South Africa – Page 2

Driving the False Bay Coastline

There is so much to do and see in and around Cape Town that it is hard to narrow your choices. I chose to spend yesterday following the coast of False Bay and stopping off at the various beaches and fishing villages along the way. Long before GPS was invented, the sailors of old returning from long sea voyages to the east confused this picturesque bay with the more famous Table Bay a bit further along the coast, thus giving False Bay its name.

False Bay is an huge C-shaped curve in the coastline to the southeast of Table Mountain. At its widest point it is a staggering 20 miles across the bay! The bay is littered with small villages and numerous long sandy beaches, some of which have managed to escape any form of urban development. One of my favorite spots and a place I have visited numerous times over the years is the fishing village of Kalk Bay. As they have since the early 1900’s, the brightly colored boats ply the clear waters daily, bringing in fresh fish that is sold at the harbor upon their return. Seals await the scraps and compete with the seagulls for the choice portions.

The picturesque railway line that connects all the little towns along the coast is an important commuter link with the city of Cape Town.

South Africa – land of beauty … and potholes

Upon arriving back in South Africa after being away for over a year, (courtesy of COVID19) I was constantly reminding myself to drive on the left hand side of the road. I came to the realization however, that in many parts of the vast Free State, it was a moot point. The general rule is that you drive on the side of the road that has the least potholes. More than once I was surprised by an oncoming car on my side of the road, but after a quick re-calculation, I realized that no, I had not reverted to the American way, this was the new South African way. Once I got the hang of it, I was weaving happily from side to side at top speed with the best of them.

The Drakensberg Mountains

Searching for inspiration in a dry and dusty desert (photographically speaking), I revisited archived image folders of far away places. These memories are particularly poignant. My mom and I were spending a few days in the South African Drakensberg mountain area, and I persuaded her to accompany me on a helicopter ride to do some aerial photography. She was 87 years old at the time, and in the beginning stages of a bout with Shingles, but she gamely acquiesced, and so off into the sky we flew. I was impressed with her spirit of adventure, since she was very obviously nervous at the prospect but threw caution to the wind for the sake of the experience.

Mum on a 8,000ft plateau where the helicopter landed for breakfast

This is a magnificent mountain range, spanning 600 miles and towering over 10,000 ft. in height. The translation of Drakensberg is “Dragon’s Mountains”, and our family spent many vacations in this area when we were children, hiking, horse-riding, and swimming in the clear mountain streams.

Last few Images from South Africa

Back in the USA and getting into the groove of another Carolina Christmas, but just posting the last few of my favorite images from my South African visit. It’s a brutal 24 hour travel ordeal to get from Charleston to Cape Town, and so this part of the world is not visited frequently by Americans, but it is very popular with European tourists, since the time difference is not so great, and it is a much shorter flight with fewer connections. Those who do endure the trip however, return again and again. Sala kahle for now.

View from the top of Paarl Rock, Paarl, Cape

Monkey Business

We all have our pesky garden critters, and Durban in South Africa is no exception. Yes, they look cute and they sure are smart, but they are also very destructive thieves. I was watching a troop of them this morning as they cavorted in the garden, swinging through branches, smashing through delicate orchids, breaking off choice flowers and munching on them, emptying out the bird feeder and the bird bath. You also can’t go out and leave the kitchen windows open here, otherwise they’ll raid your home and steal the food. I know I should have chased them off, but they were too much fun to photograph!

Note the sleeping baby under Mommy Monkey on the left

It helps to have a long tail to hang on!

The Quaint Fishing Village of Arniston

Life hasn’t changed much in Arniston over the years. It is quite remote so this has been a saving grace against over-development, a fate sadly experienced by many similar coastal villages. People still fish for a living and live quietly, unperturbed by the frenetic digital world surrounding them. Here are a couple of images from my 24 hour visit. When I retire, I will return and spend longer.

The Cape Winelands

I have seen winelands in France and California (Italy, Portugal and others are still on my bucket list) but so far, I have to say that some of the prettiest are to be found in the Cape, South Africa. I know I may be a little biased, but seriously, this has to be some of the most beautiful scenery anywhere on God’s earth. These were taken on an estate in the Stellenbosch area.

Back in Beautiful South Africa

I am spending some time with my family in South Africa for a couple of weeks. We are based in the Cape Town area, and have rented a house in the beautiful coastal town of Hermanus for a few days. Not a lot to do in terms of organized activities and entertainment, but wonderful walks along the cliffs and nature reserves. Great place for catching up with each other’s lives.