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The Last Few Weeks of 2006 in Swaziland
ended with a bang on our last Sunday when a huge hail storm literally attacked our car as we were driving home from shopping with our friend Carolyn*.
Prior to that we did take time to appreciate the country's beauty and lushness.  Summer in Swaziland is like the rainy winter in California,
except it's warmer and has almost daily lightening and thunder storms.

*Connect to Carolyn's Visit webpage to see our adventures in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa (Cape Town and wine country in Stellenbosch).

     
The literal impact on our rental car was amazing--over 30 dents in the body, 16 hits to the windshield, and a blown-out back window. 
(Above L) We found some hailstones when we finally took pictures at home in Emafini, but they were less than
half the jagged, softball size "bombs" that hit our car.  (Above C) Rick has a silly grin as he looks at what he just drove into
our carport .  (Above R) Carolyn poses beside the back window that had shattered on her less than an hour before. 
Thank heavens we weren't hurt--just scared and astounded. 
     

Because we are usually driving quickly down the road, we don't have the opportunity to take pictures of the countryside as it grows
greener with the rain.  So finally when we stopped to shop at the Ngwenya Glass Factory, I took pictures of the rolling mountains and
wide valleys (above) that make Swaziland dramatically beautiful.

 

 

 

Ngwenya Glass Factory was started in 1979 with funding and guidance from Swedish glass designers who trained a
few Swazis to become masters in this trade.  Though the Glass Factory closed after a few years, it was re-started less than
10 years ago by a Swazi family who re-hired the Swedish-trained local masters.  Totally to benefit the
Swazi economy, I bought some holiday gifts there...
     
Everywhere it's green from all the rain.  Our house is adjacent to an old forest (Above L) where our monkey friends live. 
The yard behind our house drops off into a canyon (Above C) and Rick enjoys the view from our backyard swing (Above R).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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