Munda Wanga

This is the beginning of a tour of Munda Wanga Botanical gardens.  One of the best kept secrets in Zambia.  There weren't many people there on this Thursday afternoon, the park was quiet and peaceful with one beautiful view after another.

Munda Wanga has botanical gardens as well as an animal park.   We just had a few hours to give a tour to Alice MacKay who was visiting from London.  We had all seen animals recently so we went to the botanical garden section.  It was wonderful!  The bird fountain is a Water Eagle.  The national bird of Zambia.

It was one of the first rainy days of the beginning of the rainy season, just a drizzle off and on.   Alice and I shared an umbrella.  Alice was part of a medical team who came from London to do back surgeries here as a humanitarian effort.  They were able to help many people who otherwise would have to live with deformities.    Alice was the only member of the Church on the team.  When the Doctor's went to do the tourist thing, Alice opted to visit the mission and spent one day doing missionary work with the sisters and one day with us.  We really enjoyed getting to know her.

A beautiful pool in the gardens.

These hedges made up a little maze.  I guess like an English garden.  Notice the hose.  They have had to water lately since we are just ending the dry season and it has also been hot this month.

This was the succulent section of the garden.

The grayish green leaves on the bushes next to the path were very soft.  They reminded me of Rabbit's Ear plants at home.

Inviting paths and bridges everywhere!

Bridge over a stream filled with water lilies....gorgeous!

Elder Louthan in front of a stand of bamboo.  Everything looks pretty green even at the end of the dry season.

I don't know the names of these trees.  I will have to get a book for identification.  There are so many flowering trees all over town  and I would love to know their names....so beautiful!

Bird nests in the palm tree.  See the little yellow bird at the bottom of one of the nests.  He is hanging upside down.  They go into their nests from the bottom.....amazing!

Alice showing how big this tree is.....the roots went way out and the limbs on top were massive.  We just saw a small section of the park...we will definitely go back!