2015/2016 Three Continent Tour: Monday April 25 Masvingo

Up with the sun! We had a great breakfast with Helen, and then left about 9 AM. Don and I drove into Masvingo, and I took pics around town. It has changed a lot. We stopped at the Victoria Hotel, and old landmark, and I took pics of the old post office, the bell tower, and the cannon celebrating the white pioneers. Then we went into Meikles, a departmental store, where my dad, and Don’s dad worked. I took pics around of the store, and Don and I met the chief accountant/manager sitting in Don’s dad’s old office. Everything had changed, although a few things remained. From there we drove to the civic centre, and took a pic of Don with his dad’s pic in the Mayor’s parlour. From there, we got gas, and saw the place where my first home was ( nothing remained!!!) and stopped at Belmont press…I talked briefly with the original manager, Mr. Hill who knew our parents of course, and then Don dropped me at my old home, while he went in search of internet connection.

Our old home is totally renovated, as it was heavily gutted by and electrical fire. The place is modern, and almost everything is new, and looks very very well cared for. The lady owner, lives alone, he soldier husband having died of a stroke. She has kids in UK and Canada. We toured every room of the home, where old memories surfaced. The home was renovated, and an ensuite added to the main bedroom, some windows blocked. She also took me around the garden, which has changed so much. Most of the fruit trees we planted are gone. The servant’s quarters remain but not much else remains. The trees are huge now, and most of the area is unrecognizable. The entire property is walled. The owner thought I had come to the home to dig up buried treasure or gold, I had buried in the garden when we left the town!!!!!!!!

I walked towards the high school, and Don met me on the road there. I took some pics of the school, and we left for town. Soon after we drove out of town on the Beit Bridge road, over the Mucheke river, and out towards the Zimbabwe ruins. It was a short drive. Don and I had a beer at the Great Zimbabwe Hotel which is much the same as ever. After that we drove and parked at an enclosure area, and walked towards the Acropolis, now called the Hill complex. This is a castle on the hill, which I climbed regularly as a child. We chose not to climb it, and walked over to the Great enclosure, or temple area,with the sacrificial stones, and the conical tower. It felt like I had been there the day before!

Don and I drove towards Lake Kyle, and the drive is very scenic. We drove over the dam wall, at the bottom of which water is released to the Triangle sugar estates downstream. The drive from there was tarred, but soon became a good dirt road, then a very bumpy dirt road, and the drive to the Mutare road was quite long. We then drove towards Masvingo, and drove back to Anthony and Helen’s home. Before we got there, we stopped to look at the Hippo Creek Lodge. It looks very nice. Yes, there are crocs and hippos in Lake Kyle!! There were no guests at the Lodge, and very few at Zimbabwe too. The caretaker told us that a baby hippo actually came to the lodge to escape from its father, who eventually killed it some time later. Helen’s place was very close, and we waited 10 minutes before Anthony arrived. We showered, visited with Anthony,and Don reminisced with him about old friends. Supper was delightful, and we soon went to bed. Thanks for checking in. It was great to see how the olden days retained some of the old, but overall had changed drastically. About 137 whites remain in Masvingo.

Above: the old hotel, same as ever

Above: landmark Fort Vic bell tower

Above: local market next to the main park opposite Meilkles

Above: Cannon from the white pioneers remains!

Above: Civic Centre

Above: inside Meikles where my dad worked.....vastly changed

Above: My uncles' old office in Meikles....the manager's office

Below: Mayor's Parlour: Don with his Dad's pic

Below: Masvingo banana anyone?

Below: Mr. Hill, owner of Belmont Press....an original white resident

Below:Vincent House boarding residence ( my mom was a teacher at the school)

Below: my old home 16 Elliott street ( renovated)

Below : dining room, my old home

Below : the current owner in our old home

Below: our old living room

Below: the new owner

Below: the new kitchen in our old home

Above/below:pics of our old home, changed

Below: the outside of our old, and now walled home

Below : the High School I attended

Below : Jean Griffiths, 92, nearly 93 as sharp as a button. Don and I had tea with her. His parents knew her very well. My mom worked with her in the kindergarten days.