The natural world is bursting with wonder. From the Great Barrier Reef to the Grand Canyon, from Iguazu Falls to the fjord of Iceland, a person can travel the world any time of year and be floored by the intricate yet vast beauty of the world we inhabit. Some of the world's wonders are not locations, but are temporally restricted events, limited engagement pageants that mother nature puts on briefly, before packing them away until the next show. In Africa, these natural events take planning to witness, but are well worth the price of admission. Moonbow at Victoria Falls Victoria Falls straddles the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia in the heart of southern Africa. At a spot in the Zambezi River, more than a mile wide, the water plunges 350 ft to the ceaselessly pummeled rocks below. The locals call the waterfall Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders. The "smoke" is, of course, the mist that is kicked up by the cascade of water. Day and night, the mist shrouds the falls. On sunny days, the mist catches the sunlight and creates a rainbow. That, in itself, would be quite a sight. But how often to you see a rainbow at night? At Victoria Falls, during the full moon, the reflected light creates a rainbow halo around the moon. On the annual supermoon, it is truly a sight to behold. The lunar perigee bathes the surrounding jungle in soft light like butter spread through the canopy and a full rainbow can be seen in the night sky. In 2016, the supermoon will occur on Nov. 14th. Plan accordingly. Namaqualand Flower Bloom South of the Zambezi River's course, and off to the drier climes of the Northern Cape in South Africa, is a vast arid plain known as Namaqualand (or Namakwa). The Orange River bisects the semi-desert that is roughly 170,000 square miles. Most of the year it is a sun-baked region reticent of the less dramatic landscapes of the American Southwest. Varieties of antelope graze alongside herds of cattle that represent, along with the abundant diamond mines, the economic drivers of the region. Tourists are not prevalent in the area for most of the year, except for a few weeks in early spring. After the summer rains, the dry expanse that is tan and bristled most of the year, explodes in a profusion of wildflowers. The blossoms of over 600 different species of flowers, many only found in Namaqualand, burst into the sunlight alongside one another or in succession. Visitors seek out high points in the landscape to take in the panorama, a blanket of pinks, purples, reds, and oranges of every hue, all the more beautiful in their fleeting performance. The best time to see this breathtaking event varies depending on the rains, but generally late August to September is the best time to visit.
0 comments:
Post a Comment