31/03/14

Stamping the ground

Yesterday we crossed into the tiny country of Swaziland. I said tiny as it measures just 200 x 130 km. Half of it is made up of steep mountains with the roads leading over 1600 meter high passes. Swaziland was always separate from South Africa and in the days of Apartheid and strict laws, many South Africans came here to let their hair down as they could freely walk hand in hand with their coloured girl/boyfriend and visit the local casinos.

Swaziland is partly a wild country with warning sign that dangerous animals could appear on the roads. Other parts consists of endless pine plantations covering valley's and mountains in a continuous carpet of green velvet coloured slopes. It is obvious that the timber industry is a very serious generator of income for this country.

Many places have armed security guards which seem to come directly from movie sets. While traversing the countryside we are met by people waving and giving us a warm smile. At any time one is made to feel welcome. I think these are a very proud people as they dress well although they earn far less than their South African counterparts. We have met several security guards who always greet you with a smile and seem very happy. Another thing noticeable is the hair style of the women. Many of them have their hair tied in an intricate bun with tiny plats. We asked a few of them about how long it takes to get their hair done like that. The time ranged from 2 to 2.5 hours.

Today I will include pictures taken in a nearby cultural village which we visited today.

The sound you have to imagine. The way they sing and chant come from deep within their bodies and make an impressive sound. The dancing was fearsome to say the least. That singing is part of their culture judging by the reaction and participation of the public. Even the young kids found it hard to sit still and just watch and started to stamp their feet on the rhythm of the drums.

I hope you enjoy the pictures