"Zimbabwe" can mean whatever you want it to mean.

In Shona, the local language, it can mean a generic house. It can mean a tribal chief's house. It can mean a large community... and of course it can mean a screwed up country in southern Africa.

"It was completely local and it's impressive."
"Great Zimbabwe" refers to a Shona city that once existed near the present-day city of Masvingo. It was the biggest of dozens of elaborate communities that once existed here. White folk tried for decades to convince themselves someone other than indigenous people built it... even postulating help from aliens. But it was completely local and it's impressive.

Home to Africa's largest ancient masonry structure after Egypt's pyramids... Great Zimbabwe is a ruin on par with many Mayan and Inca cities I saw in Latin America.

Great Zimbabwe's Tower

I had no idea there were ancient civilizations like this in sub-Saharan Africa. It was impressive. Again, the photos will say more than I can describe... if I ever find an internet connection worthy of uploading pics.

At this point we'll take a breather while I warn you that this journal entry will consist of observations on wide-ranging topics that have risen to my attention over the last several days. This is a problem when I have so few chances to write stuff on the site. But here goes...

"They're not recycled American school buses."
The chicken buses are back. After a prolonged absence from my trip beginning when I left Central America, we're back on unbelievably jammed buses dating from before I was born. This time they're not recycled American school buses, but what look like really old transit buses. Think of the photos of Rosa Parks and her famous bus.

We rode one of those from Masvingo into the capital city Harare. The hornet's nest, as it were. D. W. is just down the street. An interesting and intimidating place to be. The street the president's house is on is barracaded after six in the evening and word is the guards have orders to shoot without warning.

"Barely hanging on."
Since leaving Victoria Falls we've seen fewer and fewer other tourists. The people who used to thrive on tourism are now barely hanging on. The backpackers near Great Zimbabwe had only three guests the other night... including the two of us.

Matt Relaxes in a Deserted Lodge

We're staying at a hostel here in Harare that apparenly once rivaled the most happening backpackers in Cape Town. The old lady who runs it says she's had as many as 70 guests on a single night. We're now two of five.

"Armed robbers broke into our hostel."
The funny thing is that the tourism bust didn't really happen until after the most dangerous times were over. When armed robbers broke into our hostel in 2001, there were still dozens of guests there. But now that it's slightly calmer, there's nobody.

Now the money situation. Imagine going through your life making nearly every transaction in cash... and doing so only in quarters. If you buy a $20 shirt at the mall, you pay with 80 quarters. That's seriously what's going on here.

"You carry around huge wads of notes."
As recently as 1980, the Zimbabwe dollar was worth more than the US dollar. Only three years ago it was worth about three cents... still not bad. Today it's worth about one 50th of one cent. But what really makes problems is that the largest bank note is a $500 bill. Less than a quarter. So you carry around huge wads of notes and count them out like you're putting a cash down payment on a house.

Sunset Over Harare

But Harare is actually a fairly pretty city. Once you get your head around the secutiry situation and figure out how the cab drivers will screw you... it ain't bad for the developing world. If you're ever coming to Harare be sure to come when the Jacarandas are blooming. They're huge and amazingly blue, and line many of the streets. Another popular kind of tree that blooms around the same time reminds me of Washington D.C. in the spring, with the cherry blossoms.

Mozambique didn't feel like giving us visas today... after we stood in line for about three hours. So we're not going there. We'll head down to Mutare for a few days of hiking in Chianimani National Park before heading toward Zambia and Malawi.