On the Ground in Tarangire

December 23, 2015: Most of the time in Tanzania we drove in Toyota Land Cruisers to see the wildlife. In fact, it was usually prohibited to leave the vehicle. (Lions and leopards can hide surprisingly well in grass like this.) But this morning we did have a walk along a road, accompanied by guides with rifle and spear who both protected us and pointed out things that we wouldn't have noticed from the vehicle.

Guides and guards

Gazelle and lion tracks (going in opposite directions and probably laid down at different times)

Blue-naped mousebird

Herd of impalas

Yellow-necked francolin

Leopard tortoise

First Day on Safari in Tanzania

December 22, 2015: As I've written before, the SD card containing photos from Tarangire National Park (the first destination on our Tanzania safari) developed a glitch and could not be read. Fortunately, the files were recoverable (at considerable expense) so I am able to post them now, beginning with our first day in the field. Tarangire is rich with animals and birds, and has striking scenery as well, so I'm delighted that the photos didn't vanish.

White-bellied bustard

Impala

Waterbuck

Baboon troop

Lilac-breasted roller

Superb starling

Hornbill

Ostriches

Kigali

January 6, 2016: Kigali, a city of more than 1 million population, is the capital of Rwanda.  Like the rest of the country, it's surprisingly clean,with the usual mix of  upper class/business, middle class, and lower class neighborhoods.  We drove around for an hour or so on our way to the airport, but the most impressive destination was the Kigali Genocide Memorial. This memorial not only addresses in somber detail the causes and consequences of the Rwandan genocide; it also describes the many other genocides that have occurred throughout the world in the 20th century.

Stained glass "Window of Hope", created by Ardyn Halter, son of an Auschwitz survivor, 

in the Genocide Memorial.

Sculptures in a central room of the Genocide Memorial.

Family photos of victims of the Rwandan genocide.

Room with photos of child victims of the genocide

One of many memorial gardens devoted to various aspects of the genocide

View of Kigali: old section in the foreground, new sections in the background

Part of a craft sales cooperative. 

Most of the stalls sell similar merchandise, and business was slow.

Beads on display in the crafts cooperative

Twin Lakes

January 5: Our last stop on the drive from Volcanoes National Park to Kigali was a view of Twin Lakes, perhaps the most celebrated scenic view in Rwanda. These photos were taken from the grounds of the Virunga Mountain Lodge.

Rwanda Market

January 5, 2016: After the Cultural Village we drove to the town of Musanze, which has a lively, crowded, colorful, serious market.

Cultural Village

January 5: We passed up an opportunity to go on another mountain gorilla trek, and instead decided to explore some different aspects of Rwanda, a country that we were finding unexpectedly interesting and attractive.

In the morning we went to the Iby'Iwacu Cultural Village, in Kinigi district near Ruhengeri City in Volcanoes National Park. For a modest payment they put on a remarkable performance.

Welcoming drumbeats

The bed chamber of the King

Medicine man

Beginning of a wedding procession

Dance finale

These dancers and musicians could make it on Broadway.

Helpers on the Mountain Gorilla Trek

January 4: Here are photos of our helpers on the mountain gorilla trek in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park. They were indeed helpful, and our modest payments and tips to them (in addition to the much larger park permit fees) were a useful addition to the local economy.

Chief guide

Assistant guide, with rifle to protect against Cape buffalo

Guide in training. She had just completed her college course, 

and this was her first practical trek. The poles are the walking sticks lent to us by the porters.

Trackers, who start early in the morning to locate the gorilla group and 

radio its location back to the guides

Porters, local villagers whom we hired to carry our backpacks, steady us on tricky paths, and haul us up steep rocky steps. We would have real trouble on this trek without them.