Mto wa Mbo, (River of Mosquitoes)  is a small village surrounded by swampland, some 75 miles from Arusha City. A popular resting stop for travelers, we spent some time before driving (past the Ngorongoro Crater) to Serengeti National Park.

Happiness showing us the communal rice fields.

With the guidance of our local tour guide, Happiness (yes, that was her name), we strolled “main street” and then wandered the back roads– through small huts, rice fields, shops, and outdoor markets.

Craftsmen sculpt figurines and make hard sells to tourists passing through town. (No matter how hard you try and resist, tourists traps are in many ways just inevitable.) The local children, who are also accustomed to travelers, are also eager to entertain. Needless to say, the little boy above caught my eye.

Tourist traps. @trishlist