Oh for a cup of coffee! The coffee in the restaurant is self serve, generated one cup at a time by a machine. The first surprise is that the default setting is to add sugar to everything – you have to press a special button to hold back the sugar. First cup of undrinkable coffee. The second surprise is that the other default setting is to add milk – you have to press another button to hold back the milk. Second cup of undrinkable coffee. Press three buttons and you get a cup of hot black liquid that leaves a scum in the cup. Switch to tea.
Lunch was served as a buffet, and I had fish and steak. The chef came up to me, worried in case I didn’t like the chicken since I didn’t have any. I told him I could only eat so much, and he told me that I needed to eat more to stay “well”. I smiled, and the next thing I knew he brought me a piece of chicken on a little plate. If I get any more “well” my clothes won’t fit. The man next to me was crunching his way through a bowl of what looked like black cheezies – I had to ask…he offered me some…they were some kind of worm that drops out of trees, deep fried…I declined.
After lunch, the MC talked about the challenges of speaking after lunch because people were saying their prayers. He then demonstrated someone nodding off to sleep. The speakers were good, though, and we all managed to stay awake.
While it is beautiful outside eating beside the river, at 11 degrees, it’s a little chilly. This morning, the mayor of Victoria Falls warned us about the dangerous animals, and reminded us that they were not pets. I know that elephants kill a certain number of tourists each year.
Dinner was accompanied by a marimba band, starting up with Yellow Bird, another multi-ethnic experience. The instruments are actually apparently called Esmaraldians, and are home-made with dried gourds underneath. I found a picture of one (below) made with bamboo. When the band was taking a break, a small boy ran up and started playing the marimba with a toy truck. His mom ran up and I thought that she was going to remove the child, but no, she just wanted to photograph him. Then he picked up the Hosho (a thing like a maraca made out of a gourd) and started using it to beat on the marimba. His dad appeared and I though he was going to remove him, but no, he wanted to take a video of him. I’m not sure of the etiquette of musical instruments, but I’m guessing this isn’t really appropriate.
When the band came back, they tried to take the maraca from the child but he started to yell, so they played around him. Eventually his parents came to get him but he kept escaping and running back to hide under the instruments. I’m not surprised that elephants kill tourists, but I am surprised that musicians don’t. The child stopped me from complaining about the German gent who was dancing by himself in front of the band and taking a selfie video.
