The time had finally come: the end-of-the-season West Africa International Middle School Football (soccer) Championship Tournament to be held in Dakar, Senegal. Our boys’ team, representing the American International School of Lagos, Nigeria is a collection of eleven 6th and 8th graders, of a range of sizes and abilities that is typical of this age group. These 11 boys will be accompanied by myself (the coach), and AISL school official (Donald), and two 6th grade moms. Our trip starts with a Wednesday overnight flight from Murtala Mohamed International Airport in Lagos to Dakar, Senegal, via a stop in Cotonou, Benin. We are joining a plane already full of 2 boys and 2 girls’ teams from Accura representing Ghana. After arriving in Dakar at 2:30am, and settling the players down on mats on the host school’s gym floor, the players fell asleep by 4am.
The Eagles at the Airport
After a brief breakfast that Thursday morning, we board buses and head to Gorée Island. Dakar is clean and modern, hugging the coastline with resorts, beaches and perfect waves (remember “The Endless Summer”).
We take the passenger ferry to Gorée Island where our guide takes us on a tour of the infamous place. The island was originally settled by the Portuguese and later turned into the key transportation hub of the West African slave trade. Slaves captured up and down the West African Coast were brought here to be shipped to the New World. As an island, escape was nearly impossible, since the regular supply of infirmed and deceased captives kept the local waters teeming with sharks. We visited a slave transport house, of which ~15 operated on the island, where the cells for men, women, and children were preserved, and then the players got an opportunity to stand at “the Door of No Return” from which 10’s of 1000’s never set foot on African soil again.
Island mapDoor of no return!AISL Eagles
Door of no return!
After the tour of the water’s edge, we climbed a steep hill to the highest point in the island where we ordered lunch at a restaurant, and while waiting for lunch, visited a set of ~6-inch guns on a turret built into the hilltop (e.g. “The Guns of Naverone”). These were emplaced by the French but were only actually fired once before they were disabled by strategic torching of the barrels. Today, the encampment, tunnels and trenches are home to a vibrant art and crafts community. The boys watched with interest as a sand artist plied his trade with nothing but glue and colored sand. Then we returned to the restaurant for lunch.
AISL EaglesGuns left by the FrenchSand Sculpter
Sand Sculpter
After the ferry ride back to the mainland and buses back to the host school, every player met their host parents and dispersed with them for their home-stays, under instructions to arrive early tomorrow for the start of the tournament. The school administrator and I stayed at the Principal’s tri-level flat, where we were splendidly hosted and delighted in a home-cooked Ziti meal.
School gates
The next morning, Friday, began the Football Tournament at the school where the full-sized field was divided in half, and we played 8-a-side across the field with smaller goals. There were 8 boys’ teams and 4 girls’ teams and every game was 2 x 20-minute halves. Today, we would play 3 bracket games against Dakar’s second team (a 5-0 win), a strong Ghana Team (a 2-0 loss), and Burkina Faso (a 5-1 win), which was enough to advance us as the 2nd place team in the bracket. In the other bracket, Abuja, Nigeria advanced as the 1st place team and Dakar’s 1st team advanced as the bracket runners-up, setting us up for all Nigerian semi-finals on tomorrow.
Pep rally in preparation of the tournament
That night, the adults’ walked to a Teacher’s birthday party, where a local teachers’ Rock Band played live “oldies” and everyone talked, ate pizza and danced.
On Saturday morning, after a morning jog along the oceanfront, I met the Team at school, where the Lagos boys subsequently played an excellent game and beat their Abuja rivals 5-2, while the other semi-final went to penalty kicks, which the host Dakar won. The finals were a tense affair with ~200 spectators and great crowd noise. Our Lagos team scored ~15 minutes in on a penalty kick, for a player fouled in the box and we held that 1-0 lead throughout the half. The host school was strong defensively, and other balls put into their net by the Lagos boys were called back in the second half. However, the 1-0 lead held up and we were crowned “West African Champions”.
The Champions - AISL Eagles!
From the field, the boys went back to their host family’s houses, showered and packed, and returned to the school for a Middle School Dance in the gym. While the kids socialized, Donald and I walked to local Italian restaurant where we ate caprese and spaghetti. We returned to school in time to shut down the party at 10:00pm, organize the boys, and transport them to the airport for a 2:00am flight back to Lagos.
Monument of the African Reaissance - 160 foot tall bronze statue that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and dominates the horizon of Dakar
Unfortunately, our plane was delayed in arriving in Senegal, and we didn’t leave Dakar until after 4:00am. With a stop on Cotonou on the way back, the team arrived back in Lagos at 11:00am, tired, but with their trophy in hand.
Monday, after breakfast, we boarded the buses for a short 20 kilometer trip to Dawakin Tofa, a local pot making village. An “old woman” demonstrated the pot making techniques as she collected clay, water, and sand and kneaded it into a dense ball, and then beat it into a pot shape with a mortar and pestle, using her hands and feet to maintain its shape. She marked the pot with her symbolic design, and it was ready for firing in the ovens. Her 10 year old granddaughter apprentice watched, knowing that she would inherit the responsibility some day. The firing pits are simple enclosures where fire embers and ashes are pilled upon the pots to harden them.
Making the pot with a foot and two handsFinished pot
After observing the local pot making, we traveled to Aleku, a rural village of traditional weavers and cloth makers. There we watched men spin thread by rolling a stick on their legs and weavers working hand looms that were little more than twigs and sticks, creating beautiful cloth runners that are then hand sewed into larger pieces of fabric.
We returned to the hotel for lunch and then split into 2 groups, as the women who wished to visit the Emir of Kano’s wife and Harem went off early, while the rest of the group made their way to the Emir’s palace grounds in Kano. These palace grounds enclose the parade field and the crowd was already beginning to gather along the surrounding roads and along the Palace fences. We entered the grounds and were similarly escorted to the Official Viewing Stands, again sharing the area with officials and dignitaries. In a while, the women showed up from their tour with one of the Emir’s wives. She was his second wife, Hajiyya Abba, a trained teacher who has been married to him for 49 years, with 6 children (3boys and 3 girls) and 27 grandchildren. The Emir of Katsina was actually her nephew and she was raised in the Royal House of Katsina. As such, she was good personal friends with Paulette and her graciousness and hospitality were appreciated by all. As a female member of the Emir’s family, she is not allowed outside the Harem in daylight, unless she is traveling abroad. She bid farewell to her quests as they make their way to the Durbar viewing stand.
The second wive of the Emir of Kano
The Kano Durbar was a more scripted and controlled environment, with more elaborate costumes and decorations, and more formal proceedings. As in Katsina, the different regiments parade in a counter clockwise direction past the viewing area and take up areas on either side of the parade grounds. The crowds pressed into the fences, and every available tree limb, sign or vantage point became quickly occupied to watch the spectacle. In Kano, the newly elected governor with us in the viewing-stands, is well liked by the present Emir, Ado Bayero and the crowds were even larger than usual to support the respectful meeting of these two leaders. After ~2000 horsemen and 5000 men had filed past, the arrival of the Emir is announced by ancient musket fire from the Emir’s guards, and the procession of his family, wives vacant horses, guards, and the Emir himself proceeded down the center. After the usual pleasantries, the ceremonial charging of the horses with swords flashing was re-enacted, before the Emir returned to his Palace, and we traverse the crowd to our buses and returned to the Prince Hotel.
Kano DurbarKano DurbarKano DurbarKano Durbar - Young prince with palace guardsEmir of Kano - under the large umbrella
That night dinner by the pool was a Lebanese BBQ while we shopped with venders from the dye pits and were entertained by native Koroso dancers for nearly 90 minutes. An old woman was there decorating the limbs of all visitors with henna for 500 naira per extremity. The owner of the hotel set up a Karaoke system, and we spent the evening embarrassing ourselves, only to find videos of us would later appear on You-Tube.
Rocky & Julie
Tuesday was started with a bus trip to Kura Village (Kura meaning “hyena”). Here we made a brief stop at the local dye pits, and proceeded to watch the turban makers create the turban cloth. We watched as men hand stitched ½ inch wide strips of cloth into 1 foot wide turban material, and after dying, visited Bata, where the turban cloth is beat to create its shine.
Turban cloth maker stitching strips of cloth for a turbinDye pits and turbin cloth; Our guide Sunday
Pounding the dyed cotton cracks the fiber and makes it shiny.
After departing Kura, we went to the Rock Castle Hotel at Tiga for lunch. This hotel oversees a large dammed reservoir lake (30 kilometer radius) which provides local recreation and irrigation to the residents of the area.
The hotel was originally built in the 1970’s by the fondly remembered Governor Audubako, for a planned visit by Queen Elizabeth to the area. However, a military coup in Nigeria ended the possibility of the visit. The hotel has 28 guest rooms, is 4-5 stories high, and sits on a bluff overlooking the lake. There are 2 Her Majesty suites which are rentable today. In 1992, the State Government put the Hospitality and Tourism Board, NIHOTOU, in charge of the complex. After lunch and the tour, we took a stroll to the lakefront where local tourists and maruchi, suya, and sugar cane venders marketed their treats. Finally we boarded the bus for one last stop before returning to Kano.
Top of Castle Rock looking at the huge reservoir
In the area of Rano, we stopped at one the large, outcropping, granite rocks that populate the landscape. Apparently, picnicking in this area was one of Paulette’s favorite pastimes in former years. At the top of the rock, the surrounding view was spectacular, and at the base we talked and shared greetings with the local cow herders who were watching after 2 small calves that were less than one week old.
That night after returning to the Prince Hotel, 16 of us went out to an Indian curry restaurant where we ate well and drank both bottles of wine and all the Heineken beer that the restaurant had.
On Wednesday morning, it was time to check-out and to travel to the airport for the airplane trip back to Lagos, again via Abuja. The flight was uneventful, and the adventure was over, but it is kept alive by the wonderful memories of the sights we saw and the people we met.
A special thanks by all to Paulette Van Trier for making this possible!
In the northern reaches of Nigeria, near the southern entrance to the great Sahara desert, lies the ancient city of Kano. Kano lies within the state of the same name, and is bordered to the northwest by the state of Katsina. Kano was first settled in the 7th century by the Hausa people, is the oldest city in West Africa, today is the 2nd largest city in Nigeria, (populated by ~7 million people), and is predominantly Islamic.
Kano’s “old city” is surrounded by a massive 11th century mud and brick wall (sarlsi-gujmasu) which still stands tall in many areas, and must be navigated by a series of gates (“kofar”) that are now freely open.
Old Mud city gate and wall
Our trip to the Nigerian north is to see the people and land there and to attend the Katsina and Kano Durbars. These multi-day Durbar Festivals date back hundreds of years to a time when the local Emirates (states) defended themselves and their Emir with a fierce military Calvary. The Calvary was made up of regiments from different nobility and local chiefs. During this time, once or twice a year, the many regiments would gather and parade for the Emir, colorfully demonstrating their horsemanship, bravery and loyalty.
Our trip has been organized by Paulette Van Trier, a Belgium National attached professionally and long term in Nigeria, previously in Kano, and now in Lagos. During her stay in the country, she has developed personal contacts in the Kano and Katsina region that allow her to organize this cultural trip for 42 people, as part of the Nigerian Field Society’s annual program.
Today, Durbars have become a festival welcoming dignitaries and heads of state, coinciding with the two great Muslim festivals, Eid-el Fitri and Eid-el Kabir. We are attending the festivals with Eid-el Kabir, which commemorates the Prophet Ibrahim sacrificing a ram instead of his son.
We start our adventure by flying on Friday evening from Lagos to Kano via Abuja on Air Nigeria. The runways at each airport all hold large jumbo jets this time of year: they are prepared to move people for the Hajj, their annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Our travel is smooth, as we are met at the airport by two large coaches and are shuttled a short distance to our base of stay – The Prince Hotel. The hotel is lush and beautiful with excellent service, as we grab a late snack and prepare for Saturday’s sightseeing and cultural tours.
Our Villa/hotel room at night
Our group is a diverse collection of Nigerians and Expats for all across the world. We include not only residents of Abuja, Port Harcourt and Lagos, but others who have flown in from London and the USA to participate in this trip. We also have a strong collection of industry and embassy staff representing various countries.
Saturday starts with a buffet breakfast poolside before we board our buses and meet our “guides”, Abu and Friday. Friday has been a guide for these groups for over 14 years. We are driven into the old city through one of the 14 gates that allow entrance through the 25 kilometer-long walled circumference. In the “old days” the cities gates were kept closed between 6pm and 8am and people would wait for their opening. However today, all gates are open all the time. It is clear that although Kano is an old city, it is clean and well maintained. The roads are in good shape as we make our way past the local Football Stadium (home of the Caterpillars) to a family “Dye Pit” operation located at the “Kofar Mata”, the “women’s gate”. This particular site has been used to dye cloth in the traditional ways for nearly 800 years. The pits are full of a “dye” which is made from indigo, potassium, ash, and water (~1500 liters water, 100 kilograms indigo, 40 buckets ash and 5 buckets potassium). The mixture is left in the pit for ~4 weeks where it “ferments” and causes the indigo to turn dark blue. The cloth is then hand-dipped in the pit and then held out over the pit to drip dry in the wind before repeating. This process ensures that the dye is adhered to the cloth. The process is repeated hundreds of times over 4-6 hours depending on the darkness of the color desired. In order to create designs on the materials, the cloth is banded, tied, bundled, etc. to create areas where the dye cannot permeate. The dye itself can be used in that pit for nearly 1 year, and then a new batch is needed to be mixed.
Look closely and you will see the cloth tied with string to give the wonderful designs
Once the cloth is dyed and dried, it is taken to the “pounding shed” where it can be made shinny by pounding the cloth between a smooth mahogany paddle and a long, smooth mahogany log. The impact on the material, coupled with the ash from the dye process, creates a beautiful sheen to the fabric.
Our next stop is the Gidan Makama National Museum. It is made up of 9 galleries through which we are guided in groups of 10. Gidan means “house” and this museum was originally the guest house of Makama who became King of the region in 1442, and used it as a temporary palace. The new palace, Gidan Rumfa, was built across the street and was completed in 1478 for King Rumfi and is the site of the Emir’s Palace today. Gidan Makama today operates in 3 sections: The Primary School, the Makama Guest House for the Emir’s guests, and the Museum with its 9 galleries.
Museum
Mohammed Rumfi was King of Kano from 1463-1499. Kano was ruled by Hausa Kings from that point but suffered bloody internecine wars that saw the city finally fall to Fulani raiders during the jihad Othman Dan Fodio in 1803. In 1804, the 1st Emir was emplaced, and the ruling Fulani’s used the Durbar to demonstrate their strength and allegiance. Today, the Hausa or “common people” make up about 60% of the population with the Fulani accounting for the other 40%. In 1903, the British invaded and conquered Kano. The Gidan Makama Museum opened in 1985.
Next on the agenda was to actually visit the wall at one of the city gates. The wall is made of mud brick stacked and mud-plastered over, and is arranged 10-12 feet thick and 20-25 feet high.
From here we returned to the hotel for lunch, and prepare to shop in the afternoon at the five-hundred year-old Kurmi Market.
The afternoon market trip was very much like the typical “markets in Nigeria”. Rows of narrow corridors lined with vendors making and marketing nearly anything that one might think of. Everything is negotiable, but the items of interest to our group were principally fabric, blankets, beads and clothes. It was clear that the locals were also shopping today for the pending great holiday festival.
One if the bead shops
After the market, we relaxed with a Lebanese buffet dinner at the hotel by the pool.
Sunday morning we made an early start to travel by bus to Katsina, a city 170 kilometers to the northwest of Kano which historically served as a crossroads of trade on the trans-Sahara route from Timbuktu. The area around Katsina today is dominated by rolling hills, dry climate but quite a bit of agriculture using simple forms of irrigation. The region exports grains (wheat, sorghum, tomatoes, peppers & cotton) principally to Chad, and to southern Nigeria. The landscape is punctuated by the honored Bilibab tree, with which the locals have a symbiotic relationship. The land is littered by wadi scars and is covered elsewhere by small scrubs, grasses and the occasional tree that reminds one of typical East African landscapes. But, there are no “roaming” animals, and no wildlife is to be seen anywhere. Housing is principally built from the ever-present red clay bricks, and the landscape is dotted by granite boulders hills. Before we arrive in Katsina, we are surprised to see a massive modern ‘Windfarm” under construction, the first of 10 planned in Nigeria! However, we are informed later that the construction has been halted, the engineer is nowhere to be found, and that the engineering parts are disappearing over time. The State hopes to get work back underway in 2012.
The Katsina Durbar is a 3-day Festival where the first day is spent in prayer (Eid Durbar), the second in homage to the Emir (Hawan Daushe Durbar) and the third day as a “picnic” celebration where animals are slaughtered and food is shared (Hawan Nassarawa). We are here for day #2! Our buses make their way through the gates and onto the Palace grounds where we are escorted up to the covered reviewing stands, 2-3 levels high, into front row seats looking out over a large dirt parade field which is surrounded by throngs of people, vendors, and various security forces. Next to us are the Waziri of Katsina and his entourage and delegations from the embassies of Italy and Belgium, as well as the Governor of the State of Katsina.
The current Emir of Katsina is 53 years old and has been in office ~3 years. He has 4 wives and ~25 children. When it comes time to choose a new Emir, the “King Makers”, 4 trusted leaders, meet to choose someone of royal lineage, who is politically acceptable and meets their criteria. The Emir will be the last to enter the Festival procession.
The event begins with the Nigerian National Anthem, and the regiments of horse groups representing noble families and villages circle the grounds counter clockwise, passing to pay respect to the governor and viewing stands.
Katsina Durbar
Once they have shown respect and the sign of “no weapon in my hand”, they proceed to line the sides of the Parade ground, until others join them.
Katsina Durbar - note these gentelmen are of the royal house (Two ears on the turbins)
Groups are strictly only men, young and old, and include traditional drums and flutes, acrobats, and the spectacularly colorful costumes for riders and horses. Even the famous drummer Ettatisay parades in this event.
Katsina Durbar - Drummers
Emir's Guard - notice the ostrich feathers
Finally, after ~ 70 minutes of precession and when ~2000 horsemen are assembled on the parade grounds, the Emir’s procession begins down the middle of the grounds, including his guards, riderless horses for his wives, and his sons. Finally, the Emir himself comes, easily identifiable by the huge umbrella which is pogo-ed, up and down, manually, over him. After he pays respect to the governor and the reviewing stand, the horse regiments sequentially mock-charge to him at a gallop to demonstrate their prowess. Finally, the Emir addresses the crowd who wildly approve. Then the Emir exits into the Palace, the riders disperse, the crowd mills about, and we exit the stands to visit the Emir in his Palace.
Emir of Katsina - note he ishaded by a large white umbrella & he is masked
Initially we enter the palace through a walkway lined with cages of exotic birds. We are allowed to keep our shoes on as we enter a small sitting-welcome room where small-chop and drinks are served. Then, we are guided to one of the Emir’s small palace rooms (in fact, the trophy room) where the Emir, his Waziri and entourage enter. The Waziri welcomes us, as he tells us a little about the proud history of Katsina as a hub in the trans-Sahara trade route. He is clearly a very well educated man, passionate in his love of his city and of his Emir. At the end of his welcome, we are surprised when the Emir personally welcomes each of us with a handshake, before he moves on with his duties.
Emir of Katsina
We exit the palace to our bus, where we transported a short distance to the local Liyafa Hotel to have lunch. After lunch, we enjoy the crystal blue skies and explore the local ground, remarking on the exotic “Calabash” tree, where calabash gourds over 1 foot in diameter hang from the branches like freakish giant tomatoes. Then, it’s back to the bus to make the long trip back to the Prince Hotel in Kano, and dinner at the Palace Chinese Restaurant. Later that evening after a long and busy day, about half of the group played iPod music and danced at the pool while the pool bar kept us supplied. For some, it wasn’t bedtime until after 1am.
Sunday, our driver, asked us to set aside Sunday September 4 as a special day and invited us to his home to celebrate his daughter Jully Ujie’s Dedication. A dedication is a great way to have family and friends around and party. There is a tradition of the women all bringing soft soap and presenting the soap to the new mother. Sunday was prepared for the day with drinks, fried chicken and jolef rice and the party went on all afternoon. We hired a friends’ driver for the day as our driver was hosting the party. Normally a weekday drive to Sunday’s house on Lagos Mainland will take 45 – 90 minutes across the Third Mainland Bridge, however, today being Sunday with very light traffic, we made the drive in 30 minutes. I was honored to hold my namesake and we shared in the celebration! And yes, there was lots of picture taking, followed by eating, drinking and dancing.
Julie and Jully – Jully is 3 months old
Sunday, Julie & Jully
Mrs Ujie, Julie & Friends
Sunday & John (age 11)
Sunday, Mrs Ujie & their daughter, Patience (age 9)
Richard & Douglas (our borrowed driver for the day)
Sunday afternoon June 5th we received a text from our driver, Sunday. Sunday was the proud father of a new baby girl! He proudly showed us pictures when returning to work later that week, but was eagerly awaiting the Naming Ceremony set for Sunday June 12th before choosing a name for his baby girl. The naming ceremony is a very big deal here with all the relatives and friends attending and even includes a baptism at the church. So to our surprise, Sunday and his wife have named their daughter: Esidena Jully Ujie. Esidena is her native name and Jully is her Christian name. Sunday explained, “You have been so good to my family and when you are gone, I would like to remember you always.” I have never been so honored.
We were invited to the opening of “African Icons” and exhibition of collograph prints and watercolors by Kathleen Stafford. I know Kathleen as the wife of the local American Diplomat located here in Lagos. She ia the Honorary President of the American Women’s Club Lagos. Her real talent lies in seeing the colors of the people in Africa. Collograph is a printing technique in which the artist adds materials to a rigid background such as wood or cardboard. The resulting design is built up like a collage, creating a relief. The design is then inked and printed on paper. In the most basic form, it embosses the artwork, but one can create a variety of textures. Collographing is cheaper than printing, all you need is cardboard and you do not need any acid, just glue, acrylic and paint. Kathleen has spent 18 years immersed in African culture and her water colors are an expression the African people. Kathleen studied in Alabama and in Italy and recently taught at a workshop organized by the Creative Art Department at the University of Lagos. In appreciation of Kathleen, the students from the workshop, gifted Kathleen with her portrait and dances of thanks at the opening if the exhibit. Kathleen has had previous exhibitions in Italy, Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Gambia and the USA. Her works are displayed in embassies and museums around the world. In 2012 she is planning an exhibition in Alexandria, Virginia, USA.
The end of May presented us with a long holiday weekend which we decided to fill with a trip to Victoria Falls in Zambia. Like most trips in Sub-Sahara Africa, they start with a Johannesburg transfer where we spent our time waiting for our flight in the beautiful Shongololo Lounge – (a shongololo is a uniquely African creepy crawly) drinking champagne, eating a meal, and enjoying internet café, showers, etc.
On South African Airways Flight was a large airbus to Livingstone Airport in Zambia and even before landing we can see the mist rise over 1000 feet above Victoria Falls into the air. Victoria Falls is known by the locals as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” which means “the Smoke that Thunders”.
Lour plane lands and we negotiate a slow line through immigration before getting our luggage and heading to the Royal Livingston Hotel, part of Sun International Hotels & resorts on the banks of the Zambezi River, just upstream of the Falls. After a pleasant iced fruit tea, hot towel and check in at their lounge we are guided to our room by Matthew, our steward, a beautiful 2nd floor flat with a balcony facing the river. After a brief wash up we headed to explore the area before our next scheduled adventure. Outside our door we immediately encountered 7 grazing zebra, and a family of vervet monkeys, before finally making our way to the hotels dock/waterfront bar. The raging torrent of water heading south at the hotel dockside bar was impressive as was the 6 foot long crocodile sunning himself not 2 meters from the bar platform. Luckily, the hotel keeps an inconspicuous electric fence and pointed rock border at the waters perimeter to discourage crocodile and hippo visitation.
The falls from the river side dock deck & bar
At 3:00pm, we met our transport to the African Queen, a 2 story steam ship docked a few kilometers upstream from the hotel, for a sunset “boat safari” up the Zambezi River. We sat at the bar/rail on the second deck near a honeymooning couple from Rome and enjoyed free Gin & Tonics (G&T’s), pleasant conversation and observed an assortment of birds, crocodiles, water buffalos and zebras while nibbling on an excellent assortment of snacks and hors d’oeuvres. Our waiter, John, and bartender guide, Dorothy, took spectacular care of us ensuring our glasses were always renewed. Along the way upriver, we passed the upper tip of “Long” island and came upon the Zimbabwe banks of the river. As the sun began to set, we turned around and began our rapid downstream return to the Royal Livingstone in time to settle on the dock for another G&T as the last light left, the stars began to twinkle, and the temperature fell to nip our senses. We returned to our room to add a layer of clothes and decided to resume our earlier exploration adventure. From there, we wandered the trails to the Zambezi Sun, a sister hotel, explored the location of the shops, restaurants, and bars, before returning to our room for a well deserved good night’s sleep.
The next morning, Saturday, we awoke at 5:30am to prepare for our busy days adventure activities. After a quick continental breakfast in the 24 hour lounge, we met our transport to our elephant safari. Eleven of us were introduced to 8 elephants, from the 2 bull males, Bob and Danny, both approximately 40 years old, to the youngest, Sekuta at only 3 years old. We took s quick coffee and mounted, 3 per elephant, one guide and two riders, to begin our one hour safari through the bush and to the Zambezi River.
The elephants each had their own personality and Julie and I rode Danny, the 8 ton dominant male. Matinda, a younger female had a mind of her own and often wandered off from the group and the only way she could be corralled back was if Bob would go round her up. Traveling along behind us was the 2 youngest elephant’s Cheraku and Sekuta who explored the bush as we went. Along the way we saw impala and zebra and a huge 3 foot long monitor lizard. We stopped in the Zambezi River for the elephants to drink water, and then returned back to camp for snacks, tea and an environmental lesson on the dwindling elephant herds in Africa due to continued poaching.
We returned to the hotel at 10:15am, in time for a serious breakfast and then changed into our walking gear and headed to Victoria Falls. As we left the controlled area of the Sun Hotels we entered the Zambezi Victoria Falls Heritage Site and ventured along the banks of the Eastern Cataract that stretches between the shore and Livingstone Island. The water was apparently at its highest for the year, and one cannot imagine the roar and spray of 900,000,000 gallons/second of water as it crashes 400 hundred feet below. On the Zambia side, a peninsula of land called the Knife’s Edge juts out on the Bakota Gorge and acts as a backstop to the falls flow, forcing the water west under the bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia. The falls area is its own complete micro-environment with its own weather system, as the drenching dense air alternately changes from monsoon rain storms to sunny views. The mist was so intense this day that the Falls themselves were hardly visible. At one point, to reach the tip of the peninsula, one must cross a 100 foot footbridge(the Narrows Bridge), drenched in continuous torrents of rain. We changed into sandals and raincoats and slogged our way across with water 2-3inches deep at our feet, running off as fast as it fell. At the tip, one could view the Western Cataract that stretches from Livingstone Island to the Zimbabwe shore. Below us was the churning mile if whirlpool waters know as the “Boiling Pot” and great views to the border crossing Victoria Falls Bridge and the famous Zimbabwe Victoria Falls Hotel. We made our way back to the park’s dry ground and continued our hike to the Zambia border, where we received a free pass to enter the bridge. We walked to the center of the bridge where Bungee jumpers tested their courage. After passing officially into Zimbabwe, we headed back to the “Jump Site”, an overlook bar where jumpers register to jump and there, we each drank Mosi Beer while watching the antics of novice daredevils. We then returned to the hotel for a restful set of G&T’s on the river deck watching the sun set over the Zambezi River and Zimbabwe, until darkness fell and the temperature began to drop. We returned to our rooms to shower and to dress warm-elegant for dinner outside in the winter crisp air. Dinner was a combination of “Duo Croc” for Julie and “Lamb Kabobs” for Rocky with a healthy serving of Roasted Duck interspersed with Aubergine Soup and Strawberry Sorbet. A bottle of Obikuti wine sealed the meal, and we then returned to the Internet Café, where Rocky watched the first half of Man U vs. Barcelona in the Champions League Finals, while Julie sorted through email. The night finished quietly as we were both sated and tired from our long days adventures.
Drenched by the falls mist!
Double rainbows!
Sunday started with a quick continental breakfast snack and a self-guided nature hike around the resort grounds where we spotted 4 hippos in the lee of a local island, a family of 3 giraffes near the park entrance and a dozen Impala quietly grazing in the meadow. The walk ended back at the Hotel restaurant where we ordered omelets, brown toast and coffee to kick off our day. The hotel loaned us another set of raincoats and we once again set off for climbing out to view the Victoria Falls. Today, the water level had dropped nearly a foot and the difference at the shore and at the Falls was very noticeable as the amount of spray was quite a bit less and the Falls were often more visible. We first headed to a descent down into a ravine trail into the shores of the famous “Boiling Pot”, an area where, during lower water flow, serves as the entry point for Class 6 white water rafting adventures. Today, however, the whirlpools and eddy’s are so intense that no one could possibly imagine entering this bubbling cauldron. The climb ~ 600 foot climb back up the trail was more taxing, but after the adrenaline boost of that we donned raincoats , changed into sandals and again tackled the “Narrows Bridge Monsoon” to see if a better view of the Falls would be possible today. Although improved over yesterday, it was clear that most of the clear pictures that are posted of these Falls are during times of much lower water flow. We headed back towards the hotel where we changed and prepared to take in a new view of the Falls from a different perspective – by Helicopter!
Our transport to Bakota Air picked us up promptly at our hotel entrance and we traveled 10 minutes to a small private airstrip that serves as home for not only their helicopters, but the ultra light and glider services, as well. After signing in and removing hats and loose items, we headed for the chopper where Julie took the front middle seat next to the pilot, and Rocky sat at the right window. Two other couples jumped in, putting 7 total into the aircraft, as Julie was excited to experience her 1st helicopter ride ever. After closing the doors, the pilot revved up the rotors; we lifted about 10 feet off the ground, backed off the pad, turned 90 degrees and started accelerating south along the “runway”. After a few hundred meters we climbed to ~1200 feet and headed to the Falls. From the air the Falls were magnificent and we could, for the first time, see the full length of them as they spanned from Zambia to Zimbabwe! The pilot made a number of circles and slow passes so that the Falls and surrounding abandoned canyons downstream could be clearly seen. After 15 minutes we headed North up the Zambezi, flying low over the game reserve, with our pilot pointing out water buffalo and other wildlife. He was a bit of a cowboy, performing near stalls, climbing powerful banks and dives, until we slowly turned and made our way back to the airfield. After waiting for an ultra light to be moved indoors, we landed and exited, having fully enjoyed our flight. The office showed us videos of ourselves in the helicopter as we didn’t realize that a camera in the cockpit captured our adventures completely.
We returned to the hotel and decided to relax at the bridge and watch the bungee jumpers once again. We walked from the hotel directly there, and crossed the railroad tracks to the “Jump Site” bar just before a freight train rumbled over the bridge and stopped at the border. At the overlook bar, we had Mosi beers and watched a steady stream of jumpers before ordering a burger and fries to snack on. However, the foolish couple down the bar unwisely chooses to give their banana peel to a local baboon, embolden him to pursue more handouts. While drinking our beers, snacking on our sandwich and watching the jumpers this large baboon took the opportunity to raid our plate to snatch a handful of French fries, surprising Julie and causing her to fall backwards off her stool to the floor! She was alright, but the shocked proprietor profusely apologized and brought a fresh plate of food while setting an employee to stand guard against another surprise foray. While finishing our beer, we watched as the next opportune predator, a 3 foot monitor lizard scaled the ravine in front of us searching for his share of the crumbs. We finally finished, stuffed from what was originally intended as a small snack, and left to return to the hotel before the park gate closed at 6pm. Unfortunately, the train was still stopped and after much consideration, we undertook the risky maneuver of crossing by climbing over the connectors between the cars. Along the return walk, baboons could be seen attacking the train load, prying at the lids, tearing open tarps and being generally destructive. We continued along the nature walk where we again saw giraffe, impala, etc. We made it back before sunset where we settled on the hotel dock and again watched the sunset while sipping G&T’s.
We then cleaned up at the room before heading to the restaurant for a light dinner on the patio of fried cheese, Nile Perch and Monkfish with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. While we had dinner, we watched as dignitary after dignitary arrived until a military guard contingent showed up escorting the Zambian President, Rupiah Banda. When dinner was over, we headed to the lounge for after dinner drinks and appreciated the talented piano player. Then it was time to return to our room to begin to pack and prepare for our last night’s stay in Zambia.
The next morning, Monday we awoke early and set out for one final Nature walk, and no sooner had we left our room’s door edge 6:30am, then we greeted by a herd of Impala grazing on the lawn, and there at the water’s edge, a beautiful morning’s view of a solitary elephant , grazing not 30 meters away from us. After watching for a while, we went to the lounge for early coffees and set out to see what other animals were about.
The trip back was as expected, but our thoughts and hearts were back in Zambia, at the royal Livingston Hotel on the banks of the Zambezi River at one of the planets’ greatest natural wonders – Victoria Falls!
The only passion that arouses a Nigerian nearly approaching that of football (soccer) is Politics. Engaging the locals in a political discussion of which party to support, who is the least corrupt, which candidates are frontman and which are real and who might win could consume all day – but be ready for some yelling and ranting! Nigeria in April of 2011 was in the midst of National and local elections. The original plan was to hold Federal Legislative elections (Senators and House of Representatives) on April 2nd, Presidential Elections on April 9th and State Elections (Governor) on April 19th. Installation of all offices is set for May 29th. The Government has spent 3 months sending agents into every field and village with laptops registering all eligible voters. Where you register, however, is where you must vote, as these same lists will only be present on election days when identities will be validated and votes cast. This is the first National election in Nigeria in 5 years, and if African History is any guidelines, we know to expect the unexpected.
Friday April 1st – no, it was no joke, tomorrow would be a restricted movement day with NO vehicles allowed on the road between 8am-6pm, and only registered voters allowed as pedestrians to gather at the polling places. We met with friends this Friday night preparing for tomorrow’s lock-in, and observed early political gatherings that were already underway. Around the corner from us is the residence of a Senatorial Candidate, the Honorable Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu, where 200-300 campaign workers were already waiting at her gate. Some will drive the campaign, some will gather voters, and some will offer to sell their vote for a nominal sum. It is politics in Africa!
We holed up at our residence, organized a Saturday barbeque, and used the lock-in on Saturday to catch up on those Spring items that need to get done around “the House”. We heard reports of machete wielding election officials, riots and chaos, but overall, the electorate was gathering. However, midday through Saturday, the news related that although voters had gathered, the ballots had not been delivered and distributed in time, and the election would be postponed until Monday April 4th!
Well, this announcement sent a flurry of activity and schedule rearrangements throughout the country. Schools were canceled, airline reservations were changed and political parties were in an uproar!
Now you must understand that Nigeria politics is represented by well in excess of 15+ political parties, ranging from the large “People’s Democratic Party” (PDP), to small local parties. The different change in the date brought an uproar from the smaller parties whose resources are limited and who would find it difficult to remobilize that quickly. Sunday was characterized by a series of protest from theses smaller parties, and in deference to them, the Election Committee (INEC – Independent National Electoral Commission) moved all of the elections again – scheduling them for April 9th, April 16th and Tuesday, April 26. As you might guess, this resulted in another round of “Walhalla” – Nigerian Chaos!
Fast forward to Friday April 8th. It is 2:00pm and the Government has announced that all vehicular traffic will be banned in preparation for tomorrows postponed elections beginning at 10pm tonight! Now most Nigerians in Lagos commute hours to and from work on a patchwork of public transport that is neither dependable nor safe. This decree sent locals scurrying for early transport home and brought the road system to a standstill before 5pm. Many of us limped our way home as soon as we could to release our drivers and staff to find their way back to locales near their polling places.
Saturday dawned eerily quiet, no honking horns no vehicular traffic sounds at all, most unusual for Lagos. NO news bulletins and no urgent SMS announcements all day, quite a contrast from the week before. Sunday’s papers noted “The elections into the National assembly were finally held in Nigeria amidst tight security after two postponements. The elections took place in 94 senatorial districts and 310 House of Representative constituencies. The elections were reported as generally peaceful with isolated cases of violence. Preliminary results so far released by the Independent National Electoral Commission showed that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party may lose its overwhelming domination in the National Assembly but will still retain majority of seats. The presidential election will take place on Saturday April 16th.”
Normal traffic
The empty streets of Ikoyi! This is what a restricted movement day looks like!
A concert in the gardens of the U.S. Consulate General, Ikoyi.
The American International School lagos Symphonic Band – Plays the Legends – Lennon & McCartney, John Williams, Leonard Bernstein, Quincy Jones, Santana and more.
Bring you own elegant picnic to tables set in the candlelit garden and relax as the music drifts in the evening air.
Eric, Jill, Julie, Sue & Pete (Attire: Red Sea Rig….i.e. Tuxes but no jackets)
Internationally renowned a cappella group Voces8
Voces8 is an international octet performing group since 2005 from the United Kingdom.
The Heineken Girls (Heineken sponsored free beer for the evening).
Moet champange sculpture – the choice drink of the evening!
The alarm went off early this morning as I had just arrived from the USA last night. Rocky had picked up my runners packet for the 3rd Annual Race for the Cure, a 6 kilometer walk / run to benefit The Susan J Komen Foundation. So it was off to the American International School Lagos (AISL) with over 900 other participants for a 7am race start. The atmosphere was lively with lots of people milling around greeting friends dressed either their team T‐shirt or the official t-shirt. We were given a warm up by Marisa – quite a sight with everyone bending, stretching and marching in unison! A big cheer went up at the start, runners at the front, walkers bringing up the rear. A fast pace was set out the gate and down the road onto the Lekki Expressway. The organisation of the event was fantastic with plenty of security and even some music and water along the way to keep those feet moving. As it was a loop the walkers got to see all the runners heading to the finish – cheering them on. On arrival back at the school, we were given yet another souvenier T‐shirt as well as juice and donuts. Next was the entertainment; a Michael Jackson impersonator from Liberia! In the 90 degree heat he sang and danced while people cheered! The presentation of prizes followed. Over Naira 18 million(~$120,000) was raised insupport of breast cancer research and treatment. Shell was well represented with a large team, and contributed a significant amount of money due to efforts here in Lagos and Port Harcourt .
Shell Women Network Lagos Team: Women in light blue and the men in navy blue.
