Who would not want to take a wedding in the exotic, african scenery? In 2011 I have organized the first wedding of this kind for a polish couple.
The couple and a few members of their families flew with me to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. Everything was awaiting for them on the spot – a car covered with colourful ribbons and fresh flowers took them to their lodge situated on the banks of the lake Kariba, where they all spent the first night.

  Next day we have all travelled to the village. Everyone waited for them there, local women clapped hands and greeted the couple with a special african songs, while men danced and beat the drums. Everyone dressed in their best outfits, it was also a special day for them, their first time to see and attend the wedding of white guests from Europe. Very soon the old chief of the village has shown up, together with the rest of the elders. It was him, with all the power of his post, that made it all possible. The ceremony was very serious but soon after the tribal dances started. Local pombe beer added courage to both sides. The dances, singing to the african rythm, lasted almost till the early morning. During the wedding party instead of the polish traditional food – ostrich, crocodile and impala meat was served. All grilled and delicious.

  Due to the wish of the young couple, everyone spent the night in the village huts. The next day we could experience the regular day of this village community.
Two days after we have returned to Victoria Falls.

  We stayed in a luxury lodge with a swimming pool, together with us was the local guide from the village, who has always dreamt of getting to know what is the life of the tourists who came to his country. He loved it! Everyone was delighted. They promised to send the village-wedding photos back to Zimbabwe, so that everyone here has something to remember.

  I have promised the Young-couple one more special event, and I kept my Word. At midnight I took them to see the Lunar Rainbow below the full moon shining over the mighty Victoria Falls.

The Leopard Rock Mutare – Zimbabwe

  Normally I omit places like this. I expect to see tourists in expensive safari suits, sipping drinks by the pool, followed by a bloody animal hunt afterwards. From a distance it is looking costly and like a place for snobs. This time since I was invited, I had a good chance to see how it really is today. For the first time I stayed with my group in the famous Leopard Rock Hotel, situated high in the Vumba Mountains on the Mozambiquan border. From inside it looks differently than I imagined.

  Built during the II WW, still looks impressive. The oldest part of the hotel was made of more than 40 000 huge stone blocks. Later on the English carried on, turning it into country-side mansion back in UK. The Queen Mother first came here in 1953 and she fell in love with this place. She always said, it is the most beautiful spot in Africa! She kept coming back, a few times in the company of princess Diana.

  Since 1953 a lot has changed in Africa, but not this place. It is still one of the most elegant and prestige hotels on the Black Continent. I was surprised, it is not more expensive than the other hotels ( 160 USD ). Beautifully situated in the Vumba mountains, thick vegetation, all hotel rooms ( Wi-Fi connected ) with a view on the coffee plantations nearby in Mozambique. Delicious food, great service.

  One of the highest golf courses in the world is close by, this is the reason why Tiger Woods is a regular guest. A National Park is also not far away, where individual Walking Safaris can be organized. It is a place where one can encounter a very rare monkey – the Samango. They only live here In Vumba, similar to baboons, but more shy.
  This is a place in Africa, where the time not only stops, but takes us back to the past.

I am glad, that I have been there, from now on I think differently of Leopard Rock Hotel.

Ngoma. The sound of this word is like a beating of a drum. The Royal drums. Very precious, they are kept in a secret place. They see daylight very seldom, only during tribal rituals or celebrations.

The biggest one is so heavy, that two men need to lift and hold it, while the third one beats it!
Our visit is such a special celebration, everyone knows about it.

We are welcomed by a crowd of men blowing antelope horns while women clap their hands. After a while the whole village gatyhers in the shadow of a huge mango tree. Blowing horns, rattles, drums – all the sounds mix up creating an african noise of Joy. Everyone dances.

The old witch-doctor invites us to his place to foretell the future. My friend Vincent translates his words. We are surprised and keep on wondering how is it possible he knows so much about our lives? We see each other for the first time. We still remember his words – Not everything in life is a calculation, the most important is what remains.

Pictures !

pic. Irena i Przemek Lisowscy

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I
am with a Polish-Spanish group of doctors. We start the journey in Harare, Zimbabwe. With a great relief I can finally see the changes for better. They still don’t have the local currency, instead they use usd and rands, but they also don’t have the legendary 40 000 000 % inflation, the highest in the human history! So no need to carry a bag of zim dollars to buy a beer in a bar. The shops are now full, there is also petrol at the filling stations. New lodges and hotels are beginning to operate again.

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We
admired the majestic Balancing Rocks, so huge and beautiful that I don’t even dare to describe them more.

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Then
we head east for Mutare, where we cross the border into Mozambique. We travel to Beira, the second largest town situated on the golden shores of Indian Ocean. A warm swim in the waves and the delicious sea food await for us. An old soviet T-34 tank parked nearby reminds of the civil war that has ended. The war was won by the marxsists from FRELIMO, who rule Mozambique till today.

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We
visit the famous Hotel Grande, in the colonial era – the most elegant hotel in whole of the southern region of Africa. Nowadays, a ruined squat inhabited by more than 5000 people. On its ugly walls one can notice the election posters of the FRELIMO – Together we will reach wealth and justice. Well, this is Africa.

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After
a few days we return to Zimbabwe and take a bus to the far south of the country. We visit the most tourist spots, ruins of Great Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, Matopos. An finally, the long awaited stay in the real African villages of the Batonka tribe. Truly African place! All around there is bush, the village huts are empty. Everyone has gathered in the shade under a huge mango tree. Beating the drums, and dancing they show their pure joy of hosting us. Like in the old days. What is left is the refreshing bath in the hot springs, where due to the local tradition we shall bath devided according to the gender. The tribal taboo is like law and must be kept.

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Pictures!

The enormous Balancing Rocks.

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The fifth week of our journey.

On an overloaded with people, goats and cabbages
open-truck we finally reach the outskirts of Zimbabwe.

A cast away, dusty and poor far north of this country.
Ever since the land of the Batonka tribe.

We are staying in a village, in those round huts made of mud and grass.
All around a cracked and dry red soil. Thorny accacy bushes and
majestic baobab trees. In this region there is a drought since
a few long years. A real bad one.

One can hardly see any vegetation in the fields.
The rainy season comes in November.

- This is African life. Very hard. – everyone here is saying.

Even our brightly smiling host Vincent,
and his wife Susan.
In their words one can trace no anger or sorrow.

Just an african way of finding peace of what is inside, outside,
and what lies ahead in the future.

Only the eyes of the witchdoctor are different.
Deeply filled with grief and sadness.
Perhaps he only could see, predict the horror
of the coming rains.

The rains in 2008 too rapid, too heavy will wash away
all the hard planted seeds.

- Big hunger will come. - he said shaking his old, head.

I realised he was right in his predictions a few months later.
The seeds were washed away by the stormy rains.
Changing them into ponds full of water and mud.

- This is Africa. – the Batonka will probably say when I visit them the next time.

- It is a hard life. But we are alive. -
and again the smile and all the calm of this place
and a blind faith in the better day which might
probably come one beautiful day.

Just waiting out there beyond the African horizon.