Visiting the Old Baobab Tree

 Me climbing the baobab tree

Inside the baobab tree with Aidan. The inside was used as a bar at one time.

On the way back from Mozambique we stopped at a giant baobab that is over 2,000 years old. Baobabs are thought to be the oldest living flowering plants (angiosperms) on earth.The baobab is a very big tree that is also called a cream of tarter tree, monkey bread tree, a lemonade tree, and the upside down tree. Many people have different beliefs about this tree. Some people believe that a lion will devour anyone bold enough to pick a flower of a baobab and eat it, because spirits live in the blossoms. Some people say that if you drink water that has had baobab seeds soaked in it then you will not get attacked by a crocodile. People also use the bark to make rope, nets, and floor mats. The baobab also uses its bark to store water for droughts. The fruit has a white powder covering the seeds that makes a nice tart drink after being ground up and mixed with water. The seeds are also used to make a coffee-like drink. In Japan they released a baobab flavored Pepsi. Baobabs were also carved out to be homes, pubs, prisons, storage sheds, and bus stops. When a baobab dies it falls into a big pile of pulp.