7/25 -- Amboseli National Park

We started the day photographing Mt. Kilimanjaro just after sunrise from an elevated view point at the camp. Instead of game viewing this morning, we went to a local Masai village and visited with a family as well as the neighborhood schools. We have done this before, but I think this was the most interesting and fun of any of these experiences. The chief, Joseph, has an 8th grade education and is very progressive and well-spoken in English. Polygamy is the rule in Masai culture, but he is modeling monogamy and small families, in part because of the costs of clothing and educating a much larger family group. He is encouraging the children to get educated, including the girls and during our private talk with the women was eager to have us talk to them about family planning and birth control.

Mt Kilimanjaro at sunrise

Monkeys raiding a waste basket as soon as it was used.

Joseph, chief of the Masai group we visited.

Joseph's wife (middle) and the wives of the other brothers.

Working the water pump

Superb Starling

Twin lambs

Atempting to milk a goat --  I actually generated 3 little squirts

We walked to the school and learned that they started several years ago with 5 male students and one teacher and now  have 450 students (44% girls) and 13 teachers -- the Kenya government supplies and pays for 5 teachers and the other 8 are supported by family contributions, based on what they can afford. They draw students from up to 40km away and have had boarding facilities, which are currently being expanded. We spent some time with the 8th graders, who were very outgoing and interested in our lives. They gladly looked at photos on our phones and cameras and then started taking them. The event ended with a rousing song from the whole group followed by our improving rendition of America the Beautiful.

Little kids outside before class

Assistant principal, who is Masai and originated from here.

The kids I talked to

Jim with one of his kids

The 8th grade class entertaining us.

Back at the family compound, we danced and were amazed at the leaps of the warriors. Then we got a tour of a home, and separated into men's and women's groups to allow discussion of sensitive topics. Unlike the woman we met yesterday who was married off at 13 after being 'circumcised', these women had married at 18 and would not allow their daughters to participate in the cutting ordeal. They said the change had come about as a result of meetings that had been held with the women to help them learn about the negative ramifications of this practice. The  forward-thinking chief probably had a hand in making this change acceptable. Finally, we got a chance to look at their beaded jewelry and purchased some.

Villagers from Joseph's compound and others come to dance.

First the women show their stuff

Then the men demonstrate their prowess

Jim gave the jumping the old college try.

Joseph introduced his younger brother who gave us a tour
of the house inside.

At 3:30, we headed out for another game drive, determined to find a better photo of flamingos. It took a while to find a good  location, but wow! I was happy with my initial zoomed photos - there were thousands of birds - and then they started taking off and flying in a swirling pattern til they were all in the air and finally settled back in the water further out from shore. 

On the way back to camp, as a bonus, we spotted a lioness watching the nearby herds just before dusk, probably deciding whether to have zebra or wildebeast for her next meal. Further on, on hyena was stalking a wildebeast herd, which chased him off before he could do any damage. We also noticed another hyena further away, just lying there waiting for the herd to settle down again.

Yellow billed storks?

Hyena driven off by wildebeast

Sneaky hyena near wildebeast herd imitating a rock