The only one they know is the Rivers State capital, affectionately called the treasure base of the nation. They know that Port Harcourt is perhaps the fastest growing metropolitan city in the country today. After Lagos and Abuja, Port Harcourt ranks as the third most sought after city in Nigeria, especially for those looking for greener pastures. Like a pot of honey, those with good taste buds are swarming into the city to quench their taste.

Those who miss the garden city, come looking for an acclaimed oil city. Do you blame them? It would be wrong to do so, for Port Harcourt is indeed an oil city. It is one of Nigeria's 36 states created from the then Eastern region in 1967. Before that historical rebirth, the territory was known as oil Rivers protectorate, deriving from its abundant wealth in oil and gas deposits. The area is the heart of the hydrocarbon industry in Nigeria. Statistics show that it is responsible for a huge chunk of the nation's foreign exchange earnings. “It is accountable for over 48 per cent of crude oil produced on- shore in the country and 100 per cent of the liquefied gas that Nigeria is currently exporting to several countries of the world,” states a Rivers State Government publication.

This is certainly inviting for oil merchants and fortune seekers, who would be drawn by the magnetic effect of crude oil and the wealth it holds. In an environment so blessed, job seekers would come in droves and merchants will be falling over themselves to secure a foothold in the land of plenty.

Now, you may ask, but where is the “garden” in this city of oil? That is the intriguing part. Only only those who have eyes for nature find the “garden”. Remember that in 2001, the world found its beauty queen in Port Harcourt. Miss Agbani Darego, a student of the University of Port Harcourt, was discovered and crowned Miss world. How did that happen? It was possible because the world looked beyond the surface. Beyond the hustle and bustle of an urban environment lies nature's beauty. The story of Agbani Darego is the story of garden city. Like the beauty queen, those with an eye for nature's beauty see the garden in Port Harcourt. To discover

Port Harcourt, you must go beyond the city lights and the concrete jungles that line the streets.

Just as Agbani's beauty came from the backwaters of Abonema, a riverside community, Port Harcourt's beauty lies hidden in the sleepy riverside communities surrounding it. So, if you are looking for the “garden”, don't go to the city center. Go instead to Abonema, Buguma, Okrika, Opobo, and Andoni.

Why should you go to these places rather than the Hotel Presidential in the heart of the city? Simple. Beauty lies beneath the surface. All the cosmetics in the world wouldn't have given Agbani Darego a miss World crown. What gave it to her was nature's beauty.

Beauty rides on a lion. As is often said, it lies in the eyes of the beholder. Like everything in accord with nature, beauty is the result of a perfect economy. Just like the cell of the bee is built at that angle which gives the most strength with the least wax; the bone or quill of the bird gives the most strength with the least weight, so also is beauty “the purgation of superfluities,” in the words of Michel Angelo.

Agbani Darego caught the eyes of the world for one unique reason; her simplicity. This shouldn't surprise anyone, for the simple reason that she hails from the treasure base of the nation. Nowhere can be closer to nature and treasure than Abonema. Agbani's success brings home one very important point. Beauty is at its best when it is natural. If you have a black skin, wear it proudly like Agbani and be at peace with nature. She demonstrated that bleaching the skin and abusing the body with chemicals couldn't buy beauty.

As Waldo Emerson would say “the felicities of design in art, or in works of nature, are shadows, or forerunners of that beauty, which reaches its perfection in the human form”. All men are its lovers. Wherever it goes, it creates joy and hilarity, and everything is permitted to it. It reaches its height in women.

Now, you can understand why many have missed the beauty of Port Harcourt. For those who want to drink from the fountain of the “garden”, lets, take a trip to Opobo for instance. On arrival at the Port Harcourt international airport, pay little attention to the dilapidated infrastructure. Don't be irritated by the touts who would arrange a taxi for you. Just keep your cool and accept some of the irritants as the price to pay for a journey to paradise.

The drive through the airport road into town is smooth except for some portions where construction is still going on. Traversing the town to join the Eleme Refinery Road may be unpleasant. Don't worry. As you get past the Refinery in Eleme, you wonder at the pollution from gas flares. Still don't worry. You are taken through Ogoniland and you remember late Ken Saro-Wiwa, the famous environmentalist. Thereafter your taxi ride terminates at Cornor Water-Side. It is here that you board a small boat that will take you to Opobo, the land of the legendary king Jaja of Opobo.

Now, you can open your eyes to savor the beauty of garden city. The boat ride through the creeks is a wonderful experience. Here, you behold nature in its unadulterated form. When you land at the jetty, don't ask for another taxi, because there is none. From the jetty you have to walk into the town. The cars and trucks have no place in this community. It is back to base and you have no option but to enjoy it.

Opobo, being and ancient kingdom founded by King Jaja, is a tourist paradise. Exploring it brings you closer to nature and its abundant beauty. Opobo is particularly interesting to visit during the Christmas holiday season. That is the period when the famous Nwaatam festival is held annually.

For a newcomer, you may think that we have left Port Harcourt for the interior. Well, the Rivers men, as they love to be called, share a common heritage in Port Harcourt. It is their lifeblood and a point of convergence. The city plays such a central role in their lives that those chairmen of local government areas in adjourning communities reside in ort Harcourt. They drive to their headquarters from their palatial residences in Port Harcourt. So for the Rivers man, garden city is more like Rivers State as a whole, rather than just Port Harcourt. In the light of this, therefore, the treasures of Opobo form part of the much talked about garden city.

Now, why would one spend his Christmas season visiting Opobo? Here is why. It is the period the descendants of King Jaja of Opobo celebrate the annual Nwaatam festival. Nwaatam is a masquerade, which could be likened to the Ekpe in Calabar. Like the Ekpe masquerade, it could be seen as a cult group. Nwaatam is so important to the Opobo man that when they are preparing for it, you would think that they are going for a pilgrimage. Indeed, it is a carnival that no one wants to miss.

So, imagine that you are on your way to visit Opobo at the time of this carnival. At the jetty, you already begin to have a feel of the fiesta. Not even the rusting rails of the jetty will spoil your view of men and women resplendently decked in the traditional wrapper and etibo (gown). As you make your way further into the town, you are likely to see others that are even more elaborately and lavishly dressed. Here you see bowler hats of all shapes and sizes. You see all kinds of stylish walking sticks and of course you see beads in a cascade of colors.

This air of festivity envelops the whole Opobo Kingdom throughout the Christmas season. The highpoint of the celebrations is the seventh day of the Nwaatam festival. This is the day that the masqueraders display their skills on rooftops. Yes, the roof is to Nwaatam, what water is to fish. The celebration is taken to the roofs of houses.

Why do they take their celebrations to such dangerous heights? Enyinna Brown, a proud son of Opobo, said that the roofs provide the ultimate test for Nwaatam. According to him, Nwaatam is expected to purify the men who participate in it. They would not sleep with any woman for the seven days before the performance. They would also not eat any food prepared by a woman within that period. Brown said that if anyone had not kept to the rules, dancing on the roofs might be a dangerous adventure. The defaulters may likely tumble to the ground. Therein lies the excitement.

During Nwaatam festival, the whole town is agog with pomp and ceremony. Lavish entertainment is never in short supply. For seafood lovers, Opobo beckons at Nwaatam. While you savor the excitement of Nwaatam, you may find yourself falling in love with the simplicity of Opobo. You don't have to worry about vehicular traffic. The stone-paved streets are meant for human traffic. Most of the buildings are ancient and the corrosive effects of salty ocean water are evident on the corrugated zinc roofs.

A one-kilometer walk from the jetty to the central square brings you face -to -face with the statue of the great King Jaja of Opobo. Beyond that, you are bound to admire the simple village setting. Now, add this to the effect of being surrounded by creeks, beaches and ocean water. This experience leaves you with a feeling of oneness with nature and arguably brings your search for garden city to an end.

PORT HARCOURT IN THE BIGGINING…

Port Harcourt, the capital city of the oil-rich Rivers State basks more in the glory of its past than in the gains of the present. Up until the late sixties, it was proudly known as the garden city. The fond memory of those days still linger, so does the name.

Today, one is not so sure that garden city is a fitting name for Port Harcourt. Perhaps the home of oil and gas would be more appropriate. The government of Rivers State proudly proclaims that it is the treasure base of Nigeria. There is no disputing the fact that it is one of the fastest growing metropolitan cities in Africa.

A peep into the past reveals a city born out of economic necessity. According to the British Colonial masters, the initial purpose of the port city was to export coal, produced in large quantities in Enugu, to the north of the country through the Bonny Rivers.

The British founded Port Harcourt in 1912 on land originally inhabited by the Igbo who called it Igwe Ocha and Ijaw. They named it after Lewis Viscount Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Colonies (1910-15)

You can be sure that this historical account by British authors is not the last word on this port city. The Ikwerre man will certainly not agree with this version. Firstly, they want to distance themselves from their Igbo origin. Secondly, they cherish a distinct identity as Ikwerre people. Their deep animosity against the Igbo manifests in a spirited attempt to rewrite the history of their homeland. For the Ikwerre man, the town formerly known as Obigbo is now Oyigbo. Umu-Okoro is now Rumuokoro; Umu-Igbo becomes Rumuigbo etc. In fact the “RUMUS” are as many as there are Igbo names in Port Harcourt suburbs. Another group that lays claim to the old Port Harcourt Township is the people of Okrika. Actually, their villages are only separated from the Port Harcourt Township by creeks.

Whatever stake the Igbo had in Port Harcourt was obliterated at the end of the Nigeria Civil war in

1970. Most of the choice property in the heart of the city, which belonged to Igbo people, was dubbed abandoned property.

Today, Port Harcourt is a cosmopolitan city with a population of about 1,133,400 million people (as of 2004). It is Nigeria's second largest commercial and industrial center, with the second busiest seaport in the country. Port Harcourt has a busy international airport with regular local and international flights. The city is also a rail terminus, which links the eastern part of country to the north.

Port Harcourt boasts of two universities, two refineries, a petrochemical plant and a liquefied natural gas plant. Port Harcourt, as the de facto headquarters of the petroleum industry in Nigeria, attracts one and all.

This park is also home to the oldest Manuka tree and the largest Pohutukawa tree in Auckland and from this garden, you can see the city wharf, the railroad in and out of Auckland, Judge's Bay, Parnell Baths and across the harbour towards Devonport. It is very centrally located. To see the best blooms it is recommended that you visit from October to April. It is very beautiful at this time of year and admittance is free.

There are also many photo opportunities to be had here and several walkways to explore and enjoy. The roses are many and varied with a range of older varieties as well as new ones.

This garden is significant because it used to be a quarry and up until 1964 was an eyesore for the residents of Mount Eden and Epsom. Jack Clark, a horticulturist with vision had set about transforming this five acre blemish on the landscape into a haven for the enthusiastic gardener and a sanctuary for the birds. He and fifteen other volunteers converted the old quarry into an award winning Auckland Garden. It is a safe haven for the shy Fantails and when walking through these gardens you will see that they are very much in abundance as are the cheeky Tui birds. These gardens are a national showplace now and are maintained and developed by volunteer workers who give freely of their time and labour.

This is a map of the garden which is made up of paths whose names are a commemoration of Society members who were prominent in developing that particular area.

The terrain can be tiresome for some, as it goes up to lookouts and down steep inclines but there is a wheelchair available and access along the paths is generous. There is a drinking fountain on one of the paths and a café to sit down and enjoy the scenery and a have a tasty lunch. The facilities are very welcoming as are the people who are working here. There are plenty of seats along the way so you can sit and enjoy the birdsong and the quiet of nature. If you are into photography there are many photo opportunities to take advantage of too. It would be easy to spend some time here.

The plants of year round interest would have to be the native ferns, Rhododendron vireya,Palms, Conifers and Bromeliads. This garden has the largest and most varied collections of Camelias in the country. There are horticultural shows hosted throughout the year and of course varied seasonal attractions.

For further information about the garden go to Eden Garden.

Additionally, the lakes and rivers can be harvested as required for additional water as required to maximize production. There is excess water which should be pumped into our fleet of tankers and distributed globally as per your needs analysis.

Nationally there will be no resistance. It will be unlikely they will even be aware they are being invaded. The air force, comprising two planes, is permanently overseas either ferrying aid to struggling Pacific Islands or transporting dignitaries to watch the All Blacks, the national rugby team and official religion of New Zealand.

The Navy on the other hand, one frigate and an inflatable, is permanently tied up in Devonport, in Auckland Harbour owing to a lack of money to supply fuel. It is suggested, Auckland, the Capital City, is left until later in the invasion process as the harbor is particularly busy with leisure craft and could pose a navigational hazard. Additionally, the people of Auckland would not be suited to manual labor. It is suggested they could provide support services such as catering.

New Zealanders are a resourceful race and there will be local resistance but it is expected to be sporadic. It is essential the invasion plan is cognizant of brewery installations, as the preservation of beer supply to the populace will severely undermine any will to resist.

Internationally, no one will object as the benefits of having a huge market garden on the South Pacific are obvious. Any likelihood of formal protest is very low as there are not many countries left that have not been offended in some way by the Prime Minister, Charlotte Clark, the adopted grand daughter of Helen Clark who was the country ruler from late last century.

Given the demoralized state of the country at this time, owing to an unsuccessful tenth attempt to regain the Americas Cup, it is suggested our force invade immediately.

The condo I chose was near the beach but out of the evacuation zone, in the Tampa Bay area. If there is a hurricane, people in evacuation zones must evacuate, because they live on low ground and risk flooding. My new place is situated on a peaceful lake, off the main streets in a quiet neighborhood, which is close to stores of all kinds. Every day, large water birds come to visit, looking for food. Most common are egrets, wood storks, blue or green herons, moorhens, and ducks.

Turtles can be seen basking themselves on logs in the water. It is a serene setting that is most definitely worth the pricey rent. With large windows, and a lovely balcony, my houseplants are growing without my needing to do anything except prune or water them once in awhile.

The bright sunshine, blue skies and puffy, white clouds naturally improve a sad mood here in Florida. Up in Ohio, the skies tend to be gray most of the year, and that can make many people depressed. It never occurred to me how much my mood had been affected by the weather until moving down here.

Driving in Florida can be intimidating, due to the many people who all decided to move down here to get away from the northern weather. Roads are crowded and traffic moves fast. Parking in cities can be hard, but it comes with the territory of living where everyone wants to be. Taxis are plentiful and cheap I prefer to hire taxis instead of using my own car, to save money and avoid parking hassles.

The stores and malls here are plentiful and fun to browse. Since tourists come here all the time, there is a huge variety of merchandise to see. It is a shopper's paradise. It is so convenient to live in the suburbs, where everything you need is only a street or two away. My former home in Ohio was in the suburbs but nothing was close by, without a car life would be hard. There is everything from large international style malls to family owned small stores, and everything in between. And, if you feel like being a tourist, drive over to the beach nearby and check out the gift shops and boutiques nearby.

If you love nature, sunshine and being outdoors in general, Florida is a wonderful place to live. As long as you have a good air conditioner for those hot months, living here is comfortable and there are many activities to entertain just about anyone. Sure, there are big bugs, snakes and spiders, but well-maintained properties are vigilant about keeping the critters where they belong, outside and away from your living areas, by spraying regularly with pesticides. Wherever you go, there are lush, tropical landscapes and beautiful flowers. Come to Florida for a visit, and like me, you may want to move here. If you do, you'll be very glad that you did.

Then, you land on Bujumbura airport which is over armed by militaries well trained from everywhere hiding in the woods. You begin to laugh when you see them wearing green uniforms like a leaf has never been. You know Burundi the country of spring year around. It is not easy to get in Bujumbura Airport built by one of the super power which is Russia. There will be an entry point even the native have a hard time going in through.

So, if you are well introduced and an outstanding person you will just enter and someone will help you get your luggage. So, if you intend to go to Bujumbura be good where ever you are. Like one of my relative says ironically you cannot escape politics they will get you were ever you are. After receiving the luggage there is something I call double work which is to search your luggage. Afterwards, you go out, find a taxi, meet with those who are waiting for you or get your car which is in the parking area. So, now you drive a long way to the center of Bujumbura. The airport is in a vallee called imbo. It is in a region close to former Zaire the Democratic Republic of Congo and to Rwanda. There are cows which can cross the road. The important buildings in that area start with the Red Cross building which was finished in 1995. The industrial neighbourhood begins and at the end you find the Palace and hotel areas.

Now, you can decide if you want to stay in the capital city or go in the provinces which are sixteen in total but fifteen according to the last official one. In the northern provinces there is coffee especially in Ngozi and Kayanza, there is also coffee in Rural Bujumbura. There are two brands of coffee which are robusta and arabica. Arabica is the coffee which is the best in terms of quality. Coffee comes from Saudi Arabia which is in the Middle East. As a matter of fact one of the Kings of Saudi Arabia funded a Hospital in Bujumbura named after his name King Khaled. Coffee is used in medicine as a remedy, the most well known medicine is against cough. The famous coffee besides the one from Burundi is the Jamaican coffee it has been said that it is late Emperor Haile Selassie who started the coffee plantations there.

For those who like to eat avocados they can find them in the central part of Burundi, in the Province of Gitega. Avocados are green and they have a seed in them. Avocado buy its self can be a meal and a fruit. There are good times to plan to come to Burundi and it is usually during festive times like the first of July the Independence Day. During holiday times you can listen to the Burundi drummers who are very expressive of a culture of moderation, politness and joy.

Burundi is in the heart of Africa, and you can visit the second deepest lake of the World, Lake Tanganyika. The fish is delicious as well as the food. Beans and corn make a wonderful snack. Burundi was supposed to become a free economic zone and facilitate business from all over the world but the ethnic wars do not allow many things to be done at that level. Burundi is where agriculture is an issue because it is very productive. Agriculture is crops, cattle, and game. The ethnic groups are hutu, tutsi, twa and baganwa. Traditionnally, the Hutu are agriculturalists, the Tutsi are herdsmen, the Twa are hunters and the baganwa who are a mixture of hutu, tutsi and twa. The Baganwa used to rule Burundi until 1966 when it was a Kingdom. Burundi is a republic which has held two democratic elections in 1962 and in 1993.

The elected in 1962 and 1993 didn't stay long in power often because of the emphasize made of peasants who think that they have been betrayed by those who they gave the majority of votes. Finally, we should take into account the fact that agriculture is an issue. There are also grounds to think that Russia and Burundi have experienced the same troubles because of their lakes. Herdsmen or cattle owners are always in search of water and lakes are a good source of water.

So, a link between Russia and Burundi has to be done. The United States of America and Canada have great lakes and the first one has been the first super power of the world and a model of democracy and human rights. It is time to know what is the lesson of Burundi. On your way back from Burundi the pretty do not forget to visit the lakes where the birds fly during winter time. The lakes are Rwihinda and Cohoha. The birds are a gift which protect naturally the plants. Let us think about this title from the paleonteologist, Hans Mayer who opened a Museum in Leipzing, Germany "Die Barundi" the title of his book which means with my little german "The Burundi". Good luck with your thoughts.