South Africa Archives - Page 18 of 24

THE FOUNDER OF KNYSNA

Knysna is synonymous with the history of woodcutters, silk farmers and gold diggers made famous by Dalene Matthee in her books about Knysna and the forest. And probably the most colourful character of Knysna is the famous (or maybe not) George Rex who was the founder of this pretty little town loved by many. George Rex was rumoured to have been the illegitimate son of George III (Prince of Wales at the time) and a Quaker girl, Hannah Lightfoot. The legend is that he was sent to the Cape Colony to avoid a Royal embarrassment. Rex, who settled on the farm Melkhoutkraal, also contributed to the economy of Knysna as he was a timber merchant and trader and played a major role in the development of the town and the surrounding area. Whilst the grave is no great sight to behold, it can be found close to the N2 and… Read more >

ST PETER’S CHURCH, PLETTENBERG BAY

I just love to find all the little churches of this remarkable lady – Sophy Gray. This one dating back to 1879 adds another tick to my Gray list! The church with its lovely setting is situated close to a grove of trees and overlooks the beach and ocean towards the distant Tsitsikama Mountains. In 1848 when the Grays (Rev Robert and his wife Sophy) arrived at the Cape of Good Hope there were almost no Anglican churches in the diocese in Cape Town. Bishop Gray’s enthusiasm – the obvious need for churches – and apparent lack of architectural services as well as money probably encouraged Sophia Gray (a self taught architect) to design buildings to suit the immediate needs. Saint Peter’s was built from a random selection of stones and boasts beautiful glass stained windows. The church welcomes visitors, but please show respect when entering the premises.

BLIKI TIN SHACK

Today is one of those CAW days in the Garden Route (with only a max of 12º C). So let me explain for those of you visiting our beautiful area. George has the appropriate car number plate sign of CAW which our locals refer to as cold and wet due to the rain which at times can softly fall for days on end and the cold comes and settle in your bones. Then it is time to seek some comforts to put a bit of sunshine in your day. This sunshine you will find at Bliki Tin Shack on the R102 which runs parallel to the N2 if you travel from George to Groot Brak River. For a bit of comfort, to chase the cold away, you can enjoy a slice of home baked melktert, a local favourite, and a cup of steaming Ugandan coffee enjoyed in front of a Dover stove… Read more >

FOSSIL DUNES ON THE BEACH

Just up the coastal road, Knysna way, from George you will find South Africa’s highest fossil dune known as Gericke’s Punt (Point) near Sedgefield. Although going there for years I must admit that I never knew that it was a fossil dune, but thanks to Geocaching now I know! Take the easy walk to the point along the beach and marvel at all the patterns that the wind has carved over years in to the sand dunes. If you have an artistic eye there are really a couple of spots along the walk where you can spend a while taking really great pictures! Every time I go there I see some new patterns in mother nature that I have not noticed before – even a dragon if you use your imagination …….… Also keep an eye open for the endangered Black Oyster Catchers at the waters edge with their startling… Read more >

KALAHARI RED DUNE ROUTE

We had an amazing time out at Loch Maree deep in the beautiful landscape of the Kalahari. As we headed north, deeper into the Kalahari, the scenery started changing. It was just big blue skies and wide open spaces. Basically lots of nothing. The road was quiet and empty. Besides a few passing vehicles, the only signs of life were the gigantic nests of the sociable weaver birds that seemed to colonies trees and electricity poles. I read that some of these huge nests have colonies of up to 50 chambers housing as many as 300 birds. We also saw some of the nests that had fallen to the ground – I presume when they just get too heavy to sit to the telephone pole or tree. The Kalahari is not only amazingly rich in diversity but also reflects an endless variety of moods, making each new encounter different from… Read more >

TSITSIKAMMA NATIONAL PARK

This year my birthday present to myself was spending the day at the Tsitsikamma National Park with my daughter as hubby was in a far away place in Africa. Situated halfway between Port Elizabeth and my hometown of George it was an ideal place to hook up with my daughter to do a hiking trail or two in the park. The weather was just what we have ordered – sunny without wind and low humidity. Before we settled for our walk to the mouth we enjoyed brunch, on the deck of the Cattle Baron, with breathtaking views of the river mouth and cliffs as a backdrop. The day is going to be good! The wooden walkway contributes to an easy walk to the mouth …… until you get to the last steps. Well going down is still easy going and not the biggest problem, but as you know what goes… Read more >

THE ROSE GARDEN TEA HOUSE, PORT ELIZABETH

My aim for 2016 is to find a new eatery in Port Elizabeth with every visit to the Friendly City. This year started with a Sunday breakfast at the Rose Garden Tea House at the Floradale Nursery in Charlo. Arriving a bit before nine there was already a queue of cars waiting at the gates. I think we were at the right spot for a Sunday morning breakfast! We chose a protected spot on the stoep with a view over the garden as the wind was unpleasant and inside all the tables were already chock-a-block. Even the children were not too enthusiastic to visit the playground in the wind. However we were welcomed with a smile and soon my aromatic cup of coffee arrived. This was a good start to my day. It was hard to decide what to eat as everything on the menu looked delicious and even more… Read more >