Victoria Falls as viewed from our hotel, the Royal Livingstone
A pod of hippos from the boat. Click on the picture for a better look, although it is really hard to get a good picture of them. They won't hold still....
Aboard the African Queen looking out onto the Zambezi River
Our next stop was Livingstone, Zambia and the Victoria Falls. We were expecting a charming little village (the name itself evokes charm) but Livingstone Town is anything but charming. Out of work men stand on every corner and the business establishments and houses are dirt poor. As we approached our hotel, the town gave way to farmland and we saw an elephant grazing right by the side of the road.
The hotel, the Royal Livingstone, was a stark contrast to the town: beautiful colonial style with rambling grounds, huge shade trees and hot and cold running staff. Monkeys wreak havoc on the grounds and we were advised to keep our doors shut and locked lest we have some unwanted visitors. They actually have learned how to open the patio doors and unless the doors are locked the monkeys will come in uninvited.
Our activity that evening was a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River where we saw pod after pod of hippos frolicking in the late afternoon sun.
Following are some pictures of the hippos, the Falls, and an African village we visited with our guide Russell Gammon. Russell was born in Zimbabwe of Scottish descent and is quite well known in the area for his formidable knowledge of the falls, David Livingstone, and the culture and ecology of the African people. We learned so much from him both on our morning tour of the falls and then in the afternoon when he took us to an authentic African village.
Our next stop was Livingstone, Zambia and the Victoria Falls. We were expecting a charming little village (the name itself evokes charm) but Livingstone Town is anything but charming. Out of work men stand on every corner and the business establishments and houses are dirt poor. As we approached our hotel, the town gave way to farmland and we saw an elephant grazing right by the side of the road.
The hotel, the Royal Livingstone, was a stark contrast to the town: beautiful colonial style with rambling grounds, huge shade trees and hot and cold running staff. Monkeys wreak havoc on the grounds and we were advised to keep our doors shut and locked lest we have some unwanted visitors. They actually have learned how to open the patio doors and unless the doors are locked the monkeys will come in uninvited.
Our activity that evening was a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River where we saw pod after pod of hippos frolicking in the late afternoon sun.
Following are some pictures of the hippos, the Falls, and an African village we visited with our guide Russell Gammon. Russell was born in Zimbabwe of Scottish descent and is quite well known in the area for his formidable knowledge of the falls, David Livingstone, and the culture and ecology of the African people. We learned so much from him both on our morning tour of the falls and then in the afternoon when he took us to an authentic African village.
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