Today we (mom and I) went to the Great Zimbabwe ruins with the Cavanaghs.

According to our guide, G.Z. is the second largest ruin site in all of Africa, with the pyramids being the first. It was built around 1250 AD. The word ‘Zimbabwe’ literally means ‘house of stone’ and is of course where the country got its name in 1980 after independence.

We first climbed a rather steep hill with tiny steps of stone embedded into the ground. The king’s quarters or fortress was up at the top of the hill, where he could look down on his kingdom in the valley. It is a series of walls, enclosures and rooms set into the rocky hill top. There is an enclosure in the valley where the queen lived and ruled. Apparently she was really in charge because she was the one who kept the schedule . . . or at least that’s what our guide said.