Amsterdam Window Box

Big city... still filled with flowers

You will be shot

     We cannot tell you where these photos were taken as poachers may get some identification and find the rhinos.  But, we can tell you that these rhinos are endangered due to people who kill the rhinos for their horn. It is believed in Asian culture to be aphrodisiac and stimulant. The photo at the bottom is of a couple of armed guards protecting the rhinos. They carry high-powered rifles and will shoot to kill and ask questions later in the case of poachers.  They are serious. Poachers have killed many rhinos and placed them on the endangered list. This is an animal with an armed guard.

Boat Trip on The Chobe River

    After a flight from Johannesburg to Kasane we boarded a small boat to do some animal sightings on the Chobe River and Delta. We spotted elephant, hippo, crocodile, caped buffalo, a variety of birds and many other animals which would soon be able to identify and compare. The river is a lifeline.

The great Zebra Migration PBS

     This week Public Broadcasting aired a documentary on the migration pattern of the zebra in Botswana. It is now understood to be the longest migration on the continent. The lead driver for filming the trek was Duncan,  a native of Botswana. Duncan was one of our personal guides in looking for the Big Five while in Chobe National Park near the Zambian border this month.
     He told us about the two years of filming it took to produce the documentary. It was fun to watch the program and see him leading the group in a car like the one above as they drove through the dry and wet areas of Botswana.
     If you get an opportunity to see the show, Duncan is the one with a small graying patch on the left side of his head. Nice and knowledgeable guy.

Giraffe times 1, 2, 3

     In Botswana we encountered two kind of groups of giraffe, The one above is a "Journey of Giraffes" as they are on the move. If they are standing still they are called a "Tower of Giraffes".  These animals don't get the respect they deserve. Yes, they are not royal like lions or funny like apes, but they glide along the surface of the plain and have lots of class. They are very likable and have adapted to their environment very well. Watching them here are wildebeests or gnus - who are not nearly as cool. I have lots more photos of giraffes and I am sure you will see them. These were silhouetted against the gray afternoon sunlight. 

Mini-Europe, Brussels. Belgium

     On our way to Africa we took a few days to rid ourselves of jet-lag by going to Brussels. My grandson was in charge of researching the places to see. His top choice was Mini-Europe. It is a walk through model of many of the important places in Europe. We all enjoyed it. I suppose one reason I liked it was that I have been to a good many of the places. The photo above is of the model of the market at the heart of Brussels. In real life yo cannot see the Eiffel Tower from there.  It takes about an hour to go through, and while not inexpensive, a good visit.

Copilot Lucas over the Victoria Falls

Luke 

Amsterdam Pot

     The use of  marijuana in Amsterdam is not very subtle. You can buy it all over and  in various forms. We took a canal tour with a few other folks in  small boat. Several of us were from the United States. Four folks took to passing a joint aft.  I was about the only one who thought about it. I quit smoking cigarettes about 40 years ago and still have some health effects from the years I smoked. I wanted to warn them not about pot, but about the smoke.

Trio of Zee-bras or Zeb-rahs

          Fun to watch the Zebras in South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia. Large herds especially in Zambia. Interestingly, the guides for our safaris do not call them the same time thing as we do. They speak English differently. 

Cheetahs - Endangered

     The cheetah once could be spotted from Africa to central Asia. Now, they have a very limited range which is becoming smaller and smaller. The De Wildt preserve is attempting to provide a sanctuary and educational place for the study of the cheetah along with a breeding program. One can hear the story and ride in a safari vehicle through the preserve. The animals are fed and do not need to hunt, but their offspring go back tot he wild. (Photos by Mike and Marietta McLellan and Lucas Meurisse)

Amsterdam - The Red Light District

     We found ourselves in the Red Light District in Amsterdam last week as we concluded a trip that included 6 flights, 3 continents, 8 countries, and 3 African safaris. There were loads of surprises over the last month. There has been plenty of  travel information for at least the next year.

     The trip sounds more tough than it was. The idea was to do two weeks in southern Africa and to break up the flight from San Francisco to Johannesburg by spending time in Brussels on the way and Amsterdam on the way back. We may have discovered more adventure in Europe than in Zambia.

    We were interrogated in Zambia by a minor official; I was pulled from the line in Paris for a random security check; we found the Red Light District coming back to our hotel from the Anne Frank House; and lots more.

     I love the unexpected and we had plenty of it.