Wednesday, November 2, 2011
It's good to be back on the Jewel of the Desert. We're on our way to Etosha National Park and its promise of elephants, giraffes, wildebeests, zebras, and every kind of antelope you can imagine. As we roll along at breakfast, we notice a sharp mountain in the distance. It's Spitzkoppe, the "Matterhorn of Namibia." Honestly, with all of this country's natural beauty, who needs these references to Europe and Australia?
We're actually going there, and to the nearby Bushmen's Paradise, where rock paintings from ancient tribal people can still be seen with the naked eye. Sadly, they cannot be photographed well -- another reason to come to this most wondrous country and see for yourself. Eddie, our guide, is great at pointing out the paintings, shading them from the morning sun with his hat, and describing the rich history behind them.
He then leads us on one last rock climb, to a stone arch formed by sheer wind and sand erosion, where once again, you can see for miles and miles.
Etosha and its wildlife call, but before we get there, we stop at the Katora Primary School in Usakos. There, the children greet us warmly, and everyone wants a photo taken, to send back after we return home. The school has arranged for them to sing the Namibian National Anthem, which is actually harder to sing than the Star Spangled Banner. Through most of the song, their harmony is unforgettably beautiful. And, when it's time for the high notes, we're treated to a solo from the young girl with the best vocal range you can imagine.
As we bid farewell to the students, Jim Ahrens calls our attention to Miss Patience's sixth-grade math class, where today's lesson is "Calculating the Unknown Sides." The first problem reads, "Calculate the length of a chicken house that is 8 meters wide and has a perimeter of 36 meters." We take this problem with us, to solve on our way north. It's the only problem we'll have all day.
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