Check out this video on You Tube.  Sorry the video is a little fuzzy, I’m working to correct that.  This vid is of us having a little fun in Bulawayo.  If anyone knows how to embed this vid in wordpress, give me a shout.

 Having fun in Bulawayo

Yesterday was a light day for us here in Maputo. We didn’t have any workshops or shows scheduled. We only had two radio interviews and a “jam session”. The only thing with the jam session is that they wanted us to set up outside…as a dark, dark cloud was setting up for it’s own “jam session” right over our heads. One thing I’ve learned in my life is that water and electricity don’t mix too well. It’s not a collaboration that anyone should aspire to have. Anyways, check out these pics from in and around Maputo.
We stopped by the cultural affairs building during the course of the day and found a Portugese version of AFAR just hangin around:

Here is another hotel pic. The rooms are really Holiday Inn ish, but everything else is really beautiful. This may be the last hotel pic:

» Read more: In and Around Maputo

We had a radio interview here in Maputo.  There was supposed to be only one interview but we ended up doing one that was pre-recorded and one that was live.  DoronJazz was the interviewee for the pre-recorded session, and while he was being interviewed I couldn’t help but notice the antiquated equipment the station was using.  Check out this pic:

» Read more: Radio Interview

Marcus Miller wrote a song called Maputo. I used to play this song all of the time with a jazz band that I gigged with a few years ago. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I’m no geography buff, so it was somewhat of a pleasant surprise to me when we landed here in Maputo.

» Read more: Maputo

We went to see some game yesterday.  It turned out to be worthless because our tour guide Geevis didn’t tell us until we paid to get in that the animals would probably be in the shade since it was so hot out.  So this really meant “You paid to see game but you probably won’t see anything because the animals are somewhere kickin it in the shade”.  We only saw a couple of Impalas, 3 or 4 Zebras, a wildebeest, dry grass, red dirt and a big ant.  Lucky Me!
 
This is what we mostly saw at the game ranch:

Right…. Absoultely Nothing.  I heard Mozambique and Tanzania will be better.

They lied to us today.   We were told we were going to see some white rhinos in the Rhodes – Matopos National Park.  I fell asleep and I woke up like…”White Rhinos?  I’ve never heard of those before and I never even knew they existed”.  You know me, I’m getting crunk because I’m thinking I’m going to be able to post some pics on the site of some rare animals.  So we ride for about 15 minutes on this long windy road.  As we were riding I noticed some of the most beautiful naturally occurring rock formations that I’ve ever seen.  

We come to this point where Geevis, our “tour guide” says we have to get out and walk.  At this point I’m starting to get a little worried because I don’t want to get close to the rhinos, I just want to see them cause I gotta make it back home…I’m not trying to be an appetizer for a rhino. 

Jahah and Mark W. looking out for our attackers:

» Read more: White Rhino

I think I’ve won!!!! I think I’ve really won!!!!  I’ve found the golden ticket that entitles me to chocolate bath water (a.k.a. red georgia clay) in every hotel from now through the end of the tour!!!  I won’t call any names of the hotels!!! Ha ha ha ha!!!
 
Seriously though, you really don’t realize how blessed you are until you get away from your comforting situation and see something a little less comforting.  There are so many things that I have in my life that I know I’ve taken for granted – clean running water, power (here the lights go off three or four times a week to conserve energy because the government can’t afford to pay their creditors) and fuel (again, because they can’t afford to pay the suppliers, it is hard to get gas imported here.  There is often a fuel shortage and if you can get gas it’s very expensive).
 
Look at the small things in your life and make sure you appreciate them because when they’re gone there may not be anything you can do about it.

The show tonight was really good.  I’m trying to find some pics of the show.  Everyone here has a camera and no need in me taking pictures all the time.  Anyways, Michael Jackson stopped by to dance for us. No Lying… a dude dressed up like him.  I would proove it if I had the pics… but I don’t.  Sorry.  I enjoryed myself tonight.  Now I’m at the hotel trying to get some sleep before a 9:00 workship tomorow.  Holla!!!

The show in Harare was crazy!!  Here are a few pics:

The poster that the Embassy used to promote the show (a.k.a. the poster that almost got us mobbed in the mall, or what were told was a mall but doesn’t seem to be):

» Read more: Pics From the Show in Harare

Hey, I have pics to upload. I’m going to have a throwback session soon. I just found out I can use my laptop in the room… for $30 a minute… in Zim dollars. That amounts to about .004 cents a minute in USD. So, I’ll get to it after the show tonight.

Shouts out to everyone checking the posts and leaving comments. I appreciate you all for that. Much love to Tricia, Kim, Mills, Russel G., Joe T., Shawna, and K. Coop!