African Landscapes

Almost all my postings of Africa show various animals, 

at a distance or in close-up.

This time I decided to show some pure landscape pictures,

so that nobody might arrive at the conclusion 

that there is nothing but animals in Africa.

In Gonerazhu National Park

unending vistas of light bush land

with here and there a tree reaching into the sky.

Ant, our fabulous guide scouts the area to make sure

that it is adequate for a camp site.

A fabled "Baobab Tree"

Fabled ? Yes, read this:

When the Good Lord created the trees in their multitudinous varieties, he created, what he believed to have become his masterpiece: .The Baobab.

He looked at it with pleasure and asked the tree 

if he was happy to have become such a wonderful creation.

The Baobab looked at himself 

in the reflection of a nearby lake and said:

"Well, all together it's not a bad job you did, Lord, but I think my leaves could be a little larger."

So, the Lord enlarged the leaves and asked: " Now are you satisfied?"

The Baobab again looked at his reflection and suggested that the leaves could well be a bit greener.

The Good Lord, became a little frustrated, but, in order to make the tree happy, he deepened the leaves' shade of green. 

Without waiting even a second, the tree moaned and complained, that his bark was too rough. He would like a smooth bark.

This ingratitude and dissatisfaction made the Lord so angry, that he simply pulled out the Baobab from the earth and jammed him back in, but in an upside-down position.

His upper branches therefore look like roots and it is no wonder that the Natives

call the Baobab the "Upside-Down Tree".

During the trip through southern Zimbabwe a never ending variety of trees, bushes, grasses

and in the background, the hill range accompany us.

Now and then a small community of Shona have settled 

and engage in agricultural activities.

We reach the Gonerazhu National Park, with the Runde river 

and on the South shore, the Chillojo Cliffs.