More Fun Pics

 Not my picture, but I have seen this man. Pedicure, anyone?

 

The Rise of African Superfoods

A friend reading about the super foods of Africa sent me an article recently that I couldn't agree with more.  Though the continent gets a bad wrap from those who may not fully understand the cuisine, Africa is chocked full of tasty things to eat and undiscovered nutritional treasures. While it's true a number of Africa's little gems are considered hard to harvest on a large scale, modern growing and harvesting methods are slowly opening up the world of African cuisine to those all over the world interested in taking the plunge.... check some out now:

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/12/africa/african-superfoods-gastronomy-cuisine/

There Goes That Idea...

Don't you love it when something goes wrong and you have to say, "Just kidding!  I didn't really want to do it anyway..."??  This happened to me this past week when I found out  -after the fact that I announced I'd be allowing comments on my blog- that I actually cannot technologically accept them from anyone logged on from another continent.... Soooooo... there goes that idea.  So sorry; still no comments allowed.

"Just kidding! I didn't really want to do it anyway..."

The Farmhouse: Chimanimani's Rustic Gem

Follow us.  We're going inside one of my favorite places  to visit in these late summer days before the Zimbabwean harvest arrives once again.  

Situated on the border of Mozambique in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe, the Chimanimani area boasts a national park, Bridal Veil Falls, and a famous yearly outdoor arts and music festival. Travelers to the region are attracted by the area's hiking trails and scenic views.  A two minute walk outside of the town my son loves to say the name of over and over -Chimanimani- and just a quick turn down the hill, The Farmhouse sleeps nestled in flower gardens and rusting barns.  As though it drifted off right in 1960's Rhodesia and has yet to wake up, this quiet little house is one of the oldest remaining buildings in the Chimanimani area. ...And it is the perfect space we rented a short year ago with visiting family interested in safe Zimbabwean hiking and mountain views.  

We could not have asked for better hospitality from Tempe van de Ruit, owner and descendant of this charming space, or a more perfect abode for a quiet and relaxing piece of rural Zimbabwean life.  Like many of the houses you can rent throughout southern Africa, attendants cleaned and gardened, making fires, feeding the animals, and starting the old Rhodesian boiler every early morning.

Though updated, the homestead has been perfectly kept in all its charm. Not related to "The Farmhouse" in Matopos (a getaway on the other side of the country which we have also stayed in), this single homestead for rent was the perfect cottage for campers, backpackers, and families alike, boasting an outdoor shower, horse and cow pasture, chickens and geese underfoot, and verandas galore. Our little guy loved the experience of staying overnight on a farm, and awoke Easter morning last year to roosters and a radiant sunrise.  Tempe, a most gracious host, spared no detail in decorating the rustic space, nor in welcoming us with an invitation to her home for drinks and hillside hiking.  Our only regret was our inability to stay longer; what a picturesque way to enjoy our time in the Eastern Highlands. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

   

 

To find out more about The Farmhouse and this charming area of Zimbabwe, please visit their site!

http://chimanifarmhouse.com/

Fun Pics

 

Hup, Hup Hoo-ray! Comments!

As they say in Zim, "Hup, hup, hoo-ray!" 

I've finally decided to allow comments on my blog... in fact, "allow" is a terrible word.  How about encourage?

Well It's Africa has certainly seen its evolution.  It's gone from a teeny lil' blog for far away friends and family in the states to a well-known blog supported by a growing, bustling readership from every continent (though, yes, Kyle, you may be the only one from Antarctica!) During this whole time I have had oodles ask me why they can't comment.  The blog got so big over the years that by the time I felt comfortable with knowing what was and was not okay to say online while in my country, my nervousness instead turned to how to manage commentary with a busy schedule...

Thank you, readers for your enthusiastic peer pressure.  I have finally decided to open the doors and see what happens. I hope you'll take a moment in your reading to give feedback, encouragement, or to just teach us all a thing or two... so dive into those posts from the past, present, and future. I am excited to hear from you amazing readers, learners, and teachers all over the world.  Please do comment now; I encourage it!

To celebrate, I'm posting a few funny, quintessential Africa photos this week, many of which come from 100 Things You Can't Do In Harare.  Enjoy!