April 2010
I
am with a Polish-Spanish group of doctors. We start the journey in Harare, Zimbabwe. With a great relief I can finally see the changes for better. They still don’t have the local currency, instead they use usd and rands, but they also don’t have the legendary 40 000 000 % inflation, the highest in the human history! So no need to carry a bag of zim dollars to buy a beer in a bar. The shops are now full, there is also petrol at the filling stations. New lodges and hotels are beginning to operate again.
.
We
admired the majestic Balancing Rocks, so huge and beautiful that I don’t even dare to describe them more.
.
Then
we head east for Mutare, where we cross the border into Mozambique. We travel to Beira, the second largest town situated on the golden shores of Indian Ocean. A warm swim in the waves and the delicious sea food await for us. An old soviet T-34 tank parked nearby reminds of the civil war that has ended. The war was won by the marxsists from FRELIMO, who rule Mozambique till today.
.
We
visit the famous Hotel Grande, in the colonial era – the most elegant hotel in whole of the southern region of Africa. Nowadays, a ruined squat inhabited by more than 5000 people. On its ugly walls one can notice the election posters of the FRELIMO – Together we will reach wealth and justice. Well, this is Africa.
.
After
a few days we return to Zimbabwe and take a bus to the far south of the country. We visit the most tourist spots, ruins of Great Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Matopos. An finally, the long awaited stay in the real African villages of the Batonka tribe. Truly African place! All around there is bush, the village huts are empty. Everyone has gathered in the shade under a huge mango tree. Beating the drums, and dancing they show their pure joy of hosting us. Like in the old days. What is left is the refreshing bath in the hot springs, where due to the local tradition we shall bath devided according to the gender. The tribal taboo is like law and must be kept.
.
Pictures!
The enormous Balancing Rocks.
[+] more pictures
African local church of Mazowe while dancing.
_
Hotel Grande in Beira.
_
Hotel Grande in Beira.
_
The shop inside Hotel Grande.
_
A new lodge in Bulawayo.
_
The wild animals can be seen while crossing the road, or on a safari.
_
The wild animals can be seen while crossing the road, or on a safari.
_
The wild animals can be seen while crossing the road, or on a safari.
_
Each new beer - each new friend.
_
Kalashnikov rules!
_
Old Batonka warriors while dancing.
_
The biggest baobab ever seen.
_
African restaurant in Zambia, delicious food!