Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Basking in beauty

We had the grand privilege of taking a week of vacation around Victoria Falls. We were excited to finally see these famous falls in Africa – definitely one of the top items on our bucket list! Bob’s parents joined us, and we enjoyed seeing them after two years apart, and exploring the area together. Here are just a few of the highlights:

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Often, you can see rainbows reflected in the mist. Sometimes more than one!

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An early-morning view down the gorge where the Zambezi River falls to create the Victoria Falls.

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A view of the gorge from the Zambia side. We were there at the end of the dry season – in a few months there would be water pouring over the cliff on the right side – the eastern portion of the Victoria Falls. But, the bare cliffs have their own rugged beauty.

Trumpeter hornbill, Bushbuck Lodge, Zambia

This is a trumpeter hornbill, seen in the yard of the lodge that we stayed in.
We were thrilled to see lots of new birds!

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We went on a one-day safari to Chobe National Park.
This hippo was not too happy when our boat disturbed his nap in the mud!

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We got to see lots of crocodiles, of all sizes.

Squacco Heron, Chobe Nat'l park, Botswana

I have to admit, one of my favorite things about this trip was the great variety of
birds that we saw, especially near the water. This is a Squacco heron.

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Elephants, pawing the grass to make it free for eating. They are such majestic animals!

Male Kudu

This is a male kudu, with his distinctive cork-screw antlers and “frosting-stripes” on his back.

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We enjoyed afternoon tea at the historic Victoria Falls Hotel.

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We rode the Royal Livingstone Express, a steam engine dinner train

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…and we enjoyed some good African food and culture!

All in all, a wonderful experience of this place we have wanted to see for a long time. Now, we are back in Kananga and back to work! We are grateful for the chance to give our bodies and minds a break, and enjoy soaking in the beauty of God’s diverse and amazing creation.

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