Of Coffee With Something Mysterious, Something Majestic and Something Mythical

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If you were having coffee with me, I would take you through a virtual tour of this tea-pot shaped country of mine, Zimbabwe. I think I would name this tour something majestic, something mysterious and something mythical. Hang on to you tea cups.

Our first stop would be at the Great Zimbabwe Ruins, located a few kilometers from the city of Masvingo.

Great Zimbabwe

The country Zimbabwe’s name is derived from Great Zimbabwe, which literally means Great House of Stone. Sometime between the 12th to 15th century this was thriving settlement, the largest in southern Africa. A demonstration of power opulence and architecture of almost unparalleled brilliance beyond their time.

artist impression of great zimbabwe

View from the top Great Zimbabwe

Second only to the pyramids in Egypt would you be surprised to find people still debate who built this ancient monument? Some have tried to credit it to the Queen of Sheba, Phoenicians, Europeans even perhaps aliens from out of space, but scholars and archaeologists have since agreed Shona ancestors reigned here.

enclosure walls

If you were having coffee with me we would visit the Lodge At The Ancient City a resort on a mountain top overlooking the Great Zimbabwe complex. The resort is fashioned in a stone style and décor that’s natural in tributary reminiscence to the Ancient monuments.

lodge at the ancient city

lodge at the ancient city

lodge at the ancient city
A meal in the Summershed
lodge at the ancient city
A glass of wine in the garden
lodge at the ancient city
A sundowner by the pool

While still in the Masvingo province we will go into the Zaka district to visit Weza. This virtually unknown location has a massive granite structure with a map of Africa etched into it and there are bare footprints round the map as if someone walked on the still molten rock, and drew a map. Who did it? Nobody knows. Maybe it was our ancestors but the soles of their feet must have been fire resistant, and back then how would they have knowledge of maps, a curious school of thought says maybe aliens did it. Some say God did it, because there is a somewhat similar feature in Epworth Harare, a place called Dombo raMwari(God’s Rock)

God's footprint in a rock

We can’t pass through Dombo raMwari without checking out The Balancing Rocks. There is no mystery there each just an interesting geologic feature.

balancing rocks Zimbabwe

you can even find it on our “local currency”

zimbabwean 2 dollar bond notes

If you are having coffee with me we would head out to Chinhoyi to see the caves and the sleeping pool.

Why is it so blue? How deep is it where does it end up You can catch more of my thoughts on the sleeping pool here Chirorodziva: The pool of the fallen

Chinhoyi sleeping pool cave

And then a quick visit to Chirinda forest; Chipinge but first we stop by the Christmas Pass on the road to Mutare. Its beautiful at night and the view is breathtaking.

Christmas pass Mutare

night christmas pass
Night mode

The Valley of Giants Chirinda Forest

Chirinda forest valley of the giants

valley of the giants chirinda forest

The Big Tree

the big tree chirinda

This place feels the way a rain forest should feel, trees stretching so high up it boggles the mind. Oh yes and caution; behave with respect and proper reverence or else a fog will befuddle your senses and you wont remember which way you came from or where the car is parked and you are doomed to walk the forest, forever or till you die or whichever comes first; unless your kin can find a traditional doctor to perform an appeasement ceremony.

If you were having coffee with me and we were on a virtual I would tell you that whats visiting Zimbabwe without seeing the animals first hand? We dash off to the Antelope park. It’s an award winning private game reserve located just out of the city of Gweru. They maintain a famous lion pride, and other wildlife trying their best to preserve the ever dwindling animal population that used to roam free wild and graceful before man happened.

A horse drawn carriage ride can get you up close and personal with unexpected friends.

carriage-ride-04.jpg

walk with elephants

walk with elephants antelope park
walk with elephants

Meet the Ngamo pride

Ngamo pride cubs antelope park

ngamo pride antelope park

And as the sunset on our tour we can relax by a fireside

camping in zimbabwe

I will tell you stories, that will keep you up at night, are you afraid of the dark?

~B

PS ah yes the Victoria Falls I didn’t forget about that majestic Smoke That Thunders but I know you know about it already.

Day 29 Blog every day Challenge

Photo credits;

Lodge At The Ancient City

Antelope Park 

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38 Comments

    1. Hi MJ
      Thank you for coming along the virtual tour, glad you loved it, who knows when you get super rich and famous and tour the world you might be like I remember this place….
      ~B

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  12. Thank you for the amazing tour!! And yes, I’m all about stories that will keep me up at night.. Hehehe (rubbing hands together..)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
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