Today was a beautiful sunny day with NO rain or even clouds in the sky. So we decided after we took care of some things and visited Sister Mayela, that we would drive out to Malkerns and visit a few places that we have heard a lot about from people who have been to Swaziland.  It was a FUN day and we had a delicious lunch! Then we drove to Mbabane after Nathi called, to meet him again and pick up our passports and visas that finally came through.  We are supposed to have them with us at all times!! We had to go make photocopies and take them to the Lobamba Police Station to be certified.  So we're good to stay in Swaziland for a year now and then will get another extension.

This place is called House of Fire. It is SO interesting!

The artwork and carvings were VERY different!! 

They have weddings and special events here including 

concerts.

A gift shop in the same area

Gorgeous view through the garden path...

Just one of MANY fun benches to sit on...

It is in a really beautiful setting!

I liked this inscription.... "God is Love" Ü 

Cool windows! (I LOVE 💗 hearts!)

Another fun bench made of stone

More interesting art pieces...

This place had the most interesting chandeliers!! 

It was like an amphitheater.

I decided to stop at the restroom ("toilet" here) before we left

and am I ever GLAD I did!  This was the most colorful restroom

I have ever seen in my life!!! 

We drove on to the Swazi Candle Factory and the shops

around there and passed these pretty jacarandas lining the road!

This is a very agricultural area with lots of crops planted,

a jam and jelly factory and more pretty scenery!

This tree is seen all over.  It has BRIGHT fiery red

blossoms, but the color doesn't really show up here.

I LOVE Swaziland's many different pretty trees!!

There was an outdoor craft market there with really

neat things!

This cute guy really wanted us to buy one of his giraffes.

They were NICE!  He learned to make them from his father

and is now teaching his 16 year old brother the craft.  He

called himself "The Young Artist".  He's 23 and very talented!

This candle factory was an amazing place!!  We

just bought a small candle for our table.  There were

so many different shapes and kinds and 

they were ALL BEAUTIFULLY made!!  

These were all animal shapes and very colorful!

These were mostly round or square and had animal

prints and designs.

One of the candlemakers at work in the back room....

These were the coolest animals ones with patterns

the actual colors you see on the animals.

We really enjoyed the fun shops!!

This cute guy in Swazi dress said I could take his

picture and he wouldn't even charge us because

we're Christians. Ü 

We ate lunch at Sembane's Coffee Shop there by the craft 

market.  Bob ordered the chicken curry with rice and I got

the roasted chicken salad with avocado and cashew. They 

were both yummy!! We also got the lemon and the 

strawberry smoothie. Ü

Oh what a beautiful place!  The photo above is 

of pineapples growing.

More beauty on the way to Mbabane... 

These photos just do NOT do it justice!! 

We met Nathi at the Mbabane Chapel and as we were 

pulling out, this cute little family headed into the pretty

Mosque across the street.  Muslims are just 10% of the 

population of Swaziland.  It is 40% Zionists, 20% Roman 

Catholic, and 30% Methodist, Anglican, Mormons and Jews.

The pretty city of Mbabane through the trees and bushes.