Category: South-Africa

home thoughts from abroad

Home thoughts from abroad is a new series on Travel Words featuring a single photograph that reminds me of a country visited and showing something that uniquely identifies it as being ‘abroad’.

Visiting the African penguins at Boulder’s Beach in Cape Town in 2008 we came across this young guy sleeping in his wheelbarrow. Obviously exhausted from his efforts to keep the dunes tidy. Whenever I see this photo it makes me smile and brings back memories of those delightful and comical creatures who have colonised what was once considered to be a prime beach on the peninsula.

I can still recall the long row of parked cars along the roadside in the summer months making it impossible to visit the beach back in the 1970s.

Mmm… now where does that remind me of?

June Squares | Roofs

It’s June and another 30 day challenge from Becky.  ‘The Life of B’ This month she is looking for a roof or roofs or even rooves. Follow the link for the rules.

A Dutch Reformed Gothic style church with thatched roof. Becky’s roof with the stepped gables yesterday reminded me that there is a lot of Dutch inspired architecture in South Africa.

June Square | 24th June

March Square | Circles

Haute Carbiere

For more about this photo please visit my post about the wonderful Franschhoek a town in South Africa’s Western Cape with centuries-old vineyards and Cape Dutch architecture.

Still time to join in with Becky’s (“A life of a 40 something”) March challenge of square photographs with the theme:

  1. ‘Squared Squares’ – think multiple squares and squares within squares
  2. ‘Squaring the Circle’ – the perfect post will be a circle within a square

March Square | 22nd March

March Square | Circles

If you fancy a distraction from the weather this month then join in with Becky’s (“A life of a 40 something”) March challenge of square photographs with the theme:

  1. ‘Squared Squares’ – think multiple squares and squares within squares
  2. ‘Squaring the Circle’ – the perfect post will be a circle within a square

March Square | 11th March

The Cape Doctor

The Cape Doctor is the local name for the strong south-eastern wind – also known as the South-Easter – that blows from False Bay and funnels through to Cape Town and Blouberg during the hot summer months.  It is said to clear all pollution in the city and across the Cape Flats, offering an amazing clear sky and view of the Mother City.

enveloped 2The wind picks up moisture from False Bay and pushes it up against the flanks of Table Mountain, creating clouds (and rain) along the eastern slope. This phenomenon is locally known as ‘the Table cloth’: the top of Table Mountain is enveloped  in a huge cloud, dripping over the mountainside.

enveloped