Author Archives: Paul
Stormwater tunnel
When the first heavy rains hit you often find water being forced out of blocked drains into streets - which in turn is both fun to race your car though, and dangerous if you don't notice the water and drive into a deep puddle unexpectedly.
We had a fair amount of rain in Cape Town yesterday and today. Also a fair number of car accidents - which is typical on rainy Cape days. It seems as though Winter truly has arrived!
Sowing the seeds of love
I found a really old-looking, yet interesting, website that has some good information and photos about various seeds and the ways in which they travel. If you follow the link then you'll see what I mean by "old-looking". But, do excuse that, the first article on Waynes Word appears to be from 1994!
Please leave a comment if you know the name of this plant. At the time I asked, so I know her name is Nicole, but the name of her species, that's still unknown to me. :)
Cows come to look
Anyway, breeds aside, don't you love how, when you approach a herd, they gather closer to see what's happenin' and then when you raise your camera and walk closer they scurry away to the far corner of the field? Strange animals. :)
The Cape Quarter cyclist
I saw the cyclist approaching, and tried to quickly take the shot before he obscured my view. I at first thought "Darn, I wasn't quick enough.", but on reviewing the photo later I discovered that I really liked the fact that I caught him cycling into the frame. It's funny how sometimes things that you expect would ruin something actually make them better.
Tugboat that tugged the trawler
Unless you're South African, you may not appreciate the tugboat's name. The first part of the name is a common South African surname (similar to Smith), and the second part (Amandla) is a Xhosa and Zulu word meaning Power. So together, they mean Smit Power. Awesome name for a tugboat hey?! :)
What's especially memorable about the word amandla is that it's part of a war cry (of sorts) adopted by members of the ANC during the apartheid times. Back then, and now sometimes also, the leader of a group of people would shout out "Amandla!" and the crowd would respond with "Awethu!", which together mean "Power to the people!".
No need for shutters
I remember thinking earlier this year how great it would be to have shutters on our windows. No matter how thick our curtains are, or what kind of reflective blinds we have, the heat still penetrates the glass making our home rather uncomfortable in summer. Shutters effectively prevent the sun's rays from reaching the glass, helping to keep our rooms cool.
Today I'm sitting in our lounge working on a website for Kerry-Anne - and it's absolutely freezing cold. Well, not exactly freezing (as in 0°C) - the latest reading at 17h34 shows that it's 14°C, which is really really cold for us here in Africa.
Chest of drawers with character
Fig preserve and cheese – a perfect snack
It's just before 12am in the evening, and posting this photo has compelled me to prepare for a midnight snack - I do believe I have fig preserve and camembert cheese in the fridge. :)
Angry lions
At home, we have our own fierce feline that roams the plains of our back yard. While most often very sweet, when I or brother have been particularly irritating, she transforms into a clawing beast that no man would want to tussle with!
Rococoa: For the love of chocolate
If you decide to visit, then here's an insider tip - besides for the chocolate cones, you have to try their hot chocolate drink. They basically walk over to this machine, pour a magnitude of chocolate into the cup, add hot milk, and serve. It's divine. At R25 it's slightly more expensive than ordinary hot chocolate, but like the cone, most definitely worth it!
Mixed herbs and other leafy things
But for now, if you're interested in doing the healthy thing and buying seedlings to start your own herb-and-salad-leaf garden, visit the Mixed Herbs Facebook page and leave a message on the wall, or email John directly for more info.
A ship stranded on Clifton beach
I visited Clifton 2nd beach at about 4pm yesterday afternoon to see a large tug stationed a couple of hundred meters from the ship with one (or two, I think) cables connecting it to the Japanese trawler. A smaller tug was making regular trips to the large tug, and a small rubber boat was used between the tiny tug and trawler. I'm guessing they were dropping off supplies and equipment.
High tide was due at 21h00 yesterday evening, at which time the large tug was due to give an almighty tug (pun and all, yes) and hopefully free the vessel from the beach before its structure gave way to the relentless battle between ocean currents and fixed land. I'm not yet sure if the rescue team managed to free the ship - I'm sure we'll hear how the operation fared once the sun comes up in the morning. I am holding both thumbs fairly tightly though.
Electricity pylons
About two or three weeks ago I bought 18 kilograms of LPG (liquid petroleum gas), and a two-plate portable gas hob - in case we have unforeseen power shortages this winter. There's no way I'm risking having to wake up without a cup of hot coffee!
Farm fences and country roads
Farmlands and hills
This map shows pretty much exactly where I was standing when taking this photo. :)
Padlocked door
Peacock and Peahen – a first date
What you can't see in the photo is that there was a bush fire burning in the vicinity, billowing smoke into the clear sky, causing the light to change from its ordinary mid-day bright white into a soft orange hue. Normally a peahen's feathers are pretty dull, lacking colour, but on this day the filtered light transformed her plumage to be the golden brown colour that it is in this photo. Click the photo to see the large version. Isn't she beautiful?
An alternate theory, to a "first date", is her alleged suitor wasn't actually a suitor at all... perhaps he was simply in awe of (and probably jealous of) her unusually-pretty plumage!
Sculptures at Saronsberg
The estate is certainly worth a visit, even if only to visit the exhibition. Take care though, even though the estate known as Saronsberg, it's on the opposite side of the Winterhoek mountain range to the small town of Saron. Browse Saronsberg's website, they have a map that shows exactly where the estate is located.
Chapel among the vines
We took a quick drive into Montpellier, and given what we saw (how beautiful the place is) I'm fairly certain that hiring this venue for a wedding would cost a pretty penny... however, it really is very pretty - and probably perfect if you'd love to get married out in the country.
Perhaps you know that the city of Montpellier is in southern france. Do distinguish this estate, its full name is "Montpellier De Tulbagh" (or "Montpellier Du Cap", as noted at their front gates).
Old, very old, wine bottles
Imagine how long these bottles have been stacked here for! We found these below De Oude Drostdy, in the cellar-area where prisoners awaiting trial by the magistrate were kept.
You may recall that I posted a few photos from our visit to the Van Ryn's brandy distillery in December. Distel, a Stellenbosch-based company that produces wine, spirits, and ciders owns several properties all over the Cape, including the Van Ryn's brandy distillery and De Oude Drostdy.
Now, I completely understand why they hang on to Van Ryn's, but as for De Oude Drostdy - besides for historical and investment purposes, I'm unsure as to why Distel keep her. It's not like they make a great deal of money from the R10 museum entrance fee! Do you perhaps know?
Edison gold moulded records
Anyway, I found this record in the De Oude Drostdy building that I mentioned in yesterday's article. Below are four more photos that I took in one of the De Oude Drostdy's rooms - the first is of an actual Edison phonogram (awesome hey), then a gramophone needle, followed by two gramophones.
Tulbagh’s beautiful landscape
I took this photo from the steps of De Oude Drostdy, the old magistrate's building on the outskirts of Tulbagh. Imagine waking up to this every morning!
Surrounded by mountains
Most of the Tulbagh area's beauty comes from its terrain. While there's a great deal of wide open space (which is good for clearing one's mind), the area is completely surrounded by mountains - which are in some way very comforting. I, like all Capetonians, get a bit weirded-out if all I'm able to see is barren flatness with no mountains in sight. It's difficult to explain really. :)
Take a few moments to browse this satellite image - you'll see what I mean by surrounded!
Church Street in Tulbagh
On our first night in Tulbagh we tried a small Belgian restaurant, the name of which I can't quite recall now - but no-matter, it's easy to find. :) The restaurant is operated by what appears to be a retired gentleman and his charming wife (whom I believe is the chef), and is about the closest thing to fine-dining that I believe you'll find in a rural town like Tulbagh. It's certainly worth a visit, so if you overnight in the town, do give them a try.
Our visit to Tulbagh begins
So, on a whim, I scoured a few online accommodation sites and booked two nights away in Tulbagh, a small town that's a short 121 kilometers from the City (here's a route map).
I took this photo at the guest house where we stayed - a rural estate about 3 kilometers outside the town. Over the next few days I'll share with you more of what we saw in and around Tulbagh.
Kalky’s in Kalk Bay
The best time to go would be an hour or so before lunch time - just to make sure that you get a seat. You'll find the restaurant located close to the water's edge, inside Kalk Bay harbour.
And, if you're wondering why it's so empty... it's because this photo was taken a little while after 8am, while the restaurant was closed. :)
Olympia Bakery in Kalk Bay
The side of the building that faces Main Road has large glass windows that allow the morning brightness to flood the restaurant. I'd hoped we could have a bite to eat at the bakery's restaurant, but it seems as though it's popular enough that one would have to book in advance to get a seat. So alas, we moved on to an alternative restaurant that was ok, but not quite as awesome as I think Olympia would have been.
We'll have to make a plan to return - perhaps for breakfast and then hop over the road for lunch at Kalky's! :)
Full stop signs
Land Rover, the best 4×4 for Africa-trips?
Land Rovers have been so pervasive in Africa over the last 20 or 30 years that finding desperately needed spare parts on old broken-down Landy is very likely - even in the remotest of African villages. The same cannot be said for modern, albeit awesome, 4x4s. What that says for the Land Rover's durability is an arguing point that my Toyota friends would certainly pose, but in reality it's true, any vehicle is prone to failing at some point and it's undeniable that having a ready supply of old parts is always super-useful.
That said, I'd probably rather road-trip though Africa in a comfy new 4x4 and fork out the money for a satellite phone than take a 4,000km trip in one of these rattle-traps. :)