Harare
Overview
Zimbabwe's capital city Harare used to be a very modern and quite a pleasant city. Due to political and economical problems the atmosphere is very tense now.
Harare has a few museums worth spending time in, there are some parks and markets where it is nice to stroll around, but in the end the real charm of the city stems from its laid back atmosphere.
Near Harare there are some parks where you can see wildlife; other nice daytrips can be made to Chapungu Kraal and Kopoje. For more info see the section on daytrips.
[Edit]History
Its name is a derivative of a Shona tale. A King was seriously ill and his subjects thought that he was not going to 'sleep' and live another day. In Shona 'Ha a rare' literally means He will not sleep. And the place where the sick king lived became to be known as 'Chikomo che HA A RARE' meaning the mountain where he won't sleep. Harare is home to some two million people, with most in central Harare but some 500,000 in the surrounding districts of Rural Harare, Chintungwiza and Epworth. Once a city of modern buildings, wide thoroughfares, numerous parks and gardens, it is now in increasing disrepair thanks to Zimbabwe's economic downward spiral.
When to Go
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Practical Information
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Entertainment
[Edit]General Shopping
If you want to experience shopping the way it is traditionally done in many African countries, you need to stroll around at the open flea-market at Mbare. Here tourists can feast their eyes on a colourful array of baskets, food, clothing and other items. Update: In September 2005, the government bulldozed Mbare flea market along with every other informal market in the country. Tens of thousands of people have been left homeless and without an income. The government's policy to try and cut down on informal trading has been disasterous in a country with one of the highest unemployment rates in the world.
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