Cape 2010 - Day 5 (20 Jan)

Up at 05h30. Packed the car and grabbed some photos of our B&B. Because of all the rain yesterday I never got a chance to take photos of some of the beautiful buildings here in Grahamstown. As we left we ran into the students. Turns out they didn't manage to get away as early as they had hoped. Roger was a bit fed up seeing as he could have had an extra hour of sleep. Eventually we got away earlier than they did.





We headed down the N2 and soon got our first glimpse of sea. We also saw the Cerebus salt factory, complete with salt pans. Reached Knysna at about 10:35 and we wandered around, rather than fishing the laptop out for directions to the Mitchell's brewery. Manged to miss the 10:30 brewery tour, but were not too bothered. Had a beer tasting consisting of Mitchell's Foresters lager, Bosuns Bitter, 90 Schilling Ale, and Raven Stoat. The ale had a lovely strong cinnamon, spicy flavour.




While sampling the beer we noticed a comatose cat in the office's in-tray. Upon inquiry, the friendly brewery lady insured us that no, sleeping cats are not part of the brewery's urgent agenda, but that this particular one had decided that the tray sufficed as an adequate resting place for during the daylight hours.




After Mitchell's, we stopped at the Feather Gallery, makers of fine wooden ornaments. Despite the excellent workmanship of the range which is the main attraction, which consisted of wooden birds carved and painted to resemble their feathery cousins as closely as possible, James and I found ourselves more drawn towards the more stylistic or unusual works. As much as we liked some of the stuff we eventually left empty-handed and have to admit once again to ourselves that we don't appear to be bric-a-brac people on the whole.

Had lunch at Bosun's Pub in George Rex road before we headed back to the brewery to pick up our beer and got back on the road again. After continuing along the coast for a few more kilometers, we turned inland and got on the road to Oudshoorn. One side of the mountains, green and lush. Other side, semi-desert. The Klein Karoo is almost a complete opposite, and as beautiful in its own way.



We arrived at Oudshoorn fairly early. It was good to see Renier, Nelita, Elme and Jonelle again. Still can't believe how much the two girls have grown! They made us feel right at home and we spent a lovely evening with them. It was great getting a proper home-cooked supper after three nights of eating out!

Cape 2010 - Day 4 (19 Jan)

Awful humidity yesterday, full on rain today! Made my way to the Grocott's Mail offices for a 09h00 appointment with the general manager. Asked a lot of questions and got some good sources. She also showed me all the old equipment and type blocks they still have. Starting to get a better idea on how printing would have developed in South Africa.




Picked James up at the university bout 10h00 and we both headed back to the B&B for some more snooze time due to the late night! After lunch we headed back to the university where he settled in for the afternoon session of the conference and I started on old newspapers again.

Manged to get hold of the very first editions of both the Grocott's Mail and the Grahamstown Journal. Grocott's started in a bout 1871 and is still running making it South Africa's oldest independent newspaper. The Grahamstown Journal was the first Grahamstown newspaper and started in 1832. Yup, I got to play with 180 year old newspapers!

Also answered a number of questions I've had, such as: When did they start using images in adverts? What other things would a printing office have produced? Of course, with answers come a whole load of new questions!

Joined the Geologists just after five for the "closing ceremony" - essentially snacks and speeches. Then we went back to the B&B for a couple of quiet hours before heading out again for dinner at Gino's. James was pleased to find that their pizza hasn't changed.

Stopped by the party being held by the Rhodes students to drop off copies of some of the photos I've taken and for a last beer. We then bid the Tuks students farewell, since they intend to leave 05h30 the next morning.

Cape 2010 - Day 3 (18 Jan)

After posting yesterday, I went off to locate the tourism office so that I could get a better (and preferably free) map of Grahamstown. The majority of the old Victorian houses and buildings are in good repair, but unfortunately the roads and sidewalks are so untidily surfaced that it gives one a rather dingy impression on the whole. The road markings could also definitely be clearer, especially seeing as there are many double lane stop streets.

There are so many incredible churches that one can immediately understand why it's often called the city of saints. Like I mentioned before, the Victorian buildings are well looked after and retain most of their historical grace. Effort is made not too use too intrusive modern signage which is sometimes amusing. There is just something weird about a Victorian shop front that has a CNA sign on it! Finding your favorite chain supermarket also becomes incredibly difficult when its sign is a quarter of its usual size and it's painted a completely different colour than you're use to.

After I picked up the map, along with various other interesting pamphlets, I wandered over to the Cory Library of Historical Research. Spent a quiet hour or two with some secondary sources and then joined James for lunch. After lunch he went to the second session of talks and I started digging into Grocott's Mail and Grahamstown Journal editions from 1890. With some help from the staff I managed to set my camera up so that I could simply record entire newspapers that I can work more intensively with later. At 17:00 the library closed and I went and waited for James and the others at the Rat & Parrot.

James and some of the Tuks and Rhodes students joined me there shortly thereafter and we settled in for a while. Later on the students relocated to the backpackers at the old goal where they were staying and so we joined them there at the in house bar. Probably stayed way too late, but great fun all in all!

Cape 2010 - Day 2 (17 Jan)

Left Aliway North yesterday morning at 9. Most of the students had decided it would be a great idea to go drinking the night the night before and were feeling a tad delicate (James and I had decided to be sensible and rather watch Monty Python and the Meaning of life). Stopped at the garage to check tyre pressures and also so that the students could pick up a greasy breakfast at steers. This gave James and I the chance to have a look at the remnants of the old bridge that use to span the orange river. Got some photos of the new bridge as well. As we wandered back, James also spotted a very curious sign. Apparently chameleons have become contraband!

James had a route planned past some interesting geological sights. Most of the students’ enthusiasm appeared to be a bit dampened by the late night, but I enjoyed the walks beside the road. James periodically stopped to point things out and go into lecture mode. Roger could always be counted on to ask an interesting question, or add some fascinating titbits of information. He also pointed out some wild rose bushes that he reckons must have been brought to the area by the 1820 settlers.

The scenery along the way was simply incredible. Valleys and hills that are all officially farm land, but that still look completely wild. We saw the occasional farm and out buildings, but not a person in sight.

Took a “short cut” through to Derdricht over a gravel road, which seems easy enough until you see the mountains and valleys that it cuts through. Took longer than we expected it to, but Roger, James and myself didn’t mind because it was absolutely beautiful (I’m told the students slept most of the way). We saw many birds of prey and I even managed to spot a large secretary bird standing next to the road. I would be very tempted to take that route again when we come this way again so that we can actually stop and look around.

By the time we hit tar again we were running late so James was hurrying us all along. We stopped briefly for lunch in Queenstown and then did the last stretch through to Grahamstown. Arrived just in time for them to register and then went and located our accommodation. Most of the students are at the old goal backpackers, Roger and some of the others are at a B&B called Lissngdly Cottage, and James and I are at Suffield house B&B.

We met up with everybody at the Rat & Parrot for the ice-breaker. Lovely old fashioned pub decked out in dark wood. Had dinner there, but James and I headed off reasonably early due to exhaustion!

Cape 2010 - Day 1 (16 Jan)

James and I left for Grahamstown town today along with some of the Geology masters student for a Geology conference. Managed to get away a bit late since Martin didn't show. Still haven't heard from him so not sure if he's flight was delayed or what.

Made good time, eventually stopping at the Bloemfontein Engen 1-Stop for lunch. Roger managed to convince James that there is a good chance that all of the liquor stores might be shut when we reach Aliwal North later (seeing as the Eastern Cape is completely uncivilized), so James and I did a run into Bloem to secure supplies.

Lots of gorgeous Karoo scenery after Bloem. Also some road works so grabbed my chance for a couple of photos. Acres of bright blue sky and empty fields except for the occasional flock of sheep or herd of cows. Passed through Smithfield and Rouxville; both tiny towns, each complete with it's own township.

Got into Aliway North round about 15:30 only to discover the place we thought we were booked at doesn't know we are booked there. A tense phone call or two and we wandered a 100m up the round and managed to find pleasant accommodation for pretty much the same price it would have cost us at the other place. While some of the students swapped around the Quantum's one tire which appeared to have a slow puncture, Roger and James quickly went foraging for food before the shops closed.

Nice enough place here, complete with very friendly cat. Can't decide if it lives next door somewhere and simply wanders over to be petted and fed, or if it's a stray that's decided that being nice to strangers scores food. Either way it seems terribly at home here!

Braai's currently going as I write this and I'm on my fourth beer, so a very satisfying day in all!



Show all

A new start

Since 2006 I’ve completed my undergrad, completed my honours degree, moved out the house, started a job, got married, completed my masters proposal, started my masters degree. Reaching the end of 2009 I’m still trying to catch my breath. Since friends and family feel that they don't hear from me often enough, I thought that it would be good resolution for 2010 to stay more in touch.

Seeing as I'm not a big Facebook fan, and don't particularly feel the need to tell the world what I'm eating/reading/feeling/etc. on a regular basis, I've decided to try my hand at writing a reasonably regular blog. It also gives me a place to stick up ultra-cute photos of my cats!