East Africa ~ Tanzania ~ Mwanza ~ Mwadui - (a picture tour)
Introduction: Mwadui & Mwanza in Tanzania, East Africa
A cousin of mine, Sonja Jordaan, currently lives in Mwadui, Tanzania, East Africa. With her consent I share some of her photos of the region.
This video will give you an idea of the environment ~
Just a thought ~
During a 17-day tour of Holland in 1999, I was in awe of the human race and the creations of humans. The evidence of human resilience and ability to survive and to grow from strength to strength was overwhelming and in fact a cultural shock to me who lives in a country that has been discovered by white people of the so-called First World only 360 years ago.
In Africa, however, I am always in awe of the Creator of the Universe and this awesome planet Earth. Even in South Africa, the best developed country in Africa south of the equator, the beauty of Nature is still greater in scope and size than the beauty created by people.
Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, East Africa
Background: Tanzania
Tanzania is the 31st largest country in the world, situated in East Africa next to the Indian Ocean. Countries bordering are Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Tanzania is a one party dominant state ruled by a National Assembly. A president and members of the National Assembly are elected by direct popular vote for five-year terms. The capital and principal commercial city is Dar es Salaam with a population of ± 2,7 million people.
The country is divided into 26 regions.
Africa's highest peak - Mount Kilimanjaro - and largest lake - Lake Victoria - and deepest lake - Lake Tanganyika - are situated in Tanzania.
The climate of Tanzania is tropical; temperatures range between 0 and 20 °C (50 and 68 °F).
English and Swahili are the two official languages.
More detail @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanzania
Tanzania temperature ~
Lake Victoria
Mwanza
In the Mwanza region in the northwestern part of Tanzania is the city Mwanza situated on the southern shores of Lake Victoria. After the capital Dar es Salaam, Mwanza is the second largest city in Tanzania. It is a port city with a population of about 3,2 million people.
More info @
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mwanza
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mwanza
Mwadui
Pronounced: Mua-do-we (accent on 'do')
Situated south of the city Mwanza, is Mwadui, a humble little town accommodating the workers of Mwadui mine, also known as the Williamson Diamond Mine - the first significant diamond mine in Africa outside of South Africa. The mine has been established in 1940 by Dr. John Williamson, a Canadian geologist.
More info @
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Williamson_diamond_mine
http://www.mwadui.co.uk/
Dr John T. Williamson
John Williams was born in 1907 in Montford, Quebec. Armed with a bachelor's, master's and Ph.D. degrees in geology he started his career in South Africa. In 1940 he discovered the diamond-bearing kimberlite pipe at Mwadui and established the Williamson diamond mine. By the time of his death in 1958 he was one of the richest men in the world.
Although John Williams was portrayed as secretive and a womanizer, he was never married. His three siblings inherited the mine and sold it immediately to the partnership De Beers group and the government of Tanzania.
Biographical novel: The Diamond Seeker by John Gawaine.
More info @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Williamson_(geologist)
New Tanzania music (2011)
Mwadiu ~
A humble town in East Africa ~
The Serengeti National Park.
Only ±3 hours per car to the northwest of Mwadui is the Serengeti National Park, one of the most popular game reserves in Africa.
More info @
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serengeti_National_Park
http://www.tanzaniaparks.com/serengeti.html
Baobab Tree
The Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata)
The Baobab tree, having a lifespan of up to 6,000 years, is the most intriguing tree on the African continent. It is also called the 'upside-down' tree.
According to Africa mythology the Baobab tree was the husband given by Unkulunkulu (The Creator) to the woman who had created herself by order of the creator. The tree held the woman in its 'arms' for 100 years before she gave birth to an entire nation - The Pygmy Peoples. (The average height of Pygmy men were less than 150 cm [59 inches]).
The tree has large off-white flowers which open at night. The fruit, which grows up to a foot long, contains vitamin C, tartaric acid and can be refined to refreshing coffee-like drinks. The bark is the primary material for rope, baskets, mats, cloth and paper. Leaves are edible and glue are made from the pollen. Pure essential oil, containing vitamins A, D, E and F, is extracted from seeds.
The Lukwata
Anonymous has left a fascinating comment on this hub about the Lukwata - a creature living in Lake Victoria, like the Loch Ness Monster, not yet recognized by scientist -
"There is a fearsome animal living in Lake Victoria called the Lukwata. It could be some kind of fish or some kind of whale. It could be a long neck such as Nessie. Reports of its size and its physical description are conflicting. Some say it has a rounded head while others say it has a square shaped head. Estimates of its size are anything from 12 feet to 100 feet long. Its said to be violent and dangerous. It attacks and kills people and any other animal it can catch. It kills and eats large Crocodiles. It loses pieces of its skin during these fights which some natives collect and keep as amulets. The Lukwata is believed by some to have supernatural powers. It makes loud bellowing roars which can be heard from afar. Obviously theres a breeding population of these animals and not just a single individual. The European Sir Clement Hill saw a Lukwata in 1900 as it attempted to snatch a crewmen from his boat. Travelguides should mention these animals and warn visitors. Lake Victoria borders Uganda Kenya and Tanzania. Anyone swimming in or wading in the water and anyone in a canoe or in a small boat is risking being attacked by a Lukwata. Warning signs should be posted about these animals. Lukwatas are the most dangerous animals in the world. Read the books On the Track of Unknown Animals by Bernard Heuvelmans and authors Michael Newton and George Eberhart mention these monstrous animals in their books. The Badanga tribe in Uganda believe in the existence of Lukwatas. Theres a zooful of unknown animals living in lakes rivers swamps forests grasslands and jungles in Africa." ~ Anonymous
For more detail read the most recent comments....
If you have missed this video, here it is again ~~
My cousin Sonja Jordaan and her husband Karel
Published with my sincere gratitude to Sonja Jordaan ~
And by the way....
When I was 10-12 years old, Sonja was my favorite 'doll'. She was the most beautiful baby. During family rallies I had to fight some cousins of my age in order to have the 'sole-right' to take care of her while the adults enjoy themselves . Of course, I won all battles until Sonja was respectfully considered to be 'my' baby, and my dear cousins were simply obliged to play with the other babies in the family.
~
© Martie Coetser (June 2012)
Copyright :: All Rights Reserved
Registered :: 2012-06-10 16:04:03 UTC
Title :: East Africa ~ Tanzania ~ Mwanza ~ Mwadui -
Category :: Publication
Fingerprint :: cbf7eabedb0e4b8455eeee8008552a1eff0edb54940ef3c6f62e54cbace44c27
MCN :: CWPTU-U7TNH-4SSRM
Sonja in my cousin Sandra's arms... Grrrrr ~~~
More hubs about Africa
- South West Africa ~ Namibia ~ Namib Desert ~ Tourism
The attractiveness of Namibia in South West Africa is unique and worthy to be explored by tourist from all over the world. - Discovering Ethiopia - Africa's Forgotten Land
Ethiopia is a country rich in vast landscape including mountain ranges and volcanoes, wildlife, religion and traditional culture. It is also one of the world's largest producers of coffee. This hub takes you on a trip into Ethiopia - introducing you
Comments
AUTHORMoral Man, I appreciate your interesting and informative comments. I agree with you - Africa is totally unique, beautiful, mysterious and awfully dangerous. Museums are also my favorite hangouts, and with Google on top of it, we can indulge in Africa :)
Africa has a mystique and aura unmatched by any other continent. The climates, the landscape, the peoples, and cultures are diverse and fascinating, and the diversity of wildlife is perhaps greater than anywhere else.
Zoologist Daphne Sheldrick in Kenya has raised orphan animals for many years, and Jane Goodall has studied Chimpanzees in East Africa since the 1960s.
Dian Fossey studied Mountain Gorillas in Zaire and Rwanda which is more western Africa. Read her book and see the movie Gorillas in the Mist. Her life was filled with immense suffering, both physical and mental. She helped to save the Mountain Gorillas from extinction. Her murder in 1985 is unsolved.
Africa is beautiful but cruel and dangerous. All equatorial and tropical locations are filled with dangers such as snakes, spiders, scorpions, centipedes, and diseases such as malaria and yellow fever. Ebola is spreading and expanding its range and is causing fear, suffering, and death. Rampant crime, genocides, unsafe drinking water, and mass starvation and famine are other evils.
Im unable to travel for various reasons. The closest I can get to Africa is in the Museum of Natural History. The Carl Akeley Hall of African mammals is most impressive. Theres a diorama of a family of Mountain Gorillas. A male is shown standing in a bipedal position. The taxidermists have done a very realistic job and the animals look almost alive and are shown in various positions. The background scenery is also realistic. Its as if a small slice of Africa has been recreated in a Museum. Theres also so much to read in each exhibit. A large, good quality Museum is a wonderful, educational, and entertaining place to spend time at. Theres much to see, much to read, and much to learn. Museums make learning fun. There are also interactive displays, TV screens, and computer screens, and certain exhibits even have sound effects or audio.
I used to have a collection of stamps just on African wildlife years ago. The story of Born Free, Elsa the lioness, and Joy Adamson has touched me deeply as it shows how strong the love and bond can be between human and animal, even a dangerous wild animal like a Lion. Elsa wasn't just any Lion. Elsa was a pet and companion for Joy and she was a loving animal. Joy loved Elsa more than anything, which makes Elsa's death more painful. People who spend time with animals and who become bonded with them have to suffer loss and grief, and losing a beloved animal companion or pet is as painful as losing a family member.
National Geographic magazine has many articles about Africa over the years and interesting documentaries exist about African wildlife.
- AUTHOR
Moral Man, thank you so much for your wonderful and informative comment. You have inspired me to watch Born Free again and to read Queen of Shaba, which happens to be on my list of 'Must Reads' for a long time :)
East Africa is exciting and important for several reasons. Anthropologists Louis Leakey and Donald Johanson have found bones of hominids believed to be early ancestors of modern humans, and the wildlife and scenery is stunning.
Most interesting for me about East Africa is the saga of George and Joy Adamson in Kenya. From 1955 or 1956 to 1961, Joy Adamson raised a female Lion named Elsa. Elsa was raised as a cub and after hard work introduced into the wild. She adapted to the wild and even had her own cubs and still remained semi tame. Elsa was both a tame and wild animal at the same time and was like a big friendly dog. A book and movie, Born Free, were produced in the 1960s. Elsa lived for only 5 years, which is a blink of an eye. Another book and movie is called Living Free. This is one of the most touching stories between a human and animal. Its also filled with heartbreak and tragedy. In the movie Born Free, George Adamson is seen suffering from an overdose of medicine used to treat malaria, and Joy's pet Rock Hyrax dies from old age in Joy's arms. Hyraxes are cute little animals that look like Marmots but are actually more closely related to Elephants. This Hyrax was a companion to Elsa when Elsa was a cub. Some parts of the movie are painful to watch.
Joy Adamson kept other animals like Pippa the Cheetah and Penny the Leopard. Read the book, Queen of Shaba, the story of an African Leopard.
National Geographic magazine did an impressive article about African wildlife in February 1972. Hippos, Rhinos, Elephants, Buffalos, Wild dogs, antelopes such as Wildebeest and Topi, and Chimpanzees are common in East Africa. Mount Kilimajaro, Ngorongoro Crater, and Olduvai Gorge are noteworthy landmarks.
Travelers should consider taking pills for malaria and snakebite kits, and should consider drinking juices and sodas and avoid the water as water in tropical countries are nearly always polluted. For those brave enough to travel, East Africa is a once in a lifetime adventure.
- AUTHOR
@ bravewarrior – If I bump into one down here, I’ll give him your name and number. Promise.
@ PegCole17 – I am so glad you enjoyed this hub about Tanzania. The many-many wild animals still living in Africa, although mostly protected in game reserves and on game farms where over-population is controlled by legally organized game hunting, as well as the many-many people still living in rural areas without modern facilities like electricity, sewerage and water provided by modern constructions, make Africa what Africa is. South Africa is the most developed and modern country south of the equator, but we, too, have many rural areas where birth control is still a word to be learned, what about a habit to be practiced.
An impression I got while I was in Europe for a holiday: All I could see in Europe was the brilliant creations of mankind, all those proofs that mankind can survive any kind of disaster and even thrive in excellence as time moves on, while in my country the magnificent creations of God are still by far the most prominent.
I believe America, too, still have wide open spaces and unspoilt nature?
@ truthfornow – Thank you so much for your visit :)
@ Peggy W – Looking at those old photo’s, and to the babies who are now grandmothers themselves, is quite confronting, forcing me to realize that I am not as young as I feel.... that I am actually already in the stage where people die one after the other due to natural causes.... Oh boy! Aging is not for sissies. Thanks, Peggy, for enjoying my article about Tanzania,
@ Suzie HQ – If ever I get the opportunity to choose between a tour of Europe, America or Africa, or any other continent, I would not be able to make a choice. Each and every country has a beauty of its own. So let’s hope whatever opportunity comes my way is one without a choice. Good to see you in my corner :)
@ rose-the planner – Thank you for clicking in for the read and for your most inspiring comment. I think I should ask my relatives living/working in other countries in Africa to follow Sonja’s example and send me pictures and information. Have a good day :)
This was an excellent article! You made everything come to life with your original images and amazing videos. You certainly captured my attention. (Voted Up) -Rose
Hi Martie,
What a stunning guide you have written us for such a beautiful part of Africa. Your cousin Sonja's photos along with your pics and videos make it a fascinating journey. I have always wanted to visit Africa (only been to Tunisia), and have a number of people I know through Sport in different locations so would love to get there to visit. Loved your facts on Tanzania great to learn even more on this part of the world on your doorstep! Thanks Martie! Votes, shared and pinned to travel.
Thank your cousin Sonja for sharing these wonderful photos with us and thank you for assembling this beautiful and informative hub. Lots of up votes and sharing. That video was a good one! That is a cute story of your wanting to hold Sonja like a doll when she was a baby. :))
All the pictures and videos made this article a fascinating read. Great job.
Interesting and informative peek into your world, Martie. This is truly fascinating. That first video was mood setting as I read through the rest of the text. The closest I've come to seeing this environment is a few trips to Busch Gardens where they have many of these animals on terrain they have created to simulate these pictures. Nothing quite as beautiful as that view of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Stunning. The history of the diamond mines and J.T. Williamson was an added bonus along with your Sonja story.
Sweetheart, I'd have to find a suggah-daddy in order to come to Africa! :-). But I'll consider that a standing invitation!
- AUTHOR
bravewarrior, as long as they are aware of all the dangers, and safely with people who know the country, its ugliness AND its beauty, they will always enjoy their stay. Save your money and come with them :)
Yeah, Martie - beware of the waters! My friend lived in South Africa for a couple of years. She returns every year for vacation. She took her new husband there this year for two weeks and he fell in love with the terrain and the people. They hope to vacation there again in a couple of years when my friend has retired, at which point they hope to spend a month there.
- AUTHOR
Hi bravewarrior, Tanzania (in East Africa) is quite far from South Africa. I don't think I will ever get the opportunity to go there myself. But thanks to relatives who have shared their pictures and experiences with me, I could go there in my mind. I might even have had a better experience than they, safely in my home (and way out of a Lukwata's reach.)
Martie, what beautiful country! Friends of mine recently travelled to South Africa and shared photos with me. I was mesmerized!
As far as the Lukwatas, can you say scary and creepy? I'd love to see photos of this aquatic monster!
- AUTHOR
Anonymous - This also reminds me of the Bermuda Triangle. Very interesting. Scary movies are made with info like this. A writer like me can get lost in these kind of mysteries. I better go add a note in this hub - "For more detail read the most recent comments." Thank you for this interesting conversation.
Dear Martie these animals are a mystery in many ways. Some say the Lukwata is a plesiosaurus which survived extinction. Yet most reports do not mention any flippers. It seems to have a fish like head or a snake like head and a long thin neck and a dolphin like body. Some say it has barbs on its snout like a catfish. Others say it has tentacles on its snout and can eject poison to stun its prey. Its obviously a very large very powerful animal which doesn't need poison. Some say it creates whirlpools in the water. Lake Victoria has periodic waterspouts which may or may not be caused by these animals. One source says its 20 feet to 30 feet long which is the size of a Killer Whale. My personal opinion is that its some kind of aberrant evil dolphin or whale living in freshwater. Nobody knows really what these creatures are. One source says that female Lukwatas lay eggs. If that's true then its not likely a mammal but a reptile or amphibian or a fish. Maybe its an oversized Catfish. Yet some sources claim it has a long thin snake like neck which is unlike a catfish. Population numbers of these animals is unknown. Also mysteries are how often sightings take place and how often it attacks and kills people and livestock. Its been known to overturn canoes and slaughter everyone in it. It has a bloodlust. These animals are violent brutes. Its been sighted close to shore but its more often seen miles from the shore in remote deep parts of the lake. Any person who hangs out on the lake long enough could be a target for these monstrous animals. Any movement or smell could alert these brutes into focusing their evil eyes to attack and slaughter. Lukwatas are the most dangerous animals in the world. One source says its human victims faint before it even attacks. The game Pathfinder on google has the Lukwata as one its monsters and the game Dungeons and Dragons is considering adding it to its list of monsters. Some believe that Lukwatas have magical powers. Look up or search Lukwata-Lake Monster on the Internet or on google. Lukwatas are one of Africa's deepest darkest mysteries.
- AUTHOR
Anonymous - I find your comments very-very interesting and quite scary. Why so many different descriptions of the actual physical appearance of the Lukwata? Too many 'whys' always confuse. Of course, I will always give anything the benefit of the doubt, and will definitely stay out of the lake. Thank you for sharing your knowledge :) You now have me all curious (again) about cryptids.
These animals are real. One may never see one nor encounter one while living near Lake Victoria yet a number of people have seen them since 1900. The Badanga tribe of Uganda is aware of these animals. In the 1930s biologist E.G. Wayland collected a bone fragment from a Lukwata. He also heard the animals bellowing roars. Sir Clement Hill's boat was nearly capsized as a Lukwata tried to snatch a crewman. The Lukwata drags men and beasts into the water to drown them. Other sources say it can break Hippo bones with its bite. The animal's physical description size and identity are conflicting and controversial. Some say it's a fish such as a catfish or an eel. Some say its a snake such as a python(snakes don't have vocal cords and generally cannot roar) while others think its a dolphin or a whale. Others suggest its a Plesiosaurus or a longneck such as Nessie. Some sources say its neck is 4 feet long. Some believe Lukwatas have supernatural powers or magical powers. The only thing everybody agrees on is that Lukwatas are dangerous. These maybe the most dangerous animals in the world. They frequently kill and eat large crocodiles. The Lukwata is only one of many unknown beasts or cryptids in Africa. There could be living dinosaurs in Africa such as Mokele-mbembe and the Chipekwe. The Lau the Dingonek the Kongamato the Water Elephant the Mngwa the Nandi Bear the Pongo the Emela N touka and the Mblieu mblieu mblieu are all real. All of these are dangerous. The Lukwata is the ultimate monster. Its bellowing roars can be heard from afar. People should be warned about the presence of these animals. Good advice would be to stay out of the water or stay out of the lake.
- AUTHOR
Anonymous - thank you so much for this very interesting comment about the Lukwata. I am going to add it to the hub (article), because readers don't always read the comments. I find this quite fascinating and am curious to learn whether it is true or merely a myth like the Loch Ness Monster, which may not even be a myth.....
Thanks again :)
Theres a fearsome animal living in Lake Victoria called the Lukwata. It could be some kind of fish or some kind of whale. It could be a long neck such as Nessie. Reports of its size and its physical description are conflicting. Some say it has a rounded head while others say it has a square shaped head. Estimates of its size are anything from 12 feet to 100 feet long. Its said to be violent and dangerous. It attacks and kills people and any other animal it can catch. It kills and eats large Crocodiles. It loses pieces of its skin during these fights which some natives collect and keep as amulets. The Lukwata is believed by some to have supernatural powers. It makes loud bellowing roars which can be heard from afar. Obviously theres a breeding population of these animals and not just a single individual. The European Sir Clement Hill saw a Lukwata in 1900 as it attempted to snatch a crewmen from his boat. Travelguides should mention these animals and warn visitors. Lake Victoria borders Uganda Kenya and Tanzania. Anyone swimming in or wading in the water and anyone in a canoe or in a small boat is risking being attacked by a Lukwata. Warning signs should be posted about these animals. Lukwatas are the most dangerous animals in the world. Read the books On the Track of Unknown Animals by Bernard Heuvelmans and authors Michael Newton and George Eberhart mention these monstrous animals in their books. The Badanga tribe in Uganda believe in the existence of Lukwatas. Theres a zooful of unknown animals living in lakes rivers swamps forests grasslands and jungles in Africa.
- AUTHOR
moncrieff, so good to see you (for a change) in my corner, and so glad you enjoyed this hub of mine. Even down here in SA white is the most popular color for cars - the reason could indeed be the instinctive knowledge that white deflect the heat and brightness of the sun and it also represent cleanness - dust are not so easily visible on white (or other light colors)
as it is on the darker colors. Personally I hate the dark colors - you can't see them on the tar roads... they are almost ON me before I realize it is a car and not heatwaves on the road. So white also arouses a feeling of security on the roads.
My next hub in this series will be of Namibia - I've got some beautiful photos. Oh, the beauty of Africa especially south of the equator is not at all to be compared to the northern part of Africa. South is the cradle of humankind - the (discovered) evidence is only one hour drive per car away from me. (Though I don't personally believe that ALL humans on this planet have only one ancestor. But this is beside the point.)
I would have LOVED to be a professional tour guide in Africa. Not implying that this part of the world is the MOST beautiful. Breathtakingly beautiful places are everywhere on this planet.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting and voting this up, moncrieff. Have a great day!
Awesome hub, and a great story in pictures! I noticed most cars are white - I assume it's because of the endless sun that needs to be deflected. And driving in a Rolls-Royce through the jungle or swamps is kinda surreal, I like it. I find everything about Africa fascinating, cannot wait to see the continent (Namibia, Kenya, SA, Lake Victoria). A lot of people visit Tunisia and Egypt as vacation destinations, but very few people I know have ever visited Sub-Saharan Africa. Voted up.
- AUTHOR
femmeflashpoint ~ there are certainly flies of all sorts in Tanzania, and mosquitoes. There are however numerous ways to keep them off your food and your body.
As I've said, a holiday in Africa will make you once again, or more aware, of what man is not able to create and also what life could have been like if it was not for civilization. We tend to disdain the latter to a certain extend - or taking it for granted.
Seeing those animals in their natural habitat, is an awesome experience. And to think there was a time they were all over and not limited to national parks.
I am glad you enjoyed the read. Take care!
Martie,
I totally enjoyed this hub! My thanks to Sonja for providing the photos. I have a whole new appreciation why so many friends from "across the pond" prefer to vacation there. It's stunning! I was glued to the single shots and videos. It's a kaleidescope of color, animals, water, mountains, villages and cities, and so incredibly exotic.
I would sincerely love to visit the place, but, please tell me they don't have bottle flys ....
femme
- AUTHOR
thoughtforce, good to know your people enjoy holidays in the Serengeti. Down here we have the Kruger National Park, the most popular tourist attraction. Although we have many others just as good if not better. I think visiting a game reserve is kind of going back to our roots. So much better than visiting a zoo where animals are not in their natural habitat, even while modern zoos simulate the natural habitat the best way possible. Thanks and take care :)
Martie, I was listening to the first video as I read the hub and watched the photos and it was a wonderful virtual tour. Nature in Africa looks intense in some way and so unbelievable beautiful. Travelling to Africa is growing in popularity in Sweden right now and especially Serengeti is on top of desired places to visit. Thanks for this beautiful hub, I enjoyed it very much. You did a fantastic hub as always, voted up, up
Tina
- AUTHOR
Hi prasetio ~ always good to see you in my corner :} Your "wow" fills me with inspiration :] Take care!
- AUTHOR
Alastar ~ Thank you for flattering me with a great comment! I am so glad you enjoyed the tour :}
Wow...I can't say anything, Martie. You have wrote the most beautiful hub about Africa. I really enjoy the virtual tour through this hub. Good job and voted up!
Prasetio
Wow what an awesome trip here Martie! Its not often you see elephants in a pic where they look like ants. The snows of Kilimanjaro indeed. The Golden Age superstar Clark Gable made a lot of movies where he was in Africa and John T. Williamson looks like him. Cuz Sonja sure is a doll and so is that pretty and intelligent looking 11 year old. An enjoyable tour de force here friend Martie- thanks!
- AUTHOR
Hyphenbird, how nice would it be if we could have a hubbers-rally in Tanzania...
Thanks for clicking in for the read :)
- AUTHOR
Thanks for the encouragement, Happyboomernurse :)
You made me feel I was right there in that amazing land. Thank you for that. Your pictures, videos and information are just priceless. Oh, I must visit one day!
Excellent. I think that's particularly true about my fellow Americans.
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Happyboomernurse. I plan to do similar hubs about Africa - I know many-many people have no idea what's to be seen in Africa. Take care :}
- AUTHOR
drbj - so many beautiful precious and semiprecious stones are to be found in Africa. I would have been one of your discriminating customers. I've stopped to use my teeth as a weapon and learned how to speak and write... So, hanging my head in shame, I must assure my dearest cousin Sandra that she is not the only one in this world walking with scars and a fear for my fangs. You will not believe me, drbj, but some years ago, after Sandra and I haven't seen each other for many years, she greeted me not with a hug and a kiss, but with a bite on the arm. So hard, I almost begged her to stop. Serious. But how could I blame her? For her own good, revenge was essential. But now that little bloodthirsty dog of her is ripping open all her childhood wounds, and she'll probably bite my arm off when she sees me again... :}
Thanks for your kind comment, drbj :)
I thoroughly enjoyed my cyber visit and learned that I like the new Tanzania music! You make a great tour guide.
Though I loved all the photos, the ones of Mount Kilimanjaro and Lake Victoria were breathtaking.
I also liked the personal story you told about Sonja and how you fought for the right to take care of her when she was a baby. It brought a nice, light-hearted tone to this hub.
The adult photos of Sonja show she grew up to be a beautiful woman and it was fun to see the family photos from your childhood.
Voted up across the board.
- AUTHOR
Hi Nell, Nature in Africa is breath-taking beautiful. Unfortunately the people - the majority - lives in poverty. Lacking resources, money and numerous other essentials, they deface nature with the ugliest shacks and rubbish. Most people has no sense of tidiness, not to talk about a sense of beauty and art, so besides external investments and especially for tourists, most of the 'civilized' areas are pathetically primitive - a disgrace for humanity. Bare nature is what you'll see in Africa, flora en fauna, and maybe we should accept the doings of humans also as bare and basic to the core. We can just look at birds and even spiders. Some kinds build the most awesome shelters, while others do it their own unimpressive way. I don't mind bareness - deserts are bare and still beautiful. What irritates the living daylight out of me, is untidiness, filth and any defacing of natural beauty.. Thanks for coming over for the read...:)
I knew of Tanzania, Martie, because at one point in one of my many varied careers, I ran a mail order company (you know it was B.C. - Before Computers) and sold fine gem jewelry to discriminating customers. One of the most popular gems was that brilliant, fascinating violet-colored jewel known as tanzanite - available only from Tanzania.
So you can imagine my pleasure when I read this lovely travelogue of that country and viewed the beautiful photos.
So thank you, Martie, and thank Sonia for this delight.
And tell your dear cousin you promise nevermore to bite.
Amazing hub Martie, so full of detail and the photos and videos really made me feel as though I was there, fantastic. I never realised how beautiful East Africa is, I would love to visit, this is voted all the way, and defintely shared for all your hard work! nell
- AUTHOR
Thanks, suziecat! Have you noticed the video I've added of the Serengeti? I think you will like it.
- AUTHOR
Sandra! Yes, it is bad to know you live too far away for a visit whenever I feel like visiting you. You have no idea how much I miss you especially while I am with Vonnie. I miss your voice - you have such a beautiful unique voice. Maybe you must send me a voice mail to my google-email-address - the other one is out of order.
Yes, shame, I have imprinted pictures in my memory of you and Vonnie hiding behind your mother, clinging to her legs, looking at me as if I am a monster, arousing in me awful feelings of being rejected. And yet, when I got angry again, my teeth just went biting. Lol! The last time I've bitten someone was when I was 5 in Grade 1. As punishment I had to sit for the entire year (so it felt) at a desk that looked like a pig's face. Yes, I've learned how to write on a pink pig's face, while pretty colorful flowers were painted on the other desks. So that was my turning point. However, until today, when I get angry, I can honestly feel my teeth grow.
Thanks so much for leaving a comment. I'll see you in Facebook :)
- AUTHOR
Hi fpherj, I always wanted to be a tour guide. Maybe I'll get a request to apply for a job up there in Tanzania. Living so close to nature, working in nature, must be like having a permanent holiday. Me cute and sweet? No-no-no, my sister was cute and sweet. I was the cheeky and cantankerous one. 'WHY' was all I wanted to know about everything, and most of the time the answer I got was, 'Because I say so.' Now guess how angry and rebellious was I all the time...
Thanks for your loyal support, Paula. I'll be in your corner before my midnight :)
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Mhatter99 - I am so glad you came along :) Thank you!
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Sunshine, please tell your friend I would love to write an article about Namibia if I can use some of his pictures. The pictures I've got, taken by my mother when she was there, is not digital. So I will have to scan them... and why, if I could find them in digital? Asking is free, you know, as well as refusing, and the one who doesn't ask, will not receive... Thank you so much, and just know I adore you too... :)
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WillStarr - how I envy you relatives (and mine). I've added to the hub a video of the Serengeti National Park, one of the most popular game reserves in Tanzania - only 3 hours per car from Mwadui. Thanks for the visit :)
Excellent Hub - loved the photos and detail. Voted Up!
Thanks cuzzie for sharing this with us. I might still have the scars of your teeth but I miss you so much! (The reason why I fled to England to get away from those fangs)
Martie...Thank you for the most wonderful vacation I have been on in years! This is absolutely stunning...some of the photos are breath-taking.....
I should think the tourist Industry must send you a big fat check for such inviting temptations!!
and you are just as cute and sweet now as you were at 11 !! Look at that smile! Thank you for this fabulous trip!!
Thank you for bringing us along
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Hi my dearest Epi, I am so glad you've enjoyed this tour, and thank you so much for sharing on the music page. I planned to spend some time in there, but just got a shock when I saw the night is almost over... I have to be up at 6:00am, so I must get myself in bed now. Take care, Epi, until I see you.
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Hi my dearest marcoujor, you will love spending some time in Tanzania. Doing just nothing but enjoying bare nature. Thanks so much for your UP&UABI. I'll see you soon. (2:10am now - I better hit the bed or I am going to be 'fuel-less' at work :))
I adore you!! My friends photos are on his Facebook and they are spectacular. Dunes and deserts and animals. I bet he would allow us to use some for a project one day:))
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Always, only two cities in Tanzania seem to be modern - Dar es Salaam and Mwanza. The rest of the towns are pretty humble with no tarred roads and modern shops - very much like America's Wild West era, but with a typical Africa theme. A friend of mine who was in Dar es Salaam noted tragic dilapidation. Too many people, not enough job-opportunities, not proper management and maintenance and the general display of a lack of vision and missions. Unfortunately South Africa seems to be the proverbial land of milk and honey for many ambitious people, and so SA's challenges multiply by the day, including xenophobia with fatal results.
Yes, today I, too, think I was a cutie, but believe me I had a lot of complexes, comparing myself to all my pretty cousins and friends. I never thought I was cute or pretty. I hated my teeth, my lips, my eyes... Today I want to kick myself because I had such a pathetic self-esteem.
Thanks for being my friend, Ruby. I'll see you in your corner soon :)
My brother and sister-in-law are coming to Tanzania in mid-October. I will forward this link to them.
Great Hub, Martie!
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Sunshine625 – my dear friend, did your friend publish pictures here in HubPages? I would love to see them. Namibia is about 12-18 hours along the road away from me – a desert to semi-desert country. One day I want to go there myself to hear those roaring dunes. You are such a competent organizer, Sunshine. Maybe you and I must organize an Africa tour for the writers of Hub Pages… One day :)) Thank you so much for your continuous support. Tomorrow I am going to knock on your door; I am suffering withdrawal symptoms because I don’t see enough of you :))
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Augustine, yes, apparently the monster Lukwata lives in Lake Victoria. Good to know you've enjoyed the pictures. As always, thank you so much for your visit and comment.
my oh my Martie of Magnificent - what a beauty of a hub this is and will be posted as such to our music group for all to see - you offered us such a world class presentation and I felt I was sitting in first class all of the way - lake erie time 7:09pm and yes you can be my sexy tour guide anyday because you have the brains and beauty to go with it -
Dear Martie,
You knew I needed a virtual getaway and oila... this magical paradise of a hub appears from your corner of the world!
Thank you ever so much! This is an exquisite compilation of photography. I feel as though Lake Victoria is truly calling me... I am having the jet fueled as I write...
Fabulous photo essay, my Sista! Voted UP & UABI.
Love, Maria
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Hi writer20, thanks for the vote. I am so glad you enjoyed the tour.
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Christopher, what a charming compliment from you. Thank you for making me blush with delight. Such a great opportunity offered by Hub Pages - to show our worlds to each other, and even our hearts and souls. So we develop a broader perspective that leads to a deeper insight in each other's circumstances and actions, and also in our own. I am now so curious to see your lush green Mountains of Vermont, I am going to google it straight away. Thanks again and take care :)
It is so strange, before i met you and Tony, I always thought of Africa as a wild, dangerous place. I see by your photos that it is beautiful and modern. You were a cute Chick at eleven.. Thank's for the share...
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Becky, yes, I can see a bit of a resemblance, but she will certainly beat me in a beauty contest. What breaks my heart - both her parents had passed away, as well as my father who was like a second-father to her and her siblings. If they could see her now, they would have been so proud of her. Thank you so much for your comment.
I've had two virtual journeys to Africa in just a few days! A friend just returned from his trip to Namibia and his photos were up close and personal with animals and visuals. He had a wonderful trip.
Now I have the pleasure of taking another African trip. How much luckier could I be?!? Beautiful photos and details. Much thanks to your generous cousin and you for sharing!:)
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RealHousewife – Believe me, a tour of Africa will be an unforgettable experience. You may even meet Tarzan and Jane along the way. Just make sure you chose a reliable, qualified and competent tour-guide.
When I was a toddler, I’ve bitten that poor cousin Sandra of mine purple and blue in my quests for things I thought should be mine. Today she shows her scars to everybody, bragging because she has survived me. Lol! She lives in England, but thanks to Facebook we stay connected.
Thanks for your lovely comment, Kelly :)
Africa is beautiful! I heard that Lake Victoria had a Lake Monster. I wonder if it's true? Lovely photographs and images. Loved it!
Great write for East Africa. Voted up and awesome.
Thanks to you and Sonja for an engrossing photo tour of your Tanzanian "stomping grounds". For me, sitting in the lush Green Mountains of Vermont, yours is an exotic and mysterious land half a world away, but your travelogues make it all more accessible.
I must mention too that your childhood photos show that your family has a knack for producing lovely little girls who grow into beautiful women.
CP
Beautiful hub and pictures. I laughed at your monopoly on the baby Sonja. She is a beautiful woman and you can see a family resemblance.
You should win HOD for this - it's beautiful - informative and I love your original photographs! The music and videos were fantastic - had to laugh about the last photo caption! Lol
I just can't wait to visit Africa! Some day I will be there:)
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