Total wow

In honor of some of our favorite craft-driven designs in the entire world, we recently flew to Botswana on the way to Cape Town for the World Design Capital events. Our guide was the fantastic Peter Mabeo, a Botswana-native and designer-editor-entrepreneur. Our primary destination was the Etsha village, home to a group of amazing weavers. Along the way, we traversed a variety of landscapes in the Okavango Delta and met many wonderful people. We even stayed a few nights in an eco-lodge that had its own marauding hippo.

a view from above
We took a small prop plane to see the wild animals migrating north. We saw buffalo, elephants, a rhino, kudu and impala...and a giraffe. The views were unbelievable (taking pictures from a small prop plane, however. . . not so easy!)

Peter, our fearless leader
On our way to the Etsha village, we stopped to do a little food shopping for lunch with the lady weavers. First stop, this grocery. . .

Crate and Barrel of Botswana...

This bag saved my life; it held everything I bought in Africa that didn't fit in my suitcase!
Second stop on the lunch tour, the butcher shop. . .

Once we arrived in Etsha, this woman stirred for hours and hours under the sun to get the maize meal just right.

The village is home to an array of truly joyful people, both young and old —and some incredible craft talent. 

We hung out with a lot of the kids who were super friendly and enthusiastic.

This guy needed a ride so he hopped in our car and we talked about lots of random stuff, including Italy and small cabbages he said he was growing. I asked him his name, and he told us to call him Number One. He rode with us for a half hour; he was planning to walk the whole way home under hot African summer sun with his black blazer. He was very proud of his tool he always carries with him.

Next on our adventure, a tour of the Okavango Delta . . .

a tour of the Okavango Delta, and a view of our eco-lodge

Wava couldn't be happier!

The sky is so expansive and rich in Africa; it's constantly changing and overwhelmingly colorful and—truly—one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen.

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    Ambra Medda

    Ambra is a passionate, seasoned curator, who facilitates great design through innovative collaborations between designers, artists, brands, and institutions. Among many other things.