Depart for Bulawayo and the Matopos - approximately 3.5 hours drive.
Big Cave Camp -
06 August 1999
05 August 1999
04 August 1999
5. - 4 AUG: Harare to Masvingo (Great Zimbabwe)
Hertz Rent-a-car delivers our car at Imba Matombo at 08h30. We load all our stuff, get easy directions from the driver and head South for an easy drive to Masvingo. This is a 3 hour drive on an almost entirely straight road.
The condition of the tarmac is good, and after a short while I get used to driving on the left-hand side of the road.
We check in at the Lodge of The Ancient City again on a Half Board basis. Again a luxury hotel with thatched roofs that blends in perfectly with the local environment.
Rest of the day at leisure, we take a short walk and spend a pleasant evening at the lodge, comforted by a great meal of game and South African wines.
The condition of the tarmac is good, and after a short while I get used to driving on the left-hand side of the road.
We check in at the Lodge of The Ancient City again on a Half Board basis. Again a luxury hotel with thatched roofs that blends in perfectly with the local environment.
Rest of the day at leisure, we take a short walk and spend a pleasant evening at the lodge, comforted by a great meal of game and South African wines.
03 August 1999
4. - 3 AUG: Harare shopping
Zimbabwe is dismantling the one hundred years old railway track solid teak
sleepers and replacing them with concrete. The sleepers are cut up and
made into furniture; you can find it at several shops in Harare (we found
the ones at Sam Levy's village and at Ballantyne Park the best, they will
also make items to order) but avoid Savanna Woods in Vic Falls as it is
considerably more expensive.
sleepers and replacing them with concrete. The sleepers are cut up and
made into furniture; you can find it at several shops in Harare (we found
the ones at Sam Levy's village and at Ballantyne Park the best, they will
also make items to order) but avoid Savanna Woods in Vic Falls as it is
considerably more expensive.
02 August 1999
3. - 2 AUG: Harare
Full day in Harare, dedicated mostly to exploring the work of Shona sculpture artists.
We went to Zim especially for Shona sculptures and thoroughly searched the place. Matombo Gallery on L.Takawira Avenue is the best place for quality sculptures, but expensive, and manager Roy Cook, who will gladly devote you his time to explain about Shona sculptures, does not like bargaining, so be prepared to pay for what you get... and more! Be sure to visit also their sculpture garden on the airport road, it holds some masterpieces by "first generation" artists which are not found elsewhere.
The National Gallery is the only other serious alternative, but the selection is poorer. Matombo (which means ROCK in shona) also has a good shop in Vic Falls. They will also arrange shipping at a reasonable rate. Tengenenge sculpture village has gone down in quality and is just a messy mountain of second quality stuff, though occasionally good artists emerge from the lot. Average pieces can be found at many other shops, so if you are not fussy about a specific artist or school do look around. Street markets are mostly for cheap souvenirs, not art.
We went to Zim especially for Shona sculptures and thoroughly searched the place. Matombo Gallery on L.Takawira Avenue is the best place for quality sculptures, but expensive, and manager Roy Cook, who will gladly devote you his time to explain about Shona sculptures, does not like bargaining, so be prepared to pay for what you get... and more! Be sure to visit also their sculpture garden on the airport road, it holds some masterpieces by "first generation" artists which are not found elsewhere.
The National Gallery is the only other serious alternative, but the selection is poorer. Matombo (which means ROCK in shona) also has a good shop in Vic Falls. They will also arrange shipping at a reasonable rate. Tengenenge sculpture village has gone down in quality and is just a messy mountain of second quality stuff, though occasionally good artists emerge from the lot. Average pieces can be found at many other shops, so if you are not fussy about a specific artist or school do look around. Street markets are mostly for cheap souvenirs, not art.
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