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ALASKA
Aboard the S.S. Universe Explorer

The mystery of it all is that these spired, fortressed mighty mountains, these acres of boreal spruce, hemlock and cedar rain forests, these towering ice faces that disappear for thousands of feet below the water's surface and snake miles over, through and across the ranges, these blackened depths of ocean, this endless immensity of the land, these whales and eagles and otters and bear - the mystery of it all is that these wonders have been entrusted by the Creator to man....that miniscule speck on the surface of it all, that most intricate wonder of all His creations. Such privilege, such responsibility. And so my awe at these landscapes and skyscapes draws down, down...to that ultimate product - man and woman, especially those who inhabit this great land - Alaska. Tom Lang, Chilcat River Guide out of Haines and a volunteer at the Sitka Raptor Rescue, captured the buoyancy of spirit which characterizes today's Alaskan. Poking fun at tourists and his fellow residents of Haines, he displayed a love for his land and its people that is fed by an honest view of their idiosyncrasies and an appreciation for them. Guiding our raft down the Chilcat out of Haines, he brings twenty-first century America to the bush, talking "market shares" as he discusses the modern Tlingkets and their holdings and "empowerment" in his description of the modern Tlingket woman who plunges her baby into the glacial waters of the river for one second on the day he is born and increases it a second each day. "What's orange and sleeps three? An Alaskan Highway Department truck." Tom quips about the sleepy road workers. Lang writes books in California each winter and hurries back for the refreshment of the North each summer. Papa Chuck, a grizzled, white-haired prospector of a different sort, follows the same seasonal migration to Juneau. Driving his green school bus up and down the streets of the city, he entertains his riders with poetry, gravestone epitaphs, recipes, folklore and gossip. Into a chapel whose breath-taking front faces Mendenhall Glacier, over salmon streams, across the bridge to Douglas Island, he jollies and laughs and imparts his love for Alaska. Terri Tibbetts, a folksinger with an Alaskan flavor and kinship ties to opera great Lawrence Tibbetts, whisked us across the land and the faces of its people with slides and tunes reflecting their labor, life and heritage. Terri spent twenty years as a school teacher in Alaska, leading Alaskan children into the joys of a musical world, unlike the music of their surroundings, but enhancing its beauty. "We'll have mukluk and agootuk when she comes!" Terri sang to the tune of "She'll be coming round the mountain when she comes!", and a tribute song to the endurance and hardiness of the women of the Yukon recalled the pioneer spirit of women who face new frontiers. Music? Steve Hites sang of the Alaskan pioneers of the past - railroaders, miners, loggers. On harmonica and guitar he stomped, strummed and reveled in the beauty of the land and its people. Neil, orange hunting hat, matted beard, the blue jean-flannel shirt uniform, proudly pointed out the high points of his home city - Ketchikan, where he lives above the tunnel: a bald eagle alighting in its nest, huckleberries clustering on a branch, lush ferns rampaging through the rain forest, the surging waters of Creek Street. John Straley, a Sitka resident in the forefront of Alaska's new literary generation, pens mystery novels which take detective Cecil Younger around the state in pursuit of a murderer and in pursuit of his own identity. The gold miners of Robert Service and Jack London are forgotten as modern Alaskan characters fight alcoholism and drug addiction rather than the cold, hunger, and the white silence. The enemies change, but the human drive to survive is unfailing. The landscape remains and dominates. To people like these has this mighty land been entrusted. In and with the people - that is where God's heart is focused. Glaciers, mountains, ocean, orcas - but the greatest of these creations....is YOU.

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CHINA - Yesterday & Today
By Ann Boatright

I awoke at 6:45 a.m. to the bustling sound of construction workers adjacent to our Quilu Hotel in Jinan. Approximately a block away is the university. Peggy had left at 6:00 a.m. with Paul Shires to climb the "Mountain of 1000 Steps" southeast of the city. She reported that it took them forty-five minutes to walk half-way up, but only twenty minutes to descend. Typically, the sun was quite early. Peggy mentioned that the mountain was colorful, noisy, and filled with many people. While there, she smelled incense, observed bowing and praying, saw ancient temples and grottoes with Buddhist statues, observed people exercising with sticks and swords, and even saw a place to eat breakfast. This mountain was also known as "Thousand Buddha Mountain" because of its spiritual nature. En route, Peggy met a young woman named Mey, who hoped to teach English someday. With sadness, she confided that her English teacher from Utah and Colorado had recently left China.

Our group enjoyed a mostly American-style breakfast, except for an interesting affair which, on the exterior, was a triangular shaped corn husk tied with string and filled with a formed rice ball having a date-like center. I wasn't sure what to call it!

On our bus, we met our local guide, Zhang Qi, a lovely and very bright woman who began describing the day's events. We were to visit the English Corner at Black Tiger Springs (where there were four springs-Baotu, Black Tiger, Pearl, and Dragon Pool) featuring a city park around a moat. At this location, crowds of students of all ages visit the park each Sunday hoping to meet English speaking tourists in order to exchange ideas, practice the language, and casually socialize.

This park is located in the Southeast part of Jinan. Black Tiger Springs is one of sixteen springs which today have precious spring water, considered more valuable than ever because of construction and industrial overuse. In spite of extremely intense heat, I've never been so eagerly met. Several of us commented that we felt like celebrities or pop stars during our few moments there.

For me, this was such a high point of the trip. Young children, their parents and grandparents, college students and young couple eagerly quizzed me, nonstop, about America, our ways, education, food, daily life and anything else they were able to communicate. Their smiles were broad and eye contact was phenomenal. One young man honored me with a new name, Xiao Fang, and also presented my family with alternate names. My daughter, Beth, was now Gui Hua, and Ned was Sun Qiang. I also met a young couple, Xiao Jiao Xu and her husband. She works in the computer department of Shandong Bank (an agricultural bank in Jinan), while her husband teaches physical education. They were interesting and delightful. This was one time that my video camera proved to be a big hit because I was able to tape my new friends and immediately playback the footage for them. Unfortunately, I forgot to save this, so only my memory serves me.

Next we went to the Foreign Language Book Store where there were mostly Chinese tapes, CDs, and books. I purchased several tapes of classical Chinese music, Chinese composed piano scores, a piano teaching primer and an illustrated pronunciation chart. As the purchases were being quickly tallied on an abacus, I tried to video this technique of adding. Because we were in a hurry, I was unsuccessful. Another minor disappointment! Next we headed for the Shandong Provincial Museum, located at the north foot of the Qianfe Hill. The museum was originally built in 1954, but in 1992 a more modern building was erected. More than 400,000 items tell of local history. We were visually treated to cultural relics from as far back as the Neolithic Age. One of the highlights was an exhibition of Longshan Black Pottery. Lila, our group's art historian, commented on the well-developed sense of design these ancient people had. Four thousand year old pottery appeared as sleek, delicate, and modern as today's. Other items we saw included:

• figures of men cleaning fish
• animals
• a water preserved military strategy on bamboo sticks, greatly admired by Napoleon
• various scrolls
• the Indian Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin, who would later on in China become a man with a beard
• objects from the Qing Dynasty
• inkstones from 1644-1911, ceramic, vases, mother of pearl boxes, ivory combs, toothbrushes, and book stands, baskets, door pulls, pottery
• a warrior costume with tiger motif and headdress
• ladies' robes, tiny shoes and boots for bound feet
• miniature terra-cotta warriors with musicians heading the procession (found in Shandong in the Ming Dynasty)
• books from the 13th century which Marco Polo had printed
• objects belonging to the tenth son of the Ming Dynasty's first emperor
• dolls' or children's furniture (made small for the tomb) for their afterlife

After visiting this intriguing and well-displayed museum, we toured its gift shop. We were graciously offered a taste of unusual wine while leisurely admiring screens, postcards, jewelry, antique locks, fans, and oddly shaped teapots, all for sale.

Our next excursion was to the Tide Hotel (Xinyuan Haide) for lunch. Personally, I felt this was one of our more elegant and delicious meals on the trip. The hotel was newly built by Jinan's first millionaire. Fresh and appealing, the table was draped in a light watermelon-colored tablecloth. We dined on stewed tomatoes and egg, rice, green beans, spinach, breaded fish, beans and parsley, Chinese lettuce with dark soy bean and sweet sauce, French fries, fried chicken tenders, pickled cucumbers, beef and onions on a hot plate, pork tofu with green onion cubes jasmine tea, coke or beer. For dessert, we enjoyed our usual--refreshingly cool and sweet watermelon slices.

On our way to Jinan airport, our guide suggested that we listen to Peggy's orchestral transcription of the "Butterfly Lovers" which she had purchased earlier at the bookstore. Unknowingly, I had bought the piano score and was attempting to find out some details about it from our guide. Since she wanted us all to hear this well-known Romeo and Juliet type story, she generously told us the sweet tale. Then we listened to the musical composition. Afterward, I was able to gain from her additional information about other piano music I'd purchased. One score was based on ancient traditional Chinese music with poetic tiles such as "Moon Reflection on Erquan Spring," "Flute and Drum at Sunset," "All Birds Respecting the Phoenix," and "Autumn Moon on the Lake."

Qi also helped me understand the titles of folk tunes in the piano primer. I was particularly grateful for her knowledge and generosity. Perhaps I can use some of this with my students.

The day continued to become hotter and stickier as we approached Jinan Airport, a very busy and crowded place. People were madly pushing and shoving, which we eventually came to expect, but never enjoy. The flight was HOT, so out came our fans! We had a snack of mango juice, oranges, crisp cookie wafers, chocolate, watermelon, roll, and coffee or tea. Turbulent at times, the flight made me extremely uneasy.

After arriving at Xian's airport and obtaining our luggage, we took a forty-five minute bus ride to the city. En route, we couldn't help but notice that yellow soil, apple and peach trees, and a very dry Wei River.

Dorothy, our new local guide, told us these interesting facts about Xian:

• it is situated 400 meters above sea level.
• it is cold in the winter, and hot in the summer (we knew this!).
• it has two crops: winter wheat and autumn corn.
• it is the oldest city in China.
• during the Cultural Revolution more than half (300) of the ancient tombs (500 in all) were destroyed. These had housed famous generals, concubines emperors and empresses.
• Xian is a medium sized, (5 million) square city located in middle China.
• the Bell Tower is in the center of downtown.
  
• there are four main gates with a huge wall that wraps around the city.
  
• basically, the roads are straight.
  
• most of the people here are Northern, which means they are taller and stronger than in Southern China.

Next, we listened to some information about the Han Dynasty's Terra Cotta Warriors, which we were to visit tomorrow. Ninety percent of the people in China are Hans, Dorothy reported. The remaining ten percent (minorities) have special rights such as being able to have more than one child. Dorothy also gave us useful data about the Qing, Tang, and Ming dynasties. For instance, Chinas proud of its Tang Dynasty which had been modern and prosperous in its day. Women were in power, and those who were well-to-do could wear lower necklines. Also, it was acceptable then for a woman to have dinner with a man in public.

When we arrived at the Le Garden Hotel, we met Debbie Lerner's friend from Kansas City, Joyce Cox, who was teaching English at nearby university. Debbie invited any of us who wished to meet with Joyce and her after dinner in her hotel room where Joyce would be happy to share her China experiences with us. Because this was such a hot and eventful day, I simply cannot remember where or what dinner was about. However, I did join the small group after dinner in Debbie's quarters. We discussed a variety of topics.

Joyce had been teaching in Xian for ten months. She reported that there is equality in education-women's acceptance into universities is equal to men's. Jobs, however, are harder to obtain, especially in business, due to marriages and maternity. Job-wise, the only thing that women do not do is heavy construction. "Women," according to Mao, "hold up half the sky."

Joyce also said that since some female babies are not legally registered, a couple can have another child. If, in a rural area, a couple has a girl, they can apply four years later for another child. Minorities may have two children. Joyce commented that university students expressed concern about China's overpopulation, and that divorce is becoming more common in the cities.

Joyce mentioned that our media coverage about China's orphanages was obtained under false pretenses, according to officials. In fact, she reported that no foreigners are allowed inside. While orphanages are very crowded (cribs in the halls), these children are cleaner and better fed than the street children. When old enough , the children actually sit down at the table to eat in these institutions. She admitted that many of the girl babies are probably abandoned. By and large, more girls are adopted than boys.

Joyce's living conditions were nice--her building was about four years old, with a bedroom and adjoining living room which doubled as her office. She wasn't required to keep office hours at her university. Luckily, her accommodations had a western tub and toilet, Chinese double hotplates for cooking, a sink and washing machine (no dryer) , and a refrigerator.

Her teaching load was heavy-fourteen hours weekly, with forty students in a class. Six of those hours were writing classes, with oral classes having as many as twenty to twenty-eight students. She emphasized that in these sessions it was difficult getting students to talk spontaneously since they were used to repeating after their teacher. Students here are accustomed to being taught for upcoming tests, which was pointed out earlier in our discussions about "Black July."

Surprised at the emphasis placed on English, Joyce said that sophomores have to pass Band 4, and Seniors, Band 8 which is preparation for thesis writing. She commented on how wonderfully eager students are in China. I do believe this, having experienced the English Corner earlier today. And having read Bill Holm's impressions of his students in Coming Home Crazy.

Joyce will be in Xian until mid-September , at which time she will participate in the 60th anniversary of Edgar Snow (Red Star Over China). In nine years there have been many significant changes: more cars, buses, bicycles, pollution, people, crime, and larger street markets. Even on the sidewalks there are now more market stalls.

Finally, we wrapped up the discussion with the following information from her: It is frowned upon for university students to date. Simply, they are expected to study. Next, they typically obtain their job, marry and have a baby, all before thirty years of age. Women still receive the message to "Do what your father (husband, older brother) says." A girl as old as twenty-one also needs permission from her father to visit her boyfriend's family. Joyce gave an example of two university students who were married but didn't live together. They went to separate universities and met only occasionally. The woman might go to her husband's house and be a wife temporarily-there just isn't the emphasis on couples and parents living together. Grandparents frequently care for the children, with men retiring at age sixty, and women at age fifty-five.

After bidding our "good nights," the day was more than complete with so many interesting and varied events. It is easy to observe that everyone was extremely exhausted but excited about participating in tomorrow's busy schedule.

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GALAPAGOS ISLANDS AND ECUADOR
By Nick Maraventano

Few words could have been more appropriate than the lyrics to the morning music piped into our cabins at 7:15 a.m.- "I'm so excited"--as this fabulous experience began to draw to a close. The feelings of excitement over everything that transpired were of course mixed with some disappointment that our journey was rapidly coming to an end. In reflecting upon all that had taken place over the last two weeks, even the phrase "once in a lifetime experience" was a huge understatement. There was last minute packing to get done for the trip back to Quito.

Who would have thought these modest cabins would come to feel like home after such a short period of time? Who would have imagined we could cram so much into the seemingly limited space afforded each of us? Most importantly, who could have guessed we would ever find so much to buy on one ninety passenger cruise ship, and a series of mostly uninhabited islands 600 miles off the coast of South America? In response to the question of exactly how much we did purchase over the course of the cruise-only the ship's purser and the baggage handlers will ever know for sure. One thing is certain-the ship's water level certainly changed when our group departed.

Breakfast provided an opportunity for folks like Paul and Robin to say goodbye to their favorite waiter, Carlos. Until the last minute it seemed we were still trying to find a way to get Carlos to Newark, Ohio as part of some international waiter exchange program. Even better would have been a tandem team of Carlos and Pepe the bartender. We managed to bid fond farewells to all of the crew who went out of their way to make our ship feel like home the past week. From 8:00 to 9:00 we squared away our bills at the reception area. For some there was a lot more squaring to do than for others. There was even some discussion that Dean's last minute flurry of shopping activity after the ship's books closed and at the Baltra airport prior to departure were making him a strong candidate for "comeback shopper of the year award."

The video we watched in the lounge at 9:00 provided a great chance to relive some of the memorable highlights of the trip-blue-footed boobies, panga rides, fabulous buffet meals, sunning on the upper deck , and snorkeling among the sea lions to name just a few. Shortly after 10:00 came the all important message that Baltra's one flight a day had arrived. Our plane had landed and we would begin to disembark shortly. With vivid memories of our arrival just a week ago, we proceeded to our last short panga ride and then a quick bus ride to the Baltra airport.

The last scenes at the airport included Heini bidding us farewell from behind the glass and Dean snatching the last few T-shirts from the terminal's gift shop. One had to wonder whether Heini would ever have another group like ours. After all, how many times could he say he's been asked whether that was a donkey climbing a cactus or not? Flight #190 to Guayaquil was packed when it lifted off at 11:30 a.m. After a brief layover in the Guayaquil airport, we continued on to Quito, landing at around 2:40 p.m. (3:40 local time).

Marco was there to greet us with the wonderful news that Clyde and Ann had once again become grandparents while we were in the Galapagos. Better news than that, one could not have expected to receive. Of far less consequence, but also pleasing to us, was the news that no power outages were planned for our final evening in Quito. While the thought of not having anymore candlelight dinners or meetings may have disappointed some, the realization that we could pack, eat, and most importantly, shop in full light brought a smile to more than a few faces.

After the group's return to the Hotel Colon at around 4:30 p.m. we took full advantage of the time to take a few last minute photos from the hotel roof, patronize our favorite local merchants one last time and sample on last Ecuadorian meal.

By 9:00 p.m. we gathered for our final meeting back at the hotel. It seemed like just yesterday that we had all started from this very same place. This last meeting was a chance to reflect on the entire experience as well as to hear the thoughts and highlights of other group members. Former Metropolitan guide Odette Murillo spoke to us about her country and the importance of travel as a way of learning about other peoples. The pride and passion with which she spoke about her native land made a deep impression on many of us. Following her thoughtful words, Gene presented small gifts of appreciation to those who had assisted him in keeping track of the group along the way. And then we had a chance to share some personal thoughts and highlights of the trip.

There was considerable mention of sitting and waiting for the famous sea turtle, and then the thrill when it finally emerge--or did it really? A number of people talked about the value of the "quiet fifteen minutes" and the need to do more of that on future trips. There was the exhilaration of swimming among the sea lions and the joy of watching a mother booby walking around her baby. There was also the sight of the booby trying to fly for the first time. For some, highlights were sitting on deck looking at the sea while waiting for another fantastic sunset. Others recalled looking at the stars from horizon to horizon each evening after dinner. There was the thrill of the equatorial flush, and the chance to taste algae fresh from the sea. How perfectly Greg put it when he recalled how "Paul lifted a single rock and exposed a whole world to us." Who could forget the "Eden-like" surroundings at La Mirage, including our candlelight evenings, the family visits in Quito or the trip to the school where a visit from a few small children eventually multiplied into what seemed like the whole village? The only disappointment of that visit was that it came to an end. One description of the school visit characterized it as "the saddest, the happiest and the most exhilarating of all our experiences rolled into one." For some it wasn't a single highlight but rather the "whole trip" or just "all the animals" that they will most remember. Of course the efforts of a superb professional guide and well planned itinerary were not lost on our group. The tireless efforts of Marco added a great deal to the trip for each of us. For others the greatest joy was just the opportunity to interact with the local people.

Despite the language barrier, we found many ways to communicate. And finally who could forget how our collection of twenty-five independent minded individuals from various parts of the country eventually came together as a single group. The ability to overlook each other's foibles and eccentricities, of which there were many, helped create a comfort level that was most desirable. And of course there were the laughs we enjoyed every step of the way, sometimes at others, but most often at ourselves that may have been our most memorable trademark as a group. Speaking of laughs, the meeting could not have been complete without Kelli's rousing rendition of "I'm a blue-footed booby." Only her imitation of a giant tortoise snorting was more impressive.

With a tough act to follow, we concluded with Gene's reading of his poem entitled "Ecuador '95." From someone with more than forty prior study tours there was something refreshing in hearing his well chosen words relate how much this trip meant to him. In many ways for each of us, we had reason to reflect on how very special this trip had been. The only sobering note came when we were informed that our departure time had been pushed up an hour-bags out at 4:15 a.m., with departure for the airport set at 5:00 a.m. the big decision for some was whether to run up to bed early or even bother at all.

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EGYPT - Yesterday & Today
By Martha Bell

On leaving the awesome world of Ancient Egypt as displayed in the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, we confronted the reality of contemporary Egypt as we rode through Cairo for a late lunch at the Nile Tower Restaurant.

Our half-hour drive through the city revealed a bustling pageant moving at a measured but vibrant pace. It is an anachronism in living color where the contemporary collides awkwardly with the primitive, each demanding and receiving its place in the scheme of things. We watched, incredulous, as pedestrians calmly wove their way across steadily moving, bumper-to-bumper, multi-lane traffic. We noted that automobiles, buses, and donkey carts shared lanes in a egalitarian spirit; that traffic lights were few and far between and often ignored, verifying Mohammed's comment that "Red means 'Go' and green means 'Go fast.'" We saw large crowds that waited patiently for the next "empty" bus that had room to squeeze a few more passengers inside the bus or suspend them precariously form the hand rails above the entrance steps.

As fascinating as the traffic was, the people were no less so. They presented a kaleidoscope of color, style, and era. In the heart of modern Cairo we saw stylish western dress, as well as colorful variations of eastern dress little changed in thousands of years. As some walked briskly about their business, one robed man patiently swished a large fan of feathers to fan the coals of a brazier where corn was roasting; another tended a push cart where sweet potatoes were being roasted in a rickety portable oven; several women walked along balancing heavy loads on their heads; and other women swept the streets with hand-made straw brooms. The streets of Cairo were lively with color and activity.

As we enjoyed these street scenes, Mohammed identified points of interest as we passed them. These included the building where the film festival is held, an area for the construction of a subway, American University with its Egyptians and United States flags, the Arab League Building, statues to the leaders of the 1919 Revolution, and the imposing opera house given to Egypt by Japan to replace the earlier house which had been burned.

Finally we arrived at the ninth-floor Nile Tower Restaurant for a leisurely lunch which served as both lunch and dinner for most of us. As we enjoyed delicious Egyptian food, we watched boats moving along the Nile below us with the resplendent skyline of Cairo beyond. As the sun set and twilight came, we marveled at the beauty of the arabesque lace of minarets silhouetted against the rose and gold of the evening sky.

This could have been a perfect end for a perfect day, but more was yet to come. After returning to the Mena House we had the opportunity to walk with Mohammed to the Mena papyrus Shop where he demonstrated how papyrus is made. This writing paper of the Ancient Egyptians is made from the six-to-ten foot stalks of the papyrus plant, an aquatic sedge growing in southern Europe and northern Africa. The string, triangular shaped stems are cut into the required length and width of the finished product. The tough outer stem is stripped off and reserved for other uses. Then the remaining core is split into very thin strips. After being beaten with a wooden mallet, the brittle strips become quite flexible and resistant to breakage. They are then soaked in water for a week to remove about seventy percent of the glucose. Longer soaking can darken the color of the finished product, if desired. The strips are now ready to be arranged in slightly overlapping vertical and horizontal rows on a piece of dry cotton cloth. When the full sheet of papyrus has been laid out, it is covered with another cloth, placed between thick linen mats, and put into a heavy press for ten days. The mats are changed each day to discard the water that has been pressed out of the papyrus. At the end of this final step the papyrus is ready to be used for writing or painting.

So durable is papyrus that archaeologists are still discovering legible historical and Biblical records that are thousands of years old. No insects attack it, but glue is its enemy. Truly, the Egyptians are correct in calling it "the gift of the gods."

Perhaps papyrus is an appropriate metaphor for the country which first developed its use, a country whose ancient wisdom continues to intrigue and to provide adaptive uses for the fast-paced modern world. Egypt, too, is "a gift of the gods."

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MOROCCO - Yesterday & Today
By Emma Hill

Group activities began with a continental breakfast in the pleasant dining room of the Hotel les Merinides. The sun was shining through the large windows that look out over the hotel pool with the glass elevator ready to take guests to pool level, no doubt much in use in warmer seasons. The plain and glazed rolls were very good, but contained no surprises.

After breakfast we rode the bus through the newer part of Fez al Jedid, which was built by the Merinides in the 13th century. The wide avenue with a row of small palm trees in the median was lined with relatively modern construction. Hussein told us that the apartment buildings provide housing for immigrants. The original inhabitants of Fez are called Fassi. Fez has nice weather in the spring and fall. Winter is cool, especially at night, and summer is hot. The population figures printed in guide books are based on a census of the 1960's. Hussein estimates that Fez now has a population of 1,200,000 and that about 600,000 people live in Medina. Many rural people have recently come to live in the Medina and have greatly increased the population.

We stopped at the Royal Palace, the place where King Hassan II stays whenever he visits Fez. A huge open area in front of the Palace provides space for large numbers of people to gather for ceremonial occasions. There are orange trees and palm trees as well as a beautiful fountain along the side. The doors are worked in bronze and surrounded by green and blue ceramic mosaics. We took pictures of the doors, the colorful royal guards, and each other.

There were vendors near the Royal Palace trying to sell post cards, leather bags, and steel daggers. We stopped at a post office to buy stamps. The clerk said that each post card to the USA would require a three-dirham stamp. Later the concierge at the hotel told me my post cards needed four-dirhams. He sold me one-dirham stamps and helped me stick them on. I learned that others in the group were told they needed six dirhams. My post cards reached their destinations, but I am still unable to report the official rate.

Near the Palace there is an old Jewish Quarter that Hussein told us had supported the King. Only a small number of Jewish families still live there. There are others in the modern town built by the French.

Next we visited the new City Hall. Construction is still in progress, and the workmen are employing old techniques in use only by Moroccans. The lecture hall had beautiful plaster work, stained glass, brass chandeliers, a carved cedar ceiling, carved doors with a brass door knocker, and pictures of King Hassan II, the Crown Prince, and the second son. These pictures were seen all over Morocco. Outside, a waterfall in a small garden was turned on especially to welcome us.

The Dar Batha Museum is located in a palace built by Hassan I in 1873 to join Fez el Jedid and Fez el Bali. The rooms are arranged around a courtyard and contain displays of calligraphy and art. There are ink wells and different styles of writing, royal decrees from different periods. The rooms have carved cedar ceilings and chandeliers with small glasses around the bulbs that probably once held candles. The museum also contains pottery, musical instruments, utensils, caftans for rich women, agricultural tools, and many other items.

Near the entrance to the Medina, we visited a Koranic school. This building was constructed by Abou Inan in 1355 as a lodging house for students. It has been restored by the Department of Culture. The students study the Koran, astronomy, and medicine. There is a fountain in the center of the court yard for ablutions before prayers.

In the embroidery shop we saw young girls working on beautiful tablecloths and napkins. The work is equally attractive on both sides. The girls work six hours per day, six days a week, and are paid by the piece. Some of us bought beautiful cushion tops for about $20.00 each.

At a metal shop (brass, bronze, silver, and enamel) we saw work done by a man who said his father had worked on the Royal Palace in Fez and the doors of the palace in Rabat.

After further exploration of the Medina, especially the food section with its large piles of beautiful fruits and vegetables, and herbs, we returned to our hotel. We had already had a very full morning, but one of the highlights of the whole trip was still to come. We were invited to have lunch with graduate students from the university. Professor Abdelali Bentahila was at the hotel with his wife and small son. He introduced us to the students who had come to accompany us to their homes:

Moubtssime Mohammed, 127, Sidi Abderrahman L-mlili, Fez

Barhdadi Fatima Zohra, 83 Rassgenan Derb al Hazzaz, Fez, Morocco

We divided into two groups, and I was one of the guests of Mohammed. We went by bus to the entrance to the Medina and then walked through the narrow winding streets, on which no motor vehicles are permitted, to the homes where we were to be guests. Mohammed's home is now only part of the large traditional style house built by his grandfather in the 1840's. The furnishings appear comfortable but unpretentious. We were met by his mother and sister, who is an elementary school teacher. They greeted us warmly, but since they apparently did not speak English, they did not eat with us or make any attempt to visit.

Mohammed was an attentive host. He presented each of us with a gift of a small mirror, attractively framed with metal arches in the form of the Boujeloud Gate at the entrance to the Medina, also similar to the doors of the Royal palace. He showed us some of his books and his university thesis. His specialty is linguistics, and he would like to study in the States. He described graduate study in Fez as consisting almost entirely of individual research without the course work normally required by universities in the States.

The meal was served at a low table surrounded by sofas and small stools, much like arrangements for special meals in hotels. Before eating, Mohammed brought a silver tea kettle, a bowl, and a towel and poured water over our hands. We were then served couscous on a large platter, covered by the typical coneshaped top. Mohammed told us that it was made with semolina, olives, onion, chick-peas, black pepper, salt, and mutton. We were each given a large spoon and ate directly from the platter. Mohammed said that his mother knows how to form balls to eat with her fingers, but he does not. He did, however, separate the meat with his hands so that we could each have small manageable pieces. The second course was roast chicken served with side dishes of eggs, olives, chicken livers, carrots, potatoes, and bread. Mohammed had killed the chicken that morning, and his mother had cooked it for us. This was followed by a platter of fruits and mint tea.

During lunch Mohammed told us that there has been some unrest in Morocco in recent years. A strike resulted in fire in the Hotel les Merindes and in the City Hall. Some people were killed and others were jailed. The King has not come to Fez since these events. Customs are changing somewhat. Men often wear western-style suits, and women often go out without a veil. People usually eat together as a family--share together and have conversation.

After lunch Gene presented Mohammed with a picture book from OSU which we all signed. The Millers had a box of candy for the family, and Mikell had brought an OSU pen and post-it notes for our host. Mohammed brought out the upper parts of slippers which his mother embroiders for a shoemaker. She works at home during afternoons and is paid by the piece.

We were then invited to go up to the roof by a steep stairway for a view of the city. On one side was a Koranic school which Mohammed attended from age three through six. The children memorize parts of the Koran by repetition.

At about 4:00 p.m. we left the house and again walked through the narrow streets of the Medina. Nearer the house there was less traffic of people and animals, and the area seemed relatively tranquil. Farther on we passed a school with small children playing in the patio, a Turkish bath, and many shops. At about 5:00 p.m. we came out on the main street and found our bus. The other group soon joined us, and we returned to the hotel with a little time to relax before our dinner at 7:30.

A check with members of the other group revealed that they had been served the same menu in a very similar style. In this case, however, the entire family, mother, father, and children, ate together. Zohra had recently been married, and she showed them her wedding clothes and pictures. The women all tried kohl, said to be good for both the beauty and the health of the eyes.

It was a long and memorable day for all of us.

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KENYA I - Yesterday & Today
By Suzanne Cruickshank

First complete day on safari. We began this very busy and exciting day before sunrise at 6 a.m. in order to be ready for the 6:30 "game drive". Many of us caught a quick cup of coffee before boarding the waiting vans in the circle drive in front of the Amboseli Serena Lodge. But alas—before we could leave, we noticed a flat tire! I anticipated a long delay, but in fact I was amazed to observe the four guides working as one coordinated unit change the tire in exactly five minutes, thirty seconds from start to finish. What an impressive show!

Our first morning drive was a wonderful experience as we saw wildebeest, Thomson’s gazelles, and Grant’s gazelles even before the actual sunrise. The ride was something to which we were going to get very accustomed—bumpy, dusty, a bone shaking experience, fast and then slowing as we began to stalk a particular animal. We added to the list that first morning out—impala, wart hogs, a sacred ibis, white cattle egrets, and elephants in the distance, ostrich, blacksmith plover, a silver-backed jackal, and then a large family of elephants, which walked across the road directly in front of our van. We wondered right away if it was the "T" family or one of the other of Cynthia Moss’s catalogued family groups.

We looked for Kilimanjaro but it was hidden in the clouds, and we were glad to have seen its snow covered peak the previous afternoon.

As we continued the drive, we saw a marabou stork. Our driver spotted a rhino in the distance, but none of us could see it. Then we saw a wart hog, and another family of elephants—this time a tiny baby surrounded by two large females, three adolescents, and another young one with very short tusks, probably three years old. We also saw a white-headed vulture, three female impalas, each with a baby, and one male impala watching over them. Then Sammy spotted a leopard, which we all strained to see, but could not. We saw several birds, which were quite beautiful—a tawny eagle, a ground hornbill, a superb starling, a lilac-breasted roller, a blue-eared glossy starling, an immature osprey, and a gray heron. We concluded the drive by seeing a waterbuck and then enjoyed a grand breakfast, reminiscent of the old style safari meals.

During breakfast, we had a close encounter with the vervet or green monkeys, for they were great scavengers in the dining room. As Luella sat down to enjoy her meal, one of the monkeys jumped right onto the table to grab her croissant roll. Others invaded bowls of sugar packets, or anything else that took their fancy. The monkeys continued their antics by climbing in and about one of the jeeps parked in the driveway as we prepared to leave on our next safari—a visit to a Masai enkang or village.

This visit to the Masai village was a most unique experience and truly a privilege, for the Masai have traditionally been quite private. It was a large community, probably fifty mud huts built in a large circle housing 550 people. The entrances to the huts were on the inside of the circle; there were no windows, and the huts were built very close to one another. The mud roofs on some of the huts were parched with chicken wire or straw and strips of plastic. As we approached from outside the village, the huts seemed almost to be a solid wall and were protected with thorny branches of acacia trees. Once inside, we immediately noticed the flies, which crawled everywhere on us--even on our eyes and up our nostrils if possible. We slapped, swatted, and swished at them, but the Masai seemed quite oblivious of them. I applied my mosquito and bug spray and found some relief--thank goodness. One of the most difficult observations saw seeing the flies crawling on open sores of the faces of the little children--this could not possibly be a healthy situation.

The chief welcomed us and talked to us about some of the issues and concerns that his people have about living in Kenya today. He said that each Masai community has a strong independent governing system and has never wanted to be part of the Kenyan national system. However, today they have become aware of the need to accommodate themselves somehow to the changing times, that they must enter the cash economy, that education is very important, and that their people must become equipped to live with all of the other Kenyans. He said that is why he was welcoming us to his village.

As we looked around the village, we noticed the women standing or squatting in front of their huts talking among themselves and tending to their children. Some were nursing their infants. By our standards, everyone seemed to be in need of a good shower, and the sparse clothing was in need of a major trip to the Laundromat. Clothing for the pre-school set consisted of a single T-shirt with an American slogan printed on the front, hanging to the knees and with no diaper or underwear. Women wore a single strip of cloth wrapped around their bodies and then draped over one shoulder. Men also wore one wrapped garment, sometimes merely around the waist. Masai wear red in almost every instance—stripes, checks, plaids, or solid color. Men and women wore beaded jewelry alike. Even the children wore beaded bracelets and/or anklets. Only a few people wore shoes or sandals, and everyone’s feet were dusty and looked sturdy enough to be able to walk on any rough terrain. Most men had shaved or had very, very short facial hair. We were told their main diet was milk mixed with blood drawn from their cattle. I was quite uncertain about what other food was eaten.

In the center of the village was a large enclosed circle make of thorny acacia branches and dead brush stacked together as a fence. Each evening the cattle are brought into the enclosure for safe keeping from wild animals. Thus, now I understand why there were so many flies in the village even though the animals were taken out each morning for grazing.

Many of the younger girls, probably nine to fourteen years, began to line up in order to show and sell their beaded jewelry and other assorted trinkets and carvings. Needless to say, bartering was the order of the hour. The young men also gathered into a group, and performed some of their ritual dancing for us. The movements were quite rhythmic and included chanting—making the performance a compelling event. The young men continued to move forward as a single group and then spread out into a circle in order to prepare for the next event—the jumping competition. Each young man jumped straight up into the air, each trying to get up higher than the previous jumper. (Our American basketball coaches surely would have appreciated this exercise.) We were told that these dances were about coming of age, about strength, and about the eventual naming of the next chief of the tribe. These young men were called morani—those who have been circumcised and now are warriors in training. An interesting note—as we watched the men doing their ritual dances we also noticed the very young three and four year old children imitation the rhythmic movements as well, already getting ready for their time.

We were next invited to visit their school, a place just outside the village circle underneath a large acacia tree. The schoolmaster was a tall slender Masai man knowledgeable in Swahili and English, dressed in a red cloak and carrying a traditional stick. The children sat on benches placed in rows, sang a song, recited the ABCs, and did all of this with great enthusiasm and much volume. The teacher told us that the Masai hoped to build a proper school building with a roof and to obtain more and better resource materials. Many of our group brought paper, pencils, pens, crayons, and books to the school, and many also donated money for their use.

Before we left the village, we were invited inside one of the huts. It was very dark and barren. A sort of platform bed make of wood with some straw and newspapers was in one corner. There seemed to be about four families in the one hut, each in about one-fourth of the space. Just inside the entrance was a fire circle, but there was no hole in the roof for the smoke to escape, and there seemed to be no utensils for cooking either. We received no explanation so could only guess about how food was prepared. We returned to our lodge and our world in time for lunch.

At 3 p.m. we were again on the road—this time for a much-anticipated visit to the Amboseli Elephant Research campsite, the center of Cynthia Moss’s study and work since 1974. When we cut off the main road and drive along the very narrow track through thick bushes and trees and then came out into a large clearing, I couldn’t help but think of Elephant Memories with all the study, cataloguing, photographing, and hours of observation that have been accomplished in this place. There were six tents, each protected with a thatched roof just as Cynthia had described in her book. Cynthia was allowed to set up the camp with many conditions stated by the Kenyan government, one of which was that no permanent structures would be built. So, these tents have been in place all these twenty years since she first began her work. Even the outdoor shower and the kitchen were in place just as she had described them. Around each tent on the ground were placed skeletal lower jaws of elephants as they had been found throughout the park. I could hardly believe that this simple site had for all these years been the source of so much wonderful elephant research.

Before we met the speaker, Gene thought it would be great opportunity for us to get a group picture and suggested that a large log at the edge of the clearing would provide the right backdrop. Just as the picture was taken, the resident artist, Deborah Rose told us that the log was just the right place for snakes! Wow! Did the group move fast? Yes!!

We were then ushered to the front area of one of the tents and greeted by Susan Salylale (Cynthia was not in camp), a Tanzanian who had been with the project since 1987. Susan gave us a wealth of information, which I will outline here:

• Elephants are forever moving, sometimes in large groups, looking for food and water.
  
  
• Presently 830 elephants are in Amboseli; eight years ago there were 680.
  
  
• Amboseli is actually a corridor which can only support 150 elephants, but they have stopped going to Tsavo, and they experience trouble from the Masai, so they stay Amboseli where is safe and there is no poaching.
  
  
• The elephants are hard on Amboseli for they kill the trees by debarking them, eat all the grass, and use lots of water, but this is the way of NATURE, says Susan.
  
  
• Elephants continue to have trouble with the Masai, for part of their culture is to prove their manhood by spearing elephants or lions. There are disputes with the Game Wardens for this killing is illegal. The elephants hate the Masai, know them by smell and color, and never forget them. But things are getting better because one-fourth of the park entrance fees are going to the Masai.
  
  
• Tanzanian elephants also come to Amboseli. They look different, have longer legs, and are not counted in the 830 numbers. They come looking for food and water, especially in the rainy season.
  
  
• Elephants do go in and out of the park, but always come back so the babies can eat the soft grass by the water and drink water easily, but again elephants are in competition with the Masai for they must water their cattle also. In order for the elephants to avoid the Masai, they drink the water all night and leave before the Masai come in the morning.
  
  
• Susan knows all the elephant by name by the marking on the ears just as Cynthia does, and she tries to get friendly with them so that they get used to people and the cars. Susan gets to see some of the families each day.
  
  
• Some calves don’t have names yet and are not named until they are four years old. Actually, they are running out of names these days and welcome suggestions.
  
  
• There are fifty-two family units, which consist of grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and cousins. During dry times the family splits up, but join together later and greet each other by rumbling, urinating, defecating, and spinning around.
  
  
• The matriarch is the oldest female, but when she dies someone must take over, and sometimes two or three females fight for the leadership. The group splits and rejoins until a solution is found.
  
  
• One-time three cubs of seven to nine years of age were found roaming who could not find their family.
  
  
• At birth, elephants weight 160 pounds. Other females help with the birth. A first-time mother is very confused and may leave the baby, but the others surround the cub and protect it. Only females’ help, and sisters will baby-sit. An infant always goes back to its mother to suckle but also like to be with the grandmother.
  
  
• At three month’s, babies begin to learn to eat grass but with difficulty. They can’t get their trunks to work right. When drinking water, it often spills out of their mouths.
  
  
• Youngsters get tusks at about two or two and one-quarter years, but they are not important to females except to debark trees. Some never get tusk.
  
  
• Males leave the family at around eleven or twelve years. It is unclear whether they leave because they want to or because they are pushed out. They may leave because they are bored with females. Most get confused and can’t find water and rejoin the family for a short time. Females don’t like fourteen-year-old males around because they often hurt the babies.
  
  
• Younger children have jealousy problems when new babies are born.
  
  
• Female elephants in estrus will be chased by several bulls but only allow one chosen bull to mate and to protect her from other bulls for a few days afterward. During the time the female is in estrus, she can become very tired and weak because she is continuously pursued. After the mating bull leaves her, several younger bulls that are merely practicing their manhood will mount her.
  
  
• Bulls come into musk from time to time, and the older they get, the longer their season lasts. During this time they dribble urine, secrete from the gland between the eye and the ear, and fight other males for the privilege of mating with a particular female.
  
  
• Elephants communicate in many ways—rumbling, urinating, and defecating. They make approximately twenty-five sounds with some actions. A matriarch signal to other matriarchs in short or long rumbles. If a baby wants to suckle, it can call its mother.
  
  
• Research is being done on infrasound that humans can’t hear. Elephants for fifteen miles can hear infrasound; loud rumbles like thunder can be heard for two km.
  
  
• Cynthia Moss uses her book money to fund continued work in the project—other funding comes from: African Wildlife Association
  Tour companies, Private donations, Various film crews

We concluded our visit by looking into Cynthia Moss’s tent where so much dedicated work originated.

The drive back to the lodge gave us the opportunity to see an Egyptian goose, pelicans, marabou stork, blue heron, spoon-billed stork, sacred ibis, white heron, Cape buffalo, and several black ibis flying in a waving single-file line. Then we viewed our first hippos in the water.

The drivers then pulled off to the side of the road and invited us to climb Observation Hill, an unusually high "mound" in the middle of many miles of flat plains. Once of top, we were able to see all around in a wonderful panoramic view, seeing various animals off in the distance, and, also the beautiful water pond or swamp below us. What a beautiful country!

What an outstanding and rich and exciting day. We finished with a shower and dinner of roast pork or beef filet steak with all the trimmings. Then we had coffee on the patio with the expanse of grazing animals out in front of us. Africa is truly an exciting land.

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KENYA II - Yesterday & Today
By Harvey Charles

Midday found most of us either walking or relaxing at 12,000 feet up on the mountain, although Aloise’s van broke down on the way up. Chris, John, Luella, Cass, Bonnie and Gene languished at the 8,000 feet and never did get above the tree line. While Aloise repaired the ill-fated van, the rest of the group in the remaining d\vans walked up the mountainside beyond where the vans had left us. All returned except for Doug. He was with Jessie, but had kept on walking when she decided to stop. As we waited for Doug, we were concerned that he might have taken a wrong path, or heaven forbid, run into some kind of trouble. Munyi walked up a bit to see if he could find Doug but returned with no luck. Marilyn and Jean then decided to go up to see if they could find him. I was amazed at Jean’s condition, being one of the more senior members of the group, but she had climbed higher than some of us with apparent ease, and was quite agreeable to going again to look for Doug.

As Munyi, Ann and I sat waiting on the others to return, Munyi turned on the AM radio to KBC English service. What we heard in the next few seconds elicited surprise, laughter, and familiar feeling. It was one of Janet Jackson’s hot hits. Language may be specific to a region or ethnic groups, but music is truly a universal phenomenon. In time, Marilyn and Jean returned in the company of Doug. He hadn’t been lost or attacked, as we feared. He had simply assumed that we were supposed to walk up the mountainside since that’s what Gene said we would do when we got to the tree line. We were all relieved to know that all was well with him.

On our way down the mountain, we stopped to take pictures of a very deep but scenic gorge. Munyi realized then that our front left tire was punctured. He drove to the gate, of the park and there changed the tire. At the gate, many of us got out and sat under a tree. Bill was in a very humorous mood and kept making a number of funny remarks. Mary told him that she thought the altitude had gotten to him. Bill offered Benadryl to anyone bitten by the safari ants we saw higher up on the mountain.

We had not driven for more than a mile after leaving the dirt road when we heard a loud thud followed by pieces of rubber hitting the underside of the van. The left rear tire was shredded and pieces of it were strewn on the highway, but interestingly enough, it wasn’t punctured. In any event, it was no good for driving and we had to remove it .My concern as to whether we would get to the lodge, having only recently used a spare tire, dissipated when Munyi reassured us that he travels with two spare tires. I loosened the nuts on the wheel Munyi got the spare out from its carriage on the underside of the van, and Doug replace the tire with the spare. Some kids front the area came to assist or simply to observe what we were doing. Jean gave one of the little girls a yellow bracelet, and Marilyn felt that it brightened her up.

Thus far, the day had turned out to be quite eventful in terms of vehicular problems. Among all three vans, we had a total of three flat tires, a gas filter needing to be replace, battery and carburetor problems. In addition, Aloise’s van had to be pushed in order to get it started. At the lodge in Naro Moru, the entrée was either noissette of lamb or cottage pie. I wondered whether chefs think that these fancy names for their dishes would bias our opinions in favor of their culinary skills, a thought triggered particularly by the fact that the lamb proved to be of the same tough consistency which we had come to expect of beef or lamb thus far on the tour. It really didn’t matter though for we were all famished.

At 3:30 p.m. we arrived at The Irigithathi Primary School, a public school where the government pays the salaries of the teachers. Aloise’s five sons have either attended or are presently attending this school. As we drove up to the school compound, we saw a number of handicapped children who, we were later told, are housed at the mission operated by Franciscan nuns a few hundred yards from the school. As we walked into the open courtyard, a line of students, most of whom were girls assembled in front of us to render us a song. Most of the girls were clad in the uniform, which consisted of red overalls and yellow shirts. They were almost all bare footed. The music teacher introduced the forty strong choirs as being from standards one to three. The first two lines of the song were not completely sung when rain started to fall. It soon turned into a heavy shower, but the singing continued and the members of the group stood their ground except for me. I ran towards on of the classrooms, for I was not eager to be soaked and fall sick. The headmaster came out soon after and directed the group tot eh staff room and dismissed the children.

The staff room contained about eight tables and a number of chairs lined against the wall, ostensibly to accommodate our group as well as the teachers at the school. Two old and worn maps hung in one corner of the room. Various subjects were written in chalk on different sections of the wall, which probably served to designate the area each teacher occupied. Frankly, I was surprised to learn that the room was used as office space for the staff, for there were big holes in the concrete floor, and, apart from the class schedule on the chalkboard and an area of the wall where notices were posted, there was no other indicator of how the room was used. This was my initial realization of the tremendous need for very basic resources at this school. The choir, whose performance was aborted by the rain, performed for us in the staff room. Another choir consisting of older girls (11-14) also did a folk song having to do with the lamentations of a mother whose daughter was being married. Some of them were dressed in matching kangas. As the choir sang and moved to the rhythm of the music, I marveled at how gracefully and competently they executed their motions, and envisioned how competent they could potentially be at greater things if simply afforded the opportunity.

A letter from Mr. Nguthuko the headmaster was distributed to each of us expressing appreciation for our visit and for the material we had previously given to the school. The headmaster then formally welcomed us and encouraged us to return. He said that the rain was actually showers of blessings, and it was only later that we realized how much he meant this when Aloise told us that prior to our coming, it had not rained for weeks. According the headmaster, there are twenty-two teachers and 640 pupils at the school. As he introduced the teachers, they stood and identified the subject they taught. We reciprocated with self-introductions. The headmaster read the open letter to us, and Gene responded to his remarks. The headmaster then offered us sodas, saying that in their culture, it is important to have "a bite" of whatever is provided by the host/hostess.

IRIGITHATHI PRI. SCHOOL
P.O. BOX 14
NAROMORU

19/7/1990

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE VISITING OHIO LECTURERS:
I am writing this letter to convey my heart felt appreciation for you continued visit to our school.

Thank you very much for giving us money, which helped us to buy 1 table and five chairs. In addition you have given us

• A very helpful music instrument which made up go up to provincial level in 1990 music festival
• We have already received 400 library books
• A solar calculator, which makes our office work easier.
• Two mathematical Journals. Plus other many things, which could not fit in this letter.

Our visitors. We are still requesting you to give more library books if possible. The parents in Kenya have been charged with the responsibility of buying both text and exercise books. There fore any assistance towards the same both in cash and kind is welcome.

Our visitors we have a workshop room already built with minimal Equipment. We are also kindly asking you to assist us in equipping our workshop.

Other wise, than you very much for remembering us in your tour to Kenya and may God bless you on your journey home to OHIO.

Aloysius N. Nguthuko

HEADMASTER

Our next visit was to a standard 5 classroom in session. There were thirty-six students in this classroom sitting three to a desk. The two windows and the door provided the only light and ventilation for the classroom. The floor was not much more than a dirt floor. The teacher introduced his class and then described his responsibilities. He teaches math, geography, agriculture and science. He gave copies of the tests he administers to some members of our group and challenged them to administer these tests to their pupils in the U.S. Jessie agreed to do this. The students in this class are taught eleven subjects per week. This includes music, art, math, English, agriculture, science and Kiswahili. The teacher demonstrated a teaching unit on Math to us. Questions were asked by the group members and he gave appropriate responses. Despite the extraordinarily simply conditions under which these teachers teach and these children study, there was the undeniable sense that education is highly valued, that there is much interest in learning and achieving, and that they take pride in what they do.

I got a chance to speak to some of the kids and to look at the work they did in their exercise books. Most of the exercise books were neatly covered with newsprint. The kids were extremely pleased and excited to see us. I sat on one of the desks and was talking with sic of them when suddenly I felt a mass of bodies pressing around me as the students attempted to hear what I was saying and just to be close. I discovered that none of them have ever been to Nairobi, and their impression of the United States is that it is a nice place. They all felt very confident that they would pass their exams and were enthusiastic about writing to pen friends their age in the United States. I almost lost my right hand in attempting to distribute the sixteen pens I had to a class of thirty-six. I felt sad that I did not have enough pens to give one to each of them for it was very evident that to them, this was a valued gift. I spoke to Michael Wahome the math teacher and Stephen Kiaire the music teacher. They both enjoy teaching at the school, but stressed the dearth of resources as a significant constraint. I promised them that I would try to acquire some recorders and two calculators for them.

The school is in session from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every weekday, and classes are held on Saturdays for students in standards 7 and 8. The instructors said that there is stiff competition among the districts for academic success, hence the importance of giving their students as much help as possible. Greg made a presentation of five basketball jerseys from his high school to the basketball team at the neighboring high school. Gene also presented a box of books, crayons, etc., to the headmaster. Most of the members of our group had to be almost dragged from their conversations with the teachers at this school when it was time to leave. It was such a wonderful and fulfilling encounter. Addresses were exchanged and promises were made to keep in touch. There was genuine appreciation on the part of both groups of teachers for this exchange, not only in a professional sense, but also as human beings from different cultures realizing the commonalities of human experience.

Our next stop was at the Naro Moru Children’s Home run by Franciscan Sisters from Italy. This institution serves eighty handicapped children. Sister Antoinette welcomed us to the facility and told us that most of the children are afflicted by polio. Others suffer from congenital diseases and cerebral palsy. They live in this facility, and those who are able attend the local primary school so that they can become better integrated with the other children.

The children at this center are between the ages of eight to twelve years and they spend two to three years at the center. Sister Antoinette said that there is a long waiting list to be admitted. An important objective of their program is to teach the children a greater measure of self-sufficiency. The facility consists of thirteen concrete buildings which form a rectangle around a well cared for lawn in the courtyard. The facility was opened in 1982 and is supported by churches in Italy. It receives no funding from the government. It was not surprising that I did not see a picture of President Moi at this facility.

We visited the room where orthopedic equipment, including shoes and calipers, is made. We saw the physical therapy room. There are two physical therapists on staff. We were also taken to the dining room, kitchen and laundry. Sister Antoinette said that the two washing machines are a big help, and repairing them is always problematic. The dormitories were neat and clean with the beds all make up. At the craft class, we saw some of the students making chairs from beads, others making macramé plant hangers, and others who sere sewing. They all seemed to take pride in what they were doing.

Gene accepted contributions from those among us who were willing to support the school and presented the funds to Sister Antoinette who was most appreciative. The rain had started falling again as the vans pulled into a sheltered area where we piled in and headed for Aloise’s home. His home was only four kilometers from the school, but I feared that we would become stuck in the mud and would not be able to return to the lodge.

We were greeted in the yard by Aloise’s wife, five sons and neighbors. Aloise’s house is built of brick and was very comfortable indeed as we soon found out when ushered in. He welcomed us to his house and introduced us to his wife and five sons, the youngest of whom he described as "the King of the house". After his brief remarks, followed by Gene’s response, Aloise directed us to his traditional Kikuyu house at the back of his brick house where we had chai or tea, cookies and homemade cake. Aloise calls this house the Kenya-American museum and said that when it is completed, he will display all the artifacts he purchased on his two trips to the United States. He intends to open this "museum" to the school children in the area. Aloise introduced his neighbors to us and introduced us to them. He said that he had to tell them who we were because they would ask him a lot of questions about us when we left. Gene suggested that they might have questions to ask of us. One of the neighbors immediately responded to this by expressing to Aloise in Kikuyu her happiness at our visit, her appreciation for the fact that though we are foreigners, we took the time to visit them, and she wished us God’s speed on our trip back to the U.S. Gene presented OSU pens and an illustrated dictionary to Aloise’s children. Aloise’s wife was presented with a beautiful amber necklace as a token of our group’s appreciation for her hospitality.

Amidst a chorus of "thank you" and goodbyes, we walked out of the traditional house into a slight drizzle towards our vans. Driving out was not as easy as coming in. Our van was slipping in the driveway and had to be pushed by Aloise’s family and friends. We slipped and slid down the muddy path onto the main road, which was in better condition.

Given all that had occurred since we started out this morning, one would have thought that a very eventful day had come to an end. This was not the case, however, for after dinner I learned that Mary was very sick with a high fever and chills. Unfortunately, it was very cold at night at Naro Moru, and even though our eighteen-foot ceiling rooms came with a fireplace, not every room had wood to be burned in the fireplace. Mary needed to be kept warm but there was no wood in her room, so Chris came to our room in search of fuel. Recognizing the good cause for which her request was intended to serve, I urged her to take as many pieces as she like and to return for more if necessary.

Two very caring men in Bill and Greg went over to get the fire started for Mary and Chris. They tried for more than half an hour, yet the fire kept going out. Eventually their efforts paid off, not in burning wood, but in a smoke filled room, which didn’t necessarily make things warmer for Mary but certainly generated much laughter among them. There is no doubt that this afternoon and evening’ experiences would stand out as highlights of our trip to Kenya.

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MEMORIES OF KENYA & TANZANIA
by John Donaldson - Kenya & Tanzania October 2005

Preparations
Going on safari in East Africa was a marvelous adventure.  Before going, however, there was much to do in preparation for the trip.  Choosing a tour operator that offered an appealing itinerary at a reasonable price was the first step; this was done in January when we received a flyer from Montgomery College promoting a "learn while traveling" tour operator. It looked like a good choice, and the resulting experience proved it in fact to be a very good choice.  Shortly after making that decision, we settled on trip insurance.  Over the following months, we--Christopher, Donna, and I--all did background reading--fiction and non-fiction-- to enable us to get the most out of our travels in Kenya and Tanzania.  We decided what health precautions were necessary and proceeded to get enumerable shots and a supply of anti-malaria pills.  My passport was renewed, and visas obtained.  Research on clothing and insect repellents was completed and purchases made.  (I bought a safari hat that did a good job the whole trip shading me from the equatorial sun.)  Cameras were readied, and an extra large supply of rechargeable batteries was gotten just in case the difference between our electrical system and the local systems caused problems recharging.   We did some internet surfing to get an idea of the places where we would be staying and got excited with the anticipation of some very nice places.  Finally I spent hours on the internet seeking the best flights.  With this done, and after months of preparation, we each packed our one bag allowed, and we were ready to go when the day came in October when Cindy drove us to Dulles.

Getting There
Nairobi is a long way from Washington in any case, but it is made longer because you go by way of Europe.  In our case we flew KLM and thus connected in Amsterdam's airport.  Each flight was about eight hours long, and so with a four hour layover, it meant about 24 hours door to door.  The KLM flights were good considering we were flying tourist class.  Even though we enjoyed the flights both going and coming, we were tired when we arrived.  This was compounded by having to adjust to a seven hour time difference.  In a few days though we were fine and, aside from some restless nights, we proceeded feeling good and excited with anticipation.  We were not disappointed.

On Safari
Over the course of the three weeks, we must have seen just about every kind of animal there was to see.  A list is attached. All of what we saw was captured in the more than 3500 digital images taken by Christopher and Donna.    While these images capture and record the animals so well in their habitat, there were occasions that merited being elaborated.

On one of our first early morning outings we came upon a pride of lions enjoying their kill with one lioness on each of the two wildebeest carcasses.  On the sidelines watching were stalking hyenas trying to decide how best to get their share.  Ultimately one hyena approached from one side, drawing the lioness' attention and eventually her wrath as she would lunge after it.  At this point from the other side several hyenas came racing in, tearing away some flesh, and rushed off to enjoy it out of sight.  This was repeated several times.  More patient than the hyenas were the two jackals that stood even further off to the side apparently waiting for all of them to be done and gone.  The pecking order was thus clearly established.

The male lion though leader of the pride is not always in sight and does not participate in the kill.  He comes along after the lionesses have done their work.  We saw this at another kill site.   lionesses had done their work, bringing down a water buffalo and had enjoyed some of the meal, when along came the male who took over the carcass and proceeded to rip and devour the flesh even to the point of sticking his whole head into the entrails of the dwindling remains.  Meanwhile other lions lay around in various stages of rest and satisfaction awaiting their chance to return after he had finished.  In other instances we happened upon mothers and cubs lying quietly, some sleeping and some playing.  We could drive right up to them, and they were not fazed.  Evidently the king of beasts is not too threatened by lesser beasts including us, as long as we stayed in the van.

While the many lion sightings were exciting, seeing leopards and cheetahs seemed even more special.  The leopards were special because they are so difficult to spot.  Generally you look for them perched on a low over-hanging tree branch, but it takes an eagle eye like Christopher’s to spot them.  He did so on several occasions.  While the scene was tranquil as the leopard hardly moved, the rarity of the experience made it more than exciting.  We learned too to appreciate the cheetah and its majesty.   We had the good fortune to see cheetahs several times.  Once we saw two brothers sitting high on a mound, each surveying the surrounding countryside alert for prey.  Another time we watched a cheetah on a river bank.  When we first saw him, he was sitting just looking around.  Then he lay down.  Then he walked around.  He looked across the river contemplating perhaps a crossing, but seeing us maybe thinking the better of it.  Gradually we began to hear some noise growing louder coming from down river.  The noise clearly drew the cheetah's attention.  As the noise grew louder, we saw the beginning of what proved to be about sixty baboons making their way to the side of the river.  Finally as they approached, he could stand it no longer, and the cheetah fled off into the bush in the opposite direction.  He was no match for that band, and he knew it.

Elephants also exhibit highly developed social behavior.  We were fortunate to be on safari when many elephant mothers were shepherding their young along with them.  Some were still nursing.  These very young were always in the middle when the herd took to moving on or crossing the road.  Certainly there always was a mother between us and her baby as they crossed by us.  Nothing could demonstrate elephant behavior better than the mating ritual.  During the night when we stayed at the Ark, which flood lights its surroundings, a herd of more than a dozen elephants visited the watering hole.  While they were there, a young male came along and responded to a young female who appeared ready to receive him.  There was considerable jockeying around, moving from place to place, but ultimately nothing came of it.  The herd's matriarch had all along been observing the goings on, as had the rest of the herd, and it may well be that she decided to call the affair off.  Whatever the signal was, the young male, the dejected suitor, wandered off unsatisfied into the bush.  So goes young love.

 A phenomenon not to be forgotten was the sight of the migrating wildebeests and zebras.  Every year thousands of these creatures move one direction or the other on the Serengeti, going into Tanzania or back to Kenya, depending on where there is water and the grass is green. In the process of the migration, crocodile infested rivers must be crossed.  As the story goes, the wildebeests rely on the zebra to determine if there are crocodiles waiting to strike as they cross, and the wildebeest let the zebra go first, at least so the story goes.  We had the truly good fortune and good safari guide (more about him later) to arrive at the right place at the right time, and we got to see a river being crossed by this endless stream of mostly wildebeest with a few zebra mixed in.  The river lay down in a gulley.  The herd reached the edge of the gulley and just milled around for a while.  Finally some animals started down and began to cross--we didn't see who was in the lead.  Shortly however some of the animals got second thoughts and stopped in the gulley reluctant to enter the water, even though the preceding animals had made it across and up the other side without a hitch.  So they stood around on the edge, and the rest of the herd stopped well back from the gully’s edge.  The animals up top clearly had no desire to proceed, and the few zebra standing around did not seem any more anxious to go ahead than did the wildebeest. It was an impasse.  There was no evidence of crocodiles down below, but those animals down by the river's edge were not going to go anywhere.  Then suddenly as mysteriously as they had stopped, they started.  The animals in the gulley cleared out and across; the animals up above seemed finally to get the idea and began to follow.  This part of the great Serengeti migration was once again underway with no hint of what had caused it to stall.

Something we were told early in our safari adventures was that every outing would be different.  Every time you went out, you would see something different.  Sometimes the differences were subtle, but they were there.  Each time we got into the van we did so with anticipation of what we might see this time.  Even on our last day, after three weeks, we experienced new things.  We paused to watch two lionesses stalk prey.  During our picnic lunch out by the lake in Ngorongoro Crater, Christopher watched as a bird snatched part of his sandwich from his hand.  We saw a usually wary hyena sound asleep right next to the road.  Finally there was the tire going flat while we were watching the lions.  Earlier we had been told that your safari was complete only after you had experienced a flat tire.  And so it was for us.

Accommodations
The safari tent in the bush was considerably better than the traditional romantic image.  Even when we stayed in so called "tent camps", these were luxury places.  We never had to rough it.  In fact, it was the opposite.  All the accommodations were outstanding with two being better than that and only one less so.  A list of the places we stayed with a few comments about what made each one special is attached. In general these places were better than the places we stay when traveling in the U.S.

While each had its own personality and those things that made it special, all of the places shared some common characteristics.  All were constructed of stucco, stone, or wood in such a manner that we knew we were in a place with its own architecture; for us we were able to feel we were lodging in Africa, not in some non-descript  international hotel so that we did not know where in the world we were.  The dining rooms were in a central facility, built with high beamed ceilings, usually open to the outdoors, sometimes circular.  Frequently the meals were buffet style with a wide range of foods from which to choose, including both international and local dishes.  One time we tried crocodile, and it was awful.  Many places had a chef cooking to order over an open grill; in the morning this was for the eggs, and in the evening it might be for pasta with individually prepared sauces, or some meat cooked to specification.  Meals were good.  Generally we had a table assigned to us and we ate with our guide and the others traveling with us.  Most places had a nice bar, a gift shop, and some had a computer that Christopher was able to use to download the digital images on to a different storage medium to free up space on the camera memory cards, or else how could he possibly amass all those images?  The sleeping quarters were in buildings separated from the main complex, most of the time, being individual units, but sometimes the rooms were in clusters.  In all cases these involved a walk from the central facility, and it seemed we were always at the end of the line.  It became almost a joke that we always seemed to have to take the longest possible walk.  (Donna trooped on gamely with her bad knee making for a challenging journey to and fro.)  Since our days were spent in the safari van, often this was our only exercise so we really did not mind too much.

Activities and Events
We have much to remember that was not seeking and observing animal in the wild.  We visited three villages where the people are living very much of a traditional life.  We visited a Samburu village where we were entertained by singing and dancing with us joining in the dancing.  We saw the huts and how they lived including their traditional method for making fire and the blacksmith’s crude processes.  We had a similar tour of a Maasai village, and learned that many of their customs were similar to those of the Samburu with the major exception that the Maasai kept their cattle and sheep right in the midst of their walled in village, while the Samburu maintained their cattle and goats in their own penned in area within the village walls.  This made for some difference in the level of sanitation found at the two villages.  The third village we went to was a fishing village on the southern shore of Lake Victoria.  While we saw much  that was traditional in the huts in which the villagers  lived, the boats from  which they fished, and the buckets filled with water taken from the lake  carried by the women on their heads, there were some aspects of the contemporary world such as beat up pool tables, outside bars, and a few very small food shops.

We went to the National Museum in Nairobi.  Representations of area archeological discoveries were prominently displayed including a re-creation of Mary Leakey’s “footsteps” and a model of the Turkana boy skeleton.  We learned that Joy Adamson, the author of "Born Free" et al, was also an accomplished artist; hanging in the museum was her series, commissioned by the British government,  of tribal portraits, one for each of the 41 tribes of Kenya, as well as many beautiful renderings of indigenous flowers and trees. Perhaps best of all were the colorful male and female bird displays.  Every species of bird found in Kenya was represented.  We were lucky for the timing of our visit; the following week the museum was closing for two years of major renovations.

Back in 1992 a tour visitor like us was considerably distressed when he realized how many poor children were living, with or without families, on the streets of Nairobi.  He returned a few years later to start Boystown Africa in the countryside outside the crowded city.  We saw the result of his efforts.  Today there is a facility where 148 boys live in dormitories, are fed regularly in the dining hall, attend classes, and participate in various activities such as acrobatics, singing, and dancing.  We got to see them do all three as they put on a show for us.  We saw too the classrooms and the library.  The gentleman from New York, D. A. Niermeyer,   has accomplished a great deal.

We also saw the same native acrobatics performed by professionals, once at one of our hotels and once at a cultural center, but neither rivaled the enthusiasm and earnestness of the boys.  We visited a crocodile preserve and were shown their speed and strength in menacing a prey; growing to as long as 18 feet, they can be incredibly intimidating.  A visit to a preserve where a rhinoceros, injured as a baby, now lived a safe life as an adult.  While he had been raised in captivity, one could get too close to him with a false sense of security, at least that is what Donna thought when she realized how much faster he could move than she could.  This same preserve had a wonderful visitors’ center with exhibits that encouraged us to touch the hides, the bones, and other souvenirs of the natural environment.  We did.

Cynthia Moss began her work to preserve elephants in the early 1970’s.  She established a work site in what is now the Amboseli National Park, and it remains there today as an active research station still directed by Cynthia Moss and staffed with dedicated local peoples.  We received a briefing on past accomplishments and current research from the project manager, a lady from the local Maasai tribe, now with major responsibilities for community relations among other things.   Well spoken she convinced us of the importance of their work.  We saw that daily life was not easy for the staff who lived in safari tents requiring a long walk to sanitary facilities and without protection from wandering wildlife.  We were truly of the fringe of the bush.  Christopher bought a wooden elephant carved by one of the local boys working at the station.  We thought the Elephant Trust’s sponsorship was going to worthwhile ends as we watched the herds of elephants parading by off in the distance.   

Everyone has heard that water swirls down the drain in one circular direction in the Northern Hemisphere and in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere.  Not too many people have heard what happens to draining water on the equator; at least we had not nor had we thought about it.  Guess what!  It pours straight down.  We reached the equator, and we stopped where some enterprising young men were demonstrating the Coriolis principle twenty yards either side of the equator and on the equator itself using a plastic bowl with a hole in the middle.  Afterwards as we were driving down the road, Donna noticed several other groups of young men offering the same demonstration; she asked how they can do this when we have left the equator behind us?  (We learned later that the answer lies in how the water is poured not where it is poured.)

Three places in Tanzania are the basis for very special mention. Olduvai Gorge was where Louis and Mary Leaky did so much to expand our knowledge of our origins.  Standing on the edge of the gorge was almost a religious experience with its feeling of so much history in this place.  Not too far from there was the Ngorongoro Crater which is really a caldera created millions of years ago when the second highest mountain in Africa erupted, imploded, and fell in on itself.  Today it is a huge crater that one can spend the entire day driving around in, as we did on our last day on safari.  If Kilimanjaro is not the most recognized name of a place in East Africa, then the Serengeti is.  Sitting on the terrace of the lodge looking out over the plain was perhaps the ultimate African experience; in this place we were truly in Africa.

On the Road
A recollection of the safari would be incomplete without some attention to the safari van, the roads, and the driving.  The safari vans were amazing vehicles.  While we were in a different vehicles in Kenya and Tanzania, both were indestructible Toyota vans.  That they never broke down was a tribute to Japanese engineering.   The roads in Kenya are terrible, and while Tanzania showed us more decent road surface, it too has its share of rutted, wash boarded tracks.  In Kenya in many instances the roads were so bad we drove off the road on the side where the people walked.  Then there were the unimproved roads....If there was any down side to our time in East Africa, it was the ride between destinations where one did not have the distraction of looking for animals to get his mind off his bouncing bottom.  Moreover, when looking for animals, we generally went slowly, whereas there was an effort to make time when going to the next destination.

Because our groups were small, we had plenty of room in the van and could spread out.  Much of the time when traveling we had to keep- the windows closed because of the dust which further contributed to the discomfort of the long haul rides.  In contrast when looking for animals, the van had a roof that could be elevated about three feet protecting us from the sun, but when standing giving us a 360 degree unobstructed panorama.   Christopher and I spent many hours standing and peering out.  With his excellent eyesight for spotting a well camouflaged figure or a distant silhouette, and with my excellent binoculars, we were many times encouraged to continue looking in spite of the tiresome bouncing over track and open space.  Our driver/guides did an incredible job of driving the vans over and around obstacles, through holes, and over streams, while searching for an animal. They also did a masterful and thoughtful job, once an animal was sighted, of positioning the vehicle so everyone could get the very best view and picture.

The People
There were the people we traveled with, our diver/guides, and those with whom we came into contact.  During the Kenya portion of the safari, we were five of us with the other two being a mother and adult daughter.  The mother had an eagle eye, like Christopher, and was intense in her concentration to catching sight of the next animal.  Her daughter was eager and enthusiastic, adding to the general feeling of optimism and pleasure.

Our driver/guide in Kenya was called "Magic"; his name was Amarjeet Bilkhu, but he lived up to his nickname.  He was great; he made the trip the total success it was.  He was intelligent, knowledgeable, thoughtful, conscientious, and anything else you could hope for. Above all, he was totally friendly, so that he gave us the sense that he was sharing our pleasure.  For two weeks we had more than a guide; we had a good friend.  In Tanzania, Boniface Plasidi was a good guy too, but being younger his efforts on our behalf were well directed and successful, but they were not quite like those of Magic.  Both made the time wonderful, but Magic was in a class by himself.

We met Samburu, Maasai, the people who staffed our lodges, but we really did not meet the people.  The Samburu were warm, friendly people.  The Maasai, on the other hand, were serious people who did  not show joy or pleasure with the exception of one  young  Maasai man who gave us a talk and was educated and was therefore more worldly than the average Maasai. The staffs with whom we came into contact were all very nice, but they can hardly be assumed to be representative of the people.  The fact is we never got out to mix with the people on the street or in the local stores.  My suspicion is that we would have found them to be open and warm, but we will have to go back to find out if that is really true.

Epilogue
We went to East Africa to see the wildlife and that we did.  There is much to be seen, and it looks very healthy in its natural habitat.  Kenya and Tanzania are to be given much credit for setting aside enough natural habitats to make this possible. Neither country is wealthy in natural resources other than  the wildlife.  This they are preserving for the world, and for this the world owes them something in return.  The contribution made by the tourist probably helps, but given the standard of living in the two countries, it is not enough.  We in our affluent homelands are deeply indebted to these fine people and should find a way to make good on this debt.  

Accommodations
Safari Park Hotel: This hotel is on the outskirts of Nairobi.  We stayed here three times.  Upon arrival, as at all lodges, we were greeted with a cool fruit drink and a wet cloth with which to wipe away the dust of the journey.  The Safari Park is large with many separate buildings, well cared for gardens, walking paths, a sprawling swimming pool, a variety of restaurants, shops, and a casino.  Like most places we stayed, it had a large central building with reception, offices, and a bar.  Guest rooms were in two story outlying buildings.  Food was good, service congenial, and rooms large with an unneeded mosquito tent over the bed.  The ambiance was high quality African.  A fragrant flowering gardenia bush will be foremost among the many pleasant memories of the Safari Park.

Amboseli Safari Lodge: Vervet monkeys frolicked on the terraces and challenged the young Maasai tribesmen who were there to keep them under control.  The terraces provided vantage points for looking out from the tree dominated environs of the lodge to the open areas where baboons could be seen parading.  A walkway from the central building took us to our room well down the way past the gently curving single story structures.  Our room inside had curved walls, somewhat like one might find in a Samburu or Maasai hut, and the walls were decorated with silhouetted figures of the nearby animals. At night we could hear hyenas howling to one another.

The Ark: This was the most unusual place in which we stayed.  It was nestled in its own pocket of wildness, so isolated that in order to maintain it that way, visitors were bussed in once a day, and once in we did not stray from the premises.  Unlike the other lodging, everything was contained within the one building which looked like an ark.  Rooms were simple and small as on a ship.  The 100 or so visitors were nicely fit into a small dining room where excellent food was served.  What made this place special were the huge glass windows and outside viewing verandas that overlooked a watering hole popular with the local wildlife.  Flood lights were trained on the area at night, and when something special came along, an alarm signal sounded to alert/wake us in our room.  The signals were coded to indicate how special was whatever was to be seen. This was where we witnessed the mating ritual of the elephants choreographed under the lights as midnight passed.  Earlier a bird feeding station was filled at five in the afternoon providing an unexpected treat of seeing many bird species up close and personal.

Shaba Sarova Lodge: The buildings here were African in motif though reflecting a different tribal approach to construction.  The lodging was in two story wooden structures, very dark in color, with again large windows to look out on visiting wildlife.   Christopher's room on the second level involved ascending a regal wooden stairway.  The lodge was on the edge of a river where well below we could occasionally see a crocodile or two.  The dining area was open air on the second level; it gave the effect of being in a tree house.  The pool though small did attract Donna enough that she went swimming.  At night we enjoyed sitting on the terrace adjacent to the bar at the cliff edge overlooking the river.  We could not stay too late, however, because the next morning was an early one as most of them seemed to be.

Sweetwaters Deluxe Tented Camp: While our tented camp unit was neat with rugs on the floor and a shower with hot running water, the main building was the least African of all we saw.  It was more a modern building placed in the midst of cleared flat grassy fields.  While there was an observation building overlooking a waterhole, it was open and exposed and few animals came to it.  We saw more wildlife while sitting on the front porch of our tented site looking out into the bush. 

Lion Hill Lodge: This was a smaller, more intimate place, sitting on a hillside looking down to a lake lined with hundreds of thousands of  flamingos (who when you got close to them smelled rank).  The units here reminded us of a luxurious version of the outlying units at Big Meadows in Shenandoah National Park; they were built of stone similar to that of the Virginia park.   Connecting rooms reinforced this impression as Christopher's was like a similar, though nicer, sitting room with fireplace.  The staff was particularly nice and made our short stay very pleasant.

Mara Sarova Deluxe Tented Camp:  Our tented camp unit was nestled in the shrubbery, far removed from the central building, the remoteness giving rise to quiet, but also to the requirement for a long trek each time we had to find our way back and forth.  The tented unit was certainly deluxe featuring handsome rugs, a large bathroom area, and a queen sized bed.  Here we had a talk by a Maasai warrior (well educated and on the hotel staff).  Here we found the best gift shop and where we bought most of our souvenirs.  This was the first  place it rained so that we had to use umbrellas, thus marking the beginning of the season of  short rains.  We got a chance to get to know a member of the staff when we drove her back to civilization so she could catch a bus home during her once a month long weekend; we learned the staff worked long hours and many days before getting a time of rest.

Lake Manyara Hotel: This was our first night in Tanzania, and we gave it the lowest rating of the trip.  This place was more like a tired motel with small cramped rooms.  The dining room ran out of food both at dinner and breakfast.  T