TRAVELBUCKET

TRAVELBUCKET

Tag Archive: Prince Albert

DAY TRIP FROM GEORGE: COAST TO KAROO

Ready to experience something different for a day?  It is time to escape to the slow life of the Karoo! Starting from George take the N12 towards Oudtshoorn.  As you drive up the Outeniqua Pass enjoy the soft green folds of the mountains, because soon you will leave it behind  you.  Once you have reached the top of the pass and descend on the other side into the Waboomskraal valley the Klein Karoo slowly unfolds all its secrets.  Take the Oudtshoorn turn-off as soon as you exit the Waboomskraal valley. As you approach Oudtshoorn you will notice the blue haze of the Swartberg mountains on the horizon.  In winter it will be dusted with some snow and in summer the fynbos will be in full bloom.  There are several things to do in and around the town of Oudtshoorn, but we will be heading to Prince Albert via the Swartberg… Read more >

PRINCE ALBERT: A GEM BETWEEN HARD ROCKS

by Inge Triegaardt The Great Karoo with its vast openness and many tumbleweeds, offers beautiful gems in between the hard rocks and dry veld.  Prince Albert is certainly one of these diamonds in the making.  Prince Albert was established in 1842 with town layout on the De Queekvaleij farm.  The farm was granted to Zacharias de Beer as a loan farm and the town was initially called Albertsbrug. It was renamed in 1845 to its current name of prince Albert, after the husband of Queen Victoria. Spending a weekend in the town at the foot of the Heritage Site, which is the Swartberg Mountains, recharges the soul.  The many accommodation options, such as Skrywerskop, offer a country feel stay and the opportunity to stroll through the town from wherever you lay your head down at night.  Nothing is too far from the main road in this little town.  Referring to… Read more >

ZIP IT IN A (ZIBI) BLIK

Who of you still remember the Zip it in a Zibi drive way back when we were all still young? On our recent visit to Prince Albert we noticed these beautiful bins dotted all over town and we wanted to find out the story about it, because this is not just ordinary bins; it is designer bins with a message.  We tracked the master behind it down in the name of local artist Kevin de Klerk who hand paint it with care and precision. Kevin tells us that there are a total of 33 bins in the village and some of them has the most interesting stories behind it.  There is the cat sterilization awareness bin with, of course, a beautiful cat on its side.  We all know that cat numbers can multiply astonishingly quickly if you do not keep a finger on it.  So, this one goes towards cat… Read more >

ROAD TRIPPING TO PRINCE ALBERT

Today is the first day of 2015 – a new year full of surprises, laughter,  fun and hopefully interesting travels that awaits.  We set off in George at a leisurely pace with clear blue skies, travel over the Outeniqua Pass via Oudtshoorn and aim for Prince Albert on the other side of the Swartberg Mountains.   The road is quiet.  I think the people are recovering from the New Year’s parties … Once over the Outeniqua Pass the temperature rises to 31 degrees Celsius in the Klein Karoo.  It has been quite a while since I last traveled the iconic Swartberg pass, a gravel road, on the R328 but as all the previous times we were rewarded with stunning views of the mountains and yet again I am in awe of the skills of Thomas Baines – son of the famous Andrew Geddes Baines who built Bain’s Kloof Pass and many… Read more >

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