VICTORIA
FALLS
"Mosi oa Tunya", the Smoke that Thunders, is an apt name
for these spectacular falls. They produce a roar and a smoky mist that
can be seen for miles around. In the photo below, you can just see the
spray, to the left of center. At right is the Zambezi River bridge which
crosses to Zambia, and aside from being an historic railway
bridge, it is a popular spot for bungee jumping. Victoria Falls is the
closest thing to a "tourist town" that we encountered: lots of
souvenirs for sale, in shops and by street merchants.
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| The
Falls |
| The
Zambezi River |
| The
Lodge
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The
Falls
In December the Falls were
not in full flood-- but surprisingly we may have had a better view than in April or May, when the spray can completely obscure them. |
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| This is the local time warp, the venerable Victoria Falls
Hotel, where the white-gloved staff is mostly black and you can truly
picture yourself in the Colonial empire. Those large trees are mangoes,
and favourite haunts of a nearby baboon troop. When hotel staff chase the
baboons off the terrace, they will often suffer a barrage of mangoes from
the animals in the trees. |
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Keith, Mike, Scott and I enjoyed an
elegant lunch on the terrace of the Vic Falls Hotel, where, thanks to a
currency in worse shape even than the Canadian dollar, prices are very
reasonable. We overlooked the Zambezi River gorge and the bridge.
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After you pay your admission to the
Falls (and pay you must, since there is no other way to see them), you
are on your own to walk the paths along the Falls. Like most places in
Zimbabwe, the Falls are far from overdeveloped. In fact, often all that
separates you from the abyss is...nothing.
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