This morning we were sad to leave the Lake Menyara lodge
behind, it was so beautiful! But, after enjoying breakfast we set out toward to
the Ngorongoro Crater. Before arriving at the crater we made a couple of stops.
The first was a visit to Gibb’s Farm.
The farm is a property that encompasses many acres that includes an
organic coffee plantation as well as a vegetable garden. We were there to tour
the garden, which is about 8 acres in size. The gardens and the surrounding
area are so lush, you have a hard time believing that you are in Tanzania. It
reminded me of some of the highland valleys of Peru with pockets of lush rainforest.
Your guide in the garden is a Masai. Lengare told us about the history of the
garden – it was started by a German, but is currently owned by a British
family. The garden grows everything from avocado and artichokes to pumpkins and
zucchini! After the tour, we had time to sit and take in the surroundings while
basking in the sun. The main event was a buffet lunch at their lodge. The lunch
included many dishes that had vegetables from the garden including springs
rolls, quiches, stews, and veggie lasagna. Everything we tried tasted delicious.
This included the rhubarb crumble and an airy Pavlova for dessert. The high point
is the lodge itself. It is at the top of the garden area and is filled with
beautiful woodwork. It is only topped by the bathrooms! Yes, the bathrooms. Set
even higher, each elaborately carved door hides the bathroom along with a
beautiful wood work sink and a vanity area with mirror and stool. It beats any five
star hotel I’ve been to!
After the farm was a visit that I had been anticipating
since we got here – going to a Masai village. The village we visited is within
the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, as is our lodge. As you drive you can see
groups of young Masai boys herding cattle, sheep, and goats just about
everywhere. At first we were all nervous because you read that they don’t want
to be photographed, etc. However, this is far from the truth at the villages
that are set up for visits (meaning, they allow visitors, for a fee, of
course). They are happy and smiling and glad to show you around. We were the only
visitors on this afternoon, so we had a lot of attention. First, the start with
a welcome song outside the village; the men are on one side and the women on
the other. Their chanting is very rhythmic and mesmerizing. Both men and women
are heavily adorned in colorful blankets and beaded jewelry. The women shake
their shoulders in a way that makes their beaded collars rock up and down.
The welcome song is proceeded by a demonstration of the
jumping competition that the Masai men love doing. It is really incredible how
well they can jump. There is a chant that accompanies the dance and it seems to
go on as long as they would like it to. Jeff and Josh even got into the act and
jumped alongside them. After the jump, we were shown into one of the cow dung
huts they live in. Yes, the use cow dung to waterproof the roof and sides of
the hut because after it dries, it becomes rock hard, if not a little smelly.
The huts themselves are smaller than the people are tall. As a matter of fact,
the opening was just the right size for Josh! Inside you need a flashlight, but
there are two sleeping areas – one for the parents and one for the children.
There is also a separate spot for young calves that they was to keep save.
There is a small cooking fire in the middle and a hole near the side of the
roof to provide ventilation. As I sit here typing, I can smell the fire
residue, tar on the inside of the roof, and the smell of dung. It is quite
overpowering, but everyone held it together admirably J
We also visited the school house for young children; which
is located outside the compound of huts. There adorable school children recited
the ABCs and numbers for us and they also sang a song. They seemed very happy
to perform for us and were full of smiles. This is not their first rodeo. There
was also a tip jar in the room…
The Masai are cattle herders above all, but the love to be
salesmen. All around the inner circle of the compound are beaded handicrafts.
So many it is almost overwhelming. Of course, we broke the only two rules our
guide gave us; which were to make them price everything separately and to not
go above a certain price. After some hard bargaining, with the man saying that
he had to consult the women for such a low price that I was offering and
reminding me how long it takes to make something, we settled on a small beaded
bowl, bracelet, and ornament. Priced together and slightly above what we should
have paid. In the big scheme of things it was an extra $2-3 and we were happy
to pay it. The potential purchase of goods hangs over the whole visit – so much
so that you start to feel a little uncomfortable, so it was nice to get it
done.
The lodge is really, really cool. It is a rock structure,
built into the hillside that overlooks the crater itself. Since we arrived in
the evening, we didn’t truly appreciate its beauty until the morning.
Everywhere you look is stone and dark, polished mahogany. The rooms all have
balconies that overlook the crater and the best part? No mosquito nets! You are
at 7500’ above sea level! I had no idea it would be that high in elevation and
you can feel it – it is chilly!!! We went to the bar early to relax and have a
cocktail while watching another tribe of Masai perform the jumping competition.
In the enclosed space, the chanting of the men and women really resonated. The
dining room is a soaring room of wood and stone and we thoroughly enjoyed
dinner – this time not falling prey to having every course on the dinner menu.
Need to make sure everything fits at the end of the safari!
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