The Happiest Slum in Africa

Also in this issue:

• A Philosophical Pontification
• Supplement for A7R V Firmware update
• Next Time in Cameracraft / In the Pipeline

The Photo Safari participants 2025

The photo safari in Kenya happened back in November, and just like last year, everyone had a great time!  You can see the some shots from both the participants and me in this google photos album.  I won't say much more about it; suffice to say it was identical to last year's successful event.

While in Nairobi, Carol and I decided to do something unusual - before the safari we hired a guide who took us on a tour of a slum.  To tell you more about it, let me introduce you to Lee Friedman, one of the Safari participants (yes, we're related, but we didn't know that when we first met!), who went with us and shares his thoughts and photos of the area:

The Villages of Maasai Mara

Also in this issue:

• Help send a Maasai child to school

The game reserves we visited in Kenya belong to the Maasai community, who leases the land to eco-tourism companies like Gamewatchers Safaris that allow them to earn more from the land than if they had used it for some other purpose, like farming.  The Maasai still live like they have for centuries - the men still watch over the cattle (and their multiple wives); while the women do ALL the work, including hut building using cow dung.

As part of our Safari experience, we were treated to a visit to a working "Boma" (village), where people showed us how they live.  Upon my first visit, I was a little skeptical - the place is so neat; and their colors are so bright (despite having to wash them in the dirty river nearby).  Is this just a show they put on for us white folks?