• Zimbabwe

    The Harare International Festival of the Arts

    Our wonderful trip through Southern Africa involved careful planning, endless research, a large dose of wanderlust and a bit of luck. Sure, even without the extra bit of luck, we would have had a fantastic time, but arriving in Harare while HIFA (Harare International Festival of the Arts) was in full swing was just about the luckiest thing that could have happened to us. We were not expecting to spend much time in Harare. I had wanted to stop by the city briefly to visit my friend from Macalester, but…

  • Zimbabwe

    Great Zimbabwe Ruins: The House of Stones

    In 1871, German geologist Karl Mauch set off in search of the biblical city of Ophir—a place that once supplied the Queen of Sheba with an abundance of gold for the construction of the Temple of Solomon. And when he stumbled upon the ancient stone structure of Great Zimbabwe in the beautiful, green highlands south of Harare, he believed that he had at last stumbled upon the fabled city. Great Zimbabwe is one of Africa’s most incredible archeological sites. Yet—even amongst avid travelers—the ruins remain largely undiscovered. The wonderfully preserved…