Weekend Adventure

As I have talked about before, Saturday and Sunday we went on a cultural excursion of sorts. I will break this post down into sections for all of the stops and sites we saw. I am hoping to load some photos soon to my flickr account (link to follow someday) but loading pictures to the internet isn't so easy here. I may have to send some CDs home and have them shared that way.

Mochudi Village (link for more information)

Our first stop was this larger village of Botswana (population of about 40,000). We went to a museum here about the local culture and life of Mochudi and the Bakgatla people. They have some interesting traditions, especially when it comes to coming-of-age for young men and women, some of which had to be phased out in the early 90s because of legal issues. Most of it is not quite so appropriate to post, but still very interesting to learn that not so long ago such traditions were still in place. Speaking with one of our guides, he told me that some rural villages in South Africa (I believe he said the Zulu) still practice some of these rituals.

The Phuthadikabo Museum was situated on the top of a hill overlooking the village, and I was able to capture some beautiful photos on the village below and the rivers and landscape accompanying it.


Matsieng

Outside of Mochudi are the "footprints" that belong to what legend calls Matsieng. According to legend, Matsieng was a giant and an ancestor of the Tswana people, who currently inhabit Botswana. Supposedly, he led his people from the centre of the earth to inhabit the world. The hole in the rocks where he is said to have emerged from is over 4 metres deep! We actually couldn't see down it because it was full of water from the rains.

Manyana

After leaving Matsieng and taking about a 2 hour bus ride in the heat of the day (about 95 degrees, no AC and vinyl seats) we arrived in another village on the other side of Gaborone called Manyana (like spanish for tomorrow/morning). Here, they have rock paintings from over 2000 years ago, if not more. Typically, people painted on the rocks to show faith and worship their god(s). They were paintings of gazelle, giraffes, 3-legged men, and a few other animals as well. Some were very easy to see, while others had been washed out somewhat by the rain on the rocks. Here, as would happen to occur many other places later, we had a local boy follow us around and hang out with us. The boy was about 3 years old and was intrigued to just follow us walking over the rocks and such. He spoke little or no English (most people in villages speak mainly Setswana, the local language among 34 spoken in Botswana) but we were able to have someone speak to him in Setswana to try and get something from him.

Being here, we also got to see what a village looked and felt like. For one, it is definitely rural. There is not much around connecting the village to anything else. Goats, donkeys, cattle, chickens, and dogs just roam freely through the streets (very dangerous), yards, and any open spaces.

We then drove a short way to the Livingstone tree. This is where the explorer David Livingstone lived for the first few nights when he came to this village, before he moved into the village. Under this tree (it's huge) he held classes on religion, writing, reading, etc. for the local peoples. While looking at the tree, we attracted a group of about 6-7 local village boys ranging in age from 3 to 8 or 9 that wanted to come see what we were all about. (On a side note, It seems wherever we go, we seem to to a spectacle, almost celebrity like. I know that for some people we have spoken too, we are the first white-people they have ever talked too. Last week a group from Wheaton College was here along with two professors, both of whom are African-American. During conversation, a local Batswana (person from Botswana) wouldn't accept or believe them when they told her they were Americans. She figured all Americans were white and there were no such thing as black Americans in her mind. Furthermore, the Wheaton students varied in many different backgrounds. One of the girls is originally from Puerto Rico, and they immediately thought she was Indian, because in Botswana, there is no real concept of a "hispanic" person. Not too many come here or are known here. Plus, there is a large Indian and middle eastern population here, so they immediately place hispanic people into those categories.) So we played with the children in Manyana for awhile before making our way off to the cultural village.

Cultural Village

Upon arrival at the Cultural Village, we were greeted by 4 older women dressed in traditional garb, singing traditional songs. We were then led up to the village, where we would spend the evening. The village had two traditional huts (where the girls would sleep) surrounded by many tents (where the boys would sleep). It was a truly awesome place (minus the large number of insects, spiders, and scorpions) with tons of privacy and a feeling of seclusion from the world. Before eating, they showed us how to prepare traditional foods and flour by grinding the sorghum and all. For dinner, we had pop (a traditional dish that looks like mashed potatoes, but is really crushed maize), beef, chicken, potato salad (!), a garden salad, and of course rice. It was truly delicious to taste some food that was more than just chicken and rice. With dinner, they also served us some traditional beer served in what looked to be hallowed out gourds. It doesn't taste much like beer at all, and has some floaty stuff in it, but it wasn't all that bad. It tastes more like fermented sorghum stuff (which is what it is) than beer at all. After a good nights sleep here, we woke up early and had a delicious breakfast of eggs, beef, a type of donut, and cold baked beans. For some reason, they serve beans chilled here, but they still taste just as good.

Mokolodi Game Reserve

And then we finally got to Mokolodi Game Reserve. Upon arrival, we were served welcome drinks (champagne and mango juice) and signed a form telling them we know the dangers of wild animals. We then went on a 2-hour game drive through the beautiful reserve. The reserve is actually fenced off (it's over 70 hectares large I believe), but all the animals (except the cheetahs in their own section and the elephants) roam freely wherever they want and are not tame. The park has over 50 species of mammals (including white rhino, giraffes, elephants, leapards, zebra, impala, etc, but no lions) as well as 250 species of birds as well as thousands of species of flora and plants. We were lucky enough to see a good deal of animals including elephants, zebra, impala, kudoo (sp?), a giraffe, wort hogs, horses, baboons, ostriches, and a few others. Unfortunately we didn't get a good look at the cheetahs or the giraffe, and saw no hippos or rhinos, but we plan on going back again either for an early morning drive or late afternoon. We also had a lunch by the lake on the reserve. It was delicious with chicken, steak, sausage, 3 types of salad, garlic bread, and much more. For a welcome drink (as much champagne you want), a 2-hour game drive, and lunch by the lake with drinks (beer, wine, soda, water, liquor, juice, everything), it only costs about P150 per person, which is about US$20 per person. Not a bad price at all. They also have many other cool adventures there like white rhino "stalking" where you go with a guide on foot and actually try to find white rhinos up close, sunset game drives, and going through the game reserve on horseback as well. We also want to go back and pet the cheetahs, which you can do for an added cost, but I think it'd be totally worth it.

After leaving Mokolodi, we went to Lions Park, which is a "waterpark" in Botswana. Luckily, I didn't have huge expectations of it, since it consisted only of a wave pool and two water slides, but it still felt amazing to get in some water and cool off for once, especially after such a long and hot weekend. At night, Kelly, my roommate Adam, and I went to a new favorite restaurant near campus called Primi. It's a mainly Italian influenced place, and the food is absolutely amazing. We went last week as well. But what is remarkable is the prices. My meal, which included 2 beers and a fairly large pizza was only P90, or about 11-12 US dollars. You can't beat that!

Well, I have been trying to load pictures since I have typed, and still haven't loaded in over 2 hours of waiting, so I am thinking it may not happen. I have 3 more classes today so I must be off.

Also, I see the Cardinals and Steelers will be facing off in the Superbowl in 2 weeks. I am definitely rooting for the Cardinals. We are going to try and see if Bull and Bush (a pub in Gaborone usually open til 4 am) will stay open a little later and play the Superbowl for us. It starts usually around 630 pm there, which is like 130 am here, so it may be a late night to watch it, but could well be worth it.