In May we took a trip to the South Luangwa National Park in the Eastern Province. Luangwa is a game preserve – next week I'll post a handful of pictures from my experience there – you will note that my camera left a LOT to be desired. So mostly there are pictures of bush & trees where there may or may not be animals – except for the elephants – they showed up quite well!
Anyway, on our way to the park we stopped in a village near Chipata. This is the kind of Africa that all my friends were expecting. I kept telling them "I live in a city!" but this is what they wanted to see. Huts, dirt…
They let me try. It wasn't pretty. At all. Embarrassing, really.
Sort of puts things into perspective for sure... :c)
ReplyDeleteWe did a job for a guy who is a big game hunter. Has killed all those beauties. He wanted acacia trees and these african huts on the glass side lites of his study...the whole time being such a racist asshole about how stupid, lazy, ignorant the people are. I about bit my tongue off. I couldn't done with that guy's job fast enough.
ReplyDeleteHave you seen the mini-series on HBO called The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency? Although the show takes place in Botswana, it is this sort of gentle, lovely show that you can slip easily into. That's what I love about your Zambia posts.
ReplyDeleteOh this is fun to see. And I love the other comments. I so often think of the women who have to spend half the day, or all day, getting water, especially when I think I have something to complain about.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad the poor of Africa, Asia and all warm countries don't have to contend with the cold at least.
What great memories these are! That stick does look heavy!!!
ReplyDeleteI love the mountain dog on your sidebar.
Dear The Bug,
ReplyDeleteThe part where you say your companions were looking at exotics and you were looking at smiles is so very profound.
I don't say they were wrong. Sometimes the push for the trophy or the exotic means a chance to learn more, and that's the known way to measure it, to push to some new limit.
I think they will go further faster next time. Or, they can be like ellen abbott's big game hunter/ player, and never see a thing.
But this is really insightful. Thanks for sharing.
Sincerely,
Ann T. Hathaway
Time spent in other cultures really does work to shine light back into our own lives. Sometimes I think we are better off without the "time-saving devices" that spoil us with leisure time. But then, I wouldn't be getting to know you!
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