LesothoAugust 25...27, 2014 Getting a visa to Lesotho proved to be impossible. Three months before my trip, I contacted the British Embassy, which is responsible for Lesotho in Moscow. They thought long and hard about it, then told me I dont need a visa since I already have UK and South African ones. So I took their word for it and set off. As it turns out, no one asks you for anything at all when you enter the country: you just drive right in from South Africa. Theres no checkpoint, no border agents, no passport control—nothing. ![]() Although Lesotho is a very small enclave, being surrounded by South Africa on all sides hasnt eroded its cultural identity in any way. Half the population wears a blanket as their national costume. A camelhair or Chinese synthetic one like this. ![]() Both men and women wear them. The most popular pattern is tiger or leopard print, but you see all kinds. ![]() Or heres another surprising tradition: street vendors and even the unemployed sitting around with campaign signs for this or that political party. Its convenient: people go out to buy grilled sausages or fruit and receive political messaging at the same time. ![]() The strangest thing in Lesotho is the rotating mirrored pyramids on the roofs. I wasnt able to decipher their purpose while I was in the country (later, I learned that these are bird repellers). ![]() The stormwater drainage system on the roads in Lesotho deserves particular attention. They have special recessions in the sidewalk with storm drains built in at the end. And a little concrete dam to prevent the water from flowing further. ![]() Heres another recession in the sidewalk, also for stormwater drainage. This doesnt exist anywhere else in the world. ![]() A street sign. ![]() Taxis. ![]() A license plate. ![]() Obligatory windshield stickers. ![]() A sad but fast pedestrian. ![]() A traffic light. ![]() Concrete balls form a dotted line towards the bus stop, which consists of an elegant concrete bracket. ![]() A paid parking sign. ![]() A fire hydrant. ![]() Payphones. ![]() The government is currently conducting a mass registration of citizens and issuing everyone plastic IDs. ![]() You have to be strict with the citizens here, as evidenced by the spikes and spears on the fences, which are necessary to prevent people from sitting. ![]() The municipal trash can, with a decorative lid thats almost always torn off. ![]() Newspapers promote fresh issues with screaming headlines. ![]() English heritage: separate faucets for hot and cold water. ![]() A sculpture of a saxophone player. ![]() A monument to a crocodile. ![]() A captivating comic strip about how a naive Mosotho boy ended up in slavery. ![]() A fruit vendor. ![]() Grilled sausage vendors. ![]() Generally speaking, the entire country looks like this: ![]() If you see buildings, youre probably in the capital. ![]() For example: ![]() The capitals main street: ![]() There isnt any particularly notable architecture here. ![]() The historical ruins of a post office built in 1924 are very telling. In local terms, this is practically the Parthenon. ![]() Basotho women: ![]() A Mosotho man: ![]() A policewoman at the airport. ![]() I thought she would be the last person Id see in Lesotho. But fate had a surprise in store for me. At passport control, the officer enquired about the whereabouts of the entry stamp in my passport. There was no entry stamp to be found, of course, since I didnt encounter a soul when entering the country. Well, said the officer, in that case youll have to head back to the city and make the rounds of various government agencies to get a stamp proving youre here. And so I productively spent an entire day becoming intimately acquainted with the ins and outs of Basotho bureaucracy, trudging to various offices, waiting in various hallways, and finally getting a stamp in my passport to testify that I am in fact here and can now cease being here with a clear conscience. |
august
|
august
|
august 2014
Lesotho
← Ctrl →
|
september
|
september
|
© 19952025 Artemy Lebedev |