an exercise in percussive maintenance
Tag: photography
So, I know you’re probably sick of these by now, but I’m still driving today and I’m pretty sure I won’t be in the mood to write anything tonight, so I’m scheduling this ahead of time.
On Friday the weather started clearing up, so the wife and I made our way to Mossel Bay one last time – this time to Cape St Blaise… Continue reading “On vacation (not really)”
Well, not really. As you’re reading this we’re probably on the road, our vacation over. Please, take a moment to shed a tear for us. I understand – I feel the same way. On the other hand, I believe one should head home while one’s still having fun, otherwise you end your vacation with a sour taste in your mouth. While I’m avoiding potholes and engaging with fellow road users using the universal sign language developed for that purpose, enjoy these last few photos of our vacation.
This morning we awoke to the most glorious weather you can imagine. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and it was warm enough for shorts and bare feet where just yesterday we were still wrapped up in jackets. There was only one thing to do in this wonderful sunshine, so we headed for the beach (after getting a load of laundry on the line – don’t you just hate it when real life gets in the way?)
The wife and the mother and I walked down to the beach where the wife and I immediately set about exploring the rock pools while the mother started picking up sticks (I encourage all the elderly to take up a hobby, preferably something that keeps the joints limber). (Okay, okay. She picked up driftwood that she uses to make all sorts of pretty things. And though she’s a pensioner, we can’t really call her elderly just yet 😉 ) Continue reading “On vacation (still) Part II”
On Monday we woke up to grey skies and water falling from the skies. After checking that it wasn’t the end of the world arriving six months late, we headed in to Mossel Bay for a bit of museuming and a spot of shopping at the covered flea market. We had last been to the Dias Museum exactly four years ago (give or take a couple of days) on our honeymoon. Here are some photos.
I’ve mentioned Bartolomeu Dias in a previous post. In 1488 he was the first European (as far as we know) to travel beyond the southern tip of Africa. After landing at Mossel Bay he made it as far as a third of the way between what is today known as Port Elizabeth and East London before his crew forced him to turn back due to fears that their supplies will run out. Consequently Dias never found a route to India as had been the intention, that honour going to his countryman, Vasco da Gama. Continue reading “On vacation (still) Part I”
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Here’s a novella about my vacation so far.
On the way here we passed through one of my favourite places in SA – the Meiringspoort pass. This pass is on the road between Beaufort-West and Oudtshoorn and is the main passage between the Great Karoo and the Little Karoo. In times of heavy rainfall the entire valley fills up with water. I once passed through here on a school tour shortly after a flood while they were busy repairing the road. Boulders the size of our school bus had lain scattered along the road. Now, however, it’s a beautiful road with regular rest stops, this one also at a tourist centre a short hike away from the Prince Albert waterfall. Imagine five kilometres with these cliffs towering above you. At times it feels like they’re going to close up over your car.
Oh, and the Afrikaans author, C.J. Langenhoven, wrote a story of how he and his family once travelled through this pass in an old railway car pulled by their tame pet elephant, Herrie. Naturally they got stranded in the middle of the pass due to a flood for several weeks. The boys from a nearby village supposedly climbed down the cliffs on ropes to visit his daughters while they were there. Your guess is as good as mine whether the story was true. He was one of those authors where you could never be completely certain. He also wrote a story of how he and his one daughter visited the moon in a Venusian spaceship shaped like a golden egg. I’m pretty sure that one was made up. Continue reading “On vacation (me)”
if all else fails...use a hammer 