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Wherever Books Are Sold!Boomer Travel. Food. Laughter. Breaking the Empty Nest Rules!
We joined Nashville’s WSMV Channel 4 More at Midday gang to discuss our life on the road, reconnecting as a couple… SEE MORE >>
We joined Nashville’s WSMV Channel 4 More at Midday gang to discuss our life on the road, reconnecting as a couple, and our appearance at the Southern Festival of Books – so much fun!
Our day of reflection takes us through cherry blossom-strewn, peaceful Nagasaki.Join us as we stroll through The Peace Garden with its towering Prayer Monument, wonder at the surviving statues of a church at ground zero of the atomic bomb, visit the epicenter and the Atomic Bomb Museum.
We’ll take you back to the day when the clocks forever stopped at 11:02… CONTINUE READING >>
Right up until we stepped off the ship in Nagasaki, Japan, our feelings about visiting the site of the second atomic bomb attack were conflicted.
But the city has a quiet, peaceful atmosphere that put us at ease.
In spite of any misgivings we may have had, we knew that our primary destination was the area around the bombing.
The bomb missed its intended target by nearly two miles, sparing the center of town from destruction, so we hopped on the number one trolley and rode to the north end of town where the blast occurred.
Spring was in full bloom, so the path up the hill to The Peace Garden was brilliantly lined with flowers and the cherry blossoms were reaching their peak.
A remarkable sight anywhere, but made even more remarkable since many scientists predicted that no vegetation would grow on this ground for seventy-five years because of the radioactive fallout.
See more about the significance of the cherry blossoms in Japan
The garden is dedicated to peace, and the hope that an atomic weapon will never again be used against the people of the world. It was also an excellent spot to begin our visit to all of the memorials.
From here we could easily walk to the Urakami Cathedral, the epicenter, and the Atomic Bomb Museum before looping back to the tram at its next stop to the south.
Monuments, given from cities and countries all around the globe to demonstrate their commitment to world peace, line the walkways that lead to The Fountain of Peace.
The fountain’s spraying water forms dove’s wings as a symbol of peace. Water has an emotional attachment to this memorial because so many died due to the lack of any drinkable water.
This was most poignantly brought to our attention by the inscription on the fountain. Sachiko Yamaguchi, a girl only nine years old at time of the bombing, wrote “I was thirsty beyond endurance.
There was something oily on the surface of the water, but I wanted water so badly that I drank it just as it was.”
See more about The Peace Garden here
Opposite the fountain, the park is dominated by a huge statue known as The Prayer Monument for Peace. Towering thirty feet high, it was erected on August 9, 1955, the tenth anniversary of the explosion.
The mammoth figure has his right hand extended upwards toward where the bomb fell, and his left outstretched in a gesture of peace. His eyes are closed in prayer.
It’s hard to say how long we spent taking in the garden because there is a timeless, almost dreamlike quality to the memorial. After some time we still had difficulty sorting our emotions out.
One thing we can say for certain, the park was incredibly successful at conveying its message of peace.
See more about The Peace Garden here
Looking down from the garden we could see Urakami Cathedral a few blocks away. This was once the largest Catholic church in The Far East, but stood just a few hundred feet from the center of the blast.
However, a handful of statues survived the devastation and are now displayed in front of the rebuilt church.
See more of these eerie statues that survived the bomb at Urakami Cathedral
Before the rebuilding, one small section of an original wall that remained standing was moved and placed on display at ground zero.
So we walked along the Shimonokawa River down to the hypocenter, the point directly below the explosion which was exposed to the center of the bomb’s destructive force, to see.
The precise point is marked by a cenotaph, an empty tomb to honor those never found, in the center of concentric circles.
The Urakami Cathedral wall stands just off to the side. Just below the wall remnants, along the river, a window is cut into the bank.
We peered in and saw the ground as it was just after the explosion, strewn with crushed brick, scorched rock and melted glass.
See more photos of the memorial at the hypocenter
But again, despite the horrific history of this spot, our feelings were directed toward peace and remembrance. The site is incredibly solemn, yet very beautiful.
Want to see how she does it? Click for the video here
On our way out we came upon an elderly lady creating wonderful rose blossoms out of what we thought was ice cream. It turned out to be a subtle flavored ice made with rosewater.
See more photos of the memorial at the hypocenter
We sat and enjoyed our cones for a few minutes before heading up to what we knew would be an emotionally draining visit to The Atomic Bomb Museum.
The museum details Nagasaki before, during, and after the blast, as well as the history of the development and deployment of the bomb. We entered into a room depicting life in the city just before the attack.
It was a normal morning, and there was no warning whatsoever, no air raid sirens sounded, and no one made it into any of the numerous shelters.
We continued into a darkened room showing the aftermath of the explosion. As our eyes adjusted we began to see the items clearly, a twisted water tower, a replica of the collapsed cathedral, and photographs of the destruction.
Our attention was captured; it was almost like walking back in time through the ruins. We found it hard to breathe normally.
The main hall of the museum contained artifacts left from the devastation, stopped clocks, melted glass, charred human bone. Striking first-hand accounts from survivors.
An eerie photo entitled Silhouette of a Lookout and his Ladder Remain on a Wall was taken about three miles from the hypocenter after tar exposed directly to the flash of the bomb burned.
The tar disappeared, but the shadows remained on the Nagasaki Fortress Headquarters.
A good deal of attention is given to the development of atomic weapons.
Displays cover the entire process, including a full size model of “Fat Man” as the bomb was known.
Numerous statements from scientists warn of the consequences of nuclear weapons, but the museum offers no opinions on the politics or reasons for the war, only facts about the bombing.
After considering it all, this struck us as a powerful method to convey the message of hope that these weapons are never used again.
Our minds were certainly filled with plenty to think about, but by this time our bellies were pretty empty. We also felt we should lighten the mood a bit, so we grabbed a trolley back down to the old part of town to seek some grub in Japan’s oldest Chinatown.
Nagasaki’s four hundred year old Shinchi Chinatown holds that distinction because this was Japan‘s only port open to Chinese trade during the era of isolation, when the country restricted any contact with the outside world. Today it has become the center of the city’s food culture.
The first thing we encountered was kakuni-manju. These sandwiches of braised pork cutlet in a steamed bun were being sold everywhere. It seemed like every storefront had a counter, and every corner a cart offering these delicacies. They smelled great and tasted every bit as good. Sure we were hungry, but this might be the best street food ever!
After two or three, we figured we’d better stop and save some room, because we couldn’t possibly visit Japan without trying the sushi. We found a small place tucked in between all of the Chinese restaurants and kakuni-manju stands and ordered the chef’s choice plate.
We were mostly curious to see if the sushi we were used to getting back in The States was authentic. It looked the same, but the taste wasn’t even in the ballpark – this was the freshest, yummiest, melt-in-your-mouth stuff ever. We were so excited that we sampled the salmon before we thought to take a photo.
A few blocks from Chinatown is one of Japan’s most famous bridges dating back to 1634. So after our raw fish we walked along The Nakajima River, passing several of the ten old stone bridges that span the river, until we saw our destination.
With our first look it was clear why this is better known as The Spectacle Bridge than its real name, Meganebashi. The reflection in the water really does look like a pair of eyeglasses.
We didn’t need our glasses to see that it was getting late in the day and we needed to hustle back to the ship.
Once again Nagasaki’s cheap, convenient, and easy to use trolley system came in handy.
This quiet, peaceful city had one last surprise in store for us, as we got back on board we were given a rousing send off with a Chinese dragon dance, complete with traditional instruments and firecrackers.
WATCH: Beautiful Dragon Dance
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
Delve Deeper:
The Peace Garden
The Statues of the Urakami Cathedral
The Atomic Bomb Hypocenter
Cherry Blossoms in Japan
Video – How to make a rosewater ice bloom
Click here for our full live-blog as we traveled with Holland America aboard the ms Volendam – through Hong Kong, China, South Korea and Japan
Watch us hunt for the Big 5 in South Africa – and come nose to nose with an angry rhino!.. SEE MORE >>
Watch us hunt for the Big 5 in South Africa – and come nose to nose with an angry rhino!.. SEE MORE >>
In the end, our safari experience went beyond our expectations, as we were immersed in the heart of Africa’s wilderness and treated to an intimate encounter with its most iconic creatures. We realized that Kruger National Park is not a zoo – it’s a realm of unpredictability, where nature reigns and surprises await at every turn. As we reflect on our journey, we are grateful for our exceptional luck and the incredible memories we’ve captured in our cameras, forever cherishing the beauty and majesty of best safari South Africa wildlife.
Big, big news! We (and our book, Going Gypsy) have been accepted into one of our favorite book events – The Southern Festival of Books in Nashville!
Humanities Tennessee has been throwing this great event for twenty-seven years, and its popularity has inspired hundreds of similar book festivals.
Because of their dedication to the written word, the festival is free to all who want to celebrate the joy of reading!
Join us and two hundred of the nation’s most prominent authors for three days of fun, interaction, and – because it’s in Nashville, music!… SEE MORE ABOUT THE SOUTHERN FESTIVAL OF BOOKS AND HOW YOU CAN MEET US THERE >>
We had an amazing time! Click here to see photos of the big fun at Southern Festival of Books!
We joined Nashville’s WSMV Channel 4 More at Midday gang!
Did you miss this event? Find out where your GypsyNesters are headed and how you can meet us!
Big, big news!
We (and our book, Going Gypsy) have been accepted into one of our favorite book events – The Southern Festival of Books in Nashville!
Humanities Tennessee has been throwing this great event for twenty-seven years, and its popularity has inspired hundreds of similar book festivals.
Because of their dedication to the written word, the festival is free to all who want to celebrate the joy of reading!
Join us and two hundred of the nation’s most prominent authors for three days of fun, interaction, and — because it’s Nashville — music!
The festival runs from October 9th through 11 (just be sure to block off Saturday the 10th at noon for our session!) and is held in the heart of Nashville’s dynamic downtown.
We’ll be teaming up with Alex Sheshunoff and Scott Dannemiller to regale you with our tales of “Ditching the Daily: Chronicles of Simple Living, Finding Joy, and Letting Go.”
For us, that meant selling the house and hitting the highway – it’s been over seven years now, can you believe it?
We will be expounding our adventure and the journey from empty nest to no nest at all (and the crazy antics that pop up when a decision like that is made!).
Alex’s book (which has a real mouthful of a title, soooo, deep breath)…
A Beginner’s Guide to Paradise: 9 Steps to Giving Up Everything So You Too Can: Move to the South Pacific, Wear a Loincloth, Read a Hundred Books, Diaper a Baby Monkey, Build a Bungalow and Maybe, Just Maybe, Fall in Love!
…is a hilarious account of, well, the subtitle pretty much tells it all. If diapering a baby monkey while wearing a loin cloth doesn’t pique your interest, something may be very, very wrong with you. 😉
Scott’s book…
The Year without a Purchase: One Family’s Quest to Stop Shopping and Start Connecting
… shares the wit and wisdom of a couple (and their kids!) who gave up buying all the stuff they really didn’t need and gained… hold on, we don’t want to spoil the fun, so we’ll let Scott fill you in on that at the Festival!
Here’s all the details you need to meet up with us at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville!
Our session is Saturday, Oct. 10 at noon, in the Legislative Plaza, Room 12 (enter the building at the corner of 6th and Union), and we’ll be signing books at 1:30 in the Signing Colonnade
Southern Festival of Books website
Get directions and a map of the festival
See the full schedule of the weekend’s events here (don’t forget to check out the music too!)
Drool over the list of participating authors
See you there!
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
How could we NOT be charmed by Bruges?Her beautiful old town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
All of the buildings — even businesses and private homes — can only be renovated according to strict rules that maintain the authenticity of the city, creating a wonderful time capsule… CONTINUE READING >>
Thanks to Viking River Cruises for inviting us along and providing this adventure through the tulips and windmills of Holland and Belgium with stops in Amsterdam, Kinderdijk, Antwerp, Bruges, Veere, Hoorn, and Arnhem.
Though it is no longer accessible by ship, Bruges was one of our favorite stops on our Viking River Cruise through Holland and Belgium.
Centuries ago the river was deep enough for ships and reached out to the sea. With her strategic location at the crossroads of the Hanseatic League trade and trade routes to the Mediterranean, Bruges was once the chief commercial city in the world.
Around the year 1500 sand deposits filled in the channel to the sea and the city declined, but happily much of the medieval architecture was preserved.
In the last century or so, efforts at preservation became a priority and the old town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
All of the buildings — even businesses and private homes — can only be renovated according to strict rules that maintain the authenticity of the city.
This also means that vehicle access is restricted, so we walked along the ancient canals from the old city wall toward the two towers that dominate the skyline.
March of the Beguines
Just as we entered the city walls we came to a field filled with daffodils surrounded by what looked to be a campus.
The compound was home to Beguines, a religious order of women similar to nuns, but technically lay people.
They devoted themselves to a life of prayer and good works, but without taking vows.
The communities sprang up during the Middle Ages because there were more women than men – husbands were in short supply and being single was not terribly socially acceptable.
Following the towers
Wandering through the narrow streets and small plazas, it was easy to keep our destination in sight – we just looked for the towers.
Soon we were standing in front of the city’s main church, the Church of Our Lady, beneath the first of the towers.
The spire rises over four hundred feet high, which makes it one of the world’s tallest towers made of brick.
In addition to noteworthy tower, the church is home to Michelangelo’s sculpture of the Madonna and Child.
The work wasn’t originally intended for this church, but the Italian master sold it to a couple of Belgian merchants who brought it to Bruges in 1514. It was the only work by Michelangelo to leave Italy during his lifetime.
Chalk that up as one of the advantages of being a trade giant in those days.
Blind Donkeys
Leaving the church we turned on Blinde Ezel Straat, which we had to love because it translates to Blind Donkey Street.
And who doesn’t love a blind donkey?
The name likely stems from the practice of blindfolding donkeys to prevent them from getting dizzy while turning a mill, although there are a few more colorful legends as to its origin floating around.
At the end of the short street we passed under an ornate arcade that opened up into into a large square.
Just like the old saying about blind squirrels and acorns, it seems that even a blind donkey can find an incredible town square.
Turning around to face Blind Burro Boulevard, we see that the archway we came through connects the justice hall with the city hall, both of which are decorated with some serious statuary.
As is often the case, Justice holding her scales stands on the peak of the courthouse.
Spying Holy Blood
Next to the city hall there is a small chapel, but it looms large in the life of Bruges.
The tiny church is home to the relic of the Holy Blood, reputed to be a sample of the blood of Christ allegedly collected by Joseph of Arimathea.
Thierry of Alsace, the Count of Flanders, brought the vial back from the Second Crusade in 1150.
We went in with high hopes of seeing the amazing artifact, but the relic is kept inside a silver tabernacle.
But wait, perhaps it was just wishful thinking, but we thought we caught a peek at the vial through a sliver between the silver doors.
With no good way to corroborate our possible vision, we’re going to say yes, we saw it.
To be certain of a sighting we would have to be back in town for the annual procession through the streets celebrated on Ascension Day.
Celebrated forty days after Easter, it is always one of the city’s biggest events.
Since returning that soon felt unlikely, we figured that when in doubt, go with the better story.
Showing our mussels… and a Kwak attack
The second of the two famous towers of Bruges, the Belfort, loomed over us behind the Basilica of the Holy Blood so we walked over to the next plaza where Markt Square spreads out in front of the belfry.
We were determined to climb to the top of the tower, but the square is lined with restaurants, so first we grabbed an outdoor seat for a midday meal.
The spot we picked also happened to be a good place to delve into some Belgian beer research.
Belgium is known for beer, with a history of brewing going back nearly a thousand years.
Originally monks made the beer — and some still do — but the art has become an integral part of Belgian life.
Bruges plays a big part in that past, so to fortify ourselves for a climb up the three hundred and sixty-six steps to the top of the town’s famous bell tower we needed some traditional Belgian food and, of course, a bit of beer.
Being ignorant in the ways of the country’s brews, we chose to rely on our waiter to recommend the ultimate local beverages.
A Zot Blond is a must in Bruges; we had passed the brewery on our walk into town.
Kwak, came with the server’s endorsement as “a special beer.” We like special, so we ordered a Kwak too.
And judging by how it arrived, the Kwak must be special indeed!
The Kwak arrived in a giant glass bulb held up by a wooden stand – making the entire presentation quite the show.
It looked like something from a mad scientist’s laboratory ( or in this case pronounced lab-or-a-tory).
Folks at nearby tables were snapping pictures and asking about the Kwak – making us feel like movies stars.
The Kwak lived up to its hype – delicious.
To dilute our giant beers, we went with two of Belgium’s most typical dishes, a creamy chicken stew known as waterzooi and moules frites, which is mussels with french fries.
Never, ever called them french fries!
Oops, we must correct ourselves, it is strictly taboo to ever call fried potatoes “French” in Belgium.
Fries are without a doubt the national food, and Belgians claim to have invented them.
The French tag was supposedly due to mistaken identity by GIs from the USA during World War I.
Strengthened by our repast, we were ready to ascend the tower.
Burning off the calories by getting our bells rung
We waited in line with high hopes that seeing the clockworks, bells, and the carillon drum that controls the bells, and the view from the top, would be worth the sore legs that the seemingly never ending stairway would deliver.
We were not disappointed.
The forty seven bells of the carillon toll every fifteen minutes, so we made our first goal to go all the way to the top and wait for the next round.
Within a minute or two of making it the bells were pealing. It was certainly an eye, or more appropriately an ear, opening experience, but not as loud as we expected.
As the last of the bells reverberated, we took in the view from all angles before heading down one level to the drum room.
This is where the clockworks tick away, which also triggers the musical mechanics.
Soon the nine-ton brass drum (the largest in the world!) that controls the ringing of the bells began to turn.
The mechanism is like a giant music box. The cylinder has more than 30,000 holes where pins are arraigned to operate the hammers that strike the various carillon bells.
The huge wheel rotates and the bells ring out, but it only moves about a quarter of a turn.
Four songs are placed onto it, one for each quarter hour, and the pins can be moved and replaced to play different songs whenever it is desired.
We were simply fascinated, but time was running short.
We had to scurry, but not too quickly, down the spiral staircase to catch our bus back to the ship.
Haste needed to be combined with care because if we started rolling down the stairs, we might not have stopped until we tumbled into the middle of the square.
Bad way to end a day.
The only good thing about it would be the opportunity for another Kwak attack. Hmmm… maybe not such a bad thing after all.
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
See all of our adventures in Belgium!
Thanks to Viking River Cruises for inviting us along and providing this adventure through the tulips and windmills of Holland and Belgium with stops in Amsterdam, Kinderdijk, Antwerp, Bruges, Veere, Hoorn, and Arnhem.
Our volunteer vacation continues as we explore East Africa…We’ve completely fallen in love with our students at our school!
Check out how our service projects are progressing and join us on an incredible photo safari in beautiful Tanzania… CONTINUE READING >>
A big thank you to Discover Corps for providing this moving voluntourism opportunity so we can share their good work. As always, all opinions are our own.
| See part one of this adventure | See part two of this adventure |
DAY NINE: Harvesting for our school, making serious progess in our classroom
Morning: Learning to pick corn with our students
The kids from the Longuo Primary School are all harvesting corn on a donated plot of land today.
We head out to visit the farm and join them before heading back over to resume our classroom renovations.
The Discover Corps crew fans out, each of us joining one of the many teams of two kids that are shucking and bagging cobs row by row.
Once the corn is picked, it will be stripped off of the cobs, dried in the sun, and ground into flour.
This corn meal is mixed with water to make the staple dish ugali, which serves as a huge part of the kid’s lunches for the next year.
This is served with stew or beans and is sometimes supplemented with vegetables from the school garden.
However, most of the produce that the kids help grow is sold to raise funds for the school’s operation.
Back at the school we are all excited for a big day as we start putting up the ceiling panels and painting inside and out of the classroom.
At last we feel like we are making some real progress, not that the prep work we did before wasn’t necessary, but today’s work is much more visible.
Just as we are getting ready to leave the truck with all of the corn that the children harvested arrives and the excited little workers boisterously unload their cargo.
See more about our time working at the school!
Late Afternoon: Fun time at the orphanage
After some serious cleaning up and chowing down on Mama D’s good cooking, we are free to spend the rest of the day socializing, checking out the town of Moshi, or visiting The Tuleeni Orphans Home again.
We manage a quick run into town, and then an early evening return to the orphanage.
Some treats are passed around before a makeshift game combining soccer (football in these parts), keep away, and dodgeball breaks out.
After three visits we have become very friendly with several of the residents so we exchanged information with a few of the older kids and hope to keep in touch.
DAY TEN: Head and shoulders above it all, raising the roof, and a gorgous hot spring!
Morning: Teachers are hilarious!
The kids are back in the classrooms this morning so we get to don our teaching caps again and try our best to impart a bit of English while adding a dash of fun. Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes is a big hit.
We start by making sure that everyone knows all of the body parts, then sing the song slowly while touching each bit of anatomy.
After a couple of choruses the kids seem to have it down pretty well so we start to speed up.
We go faster and faster until the kids, and certainly us old teachers, are panting for breath.
Desperate for a breather, Veronica comes up with the notion to do it in slow motion.
The kids think that is hilarious!
A little bit slower now, a little bit slower now… then, a little bit faster now, a little bit faster now, and everyone is grinning ear to ear while gasping for air.
We change clothes and head back to our classroom project.
With the first coat of paint dry from yesterday it is time to finish the main part of the painting. Our team members attack it with a vengeance.
We’ve nicknamed our one hired carpenter “Nail Gun” because we have never seen such a machine when it comes to driving a nail. Without him we might never finish.
Late Afternoon: A glorious hot spring
We feel confident enough that we will finish our classroom renovation to take the afternoon off for a swim in the Chemka Hot Spring.
It is fairly remote, hidden away down a sloshy, sandy road, but that makes it a perfect secluded getaway – a true oasis.
After the dusty drive, the impossibly blue water looked way too inviting to pass up and almost everyone is in the pool within minutes.
The water is not exactly hot, more like warm, but in the heat of the day that’s a welcome misnomer for the spring.
We bob and splash in the luxurious natural spa for about an hour, but don’t dare dally longer because we want to get home before dark. Mama D has dinner waiting.
On the way back to basecamp we are treated to one of those African sunsets that heretofore we could only dream about.
DAY ELEVEN: A bittersweet day at our school, and an obese Massai
Morning: Bittersweet emotions and a job well done
We enter into our last day of teaching with a bittersweet combination of emotions, sad to be leaving, but glad to have had the opportunity to meet and get to know these bright, fun-loving youngsters.
We are all certain that we learned more from them than they did from us in our stint as teachers.
Perhaps our biggest lesson: appreciate the simple things. These little guys absolutely light up when receiving the simplest gifts. A colorful pencil, a pen, or some cute little stickers bring smiles that would rival any Christmas morning grin on other children.
Our throats are lumpy and eyes moist as we say goodbye to the students and teachers, but we still have a few tasks left to complete before our project is finished.
So one last time we slip into our grubby work clothes and head over to our nearly renovated classroom project.
Our classroom “before”
The Discover Corps-ers fans out to put on the final touches.
With brushes in hand we spread the last of the paint on the windows and… oh, wait, don’t forget the door!
The last thing we do is put up a couple of maps that Jeff found in Moshi. They give the room a dash of color and offset the blackboards that we renewed with special blackboard paint.
We take our “after” photos with big smiles.
Afternoon: Attempting art in Moshi
We hit Moshi town again this afternoon to take a stab at painting.
Our teacher is the artist Secy, whose paintings capture African life and wildlife in vibrant colors.
The idea is for us to choose one of his works and do our best to recreate it.
Like with our batik lesson, we start off rather unsure we can pull this off!
David chooses a Maasai man in red on a vivid blue background, mostly because he thinks that it is the only thing he has any chance of pulling off without total embarrassment.
His finished product looks a bit obese for a Maasai, but we are posting his effort without comment for all to judge whether he was successful or not.
Next door to Secy’s studio is a shop filled with ebony carvings, knick-knacks, and traditional African musical instruments.
David is intrigued with an intrument he has never seen, a kayamba, a rhythm shaker made from reeds and filled with seeds. Trying it out leads to an impromptu drum jam session with Secy and his drum teacher.
We head back to homebase for an early night… for tomorrow we go on safari…
DAY TWELVE: Tarangire National Park has sooooo many elephants!
Early Morning: An early start, a scary looking guy and life at the watering hole
Boarding Mama Simba’s bus bright and early for our trip to Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, we are filled with excitement at the hope of seeing lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! Not really, there are no tigers or bears there, but we do hope to see elephants, zebras, giraffes, and especially lions.
We stop in the city of Arusha to meet our guides and transfer over to the safari wagons that will be our transportation for the next two days.
The Discover Corps crew splits into two groups, with Alan guiding ours, Felix the other, and Raymond serving as team leader.
Along the road we see several young Maasai men dressed all in black.
A closer look reveals that they have painted their faces too.
Alan, who is Maasai, explains that this is the ritual after circumcision and initiation into manhood ceremony to dress this way for several months as they heal. The face paint is to ward off the evil eye.
We enter Tarangire and almost immediately come upon a watering hole where impalas and wildebeests are getting a drink.
There is a bit of scuffling for position, with the wildebeests running off the others, but it looks as though everyone at least gets a sip.
Rounding a bend we come up on about twenty elephants.
They have also found a water source, but it looks as though socializing and cooling down is more the order of the day than drinking.
We watch mesmerized for quite a while, until one of the young calves does something that the elders don’t approve of and gets a quick chastisement.
The minor ruckus puts the entire herd on the move.
Allen explains that the punishment might not have come from a parent since, with elephants, any adult can discipline any baby in the group.
WATCH: Watch as this little guy gets in trouble – and how the herd responds!
Morning: And the hits just keep on coming
Our next close encounter is of the zebra kind.
We LOVE how their manes stick straight up!
A couple of questions pop into our heads upon being so near to them.
Are they more like horses or donkeys?
Are they black with white stripes or white with black stripes?
WATCH: Cutest thing ever! This baby, fuzzy zebra has lunch and a romp!
We decide on donkeys and, upon viewing them from behind where the black strips don’t quite meet up, black on white. Mystery solved.
As we make our way deeper into the park, we notice a couple of warthogs rooting in the ground for bugs and grubs. They are such odd looking creatures, we’re finding it hard to wrap our minds around what we are seeing.
There is a vast variety of birds in the park. Along the way we see a lilac-breasted roller, a crown crane, a superb starling, and brown snake eagle.
Throughout the park we are intrigued by the huge baobab trees. They look dead this time of year, because it is the dry season so the branches are all bare.
They can’t afford to waste the water involved in producing leaves, but as soon as the rains come their foliage will burst forth.
Many of the trees have big scars where elephants have been eating the bark. It is a good source of water this time of year and the gnawing doesn’t harm the trees.
Afternoon: The stars of today’s safari
As the day goes on, it becomes very apparent that elephants are the stars of Tarangire.
They are everywhere!
Not so much with giraffes, but we do find one lurking in the trees as we are turning back toward the entrance.
Of course a large pachyderm is also nearby.
As a day ending bonus, a large herd of the giants walk right in front of us just before we exit the park.
We never in a million years imagined that we would get this close to these mammoth creatures in the wild.
We spend the night in the town of Karatu, so we can be close to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and get an early start in the morning.
Early in the day is the best time to see lions and we are certainly hoping for a sighting…
DAY THIRTEEN: Ngorongoro Conservation Area is chuck full of wildlife!
Early Morning: You ask for lions – you get… lions
We enter the refuge just as a foggy dawn is breaking, and begin the climb up to the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater.
This is a huge volcanic caldera, about fifteen miles across, which serves as a natural enclosure for many species of animals, concentrating them into a fairly small area.
In the morning mist at the top of the crater Alan spots a lioness in the brush along the side of the red dirt road.
We hoped to see a lion, but had no idea it would be the very first sighting of the day!
We watch in stunned silence, and another appears behind her, and then another.
The trio walks through the bush, and then pops out onto the road directly behind the safari wagon.
Wow, this day is already high on our list of best ever, and it just started…
To see our African journey from the very beginning, click here
Morning: Some serious wild kingdom action!
As we descend into the crater, we pass several herds of cape buffalo, along with many zebras.
They graze comfortably, seemingly without a thought about the many predators nearby.
In fact, several times we see hyenas walking very close to zebras, gazzelles, wildebeests, and birds with the prey paying no mind to the hunter whatsoever.
Alan says that they can tell when the hyenas are hungry and in hunting mode.
Next we find something unexpected, an ostrich. For some reason we didn’t think about the big birds as something we would see here, but there are a few.
This particular male, Alan identified him as such because of his black feathers as opposed to the grey of the females, has a very red neck.
This shows that he is ready to mate, and as if on cue, here comes a female doing her dance.
It is easy to see the obvious difference in the plumage.
The two do their thing, very quickly we might add, and then go their separate ways.
To see our African journey from the very beginning, click here
p> Not for long though, as we learn when we see a mommy ostrich sitting on her nest.
Alan explains that the mother will sit on the egg all day, then it is dad’s turn at night.
Just beyond the ostrich lovefest we come to a hippopotamus pool and, as if that’s not cool enough, there are also five lions hanging out.
After a few minutes one of the hippos decides that three of the lions are too close, so he climbs out of the water, no easy task for the big boy, and chases them off.
They retreat about a hundred yards and then lay back down, which is great for us because it put them right next to the road.
We pull up a bit and are within just a few feet of the big cats.
Incredible!
The lions keep watch and decide to go back to their original spot, in a move that most certainly looks to have a “we’ll show those hippos who’s boss around here” attitude. The hippos pretend not to notice.
We finally tear ourselves away from this scene, confident that something equally exciting must be up ahead. We are not disappointed either, as Alan spots a black rhino way off in the distance. Even though the rare creature, there are only about five thousand left in existence, was too far away to photograph, we did get a pretty good look at it through the binoculars.
The kori bustard, however, was not so shy. As the largest bird in the world that can fly, we suppose he wouldn’t have to be!
Afternoon: Where there’s water, there’s wildlife!
We spot a group of safari vans in the distance and go to check out what they are up to.
It is a large herd, or bloat, of around twenty or thirty hippopotamuses.
The hippopotami are doing what they always do when the sun is out, hiding in the water.
Their skin is very sensitive, so all day they stay in the pool and come out to feed on grass at night.
This behavior made us think that we were not going to see the group walking on land, but for some unknown reason one decides to climb out and walk over to another pool. Next thing we know the whole bloat is following.
We are amazed as we watch the three thousand pound beasts lumber across. It is somewhat like watching whales, which happen to be a close relative, take to the land.
Often birds hang out near, or sometimes on, the bigger animals and this pond is no exception with egrets and ibis all around.
We also see a new feathered friend for us, the yellow-billed stork. Their humorous walking style has us humming Puttin’ on the Ritz.
A little top hat would have completed the scene nicely!
Another of Ngorongoro‘s most common residents are the zebras.
We see them everywhere and have been able to observe many of their behaviors.
As a herd crosses in front of us watch one after another rolls around in the dirt for a good scratching, and to get rid of parasites such as fleas and ticks.
After lunch, a ginormous bull elephant decides to walk right through the area where we were eating.
From the dung scattered around, obviously this is not something unusual.
Elephants pretty much go where ever they want, with no concern for humans, lions, or anything else.
With this absolutely amazing morning behind us, we load back into the safari wagons and begin to make way for the climb back up the crater rim.
As with yesterday though, we get an incredible bonus just before leaving, a big male lion completely laid out in the shade of a small tree.
Like the elephant, this guy obviously has absolutely no fear from any predators and can sleep peacefully out in the open.
As we approach the rim the habitat changes, it is no longer grassland.
The forest thickens until it becomes more like jungle.
A large troop of olive baboons finds this to be a perfect place to do a little snacking, picking at the trees for a bit of sap.
They don’t stop long though, and neither do we.
The time has come to say our farewell to these two phenomenal wildlife sanctuaries, Tarangire National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
To see our African journey from the very beginning, click here
DAY FOURTEEN: A Day of reflection… and goodbyes
At the beginning of this Discover Corps program, Mama Simba welcomed us by saying that we are all one family.
We’re pretty sure that most of us thought that this was just a nice way to greet us and make us feel welcome, but over the past couple of weeks our way of thinking changed.
Now that we are bidding adieu to all of these wonderful people that we have lived, learned, worked, and explored with for the last fortnight, it really does feel like saying goodbye to family.
We have the same lumps rising up in our throats, the same desire to find a way to get back to see them as soon as we can, and the same lingering for one last hug before we go.
Even though it feels like we could never do enough, everyone assures us that we had an impact on the kids at the Longuo Primary School and The Tuleeni Orphans Home.
We certainly hope so, but we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they certainly left a life-changing impression on us.
We also know that our Discover Corps teammates will be a part of our lives for years to come. They are people with giving spirits that make them fun to be around.
People who see a need and look for ways to address it.
The engaging and openhearted people of homebase and the village of Rau captured our hearts and we will carry them with us forever, and the experiences of Tanzania they shared with us can never be forgotten.
We have become a part of a select few who have ever tracked a giraffe with the Maasai.
We’ve danced with the Chagga, climbed on the slopes of Kilimanjaro, and have seen that massive mountain throw off its cloak of clouds and gleam in the African sun.
How could our minds ever let go of the thrill of coming within a few feet of a pride of lions and then having a hippo chase them away, or watching dozens of elephants parade across a crater, or feeling the hoof beats of running zebras?
These experiences, and countless more, have left mental imprints that we won’t need photographs to recall.
Let’s just hope that the folks back home don’t get too exasperated with our telling and retelling of the myriad of memories that we are bringing back with us.
To see our African journey from the very beginning, click here
| See part one of this adventure | See part two of this adventure |
David & Veronica, GypsyNester.com
A big thank you to Discover Corps for providing this moving voluntourism opportunity so we can share their good work. As always, all opinions are our own.
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US News and World Report asked us what simple living means to us and why we live the way we do.“Traveling throughout retirement may not be everyone’s idea of simple living, but David and Veronica say ditching the house was one of the best moves they ever made. ‘We are in a state of nearly constantly pinching ourselves… CONTINUE READING >>
US News and World Report asked us what simple living means to us and why we live the way we do.“Traveling throughout retirement may not be everyone’s idea of simple living, but David and Veronica say ditching the house was one of the best moves they ever made. ‘We are in a state of nearly constantly pinching ourselves… CONTINUE READING >>
