Photo Album: The Kingdom of Swaziland
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The job today is to cross another country border yet again, into the unknowns of the small Kingdom of Swaziland. The only thing I knew about the Kingdom, were the 14 wives of the King, and the annual wife selection...
It also conjured up images of captured explorers in boiler pot.....were there real cannibals tribes!!!
Now it is the time to find out and see for myself.
So I embarked on the journey from my camp site near Hluhluwe, saying goodbye to the chirping birds that woke me early.
The border post at Golela was about 120 Km away, and I had to make a stop at Mkuze to visit the supermarket.
Fortunately, Swaziland uses the South African Rand, so I needed not to change money, and I was told there are plenty of ATMs in the capital, Manzini. That much I knew so far.
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| South African side of Golela border post |
30 minutes later, after having to return to the immigration to correct the wrong date on my entry stamp (she forgot to turn the date on her stamp, and that was mid-morning ! ), I was in, wow !
But I don't know if this is the Kingdom's flag or the Royal Standard....or the invention of a loyal subject.
I was on a highway to the capital, Manzini. So far, everywhere seem much the same as South Africa.
Where were the boilers ?
Instead, there are plenty of logging plantations. They were established as a measure of economic developments, so as to maintain autonomy from South Africa which completely surrounds this country. While having been a Protectorate of the British, South Africa etc., it is now an independent country since 1963.
The road, or more correctly, the highway to Manzini is in excellent condition, flanked by neatly arranged fields, tree plantations or just pure nature. Nothing much different from South Africa.
The capital Manzini though small, has a typical city center,
comes with all the attendant traffic jams and honks.
And there are KFCs almost at every turn.
After a short and quick tour of Manzini central, being late in the afternoon, I quickly searched for a lodge, and ended up at one in Ezulwini, in the middle of a grove of tall trees.
Could that had been a "stewing pot" in its heydays!!? The all too genuine friendliness of the staff worried me, and they were so eager to start up the heater to warm the water !
But the most exciting thing happened that night, was to locate a bottle of gas for starting the shower heater.....in the middle of a blackout.
After toying with the idea of visiting a couple of the National Parks, I decided to skip them this trip, as they are really good for hiking and longer trips, my time was limited. It seems there isn't much in the way of wild games here, perhaps the years of plantation & logging have an long lasting effect.
The Royal Residence is just down the road from the camp, so that was the first stop of the day.
Ezulwini is where the Royal Residence is situated, and is also the location of the annual big Umhlanga, or Reed Dance festival, where thousands of maidens are gathered for a week's of festivities and ceremonies, usually ended with the King personally choosing another wife.
This is the ground where the final ceremony is usually held, just in front of the Royal Residence, where the King's final decision is made.
I was told, when the Reed Dance Festival is held, it is absolutely chokkas in Swaziland, and very early bookings are necessary for poor tourists like us.
Next, off I went to a nearby gorge, to have a taste of local culture.
And here is the bot.....barely big enough for a goat.
And we enjoyed the show together with a large group of local school boys.
A very interesting tour was given as we walked into a typical native home, comprising of a number of huts and the Alpha Male's main hut.
A pillow, a stool, or both ?
A very low entrance, almost having to crawl to enter.
Head of the family, a wife has to be invited in....
After seeing the traditional culture, there is also the modern and urban face of Swaziland exemplified by the shopping center next door. Not much different from your typical Westfield, except much smaller in scale. The supermarkets are no different from any other contemporary cities throughout South Africa, and for that matter, the World.
The National Museum is always a good place to learn about the history, the people and their culture, this is no exception.
And there are always school children eager to learn .....this was to repeat a few more times as I traveled through this little country.
And here is King Sobuza II, the present King's father, mausoleum.
So it was a leisurely day of culture and history, and it was time to go further north, towards Kruger National Park.
Here are a few snaps at a brief stop at Mbabane, the second largest city of the Kingdom.
Further pushing north, the urban scene gradually usurped by natural features and rural villages...
And again, more school children out there on their excursions. learning about one the country's major hydro scheme.
And here is the tariff board for a guide to take me to see some hidden native rock arts.
This is another important source of incomes for the country, timber mills.
The night was spent in a small hotel just next to the border post of Mananga with South Africa, ready for an early morning crossing.
Certainly, I had learned to not let those pre-conceived images affected my view of any country or people, an actual close encounter is the best way to learn and understand. This brief visit opened my eye.
The night was spent in a small hotel just next to the border post of Mananga with South Africa, ready for an early morning crossing.
Certainly, I had learned to not let those pre-conceived images affected my view of any country or people, an actual close encounter is the best way to learn and understand. This brief visit opened my eye.
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