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Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia - 2005

Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia - 2005

Jacek Pałkiewicz
2006-06-25 14:23:32

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silver green hills of Zambia and the iron bridge, intrepidly spanning the gorge from which a constant mist of spray rises.
Not only are the falls one of the natural wonders of the world but the approach and first glimpse of them must be among nature's most dramatic presentations. The dark, tropical vegetation of the rainforest thrives in the constant spray thrown up by the falls. Vervet monkeys call to one another from tall mahogany trees and brightly coloured birds flit amongst the branches. Waxen lilies nestle amongst luxurious moss and ferns on the forest floor.
Cocooned inside the damp, green rainforest drops of water fall gently from leaf to leaf. The air is warm and smells of wet earth. Sounds are muffled. And all the time you can hear the deep and constant rumble of the falls. The noise seems distant, faraway from the sheltered interior of the forest, but suddenly the trees and vines part and the forest floor drops into the gorge below, revealing what must truly be one of the most breathtaking sights on earth. The sheer quantity and force of the water lends it a tangible quality which is not that of a liquid: it is a white, furious, seething, tumultuous mass hurtling towards the rocks below with awe-inspiring energy and terrifying force.
Here, I felt the stirrings of another Africa. Above Devil's Cataract is an imposing statue of David Livingstone, the first white man to see the falls. It would not look out of place in the grey streets of London, but it is a bizarre monument to come across in a tropical rainforest. Our guide informed us that Livingstone was "the first man ever to see the falls", a statement as incongruous as the statue itself. Archaeological digs near the falls have revealed that men lived there as long as two million years ago. These ancient Africans and their descendants had watched the almighty force of the Zambezi tumble over the falls long before Livingstone first laid eyes on them and named them for his Queen. Looking ...