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| Pic by Pauline Battigelli |
When I reached Zimbabwe in August this year, I timed
my visit so that the Msasa trees would be in early leaf. I had to wait a few
weeks and suddenly from their dry branches sprang soft new leaves. This year a
glowing burnt sienna was reflecting the colour of the ground from which the
tree had grown.
The new leaves are very tender and a knowledgeable
botanist told me that the colour of the new leaf does not attract animals which
could be drawn to munching up such a delicate scrap. The colour of the new Msasa
leaves are in fact a protection against hungry animals much as a thorn protects a thorn
bush.
After a few weeks the chlorophyll in the leaves builds up and changes
bronze colours to green.
In the evenings, my son Richard and I would take a
walk through the grounds of Peterhouse School to greet the spring colour and
watch the sunsets across the green playing fields. All quite, quite breath
taking. Some evenings a piper and teacher at the school would walk down onto
the field and play his bagpipes, giving an added contribution to the
extravaganza.
The Msasa colours last only a few weeks until the
leaves strengthen and turn green.
Spring in Zimbabwe- there is nothing like it. After
the colourful display of the Msasas, the next blossoming are the Jacaranda’s
with their purple trumpet-like flowers and then the fiery spread of the Flamboyant
trees.
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| Jacaranda trees |
I returned to Johannesburg on the 5th of
November and the next week Zimbabwe itself was having a change for the better.
We hope and pray with the retirement of Robert Gabriel Mugabe that this will be
a new spring for Zimbabwe, as beautiful, colourful and rich as the blossom of
the trees that grow there.
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| "Msasas" - Pauline Battigelli |
Travelling in
Zimbabwe
The police in Zimbabwe are continually stopping cars
and inspecting every inch of them with a long list of specific requirements
that need to be visible in every vehicle. These road blocks cause delays and
obstructions to moving traffic. Heavy fines are demanded if anything is out of
alignment or not visible. In the meantime, on the streets and roads there is a
high rate of serious accidents. The police always manage to find something not
quite right and issue the drivers with a $US20 fine, which they will drop to $US10
if you look pathetic enough.
We had an experience driving into Harare. We were
stopped for driving 70km/h in a 60km zone. This was perfectly correct as
Richard did not see the speed sign. A policeman came to my window and said that
we would have to pay a speeding fine of $US20. He took one look at my face and
said kindly, “Ah, but you are too old. We will make it $US10,” for which I
thanked him for the compliment. He then sent a young police woman of generous
proportions to the window and she was paid the $US10.
My daughter-in-law asked politely for a receipt. The
police woman stomped off and came back with one which she pushed through the
window. I expected Richard to take the receipt and hold it for a few moments
but he didn’t and neither did I as I do not see well. Impatiently she threw the
receipt in my face and once again stomped off! We wondered why she was
irritated at having to give us a receipt…
We hope with the new change in Zimbabwe, there will be
a different attitude adopted by the police.
