South Africa - Land of the Opposites, Klaus Metzger, Jutta Hartmann-Metzger [if you give a mouse a cookie read aloud txt] 📗

Route 62 at noon, I was able to get into the colorful houses and found numerous references to big pumpkins, which are bred here. It is usually not my interest to bring labels on the road. This time, however, I was inspired by Route 62, as it reminded me of the traditional route 66 in the USA. Together with the Cape of Good Hope, these stickers have found their place on the back of my car.

 

On route 62 we went to Ladismith after the lunch break. Actually, the small place was insignificant - but a year later, when reading the interesting book ("Death at the Cape" by Martin Bossenbroek) led to a significant confusion. Ladismith is a town in the municipality Kannaland, district of Eden, province of Western Cape in South Africa. In 2011 there lived 7,127 inhabitants. The city is 300 kilometers east of Cape Town between Barrydale and Calitzdorp. Neighboring cities are Calitzdorp (45 km away), Laingsburg (85 km) and Oudtshoorn (100 km).

 

 

The church of Ladismith

 

The city was founded in 1852 and was named after Lady Juana Smith, wife of the then governor of Cape Colony, Sir Harry Smith. The original name "Ladysmith" was changed to "Ladismith" in 1879 to avoid confusion with the city of the same name in KwaZulu-Natal. In the Second Burial War, this city was bombed in KwaZulu-Natal in 1900 118 days by Buren until it was liberated by British troops under the command of General Redvers Buller. The British garrison was then commanded by George Stuart White. These martial events were described in detail in the above-mentioned book, and at the first moment I thought of Ladismith in Little Karoo.

 

 We had to go to our next destination, Oudtshoorn, because a part of the travel group (the so called "early bookers") got a free lunch at the Sariari Ostrich Farm in Outshoorn (C): salad, steak and dessert. It tasted excellent. Oudtshoorn is located in the district of Eden, the province of Western Cape in South Africa is the most important city of Little Karoo (at the eastern end). In 2011 Oudtshoorn had 61,507 inhabitants. Founded in 1847, the town is situated between the Swart Mountains in the north and the Outeniqua Mountains in the south on the Gobbelaars River.

 

 

A "feather palace" of Oudtshoorn's ostrich barone

 

The region of the Little Karoo around Oudtshoorn is the center of South African ostrich farming. As early as 1822, the ostrich was placed under protection in South Africa, as its extermination was to be feared. His feathers had been much sought after for many centuries (also by Europe's fashion industry). In 1867 the first ostrich farm of the world was founded in the Little Karoo with about 80 animals. In 1895 there were already 250,000 animals in this area. Ostriches are up to 2.70 m in size and can weigh about 125 kilograms.

 

 

The bored ostriches in the farm

 

Due to the strong leg muscles they run fast to 70 km / h and thereby also bear the weight of a human being. Oudtshoorn exports leather goods, cholesterol-poor ostrich meat, ostrich feathers (some years ago still one of the most important export products of South Africa) and other products all over the world. At the beginning of the 20th century, Oudtshoorn experienced its economic splendor. For several years, ostriches have also been bred in other countries (for example USA, Namibia and even Germany), so that South Africa has received new competition in this area.

 

 

 

Living depiction of life on the ostrich farm

 

With this information provided and strengthened, we followed our ostrich specialist (he spoke a very good German because he was born in Namibia). He had an answer to all our questions and showed us all aspects of the "ostrich industry". It is already astonishing how widespread the ostriches are spread in Africa. We met them for the first time in 2009 in the wild in Tsavo East National Park, Kenya.

 

 

Ostrich family at Tsavo East National Park in Kenya

 

Compared to the wild animals the ostriches in the Safari Ostrich Farm made a much more restless and nervous impression. They also seem to react more nervously. With mixed feelings we went on the journey. Never before during our round trip in South Africa have the observed animals so sad. 

 

Crossing the Outeniqua Pass (609 m high), George reached Wilderness via the interesting place. After the Montagu Pass (the first pass over the Outeniqua Mountains) could no longer cope with the increasing traffic, one needed an alternative for this aging pass road. P.A. De Villiers suggested in 1937 a completely new route across the Outeniqua Mountains. In 1942, 200 Italian prisoners of war began building the new pass. When the war ended and the prisoners of war returned home, about 1/10 of the 14-kilometer road was finished. The project was finished with South African workers and the pass was inaugurated in 1951.

 

 

The old Montagu Pass over the Outeniqua Mountains

 

But this route was also unable to cope with rising traffic volumes and was thoroughly overhauled and expanded from 1993 to 1997. Today it is the main connection between the coastal region and the Little Karoo. Despite its extensive expansions, the road has lost its charm and offers magnificent views of the surrounding mountains. Outeniqua is a term from the language of the Khoi who were at home in this area. It is called "men loaded with honey" and reminds that the natives have collected honey here.

 

The city of George is picturesque at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains, which reach heights up to 1,370 m (George Peak). George is the main town along the Garden Route, located 226 m above sea level and counts over 50,000 inhabitants. In the year 1811, the second Landvogtei was built after the British Cape occupation. The place was named after King George III. On the garden route we continue to Wilderness (D), where we found the excellent The Wilderness Hotel.

 

 

 

 

8. From Wilderness back to Cape Town in South Africa

Wilderness is a coastal town on the Garden Route in the municipality of George, District of Eden, Western Cape in South Africa. In 2011, the village had 6,164 inhabitants. The city is located about 445 kilometers east of Cape Town and 315 kilometers west of Port Elizabeth. In 1877, George Bennet bought a farm here, which he called Wilderness. He probably chose this name because it was so hard to reach. Through Wilderness runs the national road N2. In addition, Wilderness has a train station.

 

 

Waves on the beach of Wilderness

 

The city is known for its eight kilometer long, white sand beach and the many lagoons. West of the city flows the Kaaimans River. The Touws River flows directly through Wilderness and forms a lagoon between the dunes together with several other waters. The river landscape is part of the Garden Route national park. There is a mild climate typical of the Garden Route. Temperatures are barely below 10 ° C and above 28 ° C. The former President of South Africa Pieter Willem Botha lived here until his death on 31 October 2006 in his house "The Anchors".

 

 "The Wilderness Hotel"

 

When we arrived in the evening we immediately fell in love with this cozy place and the "The Wilderness Hotel". The day after the arrival in Wilderness was planned an excursion to the Tsitsikamma National Park with its mighty trees at Knysna .. That it in the morning before the departure Rained, encouraged us to take a break for a day and treat us to an extensive wellness treatment. On the previous part of the round trip there were hardly any possibilities for relaxation.

 

 

 

 

The gardens of the "The Wilderness Hotel"

 

The wellness day started with a one-hour massage (with nice background music and a candle lit) for me. Juttas followed a little later. In between we enjoyed the wonderful sauna, which incidentally we got free, as it was raining and the beach chairs in the courtyard were wet. The water in the outdoor pool was also a bit too cold. A successful morning, during which we have not regretted that we leave the excursion to the Tsitsikamma National Park. From several participants we heard later that it was no special pleasure in the rain.

 

 

The railway station of Wilderness

 

In the afternoon I went alone on a exploration walk to the famous beach and was thrilled. It was easy to find the way: past the petrol station and through the tunnel that crossed the N2 national road. I also passed the small railway station with the old track. Obviously it has become very quiet there. In the direction of George, there is also the much photographed railway bridge of the Outeniqua Choo-Tjoe-Train across the mouth of the Kaaimans River. Unfortunately I could not in Wilderness in the current timetable inquire and thus a beautiful picture of the ancient train make. The next morning our bus stopped on the Kaaimans River Pass and we got very nice pictures of the old bridge.

 

 

Jutta on the evening beach of Wilderness

 

After dinner we went on a beach walk with a beautiful evening mood. A cozy day with a lot of relaxation and little stress came to an end. Now we could really look forward to the continuation of our trip, which should lead us back to Cape Town (however along the south coast).

 

The two days in Wilderness were rewarded with an indescribable sunrise, which Jutta observed and photographed in the early morning. The corresponding recordings can be found under the link. Now we could go with a very satisfied feeling of satisfaction and joy to Mossel Bay (C). Shortly after leaving Wilderness (A), we approached the Kaaimans River Pass (pass: 67 m) with a magnificent view of the Kaaimans River (B) and the railway bridge (which I have already written).

 

 

 

Kaaimans River with railway bridge

 

Mossel Bay (English: "Mussel Bay") is a town on the coast of South Africa with 59.031 inhabitants (as of 2011). It is located in the province of Western Cape, east of the Cape of Good Hope and west of Knysna. It belongs to the district of Eden and is the seat of the municipality Mossel Bay. Mossel Bay is also called the bay, where the town is located.

 

 

 

The Mossel Bay

 

On 3 February 1488, the Portuguese sailor Bartolomeu Dias sailed in search of the sea route to India, after the Cape of Good Hope, to the Mossel Bay, where he came upon a fresh water source called "Aqua de Sao Bras" ( Watering point of Saint Blasius). Called. The fresh water source is