Favorites: The Animal Edition

In honor of the conclusion of my time in Africa, I've compiled a few of my favorite photographs over the past several years.
Here are my favorite animal photos!

For my favorite photographs of Zimbabwe: go here!!

For my favorite photographs of Senegal: go here!!

A lilac breasted roller in Chobe National Park, Botswana - Hope is a Thing with Feathers

A baby elephant of the Presidential Herd, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe - The Ivory Lodge

A crocodile sleeps on the banks of the Chobe River in Botswana - Snapshots from the River: The Chobe Crocodile

A giraffe in Chobe National Park, Botswana - The Chobe smorgasbord of animals!!

I originally captioned this photo of a donkey in Palmarin, Senegal:
"Hello, donkey, the rains must feel like a wonderful break from the heat." - Hello, donkey! Hello, pelicans! Hello, white flamingo?!

A lion at Antelope Park in Gweru, Zimbabwe - ...and then the lions charged!

Elephants along the Chobe River, Botswana - An ode to elephants

A penguin in Boulders, South Africa, on the Cape of Good Hope - Penguins...in Africa! Woohoo!!

A bird searching for food on Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe - The Lake Kariba smorgasbord

Two lions cubs in Hwange, Zimbabwe - I was not the lion, but it fell to me to give the lion's roar.

A herd of bison in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States - Yellowstone: Animals Part II

A mama giraffe in the Save Valley Conservancy, Zimbabwe - Giraffes!! (An Ode to ALDB)

Traffic in Rufisque, Senegal, the only real road off the Cap-Vert peninsula where Dakar is located - Passing Through Rufisque

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The Signs of Zimbabwe (the southern Africa Edition)

One of Africa's most amusing and endearing features?  Its (creative) signs!

Like this one from Boulders, South Africa--I had no idea penguins bite and I admit it sent me into giggles.

(Check out the penguins here.  Be ready for an avalanche of ridiculous adorableness.)

(For the Senegal/West Africa edition of creative signs: go here!)

All over Zimbabwe are animal crossing signs (elephants, wild dogs, cattle...).

I was so shocked to see the actual animal being warned about near the sign!

Nothing like an (inappropriate) pun to sell some eggs in downtown Harare.

Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe -- I think it should more correctly warn you that the deadly hazards are lions, elephants, etc...

The ex-pat in me found this one particularly amusing in a very junior high type of reaction.

Cape Town, South Africa -- totally made my morning when I drove past it.
Nothing like a Chuck Norris reference to make you chuckle.

Well, well, Gaborone, this is a bit risqué! Apparently Botswana has a certain type of humor. 

Nandos, the South African chicken food chain, has a history of pushing boundaries in its advertising.

It aired a commercial called "Last Dictator Standing" (see video below)
that was never aired in Zimbabwe after Nandos workers in Zimbabwe began receiving death threats.

During Zimbabwe's presidential elections, I thought this was one of the more clever ads.
It shows the leaders of the MDC-T opposition party examining the election manifesto of ZANU-PF, the ruling party of Robert Mugabe.


Approximately 30 feet away from this sign was an entire braiding extravaganza in Gaborone with approximately 20 woman getting their hair done.

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The Cape Town Waterfront

After visiting Stellenbosch in South Africa, we returned to lovely Cape Town.
Table Mountain as seen from the waterfront.

Cape Town's waterfront is the perfect place for a leisurely stroll, something Harare's not really built for.

The waterfront's clock tower, such an old world charm and a reminder of Cape Town's strong sea-faring history.
Its bottom floor holds an old tidal-gauge mechanism to check tide levels.  I really like clock towers---it had been awhile since I had seen one here.

We tried to visit Robben Island where Nelson Mandela was in prison for decades but the weather was too choppy to take the ferry.
I'm always looking for an excuse to return to Cape Town---this may be it!

Oh! Dakar! How I thought of you immediately, what a strong sense of Senegal being worlds away.

I couldn't resist a few photos of Majeka House where we stayed in Stellenbosch--isn't the breakfast area just adorable? Love the blue.

The view from the breakfast nook.

Absolutely loved the ceiling in our room, a splash of fun color.

The hotel was lined with cactus fences, I thought they were so ingenious.
(Side note: would completely recommend Majeka, it's small, beautiful, and just perfect tucked away in wine country.)

One last shot of the waterfront!!  Then it's back to Zimbabwe....

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Stellenbosch - South Africa Wine Country: J.C. Le Roux

While touring Stellenbosch, South Africa's lovely wine country, we visited J.C. Le Roux.

Oh, Cape Town, be still my heart, how your mountains speak to me.

[This is the view of part of the estate's vineyards.]

J.C. Le Roux is a vineyard for sparkling wine.  We did a marshmallow and meringue tasting, paired with lovely sparkling wine.

The grounds were stunning, worth the visit alone!

The amazing marshmallows, with flavors like coconut and caramel, paired perfectly with lovely sparkling wines.
I had never done a straight sparkling wine tasting before and it was a lot of fun.

Returning to Cape Town, we passed the famous Table Mountain.

Another view of Table Mountain from the waterfront of Cape Town.

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Stellenbosch - South Africa Wine Country: Waterford Estate

While on a trip to Cape Town, I visited South Africa's wine country: Stellenbosch!

Our first stop was Waterford Estate.

On a dreary, rainy southern African afternoon, the coziness and roaring fire was absolutely perfect.

The vineyard was filled with lovely little spots with bursts of color

and an old world feel to it.

The estate was lined with beautiful orange groves.

Such a burst of wonderful color on a dreary day.

The wine was excellent, paired with amazing house chocolates such as rose geranium milk chocolate.

I already want to return to Cape Town (okay, okay, okay, I always want to return to Cape Town) and explore more of Stellenbosch.

Such a lovely change of pace from Zimbabwe.

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