Sanibona!
5 minutes ago just out of one of the most unique countries in Africa, Swaziland, and so are greeted there. Very nice people these Swazis, until the king himself seems nice in the pictures are hung everywhere :-) But let's
order. We went back to 3 weeks, back to South Africa from the falls Victoria. It is still curious that the return to South Africa was like a rush of "encounter with civilization." But compared with other neighboring countries is very different:
- is the great economic power of the continent, and much that is Africa, because it shows. Fresh from the airport we went to a mall to do some time, so that the Australian that we were going to be sleeping (contacted through http://www.couchsurfing.com/ ) got home, and it was like being in any mall in Europe or USA. Particularly enjoy, after 4 days in countries where the "supplies" are scarce (especially Zimbabwe), a large supermarket with everything our hungry stomachs could wish for.
- This much more populated and more tourism, so is just the exclusivity on which we have enjoyed in many places.
- As we discussed in his day, there are many more targets, and with good purchasing power.
- And while insecurity is a concern, is light years in attitude towards, for example, Mozambique, as I will comment.
However, in any country in the world (no need to be African, we are very recent examples right next to home), the tables can turn around suddenly. And, to our surprise (possibly out of sheer ignorance), in South Africa are political events had precipitated 6 weeks we had been away. The positions were being radicalized in the ANC (African National Congress, Mandela's party in power since the end of apartheid), to the extent that there has been a total breakdown. Some of the less radical, with more spirit I would say Zapatero, have excindido and formed a new party. Among them are the president and other members of the Government, which have been resigning one after another leaving the country without leadership for several months before the election (April 22). But most worrying is that he stays as leader of the ANC, a certain Jacob Zuma, seems to have very extremist ideas on how to run the country. Particularly in relation to the treatment that whites should receive, so that are scared shitless ... because it is the top seed (again as in so many corners of the globe, people here seem to also vote acronyms, not people). It says, who knows if real fear of an argument to encourage not vote for the ANC, that South Africa could be the next Zimbabwe, due to the similarity between the speeches of Zuma and Mugabe. After enjoying what we are enjoying this beautiful country, cross our fingers that that happens, and look forward to the election result.
From all this we learned at the end of our initial week in South Africa, because we were again completely away from the madding crowd, on a safari in Kruger Park. That can only be described in 2 words: IM hustling. It is the park more accessible with more roads (half paved) and tourism infrastructure, and therefore with more people, all we have known. "Ensinembargo", the density of animals is amazing and the variety of landscape is not going to fall behind. We lived very special moments of wild Africa, probably the best 4 lions ate breakfast as we witness a wildebeest. The hairs and hooks!
In Kruger we have seen all ... see, we even saw a rhino killed by a poacher, the horn is removed, and was right next to the road! Few things have left us more sad to note the absurd quirks that still remain, implying that the rhino horn has much value on the black market people plays a good sentence is illegally hunting in a place as busy :-( Not to mention hunting for pleasure ... in short, is a subject intrigues, as the world of bullfighting, so there is no one in this blog philosophical discourse about it, simply, we would be totally unable to look into the eyes of animals as beautiful and cold-blooded killing, much less enjoy doing (and a lot less to pay the millions they pay here for hunting lions, elephants, Rinos, etc. )
By the way, to set how hard it is to see animals in nature, we have come to discover some ... after seeing the larger picture! Without going any further, and in any case has happened @ the same even seeing the picture on large in this from here (# 5306663200227714162 http://picasaweb.google.com/evayjuanjo/BotswanaYCataratasVictoria ) I thought you got a very cool picture putting together an elephant and a hippo ... until we discovered that there is also a huge crocodile at the bottom!
Anyway, to end Kruger, say it was very special for all three. Sabi including, as we see Sabi River, and of course we immortalize the moment.
5 minutes ago just out of one of the most unique countries in Africa, Swaziland, and so are greeted there. Very nice people these Swazis, until the king himself seems nice in the pictures are hung everywhere :-) But let's
order. We went back to 3 weeks, back to South Africa from the falls Victoria. It is still curious that the return to South Africa was like a rush of "encounter with civilization." But compared with other neighboring countries is very different:
- is the great economic power of the continent, and much that is Africa, because it shows. Fresh from the airport we went to a mall to do some time, so that the Australian that we were going to be sleeping (contacted through http://www.couchsurfing.com/ ) got home, and it was like being in any mall in Europe or USA. Particularly enjoy, after 4 days in countries where the "supplies" are scarce (especially Zimbabwe), a large supermarket with everything our hungry stomachs could wish for.
- This much more populated and more tourism, so is just the exclusivity on which we have enjoyed in many places.
- As we discussed in his day, there are many more targets, and with good purchasing power.
- And while insecurity is a concern, is light years in attitude towards, for example, Mozambique, as I will comment.
However, in any country in the world (no need to be African, we are very recent examples right next to home), the tables can turn around suddenly. And, to our surprise (possibly out of sheer ignorance), in South Africa are political events had precipitated 6 weeks we had been away. The positions were being radicalized in the ANC (African National Congress, Mandela's party in power since the end of apartheid), to the extent that there has been a total breakdown. Some of the less radical, with more spirit I would say Zapatero, have excindido and formed a new party. Among them are the president and other members of the Government, which have been resigning one after another leaving the country without leadership for several months before the election (April 22). But most worrying is that he stays as leader of the ANC, a certain Jacob Zuma, seems to have very extremist ideas on how to run the country. Particularly in relation to the treatment that whites should receive, so that are scared shitless ... because it is the top seed (again as in so many corners of the globe, people here seem to also vote acronyms, not people). It says, who knows if real fear of an argument to encourage not vote for the ANC, that South Africa could be the next Zimbabwe, due to the similarity between the speeches of Zuma and Mugabe. After enjoying what we are enjoying this beautiful country, cross our fingers that that happens, and look forward to the election result.
From all this we learned at the end of our initial week in South Africa, because we were again completely away from the madding crowd, on a safari in Kruger Park. That can only be described in 2 words: IM hustling. It is the park more accessible with more roads (half paved) and tourism infrastructure, and therefore with more people, all we have known. "Ensinembargo", the density of animals is amazing and the variety of landscape is not going to fall behind. We lived very special moments of wild Africa, probably the best 4 lions ate breakfast as we witness a wildebeest. The hairs and hooks!
In Kruger we have seen all ... see, we even saw a rhino killed by a poacher, the horn is removed, and was right next to the road! Few things have left us more sad to note the absurd quirks that still remain, implying that the rhino horn has much value on the black market people plays a good sentence is illegally hunting in a place as busy :-( Not to mention hunting for pleasure ... in short, is a subject intrigues, as the world of bullfighting, so there is no one in this blog philosophical discourse about it, simply, we would be totally unable to look into the eyes of animals as beautiful and cold-blooded killing, much less enjoy doing (and a lot less to pay the millions they pay here for hunting lions, elephants, Rinos, etc. )
By the way, to set how hard it is to see animals in nature, we have come to discover some ... after seeing the larger picture! Without going any further, and in any case has happened @ the same even seeing the picture on large in this from here (# 5306663200227714162 http://picasaweb.google.com/evayjuanjo/BotswanaYCataratasVictoria ) I thought you got a very cool picture putting together an elephant and a hippo ... until we discovered that there is also a huge crocodile at the bottom!
Anyway, to end Kruger, say it was very special for all three. Sabi including, as we see Sabi River, and of course we immortalize the moment.
He burst into tears ... because if elephants cry (including pink), but I know there are hair stand as anchors of emotion: - / Close Kruger, Mozambique road, crossing valleys full of orange, so that reminded us of Valldigna and vicinity. Someone else had this perception before us, as we comment shortly after a detour to the Valencia Road, that leads to Valencia Park. At home, we ... if not for the road signs (warning of the danger they have hippos, elephants, and others if they get to cross it) we quickly returned to Africa ;-) Now the fireworks finale was when the girl that we collect in the tolls the highway was called ... Valencia! OLE, OLE Y OLE! Valencian @ s that you are reading this, you know where is your "back in Africa." Crossed
Valencia, we went into Mozambique, where we spent 9 days. Mozambique looks a lot more to Africa we met in Tanzania, much poorer, much less developed and somewhat more difficult for independent tourism. Without going any further, on our first day the police stopped us 4 times!, And the first 2 (especially one in Maputo, the capital) was to intimidate and bite them soltasemos (some pasta because we go dejasen) . It was a good start, and even endured bravely and not let go or a guy, and we left some bad taste in my mouth for the rest of kilometers (many) had to do on the road. It was a typical moment of what they call TIA = This is Africa!
But even with that, there color taking your car, and I guess a little hell in Mozambique autobusillos be local (called sheets). In fact, we remember enough of Yola, the other traveling from "reaching" that cyber-known researcher in the network, and we are in contact and that the dates and the course of our trips are quite similar (which is exceptional because not exactly the "best sellers" IMSERSO :-) So Far, she must counter the idea, though his is less irreverent ;-) But what was that the aunt went round Cape Mozambique cover to cover public transport, not so much fun, and very funny account on his blog ( http://www.dondeestayola.com/ ). We get on your skin and as the beginning of a journey than a year, must have been a shock.
In Mozambique, as in other developing countries, people live and trade on the side of the road. Some scenes are truly tremendous, in particular those of "deals butchered" in front of the car buffeted by you (by taking them by the neck) to chickens or even the recently dead goats. When not been stripped and gutted and hung from a tree display. We sell everything you get collecting, cultivating or grazing in the villages you pass by, and unfortunately for them does not usually have much variety ... thus, having bought one, the rest are left with two candles. But anyway, as I say this as we have seen other countries, and even reminded us to some extent what happens in Egypt along the Nile (which, after all, for them is their best road).
The landscape of much of the south coast of Mozambique is dominated overwhelmingly by the palms. They are miles and miles of wild palm, so that if anything have here are coconuts. And enters the palm trees, almost uninterrupted succession of villages, based on wooden huts / straw and brick making appearance only slightly larger populations. The supply is rather low, and in the huts-market usually can only buy four things. However, what comes (and what they collect and fish) they manage well, because even if the country humblest of which we have not seen scenes of famine or poverty limit. Anyway, as I write this I realize that may sound to trivialize complex, and too subjective because I am sure that in the eyes of others it is poverty bestial ... but will the already 2 months and peak in Africa, or I that, but I get that elsewhere in the same continent (farther north) are faring worse.
As we spend in Mozambique, we visited only the southern third of the country and along the coast (the inside is completely indomitable), looking for beach and, especially, some diving. Not bad, although it was possibly less than we expected. That if noteworthy that returned to dive, almost a year after our experience in Australia, with whale sharks . That animal so cool! Guess guess like we had the hair :-) And
around Mozambique, we decided to cross the small and peculiar kingdom of Swaziland (the only monarchy that survives in Africa). It is a very mountainous country, and the day we entered the fog was to cover the entire country (without exaggeration, as I say it is small). When he finally lifted the cloud thing the next day, we realized that the silence and peace that was felt was not exclusively for the fog is a very quiet, little town with friendly people. We spent some time doing some trekking, and not having great beauties worthy of comment, but have enjoyed. To read
As both are immersed in books "local". Eva I miss the # 1 Lady's Detective Agency, set in Botswana, and is nice, well describes the country and its people. And she is immersed in the biography of Nelson Mandela, a gift from James (Australian Joburg), and what counts is one of those books that everyone should read ... What a life! I'm hoping it happens.
we eat (and drink)
Well, in this section, there is little to tell. Not because we eat badly, or a little, but not too much unique or exotic enough / to mention original. Well, yes, remembering, Eve ate a Pumba! Yes, warthogs (wild pig) friend from the movie Lion King
:-) However, interesting meetings we have not been scarce.
Who know (worth mentioning)
We're starting to think that traveling the way we do, they greatly increase the chances of meeting like-minded people, and indeed we find very few tourists who could be considered "classic." At least these 3 weeks have been especially prolific in meeting people, as well as in good times and interesting conversations with a few of them.
- Fergus and Anna are a group consists of English and Swedish, which bought a 4x4 to go much of Africa "deep" for 9 months after leaving their highly paid jobs in the City of London. And above all, are the antithesis of how you imagine an English: open, talkative, if it was even tan skin! We share a day boat trip to dive islands of Mozambique, segudo a fantastic dinner in the light of the full moon, Majis!
- Filippo, Fabrizio, Gabrielle and ... Wendy, are 4 Italian (yes, she too :-) working as diving instructors in the Red Sea, and who were crossing the African coast in search of a paradise not yet widely exploited to mount on your own. Very funny, in its way were typically Italian ... including that the roost there was the mamma!
- In Swaziland sleep a night in the hostel of Julie, a New Zealander who traveled to Swaziland and was immediately hooked to the country, to the point of moving to live there. "I felt that this was my place," he told us. And she and her husband, and older children, left everything and moved, with a couple!
- Last night we had a dinner + desktop as much fun with the "British grannies" (according to the baptized, because we talk about many things ... or we come! Be around 50 or more, and had just begun a more of its several-year sabbatical, which gave time to time (if he had saved enough) and launched, backpack and after leaving work, to travel the world which youngsters. Our heroines!
- Even Janik and Marieke were so "classic" as it initially seemed to us. Two German students taking advantage of his month and a half break to visit Mozambique and Malawi. Until there all pretty normalito ... but then, she had been 6 months in Uganda and studied African Studies (culture, sociology, and some other language), and it is the second girl we know that presents such a career. And nothing less than a joint degree in Philosophy and Economics. Can you think of a better topic for the times? :-) You can imagine that conversation led to quite ... when I got (especially me ;-) Marieke staring into the eyes more spectacular we've seen in a long time, emerald green, almost fluorescent.
.............
And what are the things in this world as "movidito" the day they originally were going to travel to Madagascar, we landed in a place with TV (only the second in two months), and we saw the news of the resignation President ("invited to resign" by the army, of course), and the political uncertainty that engulfed the country. Luckily, I foresee a time, or we would have caught there in full.return, tomorrow, my birthday, we flew to Mauritius. It is the particular self-gift we've done. Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal But we will be! :-) Around
more, chao!
PD: In the popular acclaim, returns to the occasional photographic repertoire posturita Crane in heat, such as baptism Raulet.
PD2: For poblemillas tesssnicos (that of the cafes is not a wonder it is said), published this 3 days later ... but better late than never, ein?
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