An Ode to the Elephants

While on safari in Botswana's Chobe National Park, my love affair with elephants continued.

How can you not love these animals?

It's amazing how well such ginormous animals can hide.

These beauties didn't care that we got to admire them.

Eating away without a care for our presence.

Check them out:

This is how close we get! That boat replaced our little spot.

Why, hello, adorable baby elephant.  Je t'aime!

After a lovely visit to Botswana, we returned to Zimbabwe.

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The birds of Hwange (an ode to JRS)

While on safari in Hwange National Park, we saw many beautiful birds.

And of course impalas. Many impalas.  Seriously, impalas are everywhere.

But yet, they are still so beautiful.

Why, hello, zebra!

I've never paid so much attention to birds on a safari before.

Probably because I find them boring, I want to see an elephant...always!

But isn't he a stunner? A yellow billed hornbill.

(I blame my companion for all these bird photos, apparently we learned he loves to watch birds.)

What a beautiful animal.

One shot of this guy wasn't enough. Zimbabwe never disappoints.

Wildebeest coming to drink at the pan at The Hide.

Why, hello, wildebeest!  It's amazing how awesome and ugly they are at the same time.

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Téada: An Ode to Ireland

Ireland came to the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) in Zimbabwe this year!!!

Traditional Irish music group Téada rocked out!

(I mean, come on! They made flute playing look awesome...
I say that and I once won an award for playing the flute.*)

Check out how wonderful they sound:

(They brought two pairs of traditional dancers!)

Two of the dancers.

Apparently he just won accordion player of the year in Ireland!

This made me laugh. Oh, how I love the Irish.

A traditional broom dance was performed.

What is that you ask? Here's some of it, the footwork at the end is impressive:

Oh, Ireland, you make dancing with a broom look awesome.

Well done, Téada, well done.

I confess, the concert was amazing.
 It reminded me that it has been far too long since I've visited Ireland.

One more video:

Another excellent show at HIFA!!

For more information on Téada!

*okay, I admit: the award was a band award in middle school, but that counts for something doesn't it?
 Like I should know a mean flute player when I see him, right? Right?

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Playing Around (an ode to the Elephants)

While visiting Mana Pools National Park in northern Zimbabwe, I met this fellow.

And boy was he hilarious!  He was rolling around in the mud, cooling off and just so endearing.

It's almost like he's showing a little attitude!

While readers of the blog know I have a love of elephants, it's impossible not to heart them when they just face plant in the mud and roll around oblivious to the world.

Here's a bit of cooling off at the Kanga Camp in Mana Pools:

A lot of elephants in Zimbabwe, while drinking, rock their front leg back and forth.

Kanga's beautiful elephants (listen to those birds!!)

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The View from Table Mountain (An Ode to Cape Town)

On a lovely visit to South Africa's Cape Town, we went to the top of Table Mountain.

It was breathtaking.

And once away from the sharp drops and cliffs of its edge, you'd almost forget you're on top of a mountain.
If you're curious what the mountain looks like, click here.

Lion's Head from Table Mountain.

The piece of the land to the right?  That's Robben Island,
site of the prison where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned by the apartheid government for 27 years.

Part of Table Bay.  How beautiful is that water?!

Cape Town, Table Bay, and Table Mountain are just stunning.  These photos don't do the dramatic vistas remote justice.

Table Bay.

Did I say before I want to go back?  Because I do.

Like right now.

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Central Park Before the Storm (An Ode to NYC)

Central Park, New York City.

New York City's has had a rough time lately after being hit by Hurricane Sandy.

I was lucky to visit New York City right before the storm hit.

Literally, right before...as in almost didn't get off the island to continue the rest of my visit to the United States.

It seemed fitting to post these photos as a nice reminder of the loveliness of Central Park, even just before Sandy hit.

Especially since the news seemed to be overwhelmed with photos of the storm's damage.

I loved all the people tucked into the park's nooks, reading away the autumn day.

We later asked this woman what she was doing.
She was preparing flower arrangements for her sister's wedding which was to happen in 30 minutes at this spot.

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