Love Thy Neighbor: A Muslim Doctor’s Struggle for Home in Rural America.
I actually cried reading this book. People can be so cruel. And ignorant. It broke my heart. This is a true story.
In 2013 with an open heart to serve, Ayaz Virji moves to rural Minnesota to serve at a country hospital, where American doctors don’t want to be. He brings his family and looks forward to building a life in this community with his wife and children.
But then Donald Trump was elected and out of the woodwork of rural America emerged the racism. Virji’s family was faced with anti-Muslim remarks and his patients began to question whether he should be in the country.
Just as he was about to flee for the safety of his family, a local Christian pastor invited him to speak at her church about the misconceptions of Muslim practice and belief.
You want to hope that this open dialogue would make everyone realize we should all just love each other and get along. But it doesn’t. In fact it gets very rough and difficult as Virji finds himself speaking to churches around the state.
My heart goes out to this author and the trials he faced. This book might open some eyes to tolerance, but unfortunately I doubt it will. Rascism is deep and embedded and heartbreaking.
I am admittedly a bit of a waterfall geek. There is something about the free fall of water that literally takes my breath away. I always find myself trying to watch a single drop…and thinking about how far that drop has traveled. One drop of precious water, suddenly falling, falling, falling…SPLASH.
Be still my heart.
My first breathtaking view
Breath. Taking.
Last year I was enchanted with Iguazu Falls in Brazil…a stunning waterfall that at the time I couldn’t imagine anything more beautiful. Oh but wait…there is. Bigger, badder and more beautiful…the wondrous Victoria Falls.
We came here just to see it. It’s a tall order, particularly with all the travel we have done, it’s hard to impress us anymore. But impressed we were. We could hear it long before we could see it…and then there it was. My first look…breathtaking.
Cascade
Locals know it as Mosi oa-Tunya, meaning smoke and thunder. The name Victoria Falls was given by David Livingstone, the first European to lay eyes on it, in 1855. The falls straddle the border of Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia) and Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) in South/Central Africa. The falls are generated from the Zambezi River, flowing some 2700 km (1700 miles) from the headwaters in North Zambia. The Zambezi is joined by several tributaries such as the Luena, Chifumage and the Chobe before reaching the falls where the vast amount of water plummets 100 metres (360 feet), creating the biggest curtain of water in the world. The river then flows on, eventually reaching the Indian Ocean. On this journey the Zambezi flows through six countries; Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and Angola.
From Livingstone Island
See. It. All.
The falls were formed over thousands of years as the basalt plateau eroded from the pounding water. Today the thing that makes the falls so magnificent is the width. Spanning 1700 meters (5604 feet – about mile and a quarter), you can view the spectacle from the Mosi oa-Tunya National Park on the Zambia side and the Victoria Falls National Park on the Zimbabwe side. We did both. And a whole lot more.
We were told by many people that the view is better on the Zimbabwe side. I wouldn’t say better…but I would say there is more variety of viewing on the Zimbabwe side. It’s easy to see both sides in one day.
A sheet of water from the Zimbabwe side
It’s also quit easy to see both sides without a guide. Unless you are looking for someone to provide you with wildlife, birdlife or geological details, a guide is not necessary.
We started our Victoria Falls day taking a taxi from our hotel in Livingstone, about ten minutes to the entrance of the Mosi oa-Tunya National Park on the Zambia side. It’s $20 per person to enter the National Park. Consider bringing a poncho or raincoat but make sure it’s not one of those cheap plastic throw-away kind – because those are not allowed. One small effort the park is making to eliminate plastic. If you don’t have a poncho there are plenty of vendors willing to “rent” you one and to sell you all kinds of other things as well.
Our visit in February had the falls running pretty high and that means the mist was high too. Low season is August to December and high water is March to June.
We purchased our tickets at the entrance and did an easy self guided tour on the Zambia side. We walked all the paths and stopped at all the viewpoints and marveled over and over again at the majesty of it. We also did a hike down to “Boiling Pot”, more difficult going down than going up, but worth the view of the “boiling” river just below the falls.
Victoria Bridge from Boiling Pot
Border. Run.
We had planned to go to the Zimbabwe side on a different day, but after thoroughly seeing the Zambia side it wasn’t even noon yet so we decided to walk across the border. There are lots of taxis and rickshaw drivers who want your money to take you across the bridge, but as walkers, we wanted to do the walk. From one park entrance to the next it’s about 2.3km (1.4 miles). First you exit Zambia and there is border control there. We had purchased the KAZA Visa before arriving in Zambia, a special visa that allows visitors to this region to easily cross the borders of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana. After exiting Zambia we marveled at the hundreds of big rig trucks filled with copper waiting to be cleared to cross the border. As we walked we had to ignore all the men aggressively trying to sell us carved wooden figures, copper bracelets and drinks. Arne calls it running the gauntlet.
Looking up the river from the Zambia side
Eventually we arrived at the Victoria Falls Bridge which provides another beautiful view of the falls on the right hand side and down river on the left hand side. This bridge also is home to both a zipline and bungee jumping operation. No thanks.
On the opposite side of the bridge we had to clear Immigration to enter Zimbabwe. This included a medical check and having our temperature taken. Moving on to the entrance to the park the fee was $30 per person. Wow expensive. I was surprised that the two countries can’t come up with some way to do a combined ticket. Currently Zimbabwe has a worthless currency and they are using USD as their currency. But we used our credit card to buy tickets on both sides of the falls.
Bucketlist
Once we were in the park we realized it was much bigger and the views offered are really lovely. We had shed our ponchos because they made me sweat so much I was getting wet anyway, so we just let the mist cover us. The temperature was warm so it felt good. An interesting fact about the Victoria Falls Rainforest is that it is the only place on earth that it rains 24 hours a day.
There seemed to be more visitors on this side, but overall we enjoyed a very sparsely populated park. Comparing to our visit to Iguazu the week of New Years 2019 where we could barely move because of the crowds, we were pleasantly surprised by the lack of tourists.
As we walked we encountered a film-crew from ABC News doing a live shot for Good Morning America. We learned later that the story is a combined nature series with National Geographic.
Walking to Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwe side offers some pretty amazing up close and personal moments with the falls – nothing like feeling like you are on the edge of the abyss. The massive flow of water made my fantasy of following one drop of water pretty difficult….but I tried. But later we got even closer to the edge, actually a little too close for me.
Just. Plain. Crazy.
Before arriving we had booked a tour through Victoria Falls Guides to do what it called the Angels Swim. OMG. I really didn’t know what I was getting myself into. First of all let me say that there are two separate pools that visitors can “swim” in on the very edge of the falls. Devil’s Pool is only safe during the dry season and requires a walk/swim across the river holding on to rope. Say what? Angel’s Pool is accessed via Livingstone Island, a small island in the middle of the river on the Zambia side. It is only available for swimming during medium water flow because when the water is at its highest level, Livingstone Island disappears underwater.
Balancing on the edge
So we signed up to do the Angel’s Pool swim. I knew the pool was close to the edge of the falls because I had seen photos but holy cow. We were right on the ledge. This activity is not for someone faint of heart, afraid of heights, afraid of water, or sane. Seriously this was crazy. At first I told my husband I didn’t think I could do it when I saw how close we were getting…. but of course I ended up doing it. Absolutely heart stopping. I don’t think you could ever get a permit to operate something like this back home in the USA. Too many lawyers.
Angels Pool
But now I can add it to the list of crazy, fun exhilarating travel stories…one for the record books. Worth the $230 price for two people.
And by the way, the water was surprisingly warm.
Angels Pool
Most visitors come here on full-tours but we rarely do group tours and had no problem enjoying the area on our own. We made all our own arrangements. We stayed at Ngoma Zanga Lodge, a lovely oasis in Livingstone with a full restaurant. From Ngoma Zanga we were able to easily take a taxi ($6) to the falls.
Much. More. Fun.
In addition to swimming at the edge of the falls the region offers a wide variety of other activities for both the thrill-seeker and the more subdued. There is bungee jumping, ziplining, ultralight and helicopter rides. You can also go to a crocodile park, have a candlelight dinner on the edge of the falls, walk with rhinos or have breakfast with elephants. There are jet boat rides, canoe trips and whitewater rafting.
Magnificent. My favorite animal in the world.
We didn’t do any of those, but we did choose to do the following;
Chobe National Park – Using Victoria Falls Guides, we booked a full day tour in Chobe National Park in Botswana. Door to door service provided us an amazing opportunity to cross the border to Botswana, spend the entire day in Chobe on a morning river cruise and an afternoon land safari drive with lunch in between. We saw amazing animals including hippopotamus, crocodile, water buffalo, antelope, giraffe and hundreds and hundreds of elephants. This full day was worth the $340 price for two people. I would certainly do it again.
Sunset Boat Cruise – Our hotel booked an evening sunset cruise for us on our final night in Zambia. The boat could probably hold 100 people but there was only about 30 people on board so it was not crowded. Live African music, snacks and open bar was included in the $150 price for two people. The cruise also included a naturalist guide who pointed out hippopotamus, giraffes and so many birds along the shore. And of course we enjoyed a beautiful sunset.
Hippo in the Zambezi
Seeing Victoria Falls checks another item from my never ending bucket list. It was worth the effort to get here. I continue to love this continent chock-full of surprises – the never ending wonders of Africa. I know there are still a lot of people who fear traveling in Africa. We found these tourist areas of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana all safe, welcoming, and beautiful. And though the days are long gone where animals roam freely and abundantly, conservation efforts and National Parks offer the most astonishing opportunities for visitors. The natural beauty, lovely people, and incredible history (we all came from here) makes Africa one of the most fascinating places in the world. Our three months enjoying the African continent continues…watch for more adventures coming to a blog near you.
I recently reviewed Backman’s Bear Town, and wasn’t very complimentary. But in My Grandmother Asked Me To Tell You She is Sorry I am once again a fan. A really lovely feel good story in the vein of A Man Called Ove.
Seven-year-old Elsa is very mature for her age. Her little brain is far and away past most kids in her class. And her friendship with her sometimes “crazy” Grandma plays a key role in Elsa’s unique way of looking at the world, even as a seven-year-old. Elsa’s grandmother tells her a story about the Land of Almost Awake, a mysterious wonderland of good and evil.
But when Elsa’s Grandmother dies, Elsa embarks on a mysterious treasure hunt orchestrated by her Grandmother before her death. A series of letters apologizing to people in her Grandmother’s life will bring Elsa to a unique understanding of the remarkable woman her Grandma was, and how the Land of Almost Awake is not a fantasy afterall. In fact it is a real place and has been right under Elsa’s nose all along.
Backman’s writing pulls at your heartstrings and you will fall in love with Elsa and her eclectic collection of companions as Elsa learns from her incredible Grandma (in life and death) how kindness and courage are the greatest strengths, especially for people who are little bit different.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Five Stars for My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry by Fredrick Backman. Read last week’s review of The Silent Patient.
Two years ago we visited South Africa, spending nearly a month in and around Capetown and the Western Cape. But we didn’t get to Johannesburg.
At the time, I was afraid to visit Joburg, falling victim to the media accounts of a violent place. The very same media accounts I now try to convince would-be travelers to take with a grain of salt.
Artwork at Constitution Hill
Because Johannesburg, like countless places around the world, certainly has some areas you don’t want to wander around alone. It has violence, crime and continuing racial divide. But all that said, during our short visit we found a sparkling clean city with a beautiful airport, good infrastructure and roads, art and cultural sites and kind people.
Johannesburg’s violent past should be remembered and never repeated, all while this city of 8 million people (five million in Joburg and 3 million in Soweto) works with painstaking slowness towards a future where people of all races have the same opportunities.
My husband inside one of the tiny isolation cells at Prison #4
Trying to see Johannesburg South Africa in one day? Is it enough? No it is not. But one day was all I had and so we made the most of our time with a tour with MoAfrika. During our more than nine hours with MoAfrika and our tour guide Michael, I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions as I witnessed and learned about the past, present and future of South Africa’s largest city.
Listed below are the highlights we enjoyed. Given more time the city has much more to offer, but this is what we saw and what we learned.
Constitution Hill, Formerly Prison Number Four
“There is perhaps no other site of incarceration in South Africa that imprisoned the sheer number of world-renowned men and women as those held within the walls of Constitution Hill’s Old Fort, Women’s Jail, and Number Four. Nelson Mandela. Mahatma Gandhi. Joe Slovo. Albertina Sisulu. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela. Fatima Meer. They all served time here. But the precinct also confined tens of thousands of ordinary people during its 100-year history: men and women of all races, creeds, ages and political agendas; children too; the everyman and the elite. In this way, the history of every South African lives here.” (Quoted from website Constitution Hill)
The outdoor latrines at Prison #4
Constitution Hill is a living museum that tells the story of South Africa’s journey to democracy.
Barbed wire and blue sky
What I learned and saw here was the unimaginably cruel and inhumane prison that for more than 90 years beat, starved, humiliated, tortured, and worked to death 1000’s of Africans both famous and infamous. In a repatriation effort the site stands in memory of those victims, and the grounds also house the home of South Africa’s Constitutional Court.
The prison guard tower watches over the yard
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is akin to the Supreme Court of the United States and was created in 1993 during Nelson Mandela’s Presidency and the development of the new constitution of the country. I find it very gratifying to see the chambers of the Constitutional Court placed on the grounds of this most violent place. A vivid acknowledgement to the past and a strong statement to the future.
The Chambers of the Constitutional Congress
Apartheid Museum
“South Africa’s struggle for liberation has been a journey of pain and strife. Freedom brought peace to our land in 1994 after centuries of colonialism and more than 40 years of life under apartheid.” (Quote from the Apartheid Museum website)
Apartheid Musuem (no indoor photos allowed)
What I learned and saw here was the volatile history of this country and how it came to be the fragile place it is today. This museum is one of the best I have ever visited and the hour and forty-five minutes we spent here was not near long enough. I believe you could easily justify an entire day in the cleverly laid-out walk through South Africa’s history.
Both Nelson and Winne Mandela are held in very high regard
On arrival you get your ticket and randomly are given a ticket that says “Whites Only” or “Non-Whites”. Depending on your ticket you enter the museum through different doors – immediately creating a feeling for the visitor that you have stepped back to another era.
The amazing museum is laid out chronologically taking you through the horrors of race classification and how that led to apartheid. You then learn what life was like as a “non-white” during apartheid, the exterminations and executions, the rise of black consciousness leading to the very violent days of 1976 in Soweto. The museum continues through the roots of compromise, the election of President Mandela and the new constitution.
Entering the “Non-Whites” entrance
If you haven’t been to South Africa you may not know about the remarkable Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The museum covers how in 1995 the government created this commission, chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to promote reconciliation and forgiveness among perpetrators and victims of apartheid. The Commission was charged with three specific tasks: to discover the causes and nature of human rights violations in South Africa between 1960 and 1994; to identify victims with a view to paying reparations; and to allow amnesty to those who fully disclosed their involvement in politically motivated human rights violations.
Inside the “non-whites” entrance
How many places around the world where civil war or civil unrest has left a crack in society should consider something similar to this – so that true healing can actually begin. It’s a true testament to the Mandela leadership era.
The Hector Pieterson Museum
“The Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum, situated in Orlando West, Soweto, commemorates the role of the country’s students in the struggle against apartheid and in particular the role played by the school children who took part in the Soweto protests of 1976, many of whom were shot by the apartheid police while protesting against the sub-standard of education in black schools in South Africa.” (Quote from Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum Website)
The photo seen ’round the world, June 16, 1976
What I learned and saw here was an incredibly heartbreaking story of the June 16th, 1976 peaceful protest that took the lives of many young and innocent children including 13 year-old Hector Pieterson. Shot point blank while on the sidewalk.
The extremely graphic photo (shown here) became a symbol for the South African people fighting apartheid and made Hector Pieterson a martyr. Additionally it caused the photographer to flee for his life when the photo went viral around the world. And the young high-school boy carrying the body of Pieterson had to flee South Africa because the police wanted to kill him too. His family never heard from him again. His name was Mbuyisa Makhubo. I write his name here so he is not forgotten. An innocent victim.
Memorial to Hectar Pieterson and all those who were innocent victims
What kind of mad crazy world was this? These were children. Horrifying. This is not a story I knew in depth and I was left feeling so sad. Like the Apartheid Museum this museum does a wonderful job bringing the real people who suffered to the forefront of the story.
Soweto
Soweto (South West Township) was created in the 1930’s when the whites started forcing the black population out of the city of Johannesburg. Soweto became the largest black township in South Africa, where residents were considered temporary and served as the workforce for white Johannesburg. During apartheid, Soweto experienced civil unrest and violence as the slum people began to rise up against the lack of education, sanitation and civil rights. This unrest culminated on June 16 1976 when students staged a peaceful protest against school being taught in Afrikaans instead of the tribal languages. This protest turned violent when the police killed innocent children. The newsreels of that time was seared on the psyche of people around the world and Soweto became known henceforth as the home of the war against apartheid.
Only a few years ago tourists would never come here
Inside one of the “informal” townshps in Soweto
Today, however, Soweto is safe and a visit to Soweto as a tourist is a must. It is however not easy to get around, so having a guide would be advised. Even in Soweto there is a class divide; nicer homes on the outskirts, the “matchbox” houses in the middle and the “informal” villages making up the rest. The informal villages are hammered-together shanty towns, where people who have not been able to get a government issued house live. We toured an informal village and went into a home. It was clean and organized and despite the fact it was made from sheet metal and tarps, you could see the pride the home owner had in her home.
Inside one of the informal Townships in Soweto
Unemployment in Soweto is over 70% and and more than 3 million people live here.
Visiting one of the homes in the informal township
Final Thoughts
For someone from a western culture, and particularly someone who is white, it’s a difficult thing to wrap your head around all that has happened here. Unimaginable to most people. But despite the hardships and the continued race divide we met some very nice people, many working for a better life for themselves and their families. The children we met were very healthy and happy and curious about us. Our time seeing Johannesburg South Africa in one day was educational, enlightening, heartbreaking and hopeful.
The future of South Africa
Slow progress, but will the races ever be on even ground in South Africa? Time will tell, but likely not in my lifetime.
Well. I had high hopes for this book. Hmmmm. It got great reviews but for me it just fell short of spectacular and I was left going “meh”.
Touted as the next “Gone Girl” (big shoes) and “destined for the big screen” (maybe better as a movie?) I just couldn’t find the love for this book.
I figured out the plot twist pretty early on, and although there were some surprising turns, there were also some gaping holes.
We are introduced to a psychotherapist, a famous artist, and a famous photographer. Difficult family backgrounds and childhoods, insecurities and infidelity will play a big role in the development of these characters and how their lives and deaths come together.
Who loves who? Who is the real villain? Who is really the crazy one? And in the end will we be satisfied with the wrapping up of this “thriller”? Unfortunately, I wasn’t. Movie coming! “Meh”.
⭐️⭐️⭐️Three stars for The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
The Great Mauritius Experiment comes to an end, a long term stay on Mauritius. That’s a wrap Mauritius.
Six weeks staying in one place. In one Airbnb. On one island. The longest we have stayed anywhere. Here is what we learned;
Me: I didn’t feel island fever -the malady of feeling trapped – but I did feel a loss of purpose. I’m not sure how to explain it but six weeks of doing a lot of nothing was too much for me. Some things about a long term stay on Mauritius I loved; I loved unpacking and sleeping in the same bed and feeling at home…and yet…
When I am at home (in the USA I mean), for three or more months during each year I have tasks. Things that need to be accomplished. And although we might often complain about these things, feeling that sense of accomplishment is a good feeling for me.
While on Mauritius for six weeks I set goals and created tasks to keep myself feeling accomplished. Even if it was laundry, meal planning, writing the blog, hiking, running or researching our next destinations. This provides me some sense of purpose.
Don’t get me wrong…I had definite enjoyable days of doing nothing. Even though I can’t spend hours and hours in the sun like I used to, the six weeks here included a lot of relaxing, reading and quiet time. But for me, it was too long.
My husband: He is much less in need of a sense of purpose. In fact, his life goal is no tasks. I’m not saying he is lazy. Far from it. But he prefers a life without a lot of deadlines or pressure. He was and is the driving force behind us moving forward with a travel lifestyle (although most people believe it was me) and continues to enjoy this quiet life without drama that is inevitable back in the USA.
You might also be surprised to learn that it is he who loves the heat. He can spend the entire day reading on a lounge chair in the sun. So a long term stay on Mauritius fit him perfectly.
Me: Moving forward in our planning I think I would want to stay three or maybe four weeks in a place but not longer. We stayed three weeks in Kenya and it was perfect. We stayed three weeks in Antiparos Greece and it was incredible. Much longer I just get ants in my pants. That said, once we leave here we are on a rollercoaster of movement for more than a month (8 countries) and I know when we stop to take a two-week breather in Cyprus we will be ready, tired and irritable. Finding a balance between these two kinds of travel is my goal.
My husband: He would prefer staying in one place for even longer than six weeks. Schlepping the bags is a pain. Driving is a pain. Changing lodging is a pain. Airports and airplanes are a pain. But, he doesn’t want to be back in the USA for extended periods either. The fact we are going to spend the Christmas holidays in the USA in 2020 is all my doing…he would rather not. He doesn’t like the weather, he doesn’t like the chores associated with the holidays (or the house), he doesn’t like the drama and he definitely doesn’t like how much it costs.
And so we plunge ahead. We have no plans to stop this travel life. It’s been good for our marriage. It’s been good for our health (physical and mental). It’s been good for our finances. We just continue to refine it as we go along…it’s a constant learning process.
So where to next? We depart Mauritius February 15th and begin country hopping through six African countries. Two quick days in Johannesburg, six days in the Victoria Falls triangle (Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana) five days in Uganda (Gorilla tour), seven days in Rwanda.
A rough picture of the next five weeks.
In early March we say farewell for now to the African continent after two and a half months and head to Israel for 16 days (but in 6 different lodgings) before taking a breather in Cyprus in the end of March. In Cyprus we spend the majority of our time in one Airbnb so it should be relaxing and we will be ready.
I won’t bore you with the details from there, but I will say there is a lot of countries to come as we move north into Europe as spring and summer arrive, culminating in France for a late June wedding and heading back to the USA June 30th.
And I’m already planning 2021, using all the knowledge we have acquired in our travels so far. What a fabulous life indeed.
Gates, co-founder of The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is a talented writer and her eloquently told stories of people she has met through her work around the globe is an inspiring read.
As a world traveler myself, I have witnessed stark poverty, extreme sexism, lack of education and powerful caste systems. I look upon these things and feel helpless at what I can do.
Gates looks upon them and develops data and brings the issues to our attention, in her determined and candid narrative.
Through the inspiring stories she tells, including many personal stories of her own background and marriage, the overall message is clear – if you want to lift up a society you must start by supporting and lifting the women and girls.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
