Spring Break 2010

We spent the past weekend in the lovely town of Bukoba, which sits on the shore of Ziwa Victoria. Lake flies and a student’s sprained ankle aside, it was an idyllic weekend, due in no small part to the fact that we spent a lot of time at a campground that served us meals on the beach. Here’s a sample vista:

Looking inland, the view was of goats (which we are used to) and gigantic birds (which we are not). Sample bird:

Friday we enjoyed a hike up the bluffs and our first swim in Africa (in a pool!) before an evening of music & dance on the sand. Saturday’s agenda included a walk to the Kagera museum and the cool drum-making operation next door. Budap is an initiative to employ disabled Tanzanians in the construction of percussion instruments and other curiosities. The men working there impressed us with their enthusiasm as well as their elegant, simple process for turning cowhide and native trees into ngoma.

Just after leaving Budap, we were overwhelmed with a delightful cacophony of bird sounds. Looking up, we were amazed to see a tree hosting dozens of weaver birds (ahem, ploceidae) furiously constructing their nests. It was a made-for-blogging moment.

Saturday afternoon, we were lucky enough to visit Masira Island (visible in the background of the first image). Our boat was awesome:

So were the boats anchored just off the island:

We climbed to the summit of the small hill in the middle of the island, took in the sights, and came back down. The island is great for fishing, birdwatching, and taking oval-framed pictures. Just look: