Wednesday, April 15, 2009

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2009 - TANZANIA SAFARI, NGORONGORO CRATER LODGE

SUNDAY, APRIL 12, 2009 – 94/51 – TANZANIA SAFARI – NGORONGORO CRATER LODGE

Swahili:
Asante – Thank You
Asante San – Thank You Very Much
Jambo – Hi
Karibow-- Welcome

It is Easter Sunday morning and we have slept in until nearly 9:00AM. We prepare some laundry to go and head for a late breakfast. The morning is cool and cloudy and it has been raining. We can see the crater floor but the day promises to be a little damp.

After breakfast, we explore the lodge store and examine the wares of a Massai woman who has set up on the porch.For $20US, we purchase four beaded medallions from her that we will use as Christmas Ornaments. They are small versions of the necklaces the women wear. We also purchase numerous items from the store, including a Massai flywhisk with a beaded handle. The whisk part is wildebeest hair.

At 11:00AM, we join George for a drive out through the area of Massai villages. The area is a beautiful green from all the rain and the fields are full of unusual flowers. This one is cats paw.Many of the villagers are in full costume as they make their way to one of two churches,that we see, for Easter Sunday services.The vivid colors of their dress and the bright green landscape make for a stunning pictures The ones below are a road sceneand a village well..We stop for a while to watch and listen to the singing and dancing that is part of their worship service. Back at the lodge, after a late lunch, Simon lights a fire for us. Carolyn begins to pack for our travel day tomorrow and we both watch a thunderstorm develop over the northeast side of the crater and drift towards us. Carolyn then falls asleep reading and Dick plays with the camera taking pictures of the Crater floor.There is a special program by the Massai tonight so all the guests gather at the south lodge for the cocktail hour. It is some sort of dance and chanting routine with about 20 men and 5 women in their colorful robes and headdresses and is interesting to watch but we are not offered any explanation as to what we are seeing.

The lodge has set an elaborate table for our Easter dinner, however tonight the two choices do not appeal to Carolyn…duck or fish, though Dick likes fish.
As we get back to the room, a heavy rain starts and makes for good sleeping. We have the second of the two marathon travel days tomorrow. We have fallen in love with the lodge and the Crater and hope to come back someday.

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