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Published: March 21st 2007
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Horizon at the Gaboron Dam
View along the dusty road as you drive towards the Gaborone Yacht Club - situated on the Gaborone Dam - water collected from underground streams. Dumelang!
Well it's two weeks in and we are starting to get our bearings and get comfortable with the city. I can pretty much find my way around by driving though I find myself constantly distracted by the little things I notice all around me that represent the life that is this place.
People make their livelihoods by the side of the road. Mango sellers park their flatbed trucks full of the fruit under shady trees, often next to manure sellers doing the same. Yesterday I passed by an area where a man was selling wooden bowls; today a woman has laid out intricately woven table cloths to sell.
In the western part of the city, efficiently called Gabs West, it seems as though a welding district has sprung up. Basically, everywhere along the roadside are signs offering welding services - and metal samples and products for sale are everywhere; from entire metal house gates, to table bases, to braii (BBQ) pits. Though, for all of these welding services available, I have yet to see anyone actually welding. Perhaps business isn't that strong at the moment - but as soon as we sort out a place, I
Anj at the Yacht Club
At the sign for the yacht club - which is on a rocky corner of the dam. The club itself is basic - cheap drinks, cheap eats and plastic furniture, but a great view. Kayak if you'd like, but watch out for the crocs! am going to get one of these guys to put together a nice table for me.
The other trend on the side of the road is the selling of what anyone would call a unique set on unrelated items. Stalls abound selling individual sweets, phone cards, and of course, individual cigarettes. Perhaps these are the necessities that all Batswana need in a pinch - but how 5 of these stalls make any income when they are right beside each other beats me.
But we have been fortunate to have the car as while it really helps city transport - it has allowed us to start to explore the villages that dot the landscape around Gabs. Saturday, we drove out to the small village of Manyana (Google Earth it if you can find it) where we had heard about 2000 year old rock paintings. The drive was stunning, winding itself around massive hills that pop out of a generally flat bushveld. We were told that finding the paintings were difficult so we should find a local to take us there. We did just that; Constable Maun Saara found us wandering aimlessly and offered to show us the way...through the
Sunset at the Yacht Club
A nice view of the sun setting from our perch at the club. dusty village where not much was happening apart from a few people sitting on their stoops and several cattle and chickens wandering about. Maun complained of a sharp headache and it was no wonder as his top lip was swollen to 3 times its normal size due to an infection - I suggested a doctor's visit may be in order and he said he would think about it.
Quick note about doctors here - medicine men are still widely publicized and we have noticed many ads in the paper espousing the healing abilities of medicine med, especially those from Malawi. "Cure unhappiness, marital difficulties, HIV, bad luck etc..." I may keep to the private clinics if needed, but its always good to know in case I develop a case of premature baldness, or need a good luck sidekick when I head to the Casino, that Dr. Malawedi is there for me!
The paintings, which we eventually found, were tough to see, but luckily, there was a government guide sitting in a small hut, ready to show us the pictures of animals, abstract art and several "three-legged men". Once we could make them out, they came to life -
Gabs Dam
Due to a poor rainy season, Gabs Dam is only at 17% capacity. Water restrictions are sure to follow soon. drawn from blood, urine and local dyes by the San descendents over 2000 years ago. See some of the attached photos; many of the animals painted are no longer found in this area.
So from ancient art to an age old tradition, this blog moves. Dances for a good harvest you say? Perhaps trying some local fare? No, not yet; all of that we will try this weekend in Ghanzi. I am of course talking about the tradition of St. Patrick's Day...which was an experience in of itself at O'Hagans, the only Irish pub in Gaborone. Lucky for us, it was a rip roaring old fashioned good time, much like any other St. Patty's day festivities you would find, save for the Madonna dance party, piano instrumental versions of "Bed of Roses" played by the MC for the evening and apparent mating rituals of all of the beautiful Batswana youth and adults that attended. Basically, it was an Irish-African Dancehall night, and we were swept up in it - great fun.
OK, I could go on, but this is getting long. The entire experience is an experience and there are many more details i could elaborate on. The
Manyana Village
Traditional thatch housing in Manyana village, just a 30 minute ride out of Gabs. job opportunities for me seem to be shaping up and i will be meeting with a professor at the University of Botswana who runs the MBA there and has some initiatives on sustainable tourism he would like to speak to me about. We are off to the Kalahari to camp on a farm and learn to eat, dance and hunt and gather with the San people - so there will me much more to write then. Thanks to everyone writing notes, they are very much appreciated, and hopefully we will get back to individuals soon once we get better access to email
Love to All.
Bry & Anj
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Mabel
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Hola!!
Love the pictures..I'm happy to see you guys are doing great!! You deserve it.