvKDDKLKpLf_ox4v_RMWkJm-HYFt8zpFUAzKIep44Z6771BohyTcgv3mF-RQNXLH46NAfW8LGzO3u9-zsTz7GKnP6aAjLNCXh1lBgbphD0OAP1YuXNcxFfIIkyeBwc/s320/P1250436.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the way out of Lake Mburo, we started having a little car trouble. After stopping at a garage for a few minutes to try to fix it, the cure still wasn't in and Gody determined that it wasn't safe to continue. Kalema handled it like the professional she is. Without missing a beat, she arranged another driver. We transferred only the things we needed for the rest of that day to the new car and driver, and were on our way with hardly a hiccup!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">With our new driver, we made it to Kayabwe, the town where they celebrate being on the equator, kind of like Mitad del Mundo in Ecuador, but a whole town instead of a park in town. We stopped at a local restaurant and ordered, then went to the "tourist" spot and took pictures. I now have photos of myself with one foot in the Northern and one foot in the Southern Hemispheres in both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres! Kind of neat if you think about it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WGBVDU-E_F2H6leF-0s_xXxZuPHO223TWMoj3wKrhWzphlS5v5dT7j4ZH5YXVb_qrj-MUVk0vaSTGLunbDZ4_Q_gSoqrwYTzQUIsxzz8mBS5DPUjTJRp5IcudEkLZWPrCxWW5DnoIEeilyh2AekrfolTStSQ2rL-cU-S8oDNUbv9q-UaPA9l4zl4lOI/s5472/P1250450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3WGBVDU-E_F2H6leF-0s_xXxZuPHO223TWMoj3wKrhWzphlS5v5dT7j4ZH5YXVb_qrj-MUVk0vaSTGLunbDZ4_Q_gSoqrwYTzQUIsxzz8mBS5DPUjTJRp5IcudEkLZWPrCxWW5DnoIEeilyh2AekrfolTStSQ2rL-cU-S8oDNUbv9q-UaPA9l4zl4lOI/s320/P1250450.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The tourism people frown on exposing tourists to local foods before the trekking is complete because of the possibility of traveler's diarrhea. Our treks are all complete, so I ordered the equivalent of the sampler plate with groundnut sauce. OMG! It was all soooo good! Rice, matooke (mashed steamed bananas), sweet potato, irish potato, ugali (steamed maize cake), and cassava (yucca). There was also an avocado. And you can't forget the groundnut sauce in the bowl! Yes, lots of starch, but...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnRgT7bv2KBvqXg23HS5YK37CcBEOBUnv1261CWHW4ZepyLqOay2L5g7xLZPgo3KV0tDuLqpnLRk4pe5-HPDcRflvNqhETnvrLP7CTGGkLVnRrlJtNainuZ2afXvS6yKBUFGKNqPLPHtx9dJcDISlEiqSHqR8AXnrkQOLDaMi4lpA4G0_xxs9wHG63VI/s5472/P1250509.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKnRgT7bv2KBvqXg23HS5YK37CcBEOBUnv1261CWHW4ZepyLqOay2L5g7xLZPgo3KV0tDuLqpnLRk4pe5-HPDcRflvNqhETnvrLP7CTGGkLVnRrlJtNainuZ2afXvS6yKBUFGKNqPLPHtx9dJcDISlEiqSHqR8AXnrkQOLDaMi4lpA4G0_xxs9wHG63VI/s320/P1250509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We then made our way to the school. The Lungala Education Center serves children from ages 3-12 (ish), running classes that are basically kindergarten and elementary school equivalents. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGia-l7oLemJ4UFk_AFLLBT0VfN4GiJPaByVw41F7epq62j5OAuTI6VNl7pR3u2mcA_45PdpT2AWLW9lSO7MGwTCHTtUSATh-WSWyDTpLASvq7kydLdayAG9tr2atvDB7i_egn20yMLwZUcZyUIP5LbXlkI7bgWYYLfTmKY2s4QjVhmA-500jTlFMm-FU/s5472/P1250553.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGia-l7oLemJ4UFk_AFLLBT0VfN4GiJPaByVw41F7epq62j5OAuTI6VNl7pR3u2mcA_45PdpT2AWLW9lSO7MGwTCHTtUSATh-WSWyDTpLASvq7kydLdayAG9tr2atvDB7i_egn20yMLwZUcZyUIP5LbXlkI7bgWYYLfTmKY2s4QjVhmA-500jTlFMm-FU/s320/P1250553.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They have seven teachers (with two current openings) and 128 students, some of whom walk up to 10 km (5-ish miles) each way. Kalema and Nicholas founded the school on some property donated by the community and with the help of some donated labor, but donations only go so far. Kalema also supports the school with proceeds from her tourism business. They do a wonderful job. You can see that the children get a very good, basic education, even though there is a shortage of books and student consumables. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lujbJ1kgCV2Gyh1R4Vl44GxGjgcdbowiPnyJkHXerfijT1PMLvqMT71Je1aV_5wVEG41fCpMEbNOKTth_vJAupGvo5g6ZwFZASv0mdR7P0dCnOMCA_GjyUrKhvYGCLg4EJsJDt6L6lOLkaCsH9VuTsJiY_NSHa-ibzKXd9drDNPl_-9si3NEO0WXBds/s5472/P1250522.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-lujbJ1kgCV2Gyh1R4Vl44GxGjgcdbowiPnyJkHXerfijT1PMLvqMT71Je1aV_5wVEG41fCpMEbNOKTth_vJAupGvo5g6ZwFZASv0mdR7P0dCnOMCA_GjyUrKhvYGCLg4EJsJDt6L6lOLkaCsH9VuTsJiY_NSHa-ibzKXd9drDNPl_-9si3NEO0WXBds/s320/P1250522.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZWOIWvMlAEbWs9mUBa4HzI5-STLEChV9BIgi3-ivm6zmTUEL67ryph5LfQdJSFkjx9KhMOgrKoHQ0aub1HqVkAYbQ-IABI2nYbaJ_K-sHtrh4wu44u98gbQIIJhTMbBJfJ8BNhRUw_1ZrDpuNmGDTEoqprvlwAoxp7SgqHxLpn6JErCsKqfPySynyqA/s5472/P1250561.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZWOIWvMlAEbWs9mUBa4HzI5-STLEChV9BIgi3-ivm6zmTUEL67ryph5LfQdJSFkjx9KhMOgrKoHQ0aub1HqVkAYbQ-IABI2nYbaJ_K-sHtrh4wu44u98gbQIIJhTMbBJfJ8BNhRUw_1ZrDpuNmGDTEoqprvlwAoxp7SgqHxLpn6JErCsKqfPySynyqA/s320/P1250561.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIYdudNpy5OZgFQ45UAmKZkYqYjleUds8F3rUGpazm1TTymyXNkJBlAEj3p89bVujJDHR91Wdt_U29aYShSWZz8P9GBU_PVwdwt9WUMACW5u0pUaA3Gc_0YzrtbxDH-ShDknu6L3ccDudbL4n-j3v8kc925lBfHNu239fW4xG-rU2mVTNG0KKbq1cXFY/s5472/P1250563.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIYdudNpy5OZgFQ45UAmKZkYqYjleUds8F3rUGpazm1TTymyXNkJBlAEj3p89bVujJDHR91Wdt_U29aYShSWZz8P9GBU_PVwdwt9WUMACW5u0pUaA3Gc_0YzrtbxDH-ShDknu6L3ccDudbL4n-j3v8kc925lBfHNu239fW4xG-rU2mVTNG0KKbq1cXFY/s320/P1250563.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They have a mostly-functional well for water, a rudimentary kitchen, and primitive toilets. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBklwFdIpjYiKZ0OaXeSVVULv0NpXC1eN-riMjtyeUUrUvV6WjIP6dZmaAVwGwRyr5fFN7a574cMUef08ZJOaltIAyKU-q-dBiQHtbKZN9qawjMqtsj4_KCfYcotwZh4xQ13IRCZr5gcR6B6E5jGdetwV0EN4d6th9aAr3LLA2jlNVUsOmSDwMdMpEPFg/s5472/P1250589.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBklwFdIpjYiKZ0OaXeSVVULv0NpXC1eN-riMjtyeUUrUvV6WjIP6dZmaAVwGwRyr5fFN7a574cMUef08ZJOaltIAyKU-q-dBiQHtbKZN9qawjMqtsj4_KCfYcotwZh4xQ13IRCZr5gcR6B6E5jGdetwV0EN4d6th9aAr3LLA2jlNVUsOmSDwMdMpEPFg/s320/P1250589.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH9P5SxoFh1BKmmQVme3bgA_RXjmkTm2e4MdRegpo6PSQGMwgvGSqgkh1bH-vMDy6Tw-i-T9Z-Pudb0u1VnBTdoyFByR30cENkUKJW04ynw3rRRcx0w3vVZEMUGcYqgIl_r8so5C-5eNQ8b1sYgCqCbjBUirl-muzuzPHhruja119QIunC9veP0PMfnM/s5472/P1250591.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdH9P5SxoFh1BKmmQVme3bgA_RXjmkTm2e4MdRegpo6PSQGMwgvGSqgkh1bH-vMDy6Tw-i-T9Z-Pudb0u1VnBTdoyFByR30cENkUKJW04ynw3rRRcx0w3vVZEMUGcYqgIl_r8so5C-5eNQ8b1sYgCqCbjBUirl-muzuzPHhruja119QIunC9veP0PMfnM/s320/P1250591.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They try to grow food, and they feed the children meals (which is sometimes the only healthy meal the children have). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They have one piece of playground equipment that is loved by all the children. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNv4QGD4JgeWmb_ABxRNwn97HAGP39NLM3KqigQr3mTWRY4DaszU1uLp4jGK8CRiQP_y_6Gca-yiRS9xvqnDeIrWFyDJj-ECgZ1EDq-tDfPeOPKBdihXkFcnvU-k-v0dRTgF6om7DOwh4N7xo4dQQpOxYdFYdROc3_GGZ3ANaH5IZLVRnqDsTyR4M7Gk8/s5472/P1250652.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNv4QGD4JgeWmb_ABxRNwn97HAGP39NLM3KqigQr3mTWRY4DaszU1uLp4jGK8CRiQP_y_6Gca-yiRS9xvqnDeIrWFyDJj-ECgZ1EDq-tDfPeOPKBdihXkFcnvU-k-v0dRTgF6om7DOwh4N7xo4dQQpOxYdFYdROc3_GGZ3ANaH5IZLVRnqDsTyR4M7Gk8/s320/P1250652.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They have many needs, including that they would like to have another building so they can take more children as well as more teaching and student use materials. This school is in Mpigi, a small village outside Kampala. It is the only school in the community, a community that has fallen through the cracks and is not well served (or even served at all) by the public education system. If anyone would be interested in donating to help support this school, please let me know.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By the time we finished touring the school and playing with the children, Gody was back to take us to our hotel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-2315895544188992362023-10-30T11:06:00.000-07:002023-10-30T11:06:00.700-07:00The Only Place Golden Monkeys Can Live!<p> As we left Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, we were again ushered out by some black and white colubus monkeys! I'm beginning to think they just want to make sure we leave! I might get a complex soon!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtuaHTifWOz1eJ0Kxd0OqOmKd6VIw5y7Nz9iyiryv0cFunIi3gKkqjbgPKv7qPmfgNBAPIcVgb3bQqto2y7yXpnD16cjk8ScSe2E_bK8mCtLUSFcyeYzTQoWNeAAKPwfhwdBALzUyoi1MOhd9H1jTMWJbur_O3mAEcLZkhsRKCj9LNemqxOWzR9txr4w/s3358/P1240598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3133" data-original-width="3358" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVtuaHTifWOz1eJ0Kxd0OqOmKd6VIw5y7Nz9iyiryv0cFunIi3gKkqjbgPKv7qPmfgNBAPIcVgb3bQqto2y7yXpnD16cjk8ScSe2E_bK8mCtLUSFcyeYzTQoWNeAAKPwfhwdBALzUyoi1MOhd9H1jTMWJbur_O3mAEcLZkhsRKCj9LNemqxOWzR9txr4w/s320/P1240598.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also passed by a kid with a three-horned chameleon sitting on a stick. The hope is that he will put the chameleon back after making a few bucks showing it to tourists driving through.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYe_XFAN4Bz_Q-EZSafPcLDBE5TbSGaMyKGqhwDZ97K4IdnUixrwHjrI1BgBPMCfQFc0wogNrKm1iT1bOGF-R8swpMhf8viFi-C6hRqPUWLZRkoVEWmHJ0xHmA2uFD79Fc5fYgFc4GAAshfoa9QfRkT9TbWeYCnClLP_mjtDZ-7NYeyc5ulyuUxQr19U/s5472/P1240582.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYYe_XFAN4Bz_Q-EZSafPcLDBE5TbSGaMyKGqhwDZ97K4IdnUixrwHjrI1BgBPMCfQFc0wogNrKm1iT1bOGF-R8swpMhf8viFi-C6hRqPUWLZRkoVEWmHJ0xHmA2uFD79Fc5fYgFc4GAAshfoa9QfRkT9TbWeYCnClLP_mjtDZ-7NYeyc5ulyuUxQr19U/s320/P1240582.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We stopped for a picnic lunch by Lake Buyonyi, (lake of many birds). Kalema told us the history of the lake, which includes Punishment Island. In olden times, if a woman got pregnant out of wedlock, they would take her to Punishment Island and tie her to a tree until she died. Seems a bit harsh to me, but I guess stoning her to death is really no different. Both would be painful ways to die, and neither were acceptable. As always, there was no consequence for the guy. The lake was beautiful, though. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfppkwlvlcmECgPUP4kkX2Ys2KqofTBZjM-Cfx91p1TqykGd-XCNevTqyOcD67A6mdb9On42s3q_bzynucgOfQePWEEIjFP66np3u1Z2wfsoKPrbsdy8GpnbyuAbw_oZWIAGwh-PMEK4FDMIc0UoFGJJqrmXICB9iiP8fD0AWaCdz9K7fxK0NszTgY3Vo/s5472/P1240620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfppkwlvlcmECgPUP4kkX2Ys2KqofTBZjM-Cfx91p1TqykGd-XCNevTqyOcD67A6mdb9On42s3q_bzynucgOfQePWEEIjFP66np3u1Z2wfsoKPrbsdy8GpnbyuAbw_oZWIAGwh-PMEK4FDMIc0UoFGJJqrmXICB9iiP8fD0AWaCdz9K7fxK0NszTgY3Vo/s320/P1240620.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">By mid afternoon, we made it close to the tri-country borders, at one point being 6 km from the border of Rwanda. This park is part of the Varuga Mountain range, which spans Uganda, Rwanda, and the DRC. Our lodge is by a river, so I spent the afternoon watching birds and catching up on journaling.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yellow-billed stork</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFL6Bf17v3gXpnjqi9V9HU2i4MvLuoHw_sk2bWT0zRWqFEiw07TSBtLFPbneOSvji7xZRq3Nq9yNCQLseCLNnNQjc7hdajt47y2VP-wI1xoTSJPafVHjOsbKfdaKpBpVhoROg0gikT7lMe-w715CmEhslaHZvtDsN27kjYPeGDweqFD82IcggAn_KUvWI/s2820/P1240694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2417" data-original-width="2820" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFL6Bf17v3gXpnjqi9V9HU2i4MvLuoHw_sk2bWT0zRWqFEiw07TSBtLFPbneOSvji7xZRq3Nq9yNCQLseCLNnNQjc7hdajt47y2VP-wI1xoTSJPafVHjOsbKfdaKpBpVhoROg0gikT7lMe-w715CmEhslaHZvtDsN27kjYPeGDweqFD82IcggAn_KUvWI/s320/P1240694.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hamerkop (This bird builds a huge nest with multiple rooms!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWTEq_nHZrYSaEoB62fzDr4r-1zWHLALkOMJwNY-YSOUbT4o1ANFbe6tSTFQEtyYCag_9VZ07kNdHPgaKp3-46kDBTN-BOQiatcD8jrzUhh2NLGvDNXZf4hRZnpcgp3UvTDk7ddW635zyOyIeqZcOZNsGpcBXR866SKusnVJt-SkOONbE33V8znar0Ow/s2204/P1240751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2081" data-original-width="2204" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTWTEq_nHZrYSaEoB62fzDr4r-1zWHLALkOMJwNY-YSOUbT4o1ANFbe6tSTFQEtyYCag_9VZ07kNdHPgaKp3-46kDBTN-BOQiatcD8jrzUhh2NLGvDNXZf4hRZnpcgp3UvTDk7ddW635zyOyIeqZcOZNsGpcBXR866SKusnVJt-SkOONbE33V8znar0Ow/s320/P1240751.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyTram4ytoH-ok9MfQ6ykFHPLHk5R_PRHlixH9oaVJUYnKATBBCrw9b3eVGmbJbiq8ZyDIMcWoWeWEgeOyFVg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sacred ibis</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiRt5mjBf9x_v5e5olQmls1lFkJspNEMCJC_PZtOQWU7-nFgbxG6H_CoVSx1S0vBZwkXyf2GX7pAjmTbQ9j_WSO5Lmp0X-1ryFck46EJTF31Vlez5-WBzXsKwOCIgHdH-XbpwLsS-uFGzYIGzaKI5sVdGgTuzSzH0lFlbimnXeVA0aJPjVFVEpQClABc/s2753/P1240854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1981" data-original-width="2753" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSiRt5mjBf9x_v5e5olQmls1lFkJspNEMCJC_PZtOQWU7-nFgbxG6H_CoVSx1S0vBZwkXyf2GX7pAjmTbQ9j_WSO5Lmp0X-1ryFck46EJTF31Vlez5-WBzXsKwOCIgHdH-XbpwLsS-uFGzYIGzaKI5sVdGgTuzSzH0lFlbimnXeVA0aJPjVFVEpQClABc/s320/P1240854.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mgahinga National Park is known as "where gold meets silver" because there are silverback gorillas (remember the Varunga Mountain range is one of the places with gorillas that you can trek from any of the three countries) and golden monkeys. When we got there, we watched some local dancers and got our briefing, in which we were told these monkeys are unable to live anywhere else other than Mount Gahinga, so you can only see them on this mountain. Every time someone tried to capture them to put them in zoos or other places to be seen, the monkeys did not survive. This mountain is the only place in the world they have ever survived. They are still protected by armed guards, though. Poachers aren't usually disuaded just by the survival rate of the animal they're poaching!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0OExp4SA1qX0UXQ1-7N-TV5K4GdWCgfK3O-dXHe2lIiX-aDuqrZB9Z2vERv1ZBBJIXoqcBsDJagB06Nh8nzmasuZ3um4Z7OTGs0rOUo2N78IHs3CgvSJnYaqce26-gjPdsfzHs8ff-mQAOTdY7MgMeLzlYEa__iXs13oXsNL5-yXiWX4JRinGFzuYd4/s5472/P1240868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho0OExp4SA1qX0UXQ1-7N-TV5K4GdWCgfK3O-dXHe2lIiX-aDuqrZB9Z2vERv1ZBBJIXoqcBsDJagB06Nh8nzmasuZ3um4Z7OTGs0rOUo2N78IHs3CgvSJnYaqce26-gjPdsfzHs8ff-mQAOTdY7MgMeLzlYEa__iXs13oXsNL5-yXiWX4JRinGFzuYd4/s320/P1240868.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwxpy1i8yrddPVXF9RA3gabw0sO67V4m2twD_cQ_LNYNsON6L2s01EuS9kVYkEOXtb3lOqQh7PcGpNqQOfDkQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The golden monkeys were awesome! They were cuteness overload! They were sooo worth waking up before dawn and driving an hour or so to get to the meeting point. Apparently, not many people see the golden monkeys. They say, “They're just monkeys,” or “it's too far off the normal circuit.” Those people are sooo wrong!! Hate to tell ya', but it's the truth! The climb to get to them was harder than either our chimp or gorilla treks. I finished the second steep incline, and my heart rate was already climbing higher than it should and I had significant difficulty getting my breath back, so I asked our guide to call for the sedan chair that Kalema had standing by. The sedan chair was just a stretcher carried by a group of men, who would trade out. I had to lie flat in it while they carried me up the mountain. In some places, it was so steep, I slid down the stretcher, and they had to stop and reposition me. I tried my best to stay out of their way. Not a comfortable ride at all, but more comfortable than not being able to breathe. We had already had to make two long stops for me to be able to catch my breath. We would never reach the monkeys at the pace we were going with me walking! These guys were quick, too. When the guide called for the sedan chair (also called the African helicopter), the rest of the group moved on with the guard, while, me, my porter, and the guide walked at my pace. The guys with the sedan chair caught up to us and loaded me up, and off we went. These guys not only caught up with the rest of the group, they passed them!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We got to the monkeys, and two of them stayed with me to make sure I could move safely around the area where the monkeys were. The monkeys were adorable. Constantly on the move, so lots of blurry pictures. I swear one of them had a swing set up! He would swing on a vine for a few times, then launch himself to a nearby tree. Then, he'd go back to the vine and do it again! I never could capture this one, though! As the monkeys moved, so did we, though, and I got some pretty good shots and some good video clips! Enjoy these! They are called golden monkeys because of the golden fur on their backs, but I really love their red eyes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XomuaMQHmT2GpcHSHBA6d3T0Ph1Zj6MEOh1L14hKZaX6hAdhlm3KLB5anx5-IjRT7yPuFyH-6bA5hAf2UlCT7qQTufpOIZW57vVQ40pJx0yhvsrVlnno2V4kGQ4dWP16Jx8k4AakOd_j5I40U_MH8ZVeF5kW2t-IIP-G_RRnfiEmVkI-hZYB49pITAw/s3189/P1250041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2327" data-original-width="3189" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8XomuaMQHmT2GpcHSHBA6d3T0Ph1Zj6MEOh1L14hKZaX6hAdhlm3KLB5anx5-IjRT7yPuFyH-6bA5hAf2UlCT7qQTufpOIZW57vVQ40pJx0yhvsrVlnno2V4kGQ4dWP16Jx8k4AakOd_j5I40U_MH8ZVeF5kW2t-IIP-G_RRnfiEmVkI-hZYB49pITAw/s320/P1250041.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0DM94uur1N_qsE4lA4DLCw4MyMY0llP1jUwH78a_X9QWALaMyRJXFlxCMHCZ6dRpr1ZujeiEl8OTcVn9ub830XHRx06H6AoEEkmSuS6RJxU6H8R-azJWijAexOOx2bSfHBjYkLPNfN5q26Cy7h9B7VFzZx8eXIBIC0iwbstlyYBhg6fMOJWECE_ws58/s1920/P1250147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY0DM94uur1N_qsE4lA4DLCw4MyMY0llP1jUwH78a_X9QWALaMyRJXFlxCMHCZ6dRpr1ZujeiEl8OTcVn9ub830XHRx06H6AoEEkmSuS6RJxU6H8R-azJWijAexOOx2bSfHBjYkLPNfN5q26Cy7h9B7VFzZx8eXIBIC0iwbstlyYBhg6fMOJWECE_ws58/s320/P1250147.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw24OzRDKF_moh9Vbw5gvQOLGJh3K2q4VaOjBHdw-ywiYQ99cR8IA0wye2RZjBneraul1_G6RqF4pl9iAehmQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTkEHiDdAYAAiBR6iwlHT2fi1_KCcAphWnBKZC6Oa4gv4LsC1osFiF2R7VENVTrVCXrYuASTKpdbAMdSNmtsqZRnKdlEf4rg9quabSFkKVrjpxDfkSpiQdr2iTQV3y-JWkIRkfKv9QE76NNL6BRUsTOXrtX2J_y8hRIsRLA1UiHa7mlb7NlBAL3pf-Qg/s5472/P1250202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwTkEHiDdAYAAiBR6iwlHT2fi1_KCcAphWnBKZC6Oa4gv4LsC1osFiF2R7VENVTrVCXrYuASTKpdbAMdSNmtsqZRnKdlEf4rg9quabSFkKVrjpxDfkSpiQdr2iTQV3y-JWkIRkfKv9QE76NNL6BRUsTOXrtX2J_y8hRIsRLA1UiHa7mlb7NlBAL3pf-Qg/s320/P1250202.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHBOAjYbxxglzTpf14G-CTfvJCjPZwBrnmCyAW8vFIY_k02ULXu_1MjBarfXw43oMnGDbCMb2j03AJNFdgMH0Z7oOg2_fQEAx02G2tDDRIdfIxcBSmnwcDAgVjXbQ1FOMIQdz1rr8kYsIFDAG_MrWocwwft0xYbEX7RPJYfJtmDH7o3jvjZ1UVy_QSQQ/s2652/P1250233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2596" data-original-width="2652" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaHBOAjYbxxglzTpf14G-CTfvJCjPZwBrnmCyAW8vFIY_k02ULXu_1MjBarfXw43oMnGDbCMb2j03AJNFdgMH0Z7oOg2_fQEAx02G2tDDRIdfIxcBSmnwcDAgVjXbQ1FOMIQdz1rr8kYsIFDAG_MrWocwwft0xYbEX7RPJYfJtmDH7o3jvjZ1UVy_QSQQ/s320/P1250233.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Coming back, my litter bearers started carrying me, but it seemed to be mostly downhill. So, when they took a break, I said I would like to walk, and they agreed. As we continued going, we came across a chameleon. One of them plucked the branch it was on, and we gently played with it, letting it run over our hands and climb up us. We also took some group pix, which I have to remember to email to them! We did release the chameleon back where we found him.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgn7ga2kAVnRcv3MXJ_MbAAJntQpbonItVyJG9feb-ytBHmgZoRIJ4psEX724zoeW07gEKcnyrnwT7N-GmXh10i_HO_YoA3bzDl1BReVzfxny3x4J14ox07G1aZFWNVvec-tk2xN_FTlEPl14OVWEFKoK7JHJJox1Efl1yQcAWrQdbi3HYrOWoLNdTdw/s2977/P1250265.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2764" data-original-width="2977" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZgn7ga2kAVnRcv3MXJ_MbAAJntQpbonItVyJG9feb-ytBHmgZoRIJ4psEX724zoeW07gEKcnyrnwT7N-GmXh10i_HO_YoA3bzDl1BReVzfxny3x4J14ox07G1aZFWNVvec-tk2xN_FTlEPl14OVWEFKoK7JHJJox1Efl1yQcAWrQdbi3HYrOWoLNdTdw/s320/P1250265.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RGKcHteTRuNq35Pu3rZ8T9QEdqwy25dBB3k2The_3cH-QF3Dyjvqa-7WE__qcHEaHA5-1F6BaNCOEbTwIqCLTqA-u5NbHsX32lIz-dFi8Z_4nbQfFglAGwN-wAHOPFx4s-XmxXJHRm2YwO1isUi-pnfIDw_3Pr-a3M3E7jQ3lehZ9rZMuXpSTIzKXaA/s5472/P1250279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0RGKcHteTRuNq35Pu3rZ8T9QEdqwy25dBB3k2The_3cH-QF3Dyjvqa-7WE__qcHEaHA5-1F6BaNCOEbTwIqCLTqA-u5NbHsX32lIz-dFi8Z_4nbQfFglAGwN-wAHOPFx4s-XmxXJHRm2YwO1isUi-pnfIDw_3Pr-a3M3E7jQ3lehZ9rZMuXpSTIzKXaA/s320/P1250279.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back at the park entrance, we got in the car for a long drive to our next adventure. I looked at my phone and noted that I had pinged a tower in Congo at some point while trekking! I got the T-Mobile “Welcome to Congo” message on my phone! Keep in mind that doesn't mean we were actually in Congo. I ping on a Canadian tower whenever I go to Tongue Point in Washington, on the US side of the Straight of Juan de Fuca. It just means the Congo tower was the closest cell tower to me. I wish I had thought to pin our location when we found the monkeys, but I was just too excited by the monkeys!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were doubling back toward Bwindi (and beyond), so after eating part of my lunch packed by the previous lodge, I took a couple of car naps. We stopped along the way so Susan and I could get some more cash, and we talked about street food and other things. At one point, Gody stopped and got me a goat meat on a stick. It was sooo tasty!! I wish I knew what spices it was cooked in because I would like to replicate that taste!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRM4TlH_vP4RcEK7efDYMGvv0wQSElmhFd6VRnF76Rxb58dqKzGkqZ_ocmYPLxzmI39ImNOLYhR4wXj8mrdI8jy9JTlXL5aoTLGe9ir8CYor03nCwPQWxWgxUQzwvzrsC1XlC4OIRK5AlTaBksgE03IICROC6ORNTnPE2pkmC1JwJ3JLNlm-Jg-rOuvec/s5472/P1250291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRM4TlH_vP4RcEK7efDYMGvv0wQSElmhFd6VRnF76Rxb58dqKzGkqZ_ocmYPLxzmI39ImNOLYhR4wXj8mrdI8jy9JTlXL5aoTLGe9ir8CYor03nCwPQWxWgxUQzwvzrsC1XlC4OIRK5AlTaBksgE03IICROC6ORNTnPE2pkmC1JwJ3JLNlm-Jg-rOuvec/s320/P1250291.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We got to our lodge for the night, and it's a glamping place. It's pretty nice, but the zippers on the tents are very stiff. When I tried to plug in my CPAP, neither it nor the electricity converter would turn on. Susan's phone charger worked, though. When I went to the reception area to see what could be done, they said one side of the property was on a single cycle and the other side was on three cycles. I'm not sure what that meant, but my converter worked on the other side with three cycles. I'm happy to learn from anybody who does understand it. So, they moved me to the other side. After a good shower, I slept like a rock until just a little before my alarm went off.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5248340378175360039.post-65691368279127588832023-10-28T18:26:00.000-07:002023-10-28T18:26:19.540-07:00We Got the Baby Gorilla!!<p> After breakfast, we picked up our boxed lunches and put them in our backpacks along with our extra water, bug spray, and everything else we may need for a trek for the mountain gorillas. A couple of weeks before, the UWA posted on Facebook that a new baby gorilla had been born in Bwindi National Forest, and I was hoping that I would be assigned to the family group that had the baby. Since I would have to be assigned to the "easy" group, I felt that was probably unlikely, but a girl can hope!</p><p>We got to the park, and I looked at the exhibits on the walls. There was a map of Uganda showing where we were, a list of rules (which included, as with the chimps, that we must be masked when around the animals to lessen the risk of any human diseases being transmitted to the animals that most closely share our DNA - the apes), and a map of where the various families were located at the last checkin. They have guards who live with them 24/7/365. These guards switch out in shifts and don't live in the forest themselves 24/7/365, but there are armed guards with them at all times to protect them from poachers. The gorillas do move, though, so even though the guards are with them and have phones and ways to communicate with the guides, you still have to follow where they are going, and you could be following for a while before they decide to stop and just hang out for a while. It's not as "hit or miss" and relying on skilled trackers as one might think, though.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIR2W6wBb6M44AwyISaTutQXVHOvxgm7EkvMmLvfNjYhmDnnY1O6_T1VL3R30QSyTD38WMqYLaGnVOVuQuXabyuM2y9ajPWpmb0OBz6dXdjG05OAoNUzLCJRf6VOR7fD1eCt7FJS-eQ9abOq0g2CjpKi3aXxAi8dNqva2YEjlLQ4p3sGq7LuNOhLgYC0s/s5472/P1230726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIR2W6wBb6M44AwyISaTutQXVHOvxgm7EkvMmLvfNjYhmDnnY1O6_T1VL3R30QSyTD38WMqYLaGnVOVuQuXabyuM2y9ajPWpmb0OBz6dXdjG05OAoNUzLCJRf6VOR7fD1eCt7FJS-eQ9abOq0g2CjpKi3aXxAi8dNqva2YEjlLQ4p3sGq7LuNOhLgYC0s/s320/P1230726.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqZCCi7F5SqRaeG5RxWWZBDNx68NQYRLcB-X7kbL825J67HPJXoFkQiUH-X-L3FyVgkKGWd79Ajh1gyFmQyGeO_O0Jt9Wtm_1lSS3Xsem4hOXarvQ0XQ5fjrOBzIRVpbaupweqIiVXV7kQjciOSbAvD1ZMr62M4tdvSJFWkLNQy7yrrTg3mf4QOg5wmo/s4136/P1230732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4136" data-original-width="2843" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgqZCCi7F5SqRaeG5RxWWZBDNx68NQYRLcB-X7kbL825J67HPJXoFkQiUH-X-L3FyVgkKGWd79Ajh1gyFmQyGeO_O0Jt9Wtm_1lSS3Xsem4hOXarvQ0XQ5fjrOBzIRVpbaupweqIiVXV7kQjciOSbAvD1ZMr62M4tdvSJFWkLNQy7yrrTg3mf4QOg5wmo/s320/P1230732.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><br /><p>For a little background, the mountain gorillas live in limited areas in East Africa. The most populous and easiest to reach the habituated families is in Uganda in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The most famous location is in the Virunga Mountain chain, which is in the southwest corner of Uganda, where Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo meet, all sharing parts of those mountains. This chain is where Dian Fossey studied the mountain gorillas, initially in the Congo, moving to Rwanda after being captured by the Congo military and freed in Kisoro, Uganda. Currently, the fees charged by the parks of the various countries to visit the habituated families is $1,500 US in Rwanda, $800 US in Uganda, and $400 US in Congo. There is an okapi reserve in the DRC that I would have liked to see, but there is significant violence and danger in the DRC between the continued conflict between the Hutu and Tutsi ethnic groups that made headlines with the war crimes and ethnic cleansing in Rwanda back in the 1990s and the fighting over mineral resources, such as cobalt, copper, zinc, and other minerals used in electronics and clean energy. The DRC is not considered a safe place at this time, even by my loose standards. Maybe one day I will be able to visit the okapi, but it just wasn't meant to be on this trip. </p><p>When you visit the gorillas, you spend however many hours you need trying to reach the family to which you are assigned. Once you reach them, you get to spend one hour with them, and then you trek however many hours you need to get back to your starting point. I believe those rules are consistent across all three countries. You can do a habituation trek instead of the normal one. Those families are generally further away and they aren't as accustomed (habituated) to people as the other families are. For habituation, you spend four hours with your family, following them around as they move (which they often do because they aren't yet so accustomed to people). </p><p>So we went to the park and sat for the briefing. At the end of the briefing, we were assigned our groups and families. I knew which family had the baby, so I was elated when I was assigned to the Habinyanja family, the one with the baby! So we all got back in our vehicles, and our group met at the meeting point for our family. If you look at the map of Uganda, you can see that the park entrance, where we had our briefing was in Buhoma, where the arrow is. If you look at the other map, you can see that the Habinyanja family is noted to be southeast of Buhoma. We drove about 45 minutes northwest, meeting up with our group and getting our porters at 0°58'32" S, 29°41'15" E, which plots on the map here, not where the family "dot" was on the other map (roughly where the blue picture icon is on this map screenshot):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsCURloZ2nUW9CgvWMy2JZLnwMhxe3ATFbd_xFbP2P88bCoA8zkB1ZK_ywIEGl8VP3Hs-_hQaWCf7ebQwA3z7wU2ZlH7NJ8mxoViSlqZdoO2Yr8i0f8NZpqlrS6tly1SW9HqR89h3e1NMpvg7AK9YrFaZ7S_FWdAxOLdD1DqoRB_KOgWlOXdr_GPAfaM/s922/Screenshot%202023-10-28%20154614.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="922" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGsCURloZ2nUW9CgvWMy2JZLnwMhxe3ATFbd_xFbP2P88bCoA8zkB1ZK_ywIEGl8VP3Hs-_hQaWCf7ebQwA3z7wU2ZlH7NJ8mxoViSlqZdoO2Yr8i0f8NZpqlrS6tly1SW9HqR89h3e1NMpvg7AK9YrFaZ7S_FWdAxOLdD1DqoRB_KOgWlOXdr_GPAfaM/s320/Screenshot%202023-10-28%20154614.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't think they updated their maps very often, but they do, in fact, know where the families are! We didn't have to walk far. We hired our porters and headed a few hundred meters up the dirt road and saw evidence of the grass being trampled down by a large group of animals about the size of gorillas recently crossing that road. So, we followed their path. About 15 or 20 minutes later, we start seeing gorillas in the trees, and they started coming down from the trees. One of the first ones down was the mommy with the new baby! Our guide said we were lucky to see her at all because most groups just have to take their word that there's a baby in the family!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzB-YNn6JCfzG1BhE8Nnv31htmN1jKSEtnrep_7A81cvaev8DF8RvZImeOXCY3D8hpGCJsAevRnjxcEo1qiGA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After she got around that tree, you could see her and the baby a little better for the rest of her careful trip down to the ground.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyh7vheoVP_zY1kgdqT0730-zXVVLOdi7RVPaQSQxkfaZ0hggQW5y0eKYpwAORK3AuwuPcp0wYk-jbky6h7SQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I just loved watching them come down from the trees, so here are some more videos of their arrival.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz6l6--zvY7A1YAP00f-134G2qJBzZ5gFAOKToMJxmI8HtIakmLCVrqIzEJQCGfvQYtImRyh3zDd4S_O9ed4Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzsGP2mtzX93TbLXK5ZmzLSFCkaSXhns8CVX_yGYQ_ZiwIRnpEc6NfoU2E8yyNqx647HVXxw6H2ugxNnoGsfA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwv5bYz0bXHPnHfaQT22tXHF7Ks-o8nJkiuo8o6AcKb0XWje2e3qeA_1N0zO2NpZf4AxmKedN8aepTSoWf8tg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once they all got to the ground, mommy and baby went over to a spot on the other side of some bushes and trees, away from us. The guides and guards respected her desire for some privacy and time away from her cousins, the humans. That's okay. There was plenty more to see. This family had two silverbacks (which is very uncommon) and the primary one settled himself just a few feet (not meters) away from me. Other groups were scattered throughout. I took loads of pix! Here are a few.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6era9bt546Mhnn7i6Uq7A2_EJkgPoUP83MTUsEpKPbW2RHPjpbhF1Azl7ZF2GtvFydXQ_-dciN6s_JvIzwxMOGBm9XvCTwx2u_e2SV61AOG9lD5Nbngq0BaT0RCj8UGPHAZbjISI-eFvT1A7PjnkiCJwZ3sAJOwyOCyF40VO196wjc_stQ7VCvRDsFBE/s3402/P1240012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3223" data-original-width="3402" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6era9bt546Mhnn7i6Uq7A2_EJkgPoUP83MTUsEpKPbW2RHPjpbhF1Azl7ZF2GtvFydXQ_-dciN6s_JvIzwxMOGBm9XvCTwx2u_e2SV61AOG9lD5Nbngq0BaT0RCj8UGPHAZbjISI-eFvT1A7PjnkiCJwZ3sAJOwyOCyF40VO196wjc_stQ7VCvRDsFBE/s320/P1240012.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYK58kPcYJbvsDvI_XfbH_jSJ36Fifi1wJfS-ZeaywDs8JrTe6WhsqThf3AFCuLjFqdyDZBJNb9NHNl-w8UFv0npqCRsROESnS9FSwTGmpMVkDtKZgAxmQbj3RUyyPMJZoUA0Ie9j91Dek8sAtyPrw33MdbdLKolCnajRrdUv_3UnSsLEY4poiz92Wvbg/s5472/P1240016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYK58kPcYJbvsDvI_XfbH_jSJ36Fifi1wJfS-ZeaywDs8JrTe6WhsqThf3AFCuLjFqdyDZBJNb9NHNl-w8UFv0npqCRsROESnS9FSwTGmpMVkDtKZgAxmQbj3RUyyPMJZoUA0Ie9j91Dek8sAtyPrw33MdbdLKolCnajRrdUv_3UnSsLEY4poiz92Wvbg/s320/P1240016.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4avUg45FJ29XA88rV4W9CgArtesk_SgwQAB1nVmkhEXeiDJzBbbTn5ZsXVX3zQsSGp4Li4Hg8hkE9Kb_G0r5sMclDjEa6tqz46KiudZ1FiEX8Qr6icWWaexfCiyxo_9VvpFVYAFuecQJGMop6XQzLOHD5q89zRtyFo1QOP12XY2ftawWssWqTBWACpls/s5472/P1240144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4avUg45FJ29XA88rV4W9CgArtesk_SgwQAB1nVmkhEXeiDJzBbbTn5ZsXVX3zQsSGp4Li4Hg8hkE9Kb_G0r5sMclDjEa6tqz46KiudZ1FiEX8Qr6icWWaexfCiyxo_9VvpFVYAFuecQJGMop6XQzLOHD5q89zRtyFo1QOP12XY2ftawWssWqTBWACpls/s320/P1240144.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHL4mlGoX2qGlNLtf7NWUcNZXAaNbeWi5yP-SS2OzkDCft-cO7e8lGYm47VJ3ig3WyVrev9wnhEb0a5iRErey5EflICiQjqam8f3bQoqCMJVu1ftJmTGGPrgnCZxc2wcQbWp1DAycDaBmlmOh0jqAXqgb2_kSllHMN1UHU3Ka1aLqIRaUq_EyY5Oys4s/s5472/P1240292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzHL4mlGoX2qGlNLtf7NWUcNZXAaNbeWi5yP-SS2OzkDCft-cO7e8lGYm47VJ3ig3WyVrev9wnhEb0a5iRErey5EflICiQjqam8f3bQoqCMJVu1ftJmTGGPrgnCZxc2wcQbWp1DAycDaBmlmOh0jqAXqgb2_kSllHMN1UHU3Ka1aLqIRaUq_EyY5Oys4s/s320/P1240292.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dz1TBlZMwNSYzYXQut2EvIQ_eV4Ltx-W3qc96yMpG_cRTmNbUQQ9cHVWAWwoEYhxjEfoX1pTgil3reZJ7v1nw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Eventually, one of the adult females walked over to the silverback. He stood up and looked at her for a while. The guide said that was how they showed love or fondness. Then he laid down and she came over to groom him. She may soon be ready to breed, and she has chosen the primary silverback to be her mate. It's woman's choice in these families, but the male must consent!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwC0KfNZ7dwxgQg1WVVOsMKp8Usf2yWZGPeoJhh7D_yVFhjJFE5lIs2WiEywA51R0FQNhQzM0AZgOsqRKGXdg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Not long after this romantic interlude, Mommy apparently decided she liked us and wanted to show us her baby, so she came out, accompanied by her friend, and she posted herself up against a tree that was pretty central to her cousins, the humans. The guides were pretty sure she was intentionally presenting the baby to us, as a proud mother would!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyjzojSH8ZcsdpPTqfCuP1CGIf6YTAqTUOjOsbDupjFrLpS5_uaDFjiK1-Ex6TMcruGIy_1u4e1ZxcUlTyEFw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can hear the guide in the background telling us to back up. That's how close she came to us! It was sooooo amazing! I felt so honored that she decided to show us her brand new, 2-week-old baby!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOc10kl2jlQ_IzLq5NU84nDsaYromI0qH1U16BGdYDznlv1AE_k18HDTCl_i7xoUorX76rRNMyYpGJRjZRgB2De0LpAwg5tT9R5glHn1UXIGWadViz5RziCra6SCWWO-D4zFAxliAvnFNI6_hH8twm0KAjJPAnYeTHYUeds_Vyw-23H337h4W4fGSD-eY/s5472/P1240369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOc10kl2jlQ_IzLq5NU84nDsaYromI0qH1U16BGdYDznlv1AE_k18HDTCl_i7xoUorX76rRNMyYpGJRjZRgB2De0LpAwg5tT9R5glHn1UXIGWadViz5RziCra6SCWWO-D4zFAxliAvnFNI6_hH8twm0KAjJPAnYeTHYUeds_Vyw-23H337h4W4fGSD-eY/s320/P1240369.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3bWYna0ugLGqoswnKM8rkXPlXEqjU6fJQVNgAk-yeYg22umCSwlNA_Mvj6NC-0XnixTysdCs64cqRxSbSfXWdQRIrc8D1JIdeEd9HkVV3B6c03m_38sGc45rAH7bvCqLywk8YxbBlYvRpKe1lpvVx7ivL-31V-tb5p8DzFSz625dtX3qLESuK3ApJJ0/s3536/P1240438.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3223" data-original-width="3536" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb3bWYna0ugLGqoswnKM8rkXPlXEqjU6fJQVNgAk-yeYg22umCSwlNA_Mvj6NC-0XnixTysdCs64cqRxSbSfXWdQRIrc8D1JIdeEd9HkVV3B6c03m_38sGc45rAH7bvCqLywk8YxbBlYvRpKe1lpvVx7ivL-31V-tb5p8DzFSz625dtX3qLESuK3ApJJ0/s320/P1240438.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A few minutes later, the primary silverback started walking around. He charged toward us. I had to step back, though we were supposed to stand our ground when he did that. If I hadn't stepped back, he would have knocked me over, though! I wasn't the only one who stepped back. Guess what, though. I didn't film it! Shocking, I know! The guides said it was just a show of dominance and that he does that fairly often; that nobody was in any danger. And once he made the charge, he grunted and turned around, losing interest in us, so there was clearly never any danger. The guides said it likely had nothing to do with the baby being out or us getting too close or anything like that. Just the way silverbacks behave, especially in that family where there are two silverbacks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Soon, our hour (plus a few minutes) was up, and we had to go back. I was mud from head to toe, so after eating my lunch, I took a shower. There was a massage place just down the street, and I got a deep tissue massage that just hit the spot, working out some issues I had been having, especially with my right shoulder, but also cleared up some concerning feelings in my feet. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the afternoon, we took a walk down the hill to see the Batwa Tribe. Most people know them as the African Pygmy Tribe. In the 1990s, after Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was taken by the government to be used as a park and the animals inside the park gained additional protection, the Batwa, who lived in the park, were evicted. This is a nice way of saying that all their stuff was confiscated, and their land was taken. Unfortunately, the government has not compensated them for the land or used resources to help teach them another way of life. Some non-government organizations (NGOs) have come in and brokered deals for land for them and have taught them how to raise some crops and livestock, making significant substitutes, such as goats in place of duikers, domestic pigs in place of warthogs, and chickens in place of wild and endangered birds. The NGO that did our tour, the Batwa Empowerment Village, has also instituted schools to try to teach the children how to read, do math, and hopefully one day be able to advocate for their culture. They are teaching skills to the adults, including the women, and helping the king learn some economics to try to govern his village in the new normal in which they find themselves. They are also trying to teach them about nutrition, but some of the children still had distended bellies from malnutrition. The NGO representative said they try, but the parents have to be willing to feed the non-traditional, healthier foods to their children. They cannot force it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxvXRR4cf6OWGBqSKq4NNZ0UxVB5d0v624GxDJiDIixv8Rox5nMIbmo5lpLamN1qEqjqlIdkYULv2_J7WgWscsHSsDSBbIz2dTABbBNFqbhQXq8Zt-u1hOqeTrhPwLYzzodOIsYti_ixLsucFULJ06mqZMaBu4CGa3HNl8NA7MBopGnjy-zoqZQpVgiA/s5472/P1240496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxvXRR4cf6OWGBqSKq4NNZ0UxVB5d0v624GxDJiDIixv8Rox5nMIbmo5lpLamN1qEqjqlIdkYULv2_J7WgWscsHSsDSBbIz2dTABbBNFqbhQXq8Zt-u1hOqeTrhPwLYzzodOIsYti_ixLsucFULJ06mqZMaBu4CGa3HNl8NA7MBopGnjy-zoqZQpVgiA/s320/P1240496.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Our NGO representative met us at the lodge, and Gody drove us to the beginning point. At that spot, armed guards have to come with us to protect us from potential wildlife that may come out of the forest. When we got to the Batwa village ground, we were met by the king, the chief, an elder, and a young man who was born just before the eviction.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUGrW1A7_TYxzJDdmVH7ahwWEyywcxz6xxPenaBdDlHRdH9nWoQWWVj79BFq5GrQDjsIdqcPE3niGgsl_1L8g-Dn_zxPlpJePWrYSBLSHVr38qQ1R8B8FinoGCw5mpa8xz849SpnDU7OSI8AuWAyRsnvWw4HSQWPk1i2SF8GhAgRaj8qe6E1rVF6ucAQ/s5472/P1240453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkUGrW1A7_TYxzJDdmVH7ahwWEyywcxz6xxPenaBdDlHRdH9nWoQWWVj79BFq5GrQDjsIdqcPE3niGgsl_1L8g-Dn_zxPlpJePWrYSBLSHVr38qQ1R8B8FinoGCw5mpa8xz849SpnDU7OSI8AuWAyRsnvWw4HSQWPk1i2SF8GhAgRaj8qe6E1rVF6ucAQ/s320/P1240453.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">They demonstrated a couple of traditional hunting methods with minimized traps and small logs used as stand-ins for the prey. This was a ground trap that raises the prey into the air after which the hunters kill it with their spear. They lick the blood off their spears to show that no part of the animal will go to waste.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyd2Zb4yBbczReBfNPR5SWDO9glm_bgfIE7oGpc5GYjqIbOUoOeIK78uDtANhhJkdDhNMHQj-da_xLjn6w5LQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once inside the village proper, we saw some traditional housing and tried our hand at shooting a traditional bow and arrow at a model prey. To determine who was a hunter and who was a gatherer, each person got three tries to hit the target. We were allowed to stand much closer than they did! I got the target on the third try! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsU-EnhELdj5mN_a7nC90_8WD9Kspvr6vmcBuLywnfoBrrTKiGaxXkWH3ZjmoUIOEuvLvyGlDSMIveB3VxogAeVSQfQS5LrW96F13WU_iJAwuLuAFvq9bae0cK6XiBbuyKsnrwyCne9jEpXn8C8o5axWfQIGncCnH8_QFhtMq3XmgaOzlncRFvZTPt1s/s5472/P1240498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="5472" data-original-width="3648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCsU-EnhELdj5mN_a7nC90_8WD9Kspvr6vmcBuLywnfoBrrTKiGaxXkWH3ZjmoUIOEuvLvyGlDSMIveB3VxogAeVSQfQS5LrW96F13WU_iJAwuLuAFvq9bae0cK6XiBbuyKsnrwyCne9jEpXn8C8o5axWfQIGncCnH8_QFhtMq3XmgaOzlncRFvZTPt1s/s320/P1240498.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPXxWV6GhV7kL22rmklrvtPg6oQ9xnZQLLjOOnYTHvlTyGxs8-aDTOhAbOHDMjO8Fe7QST5MO921zc8SNmVYDaE5cdq0MilJ1qbqmdvlNRZG6qLoIR4cvk42Go9e-5L4JOKT7lRTtXbOkN-AeAfnk6_iuzrffcEIpXvaFLG5rK8v6dqpCIgP4OA74e5I/s5472/P1240517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEPXxWV6GhV7kL22rmklrvtPg6oQ9xnZQLLjOOnYTHvlTyGxs8-aDTOhAbOHDMjO8Fe7QST5MO921zc8SNmVYDaE5cdq0MilJ1qbqmdvlNRZG6qLoIR4cvk42Go9e-5L4JOKT7lRTtXbOkN-AeAfnk6_iuzrffcEIpXvaFLG5rK8v6dqpCIgP4OA74e5I/s320/P1240517.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We saw where the women are learning to sew on old treadle sewing machines and some were learning to weave. They have a craft shop where their wares are for sale, including the traditional masks, some of which are authentic and depict former kings, queens, and chiefs. This is part of the Batwa history, but the king is willing to sell them to raise money for his people. I would have loved to have one, but I didn't want to take his authentic artifacts. Besides I had no place to put it in my luggage!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyp9S5qjE5jWdwGB1orQOE0D_PcfaKxOHjUVMX4UAB6C__krkv-6WWB5GpxcU4_oEW7L28OqGBVTgIcfXz2pBiIOZLr34QD8LoqYELe0_xXbpcNlJ3CXK-kw9gFx85FmYlw3YzNtsg9-Rh1yMJy8vdH4P7S87CeD-9DRrrv1vLh3DutWAvYVnX4E6qkw/s5472/P1240561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyp9S5qjE5jWdwGB1orQOE0D_PcfaKxOHjUVMX4UAB6C__krkv-6WWB5GpxcU4_oEW7L28OqGBVTgIcfXz2pBiIOZLr34QD8LoqYELe0_xXbpcNlJ3CXK-kw9gFx85FmYlw3YzNtsg9-Rh1yMJy8vdH4P7S87CeD-9DRrrv1vLh3DutWAvYVnX4E6qkw/s320/P1240561.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2lHXYYZpQ-nYkuCSB9zEmMmwjB97UGJx5SobRohEq2e_JW2gbg9r_QX5V_khtj8OLtu7fELO0e6HUU0f7Yw8evp0fPMJtaMG-S5vGbve4VpBHaxgdNCS09R_vulCqH7WO0-tqLljXbyrP6dvo4uVFW39SCRl3rHrYYcqr9_Yv1ZI-Ubh3oLMJe1ZFCI/s5472/P1240544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2lHXYYZpQ-nYkuCSB9zEmMmwjB97UGJx5SobRohEq2e_JW2gbg9r_QX5V_khtj8OLtu7fELO0e6HUU0f7Yw8evp0fPMJtaMG-S5vGbve4VpBHaxgdNCS09R_vulCqH7WO0-tqLljXbyrP6dvo4uVFW39SCRl3rHrYYcqr9_Yv1ZI-Ubh3oLMJe1ZFCI/s320/P1240544.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the end, they showed us how they make fire, which is a skill they are very proud of, and performed a traditional dance for us.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GhIgsIFwXkKJAyP13yS7FBdTVqzTkKProzll2dZnB9edGMJgLC_QNudqQyPeyw2j9nGN_yIfydIGOMx7qpAGbhkrZz5EruYGBLkYd6cs2mNt6OU9xSY8d7xYFiirvGA33ux58k6UbZIB_EjXYxG3O24B_TaVkdKzA76o72TWxwqB0_DSc3QOgzE8EtM/s1920/P1240565-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69nu_6gqSUCAX8dmjUQfNoAkGjM8PNafo7BwR0otMQcH4O_KfC7Lft_oXuVTRo75Mymc0YCht3qoHrrriCLqvCXq2ktsGbWg8-yIrPf95oW8R-JBWGO-sSsEQVJYjD5NdzKPBvMsBkwQUccpW4iys9rx1gPICg9DHVbZ3qcZjKn_1odQcdepbsoAPvPY/s320/P1240565.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GhIgsIFwXkKJAyP13yS7FBdTVqzTkKProzll2dZnB9edGMJgLC_QNudqQyPeyw2j9nGN_yIfydIGOMx7qpAGbhkrZz5EruYGBLkYd6cs2mNt6OU9xSY8d7xYFiirvGA33ux58k6UbZIB_EjXYxG3O24B_TaVkdKzA76o72TWxwqB0_DSc3QOgzE8EtM/s1920/P1240565-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GhIgsIFwXkKJAyP13yS7FBdTVqzTkKProzll2dZnB9edGMJgLC_QNudqQyPeyw2j9nGN_yIfydIGOMx7qpAGbhkrZz5EruYGBLkYd6cs2mNt6OU9xSY8d7xYFiirvGA33ux58k6UbZIB_EjXYxG3O24B_TaVkdKzA76o72TWxwqB0_DSc3QOgzE8EtM/s1920/P1240565-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GhIgsIFwXkKJAyP13yS7FBdTVqzTkKProzll2dZnB9edGMJgLC_QNudqQyPeyw2j9nGN_yIfydIGOMx7qpAGbhkrZz5EruYGBLkYd6cs2mNt6OU9xSY8d7xYFiirvGA33ux58k6UbZIB_EjXYxG3O24B_TaVkdKzA76o72TWxwqB0_DSc3QOgzE8EtM/s320/P1240565-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCR8H6p6gGLuEmA2J5On0boA2t5sc2Jut4IB8QfDhFNQkUspLsmn-CGmdc-7t91Wd79VFiP6ecfD2MqmpKpCyBxP2-sXpfN6KgQOp5dKefJCI-OW9KZON4BCBq5XKp2OHbgroAzaVcJ4E7dJ98teSQ6gUlsdaoMQ2Ufh9qCAHcG8XdRTmh51uvRp8be4/s5472/P1240566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3648" data-original-width="5472" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsCR8H6p6gGLuEmA2J5On0boA2t5sc2Jut4IB8QfDhFNQkUspLsmn-CGmdc-7t91Wd79VFiP6ecfD2MqmpKpCyBxP2-sXpfN6KgQOp5dKefJCI-OW9KZON4BCBq5XKp2OHbgroAzaVcJ4E7dJ98teSQ6gUlsdaoMQ2Ufh9qCAHcG8XdRTmh51uvRp8be4/s320/P1240566.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>I just loved how the children came running out when they heard the drums signifying time to dance!<div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwWWKv356Xgn1VI7RKqKSpccHhFjPYL2kr2fC2zJOeIFN4Wy-wnRGfOMIvhiHT3IHdNRo1foeBhWwpulEfucA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">By the end, the king had his boogie going, too!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzydaHDPCHOeacgFJ728ackD_nlFR33j7FVfOsUBQR3KZWGBjLJGP8cqUj3gNtTd_qapJBwHelyKTo3EZVpOQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a very sobering and enlightening experience, and I strongly suggest anyone do this experience if you find yourself in Bwindi. Maybe even purchasing something from their craft shop. I got a woven kitchen trivet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>travelingeezershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06026465559588735174noreply@blogger.com0