Great Zimbabwe ruins

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28 July:

We met our guide around 7:30 to start our tour of the Great Zimbabwe ruins. Where the name of Zimbabwe got it's name. Zimbabwe means great (zi) house (bae) of stone (we). Here eight kings have ruled. We were told by our guide that it's not called "I need the toilet" but "I'm visiting my great friends and relative."

We climbed up to the main fort where the kind would have lived. The steps as you go up become more narrow so that introducers had to go up single file. At the top, the round piles on the top of the wall represent granary for wealth and prosperity With the thorn rocks it is representative of a beast or a crown. The mystery behind the place is the burials of the people as they would place them in caves and tunnels. There is said to be an underground tunnel in the ruins we hiked around. There, three archeologists have vanished. It is said that they went exploring in the tunnels to see here they went but disturbing the dead is punishable by death or vanishing. Ever since, the mouth of the tunnel has been sealed and for all they know, there is gold and treasures below as they believe in an after life so they buried their people with their belongings.

After our amazing tour with the enthusiastic guide, we packed up camp and headed for our drive to Gweru for the Antelope Park.

Once we arrived at Antelope Park, we had a local welcome crew with dancing, drums and singing to welcome us as we came out of the truck and then they handed us some nice popcorn and juice. After our welcome, we relaxed before our buffet dinner that the park made us. It was nice rice and chive chicken, fries, salad and I cream dessert.

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