Africa – Seite 11 – rene bauer photography

Ombili Project For San People

San people used to be hunters and gatherers. The movie „the gods must be crazy“ gave a strong impression about their life in the Kalahari bush. However, i got aware of the ‚Ombili Project‘ nearby, which was founded to help the San people, who suffer from losing they’re natural habits. On the way to this ‚cultural village‘ i explained my parents what i know about the life of this tribe. Contrary to my expectations and explanations after arrival we’ve seen neither their nomadic huts, nor hunters with poisoned arrows. Instead we got introduced in the huge garden behind solid brick buildings and explained about their success with cattle. The Ombili project turns out to be rather an agriculture school in purpose to give the upcoming generations of San people a new future. Nevertheless there is still a corner in the village to satisfy the visitors with their images of old traditional huts, fire making with a stick and a group who sings wonderful old, traditional songs.

Mai 15, 2016 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, gastronomy, HOPE, humansofplanetearth, Nambia, nature, portrait, reportage, travel, Uncategorized, urbanlifeTags: adventure, Africa, agriculture, children, culture, daily life, firemaking, garden, kids, landscape, namibdummies, namibia, nature, nomads, overland, people, portraits, reportage, san, Travel, tribe, urbanlife, Village Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Etosha Nationalpark

A nationalpark is not a zoo. The opportunity to see wildlife in their natural habitat comes not with a guarantee. Only time and luck (and some knowledge about habits of animals) let you observe most of these fascinating creatures. Because we planned two days in the park only, i kept the expectations low. But it wasn’t necessary. Already at the first waterhole many animals gathered for drinking. Later we’ve seen not only a lion in distance but twice a pack of lions laying around lazy or watching us just next to the road in the bush. My parents were amazed. Next to giraffes, different kind of antelopes, birds, jackals, warthogs, elephant bulls and huge herds of zebras, we spot twice the very rare black rhinos. To see them so close amazed now me. After the overpriced and rather disappointing group tour in Serengeti/Ngorogoro Parks few weeks earlier, Etosha Park was a short but incredible experience again.

Mai 13, 2016 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, animal, landscape, Nambia, nature, reportage, travel, Uncategorized, wildlifeTags: adventure, Africa, blackrhino, Desert, etosha, landscape, lion, namibdummies, namibia, nationalpark, nature, Offroad, overland, reportage, rhino, safari, Travel, wildlife Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Petrified Forest

I talked about the desert elephants and how rare they’re to see, as i noticed a car parking next to the gravel road. And yes, the couple in that car spotted two elephant bulls roaming in nearby bush. Along the road we’ve been lucky with more attractions as a black cobra, once alive since there are many dead snakes on the road, more of the unique welwitschia plants or huge termite hills.

A guide explained the origin of the wood and how it came many thousands years ago down to Nambia, covered by mud and clay and turned slowly to minerals and stone. The colors, the structure of the bark and even the year rings look still like the wood, but if you touch it you feel cold, hard stone.

Mai 12, 2016 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, animal, flower, landscape, Nambia, nature, reportage, travel, Uncategorized, wildlifeTags: adventure, Africa, elephant, forest, landscape, namibdummies, namibia, nature, Offroad, ontheroad, overland, people, petrifiedforest, portraits, reportage, safari, snake, Travel, wildlife Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

A Rocky Day

I agree, the rock formations looks strange, but to see the „organ pipes“ needs good will and some fantasy. However, impressive are those vertical piles anyway. That black hill nearby called „burnt mountain“. Some minerals let it appears much darker as the surroundings rocks.

Highlight of the day was undoubtedly the rock engravings of Twyfelfontein. Over a big area are amazing witnesses of ancient culture engraved in rocks. The early San people probably used the rocks as a school board to teach the youngsters about nature and hunting, or some guys were just bored without TV and became artist accidentally …who knows for certain the truth. My parents, however, found the heat and the stony paths more challenging. Lucky there wasn’t much other people around who wanted the rare shade too. The newly bought hats, which my parents wore proudly, helped too. Myself was proud they made it trough all the rocky obstacles to follow me to the different sites and my explanations.

Mai 10, 2016 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, landscape, Nambia, nature, portrait, reportage, tradition, UncategorizedTags: adventure, Africa, ancient, burntmountain, culture, landscape, namibdummies, namibia, nature, organpipes, overland, people, portraits, reportage, rockart, san, Travel, twyfelfontein Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Coastal Road To Cape Cross

Not much to see on the coastal road, my stepdad moans. So i was challenged to show the beauty along the road. A sandstorm shaked us up on the long drive to Hentjes Bay, where we met the Atlantic Ocean. The wind freshed the waves up for big surfs, hitting the beach with roars. Following the coastline on hard earthen road, we were passing salt fields. Wooden tables with snow white or pink salt crystals were displayed for sale. Stop, i gotta fetch one, my mom asked. She picked a small nice pink colored one and we drove off into the smell of the seal colony at Cape Cross. Thousands of those animals playing in the water, lazing on the rocks and even occupying what supposed to be a picnic spot for visitors. The spectators doesn’t mind anyway, but were busy with selfies with the seals. As we did do. Just next to the mass of those mammals, two crosses for remembering the first landing of Portuguese sailor Diogo Cão at 1484 are erected. Another selfie and a brief explanation of the history were done there, although i knew the historical datas are sooner forgotten than the stench of the seals.

Mai 8, 2016 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, animal, landscape, Nambia, nature, reportage, Uncategorized, wildlifeTags: adventure, Africa, atlantic, coast, landscape, mammals, namibdummies, namibia, nature, overland, people, reportage, sea, seals, Travel, wildlife Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

On The Way To Spitzkoppe

The area called „moon landscape“ and especially the Welwitschia plains are not to miss if you travel towards Spitzkoppe. The oldest plants on earth, welwitschia mirabilis, is odd to see and can reach an age of 2000 years.

Much younger were the kids who sells art crafts next to the streets. My mom shouted „stop, i wanna buy something from those cute children“. It gave me the opportunity for a brief photoshooting. The little ones already knows to look and enjoyed to get pictures in funny poses.

Just right to catch nice evening lights we arrived our camp at Spitzkoppe. A few rocks further, a group of young travelers on adventure tour, were busy to pitch their tents. before they start to roam around, i got few nice shots from the natural rock arch.

Mai 7, 2016 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, HOPE, humansofplanetearth, landscape, Nambia, nature, portrait, reportage, travel, UncategorizedTags: adventure, Africa, landscape, moonlandscape, namibdummies, namibia, nature, overland, people, plant, portraits, reportage, spitzkoppe, Travel, welwitschia Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

A Stroll In Swakopmund

Swakopmund is a pleasant town for many activities around, but even more for a day off. Doing some shopping, having a coffee in a nice cafe or just stroll around the streets with plenty of well-maintanand colonial buildings.

Mai 7, 2016 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, landscape, Nambia, nature, portrait, reportage, travel, Uncategorized, urbanlifeTags: adventure, Africa, culture, daily life, landscape, namibdummies, namibia, nature, ocean, overland, people, pier, portraits, reportage, sunset, swakopmund, Travel Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Solitaire in Namib Desert

A little spot, just south of the Tropic Of Capricorn sign, on the vast Namib desert marked as fuel station on the maps, but it’s far more than that. Not only fuel, snacks, cool beverages and cold beers are served here. It’s also the place for the most famous apple tart in Namibia. The German baker, who introduced that delicious dessert midst in the desert, passed away a few years ago. His apple tart stays for many more generations, hopefully.

The big eye-catcher are the old-timers and trucks standing around the fuel station. In colorful rusty conditions they attract people for a stroll between them and take a few shots for remembering.

Mai 6, 2016 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, gastronomy, landscape, Nambia, nature, portrait, reportage, travel, UncategorizedTags: Africa, appletart, cars, Desert, food, fuel, fuelstation, landscape, museum, namibdummies, namibia, old-timer, reportage, solitaire, Travel, trucks Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Sun, Wind and Sand on Sossusvlei

Not much to tell about the magnificent landscape around Sossusvlei area. It’s a Must for every Namibia newbie, so certainly i brought my parents here too. Take a bit time to feel sun, wind and sand on your skin.

Mai 5, 2016 by Rene Bauer Categories: Africa, landscape, Nambia, nature, portrait, reportage, travel, UncategorizedTags: Africa, deadvlei, Desert, landscape, namibdummies, namibia, nature, overland, people, portraits, reportage, sand, sky, sossusvlei, Travel, tree Hinterlasse einen Kommentar

Diamond Ghost Town Kolmanskoop

It’s a ghost city near Luederitz. Wind blows trough shattered windows, brings sand in, carry old dreams away. Diamonds were found here, and still get found in these area. Tourguides tell about the old days, about the incredible wealth they experienced here, about the lucky ones and the harsh circumstances for collecting those shiny stones.