Doro Nawas - In Africa most safari camps make a point of developing the camp around architecture that is sensitive to the local building styles and/or the immediate environment of the camp.
We arrived at camp today and were immediately struck with a
sense of.... something other. The main lodge sits on top of a dark rocky
outcropping and its design is dark and rectangular and foreboding. I
think Michael immediately thought of Mordor from the Lord of the Ring
trilogy. Being a trained architect, my first thought was that the
structure had been designed by rhinos. What were they thinking? In
Google Earth, we are at 20°26'55.90"S / 14°18'12.27"E.
NOV 12
We
spend the day in the vicinity of camp - first on a search for local
desert-adapted elephants, which look different from, but are not a
separate species from other African elephants. Off road through sandy
riverbeds, following radio reports from other guides. After several
attempts we find them, and walk a short distance from the land rovers
for a better look.
A group of nine, including several infants. Our guide, Rosta, is cautious and leads us back to the vehicles.
that were created by Bushmen artists maybe 2-6 thousand years
ago. I have to digress and mention the design of the wonderful new
visitor center, which is made from 50 gallon oil drums and from loose
rock 'gabion' walls. I learn that the architect is a Namibian woman
named Nina Maritz and I am very happy to discover this place. We walk
along the valley edge looking at the different depictions of giraffe,
elephant, lion, springbok and everything else important to these
people's lives. Lizards and a poisonous puff adder make the walk more
interesting.
For information about Nina Maritz:
http://www.architectureweek.com/2007/0613/environment_1-1.html
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