Crocodiles - Lake Chamo

After watching a wonderful sunrise in the morning stillness with just the hotel staff sweeping the fallen leaves, it was off to Lake Chamo / Nechisar National Park.

Greeted by baboons, a 2 hour lazy motor around the shallow Lake Chamo. A gentle breeze made it a relaxing morning.

Saw several white African fish eagle, very tall grey goliath heron with it's with chestnut head, neck and belly and a whole lot of great white pelicans. Then the even bigger massive marabou stork.

The fishermen in waist high water were poachers. Park authorities could only do so much.
 
The highlight of the day would be the lazy fresh water Nile crocodiles with just their snot above the water. Some I guess we're 4 - 5 metres long. No hippos were seen.
































































































 





























 





























































 















































 

Dorze Tribe Market

On an unsealed road for 15 km zig zagging upwards 1,000 metres to the top of the Rift Valley passing the many terraces fields till we reached the small town of Dorze high up in the green Guge hills and the weekly market of the Dorze tribe. Our small group of faranjis / foreigners quickly became the main centre of attraction as we moved through the different sections. A few even objected to me taking a photo not of them but of the goods that they were selling.

 





















































































 

























































































































































 
 




















































































































































 
 






































 
Dorze Lodge

Not far away arrived at the overnight Dorze Lodge campsite with 7 bungalow huts built in the Dorze dome shape beehive style with local material. Perched right on the edge of the Rift Valley with even better magnificent stunning views down to the two lakes Abaya and Chamo far below.

No electricity with a generator providing battery recharging time and lighting for just several hours.

Quietness and one could hear the voices of the people far, far away. None of what I will call modern structures like roads, buildings, telephone poles or at worst cell towers bloated the beautiful scenery. Just the individual houses dotting the patchwork pattern fields beneath.

 






















































































Dorze Village
 
Time out to enjoy this spot before the walk to the neighbouring village where we saw how enset or false banana plant which is used to make bread from the trunk and from roots porridge rich in calcium was made.

The plant with its giant leafy fronds grows in three or four years. It is harvested often by women who pulp the central bowl or root into a pulpy mush, wrapped in its own leaves and buried in the ground for upwards of six months during which time the pulp ferments. Enset is high in starch and is used to make bread or porridge. The pulp can last for several years, and be called upon as a source of carbohydrate at times when other food is scarce.

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Sunset – Dorze Village

Walking back to our camp the sun was setting. With the trees and clouds simply to me a beautiful way to end today. Before we could exit, there were the obligatory gift stores. Was told the significance of the colours being Red = Spicy, Black = Bread and Yellow = Honeywine.

 















































































































 










 
 
Dorze Tribe dance

The neighbouring Dorze Tribe came, sang and danced around the fire.