Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
AFRICAN NATURAL AND HUMAN-MADE WONDERS
Everything about Africa is massive and diverse. The wise traveler's senses are dazzled with
visions of expansive deserts, heavy rain forests, rolling grasslands, snow-covered mountain
peaks, huge lakes, and never-ending rivers. From Table Mountain in the south to the river
delta of the Nile in the north, to the sand dunes of Namibia and Morocco as well as those
in the heart of the Sahara Desert, to the plateau of Nyika Plateau National Park in Malawi,
to the Makgadikgadi Pans of Botswana, to the Spitzkoppe in Namibia, to Mount Mulanje
in Malawi, to Mount Kilimanjaro, and to Victoria Falls in Zambia and Zimbabwe, phys-
ical wonders abound. Add to it the year-long great migrations of animals in Tanzania and
Kenya, and the wonderful parks where a myriad of animals roam, and one's senses have
never been so tested.
Humans have also contributed to the beauty of Africa. We must begin with the pyr-
amids and sphinx of Egypt mentioned earlier in this volume. One of this volume's co-au-
thors, James E. Harf, experienced the good fortune of a climb deep inside the Great Pyr-
amid of Cheops until he reached the middle where the sarcophagus containing the body
of the pharaoh once stood. Travel further upstream on the Nile and endless temples make
their appearance. The many marketplaces or souks in places like Marrakesh and Fez, Mo-
rocco, and Cairo give testimony to human's ability to create interesting physical structures,
as do European influences in South Africa, Senegal, Kenya, Mozambique, and ancient sites
in Ethiopia. One must not forget that the Romans, who left architectural evidence behind
everywhere they set foot, included Africa in this dynamic, as found in Tunisia, Morocco
Libya, and Algeria. Evidence of ancient African civilizations can also be found in Zimb-
abwe, Uganda, Gabon, Burkina Faso, and Benin. Living traditional landscapes now con-
sidered African Heritage sites are found in Senegal, Zimbabwe, Togo, South Africa, Niger-
ia, and Mali. And it goes on and on and on.
VIGNETTES FOR THE SOUL
We close this chapter about the great continent of Africa with a series of vignettes written
by one of the co-authors of this topic, Lawrence J.R. Herson, who has set foot on the con-
tinent numerous times. Each conveys part of a personal story experienced over many dec-
ades.
I
NTRODUCTORY
V
INGNETTE
“I have been to Africa more than a dozen times—often with my wife, Libby. The name it-
self is something of a mystery. Perhaps it comes from the Greek, meaning 'without cold,'
but however the origin of its name, it was Herodotus who framed our experience of Africa.
Out of Africa, he said there is always something new and much to appreciate, enjoy, and
cherish: its animals, its forests, its plant life, and the unforgettable memories such as the
time we slept under the stars in one of its deserts. As the old saying goes, geography is
destiny. And Africa's destiny owes to the fact that much of it is equatorial. The people of
Equatorial lands are poor, most with limited education. Countries are generally without in-
dustries and manufactures to generate wealth that lifts a population out of poverty. Reasons
Search WWH ::
Custom Search