Lesotho: the Tibet of Africa

Lesotho was worth the day trip.  We only saw a small part of the country of course, but we were told that 80% of the area is the same as the small part we saw.  There are some valleys and lowlands which contain the largest numbers of people because of the more favorable weather conditions.  However, most of the country consists of high altitude plains.  There are no trees.  There are only small shrubs, some wispy grasses, rock, and lichen.  The people who do live in these high altitude places are shepherds.  They live in rock rondavel homes.  The shepherds are mainly teenage boys who initially work for an established shepherd who, will give the younger shepherd a few sheep or goats each year if he does a good job watching the older shepherd's flock.  In this manner, the younger shepherd will build up his own flock as he gets older.  It is a hard and isolated life.  Many of the boys go to school while they are young, but then drop out and become shepherds after they complete their coming-of-age ceremony.  The girls stay in school longer and also continue on with higher education.  This is why if you go to Lesotho's main cities most of the professional class are women.

 

Lesotho also happens to be one of the largest fresh water reservoirs in the world.  The soil is just one big sponge.  They sell this natural resource to South Africa which is very happy to have some water security in this ever water short world.

 

Here is a pic of a typical Lesotho rondavel.  These stone huts are engineered very well.  The hearth is in the center and depressed into the mud and stone floor.  Underneath the mud covering the floor are hollow channels that stem out from the hearth.  This allows even a small fire to heat the entire floor via air passages underneath.  The roof is designed to let the smoke of the fire out and keep the snow and rain from getting into the hut.  Smoke and soot from the fire also helps waterproof the straw thatch roof.

 

Ozell had some homemade bread from one of the locals.  I was not feeling well so I did not partake.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean