Season's Greetings

My Home is my Castle

At long last Google Earth woke up and updated their maps. One and a half year ago I put on a new green roof on the house (previously red Harvey Tiles) and only today they seem to have noted. My abode is right slap bang in the middle under the cross hair.



Hoover with your helicopter (cursor) around, hold left mouse key and pull, and read the things established in Obs and indicated with blocks. For an easier full screen version click here. Have fun.
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Devils Peak Hike

Whilst writing my stew for supper is brewing. This morning, nearly 12 hours earlier, I was up with the early birds and through the gates to Groote Schuur Estate, parked at Rhodes Memorial (1), put on my boots and was off. Two students were looking for the path up to Devilspeak (major). Talked them out of it, too risky without map and guide, thus instead they joined me for a couple of hours. Zak here is part of the mountain map map which is obtainable from the maps or Cape Union Markt, Click map to enlarge and can be enlarged further quite a bit for more details. Google Earth Map

After walking up nearly 250 metres we had a quick break at Kings Blockhouse (2), this English fortification was built soon after the battle of Blaauwberg nearly 200 years ago to protect the Cape against the French. We now had to climb, scramble nearly straigh up from 430 metres to the Fire Lookout (3) at 600m. There we had another well earned break after which we only had to go up another 150 metres. Before turning to Woodstock cave (4) my hiking friends decided to walk at least part of their intended route to the top and must have added another couple of hours and I found 5 hours enought for the day.

My stew is ready and smells deliciousand and instead of me rambling on and on let me upload some photo's which will show the hike better than I being able to tell you the icons below can be seen here .

Day of Reconcilliation

In 1838 Piet Retief the Voortrekker leader was killed during a ceremony by the Zulu leader Dingane. On 16 December some 10.000 Zulu troops attacked 470 Voortrekkers, but with the advantage of gun powder, warded them off. Only three Voortrekkers were wounded, but more than 3 000 Zulus were killed during the battle. The Afrikaners took a Vow before God that they that they and their descendants would observe the day as a day of thanksgiving should they be granted victory. The day of the Vow was also known as Dingaan Day

After democracy in South Africa 16 December retained its status as a public holiday, however, this time with the purpose of fostering reconciliation and national unity.

On the other side of the political spectrum, 16 December is also the anniversary of the 1961 founding of Umkhonto we Sizwe(Spear of the Nation), the armed wing of the African National Congress.

And today, 16 December 2008 is set to mark the official founding of the new political party COPE under the leadership of former Premier of Gauteng, Mbhazima Shilowa and former Minister of Defence, Mosiuoa Lekota (see earlier blog "snotklap".

As usual there are many voices such as Koos Kombuis who made his voice heard last year in a song "Reconciliation Day" the day after another singer Taliep was murdered (his wife (nogal) was found guilty this week)). I cannot state that its my type of song but today I shouldn't suppress it.
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A snotklap for the ANC. Don't you love SA slang?

Ray Hartley, editor of The Times, uses the word 'snotklap' in his recent post about Mosiuoa Lekota breaking ranks with the ANC, South Africa's governing party. A magnificent choice of word, and one that any South African will understand and appreciate. It's one of those words that is just infused with hilarity, and that is impossible to translate.

But let me try:

The literal translation of the Afrikaans word klap [pronounced 'clup'] is 'hit' or 'smack' . But it also has many nuances - it also means beat, vanquish, smite, consume, devour, beat about the ears, give a kick in the pants to, and so on. For example, you might say, 'We klapped a couple of bottles of brandy last night'. Or: 'We really klapped the Ozzies at the cricket'. Or: 'Do your homework, or I'll klap you.'

When you have a hangover, you might say, 'I can't come to the meeting, I feel totally klapped'.

Now add the word snot, which means the same in Afrikaans as it does in English.

Snotklap [pronounced snort-clup] means a big, open-handed smack about the side of the face that is so severe that it causes the snot to fly sideways from your nostrils.

The above was copied without permission from Salmagundi blog

For more South African Slang scroll down to brown box on the right
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Take a Hike

It's now Sunday, cloudy with light rain and a good opportunity to reflect on my little hike up the road last Wednesday when the weather seemed perfect "don't You agree?".

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The general thought was to reverse or backtrack some short trails I had explored a few weeks earlier. Waiting too long one may loose it's way and become a modern day Livingstone or Stanley.

Due to the unfortunate potential of muggins, I normally travel light on valuables such as money, camera, GPS and only carry what may be redistributed to build-up and develop our lovely country. However as my camera is getting dated I decided that either it is up for grabs or you may see for yourself how lovely our mountain is. .
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Flowers, trees, forests, pathways one nearly misses, stream, little water falls, rapids, birds and much much more. But why not have a hike yourself?Just click here

Pensioner Lunch - ObsFest

Friday 05 December Mutual & Federal Annual Pensioners Luncheon

Another year has passed, when the heat becomes almost unbearable it's once again time for the now traditional X-Mas Lunch. In 2001 at 56, I felt way too young between all the oldies, but now at 64 it's more befitting for a bold man my age.

Nearly 100 men and women came together from 12:30 for 12:00 at http://www.kelvingrove.co.za/ in the Grill Room (picture). With drink in the hand we shook hands, nodded and hugged depending on the person. An entire table of managers had not been able to cut me down to size instead they had grown old and tired LOL Bear in mind that I joined the group in 1977 at the Prudential, which became Phoenix-Prudential bought by Protea which was sold to M&F from which I retired 23 years later. Many faces I didn't know and came from firms merged before and since.
Mike Glasby, the Regional Manager welcomed us and told us that the major shareholder Old Mutual PLC did not longer consider selling M&F off to a Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) firm and that therefore calm had returned to carry on with business, nearly as usual.

We were served with starters: Butternut & Feta summer tartlet set on rocket garnished with a cranberry reduction. Main: Turkey Roulade with parsley and sage stuffing served with chateau potatoes & drizzled with a cranberry and rosemary jus. Dessert: Trio of Fruit sorbets served in a Ginger Snap Basket set on a summer Berry Coulis. Filter Coffee & Mince Pies washed away with red and white wines.

Coming home my entire suburb was transformed - Party time and well Obs Festival which is described as the the biggest street festival in South Africa. Personally I hate the whole bloody thing, too many people, drunks, noise cars parked in front of my garage and gate grrrrr. www.obzfestival.co.za

Dutch Courage

Cordelia was still working but had a bad experience, she had looked for ice water in the fridge and taken a large sip from the glass bottle. The next moment she thought she was dying. Yes if you not used to drink Dutch Gin (Jenever) that's hardly the way to get used to it. Think my African domestic had show some real Dutch courage. But than I had eaten the night before at the Observatory Night Market some real Zambian African food and my Dutch qualifications didn't help too much.
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Apricots were still ripening and not ready

Introduction In the previous post I wrote about Appelkoostyd, well they were not ready nor was there a party as yet but that didn't temper the weekend. On our way through the "Kleine Karoo" to Montagu we made various stops such at the delightful farm stall by the name of "Die Pampoenstalletje" where the time seems to have stopped ticking, as well as a winery on this wine route and lasty Montagu Dried Fruit a new co-op with wholesale prices.

Our camp was a private membership one called "Baden Klub" e.g. only by invite through other members. It is nestled between the magnificent mountains a few kms north of Montagu and at the end of a gravel (stof) road. See Google Maps We had to cross a river ford which had been washed away during the floods two weeks previous, photos of the river in flood and during our arrival - and others - can be viewed at the link right below. The farmer was the entire weekend working on repairs with a bulldozer getting ground and gravel from the mountain and dropping it in the river. This farmer was not the only one, as bulldozers were employed over a large area stretching from Ceres to Montagu.

Goggo's Arriving at our hut we were welcomed by a snake which got away in the bush and in the hut was a huge hairy spider, the latter which we removed with broom and bucket and dumped close to his friend the snake, however the next day he/she/it was home again now right above my bed, grrrr. The last day I couldn't get into my hiking boots because a was squeezing a large frog (padda).

Flood

We went explored the area on the Friday, that's a lazy walk uphill overlooking the camp, looking for springbokkies, birds and other gogga's (insects). The first night a made spaghetti bolognaise washed away with "Grolsch" beer (still from Community Carnival) and South African wine from Robertson around the corner, where else. Saturday morning we went to town, well village a lekker platteland dorpie, full with plaasvolk and we bought our goodies for the evening braai. On our return to the camp we stopped at the luxury 4 * * * * http://www.avalonsprings.co.za/ and were stopped by the Afrikaans speaking security guard at the entrance. "Niemand is toegestaan nie" My answer was that I was not Mr Niemand and was from the Insurance, "Oh that's ok than" and he proceeded to open the boom for us. The above website has some reference to spectacular flood films and photo's which really shows what it must have been. Ah well that's what insurance is for "Kak en Betaal is die wet van die ou Transvaal"

That evening it was Bert's turn and it was a master braai. After a good sleep we started the highlight of the weekend being a hike through the canyon along the river. The flood had changed the path, washed away by boulders etc and it became more bundu bashing, boulder hopping, climbing, scrambling, scaling and whatever else was needed to get through to the end. My boots show it and the need to be polished again. Some pools and the shade at some parts were quite welcoming. At the end we came in a cul-du-sac with a straigh rock face, fortunately we could pull ourselves up some 20 metres on chains and get out of the canyon. Thereafter it was a quick rest, cleaning up and dammit finding a car with a empty battery. Some "manne met hulle bakkie" came to the rescue after which it was straight home.

Photo Gallery

Click here to see all my photos http://tinyurl.com/MontaguGallery

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