Friday, July 29th:

After breakfast on the riverbed we drove to lake Manyara with Godlisten and a park ranger.  We enjoyed a short walk along the lakeshore. There were tons of greater and lesser flamingos just offshore walking and feeding in synchronicity. Farther away were herds of wildebeest and zebra.

After packing up and leaving the fabulous Wayo Lake Manyara camp we drove back across the park spotting a long crested eagle, elephants and more. Godlisten left us with the car in the parking lot while he completed paperwork necessary when leaving the park.  It was hot and sunny, so we opened the doors to cool down.  I bought some snacks and the girls were munching on popcorn.  We had internet access in the car so everyone was heads down on their electronic devices.  Suddenly I hear Ruby whimper, “Uhh uhh”.  I look up and a large blue monkey is sitting next to her in her seat reaching for the popcorn.  Carrie screamed and Joe calmly rose to push the monkey out with an outstretched hand.  Luckily the monkey harmlessly left the car and disappeared in the bushes.

Back in Mto Wa Mbu we ate lunch at a place in the banana fields.  It was a total tourist trap, but still nice.  We walked a short way under a canopy of bananas, sometimes growing over neat garden beds, criss-crossed with irrigation canals. We entered a clearing with outdoor tables and a little gift shop.  A band dressed in over the top tribal african outfits began to play a xylophone and drums. There was a buffet of traditional Tanzanian food.  Three women dancers performed followed by three male acrobats who were very impressive.

After the show we continued on to the Rhotia Valley lodge following a dirt road up an rural valley from the main road.  Upon arrival we met the hosts and the three Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs: James, mama and puppy and Jane was immediately in love. Ruby spotted sunbirds by the pool, so we felt we’d likely like the place.  Our tented rooms were on platforms cantilevered over the valley slope.

While Joe, Carrie and Ruby enjoyed the pool, Jane and I enjoyed a quick tour with the dogs and Valerio the Italian camp manager. We crossed the pasture to the next hill where the Children’s home for orphans is located.  We got a peek into the onsite school and a brief tour of the cow shed, gardens and bakery.

Saturday, July 30th:

After breakfast, the hotel guide Marcel took us on a walk across the valley.  The people here are Iraqw. The hilly farm fields are full of wheat, maize, and pigeon pea which is a cash crop that is exported to India. Homes are arranged around a packed dirt courtyard with several buildings, mostly wattle and daub, but some are brick and rarely concrete. It was the time of the maize harvest and most courtyards had pile of corn on the cob, or kernals spread out to dry.

There was a funeral in progress with recorded christian hymns playing loudly across the valley.  A prominent woman believed to be 106 had just died.  When parents die they are buried in front of the home and children are buried in back.  Graves may be a simple pile of rocks while wealthier families have a concrete and tile grave.

As a cultural tour we were invited into a humble home to help make ugali and taste the “gin” they distill.  We were surrounded with small dirty children who held our hands. Our hosts were a man and a woman and two wattle and daub buildings separated by a courtyard with corn kernels drying. We were invited into the kitchen building to see the still where the “gin” is made and to make ugali.  There was a large sick cow lying in the room that we tried not to step on.  She brought water to boil on a wood fire hearth of three rocks.  Carrie, Ruby, Jane and I took turns sprinkling in the ground corn flour and stirring the pot continuously.  Eventually the ugali thickened. Next we cooked some pumpkin leaves in salty water.

After eating the ugali and greens, we said goodbye and continued on small roads walking for another half hour until we reached the Coffee Corner, also owned by the lodge.  We had a nice lunch there and Godlisten met us and drove us back to the lodge.

In the afternoon Carrie and I did some bucket laundry at the Children’s home.  The girls swam in the pool and went exploring around the lodge.

In the evening the owner, Jores from the Netherlands, gave us a tour of the Children’s home that is financially supported by the lodge. 36 orphaned children live in girls and boys bunkhouses each with two “mamas” and go to the onsite primary school.  The neat brick buildings are arranged in a circle around a courtyard with playground equipment.  European volunteers help out at the school.  All the orphans are from the neighboring village and there is an extensive process to ensure they are truly orphans.

Below is a larger garden and cow shack.  Downhill from there is a bakery that supplies the lodge, staff, children’s home and sells bread in the market.  There is an elaborate system of cisterns, rainwater collection and water reuse.  Also biogas is harvested from the human and cow poop to fuel the kitchen and reduce firewood usage.  Jores and his partner Marisa beam as they share what they have accomplished and their next set of plans.

We ended the day with dinner, putting the girls to bed, and a nightcap by the fire.

Sunday, July 31st:

After breakfast Ruby and I went on a bird watching walk near the lodge with Reuben the lodge’s bird enthusiast. We enjoyed the walk and identified some birds, my favorite being the African Hoopoe. Afterwards the lodge set our lunch up under a tree on the hill.  

After lunch Godlisten drove us down to the Sunday Rhotia market on the main road.  Many stalls were laid out on the ground surrounded on one side by a dozen tarp tents selling banana beer and other refreshments. Beyond the market was a soccer game with uniformed teams. As soon as we parked a drunk young man came over dancing and singing “waka waka hey hey” and touching the girls’ and Carrie’s hair.  Godlisten helped us escape.

We did some shopping buying tire flip flops and underwear for Ruby, two kitangas for Carrie, and sugarcane.  Then we drank some banana beer which had a vinegar flavor and sludgy bottom. We played a ring toss game and watched the soccer match for bit. Then we headed back giving a lift to two of the Rhotia valley volunteers.

In the evening Jane, Ruby and I went to the cow shed of the Children’s home to have a try at milking the cows.  When we arrived there was only the little calf, the cows were still out grazing. The shepherds arrived with the cows and put the bulls and cows in separate sheds. One by one the four milking cows were brought into the milking shed.  Their back legs and tail are tied down and two mamas from the children’s home milked the cow while the cow eats and drinks.  Each of us had a try at milking which is harder than expected.  Jane in particular enjoyed it and was the most successful.  The mamas were very gracious welcoming our interruption of their routine.  Milk for the calf was put in a bucket with a big nipple attached which she drank greedily.  A cat came in and was given a bowl of milk as well.

We enjoyed another large delicious dinner.  Ruby chose beans and ugali for the second night in a row for her vegetarian option.