Ngwenya, Eswatini: Ngwenya Glass

There wasn't too much sight-seeing in Eswatini during our trip. We essentially drove through the country to be in position to be at a national park in South Africa the next day. That didn't allow for much time to see what was available. And to be honest, the pickings seemed rather slim. The mountains looked nice, and there were some national parks and game reserves said to be around. But it wasn't on the itinerary. 

There was a glass-blowing factory on the way though - as unlikely as that sounds. The Ngwenya Glass Company bills itself as Eswatini's hottest tourist attraction, and there's no reason to doubt that claim. Artisans work in a good-sized area in which they work with recycled glass to create new objects. Better still, there is a platform above the work floor so that tourists can watch the process take place. The craftsmanship is nice, and we saw some sales in the gift shop later.   

The outside area has a few treats too. Some peacocks are running around the grounds for entertainment, and some other shops are located in the complex. I always wonder if companies "recruit" tour groups to make a stop in such circumstances, but our passengers seemed to be happy to look around. Any entertainment away from the bus is good. 

If you had heard of Eswatini before this point, you were one step ahead of me. It used to be Swaziland, but changed its name in 2018. The country is run by King Mswati III, who has been on the job since 1986. He's the last King in Africa, and he doesn't seem to be spending the government's money on, say, garbage removal. It's a very poor country by any standard, and a little depressing to visit - although I will say the native residents couldn't have been nicer in our brief encounters while passing through.   

Let's stick to the glass-blowing in the video: