It is astonishing and sometimes intriguing how some of the additions to my collection were able to find their way to me. I am sure, every collector has one or more of those stories to tell. A few of mine can be found on this blog. No better way to start, after a long winter break, with adding another, rather amazing one.
About five years ago, I helped a friend out by taking a few photographs for him. My negotiated fee: coffee and hippos. No joke and no surprise to those of you who know me personally :-). At the time, we all were living in Thailand. To get coffee was not very difficult, a hippo was more challenging. But then he remembered having a hippo at his house in the UK. He purchased it a long time ago in Livingstone, Zimbabwe (close to the Victoria Falls) he would happily part with it.... at least, if he could find it. But time went by and our friend moved to Switserland, and our family moved to the USA. Then, because of work, my husband had to be in Switserland, and met our friend. When he came back home, he was all smiles. "You never guess what I have for you!"
Dear Angus, thank you so much for remembering me. It is a very special hippo, as all "previously owned" hippos are to me. This one is extra special, because of its amazing journey it had to travel to get to his new home.