Some of the people of Zambia are not,to my mind,very nice people.
In a city of few sights,they have even taken their inhospitality to the lengths of providing two "mantraps",a "Freedom" monument and a cenotaph,which are just about the only photogenic tourist attractions in the city,and a magnet for anyone attempting to show the city in a good light,but both of which are illegal to photograph and can get the unsuspecting snapper into a certain amount of deep water,if they are not careful. Cameras can be confiscated,and a great deal of aggravation can be involved in retrieving said item,especially if,as I did,you are mugged at gunpoint by uniformed Ministry of Defence soldiers,on a saturday evening,and have to wait until Monday morning(the capital letter was intentional) to sort out the mess.
Innocent tourists beware.A simple apology and an explanation that you weren't to know,does not wash with these people,especially if they scent the slightest whiff of a bribe to facilitate the return of your valuables.The latter possibility can be merely a figment of their over active imagination,but is enough to make them dispense with common human decency,and show scant respect for your holiday enjoyment,or indeed the memory of the dead soldiers who fought for what was then Northern Rhodesia,as they attempt to earn blood money from the innocent tourists' accidental blunder. They didn't get my money,and a kindly,but biased major,who made excuses for his troops,soon returned my camera on the monday.But the deceit was maintained as the accompanying individual who was most responsible,refused to admit that it was he who had accosted me in such a rude and unnecessary manner two days before,spoiling this Remembrance weekend,of all weekends. You couldn't write the script!
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