Edward Simpson
Namibian Culture and Art. Travel Guide, Tourism, Government, People and Tradition. As the rays of the rising sun transform the sand dunes to a glorious deep red, flocks of flamingoes take to the sky in a blur of pink and the myriad calls of wild animals break the quiet of an African morning, Namibia wakes up to a new day. Drills buzz their way into the belly of the earth in search of rich booty, traffic hurtles along the nation’s highways and planes take off as people go about the daily business of life in the fast lane but time stands still in the countryside where nature reigns supreme in all her majesty. Despite its transition into the modern world of cell phones, satellites and skyscrapers, Namibia has retained its ancient character and traditions and its multi-ethnic tribal culture. A young nation that has made all the right moves to preserve and protect its environment, Namibia has vast open spaces with spectacular natural wonders like the unusual coastal Namib Desert, the deep bowl of Etosha, abundant wildlife and the stunning grandeur of the Fish River Canyon, idyllic Bavarian style villages in an African ambience and the mysteriously eerie Skeleton Coast where hot African and cold Arctic temperatures marry to lure ships to an untimely end. Namibia’s contrasting landscapes hide awesome phenomena such as the world’s largest underground lake aptly named Dragon’s Breath; the Hoba Meteorite, the largest chunk of extraterrestrial rock to be found on earth; the tallest dunes of red sand at Sossusvlei where wind patterns seem to be frozen for eternity and the hospitable Namib Desert that strangely sustains elephants, lions, giraffes and rhinos, as well as the oldest living fossil tree on earth, the Welwitschia Mirablis. Such unusual enchantments coupled with abundant sunshine, political and economic stability and a well-developed tourism infrastructure attracts tourists from across the globe