DAY 27: DAY TOUR IN PARADISE - KAZURI CENTRE

Karzuri...small and beautiful

...The Kazuri Bead Factory provides employment opportunities for disadvantaged members of Kenyan Society, primarily women - single mothers,those with special needs,  and the elderly...

...even though production was closed for the day, this kind man took us on a brief tour...

...explaining the complex process from refining the clay (all now from local sources)...

...to where the beads and dishes are formed, painted and glazed - all by hand...

...to where the final products are fired...

...not one part of the long process is automated...

...most of the beads are exported - Canada having 3 shops (Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa) authorized to sell authentic Kazuri jewellery...

...in the gift shop - necklaces and bracelets of every colour, pattern, size and shape of bead imaginable...and if you can't find something you like they will create a custom piece while you wait... 

...this video says it all...


...now on to next and final tour of the day...

DAY 27: DAY TOUR IN PARADISE - GIRAFFE SANTUARY

...Our driver David was available for the whole day so offered to give us a tour around some points of interest...

..first stop - the Giraffe Sanctuary...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giraffe_Centrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giraffe_Centre

...established in 1979 in an attempt to increase the population of the endangered Rothchild Giraffe, then only 135 left in the wild.  Today thanks to the foundation there are over 500...they also now provide elcology tours and programs for underpriveledged children... 

...this is Alice who recently gave birth...a very hungry Momma...

...with a 20" very wet tongue...

...the guide told us that the best way to tell females from males is their horns - females have furry horns and because of a male dominance practice called 'necking' where two males will entwine their necks in a sort of wrestling match thus rubbing off most of their horn fur...

...we were told they eat approximately 40 to 60 kg of food per day... and sleep only 20 to 30 minutes in a 24 hour period...

...three little warthogs...

...and the  tortoise who blended in so well with his environment I almost missed him...

...the nearby Giraffe Manor.. all profits of which support the

African Fund for Endangered Wildlife of Kenya (AFEW K)...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giraffe_Manor

...now on to our next stop...

DAY 26: KENYA - WOW!!!

...Jules and Gabe, this post is for you...

...I realize my posts are way out of sequence and that I have at least three days of catching up but HAD to submit this one...

...view from the bed in our hotel room overlooking Nairobi National Park...

...antelope as viewed from our bedroom balcony...

...this was one of twenty or so giraffes that passed by the hotel late this afternoon...

...hotel is beautiful, location - awesome, food and service wonderful...but this is how I envisioned a visit to Africa - wildlife...

...and as a couple who sat near us on the outdoor patio this afternoon told us, this is nothing compared to what we will see on safari...

...so Julia, I have found you a lizard, and an antelope.  I still have to find you a lion and my promise of posted pictures will be complete.... 

DAY 25: TOSC GRADUATION CEREMONIES & LEAVING GHANA

...today was the wrap-up,...

...graduation and closing ceremonies for  TOSC... 
...and our last day in Ghana...

...the High Commissioner, her husband and daughter along with Colonel Herschman were guests of honour...

...words of congratulations from the Colonel...

...HE Mrs. Kernighan...

...and the Commandant...

...presentation of certificates to each officer (13 countries from the African Union representated)...

...followed by a buffet luncheon in the Kofi Annan Centre dining room...

...words of thanks for gifts (a beautifully carved ebony lion from the students)...

...when Francois was called to receive his certificate, his sydicate cheered, which amused HE...

...and HIM (Francois)...

...Syndicate One and their beloved leader...

...a very thoughtful gift of original African art for Francois from one of his students...

...and beautifully crafted African beads for me...

...when all was finished we returned to our hotel, gathered our luggage and headed for the airport with our driver, Obed, who had been so great throughout the entire stay...

DAY 24: COCKTAILS WITH HER EXCELLENCY

...this evening we spent a very enjoyable time at the home of HE Trudy Kernighan and her husband, Dan Burns...

...lots of interesting conversations, delicious appetizers and drinks of choice...

...I was also offered some good tips and phone contacts for booking our safari from HE`s husband who had just returned from Kenya as Counsellor to the Canadian High Commission in Nairobi...

DAY 23: JUST A RANDOM PICTURE DAY

....I feel time slipping away...

...what seemed like an eternity more than three weeks ago, is now passing at warp speed...

...the guys are into the 'exercise' part of their course...what's left is a formal  cocktail evening at the High Commisioner's residence, graduation and closing ceremonies...

...so after breakfast, I grabbed the camera and walked around the hotel grounds, hoping maybe to capture something new, or maybe trying somehow to slow the clock...

...same old..same old..does not apply to this place...each day is a new world...flowers bloom in new locations...

...I am becoming better friends with our EOS...

...still using 'automatic' functions, but I like the results...

...even my little lizard buddies were more cooperative today...

...even the dove, who usually stays on the peak of the roof, came down for a photo op...

...and I now realize we have fruit bats residing in the trees out back by the lagoon...

...while wandering around, my favourite concierge stopped for a brief chat...I got a little teary when he reminded me that this was our last week and he won't be working the day we check out...will see if I can get a picture of him before leaving...he is such a gentle kind man...