Appreciating Africa's beauty, from dusk 'til dawn
Anyone who knows me knows that I have no problem expressing myself. I manage to find imaginative ways to communicate my thoughts and feelings. If it isn't a quirky turn of phrase, I have a miscellany of GIFs at the ready. But as the sun set on my first day in Gaborone, I found that for the first time in my life I was at a loss.
Having spent more than 6 hours in the attentive sun, getting acquainted with the rhythm and pulse of Botswana's capital city, Gaborone closes the day off with a spectacular twilight that can only be described as the *sewaa in the magwinya.*
From 4:15pm until exactly 5:36pm the flaring star at the centre of our solar system commands attention. Before laying its head to rest for the night, it labours through an elaborate, performative finale. The sun casts an indigo shadow on the land its setting on and, instead of hugging the horizon in light - like what I'm used to seeing in smoggy Johannesburg, a palette of purple rises from the ground up until it fades to a fiery orange and burnt sienna, eventually becoming calming hues of blue.
The beauty lies in the nuanced simplicity of the spectacle. Gaborone is an idyllic place characterized by its modesty. There are no skyscrapers distracting your eye from the unspoiled beauty of the landlocked country. Everyone my travelling companion and I meet is honest, humble and incredibly helpful.
The scene change from day to night happens slowly at first, then all at once. Before we know it, we are looking out onto a velvet canvas, glitters of light piercing through the thick blanket of darkness. I search the sky for a shooting star to wish upon. I don't find one but I make a wish anyway.
At 6:03am, my body clock patiently pulls me from slumber. A surreal stream of celestial light pours into the thatched loft we're calling home for the next three days. Convinced I've been caught between the dream and real world, I sit up in bed and watch. Silent. Stupefied.
This morning's display is just as thorough as yesturday. You'd think this ball of palpable energy was shy, tip toeing as it does, slowly climbing the same stairs to the horizon it had descended a couple of hours before. It takes just over an hour for the sun to shine its whole face on Gaborone.
I haven't moved. I haven't spoken a word. I don't dare disturb its daily routine.
Botswana is one of the most beautiful places I've had the privilege to visit. The country and its people welcomed us like esteemed guests, treated us to its best until it was time to return home.
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Gaborone's natural beauty is unparalleled. Their local fare is equally delicious, and the portions are as generous. Read about my afternoon at The Daily Grind Cafe and Kicthen here.
If you're looking for amagwinya's to put your seswaa in, I've got a recipe you MUST try.
You are a star, Inglish. You go gal!!!