Seven years...

 Today is the anniversary of Grant's death; 27 November, 2017.

Snippets from his life.

Touring the Western Cape 2004 

Fishing the Senegal River in 2006

Heritage Day 2024

" Heritage Day is a South African public holiday celebrated on 24 September. On this day, South Africans are encouraged to celebrate their culture and the diversity of their beliefs and traditions, in the wider context of a nation that belongs to all its people." Wikipedia

Good morning, dear Blogger friends. 24 September is Heritage Day in South Africa, also referred to as National Braai (BBQ) day. 

Until I came to the Central Drakensberg, I had never become involved in Heritage Day. In 2018, I'd been managing my friends' art shop in the local shopping center for a year.  I wore a Swahili shift dress which I had bought in Tanzania while living there. At work, I saw the three Zulu in the gift shop next door were all resplendent in their beautiful, beaded Zulu skirts, tops and headdresses. We posed together and had photos to mark the occasion. 

On the way home that afternoon, I stopped off at a lifestyle center where Mavis, sister of my Thandiwe, manages a menswear shop. She was dressed in full Zulu regalia, and we had a photo together. 

Apart from 2019 when I was out of action after surgery and 2020 where we were under Lockdown, I have always dressed the part and had photos with Mavis. 

This year on the public holiday, Thandi and I had to work at The Bunker, cleaning after guests and prepping for incoming guests. As I normally fetch her from the township, I always offer a lift to Mavis and Thandi's daughter, Thombi who also had to work in the lifestyle center.

My Swahili outfit

Thandi and I making the bed in our regalia!

Polishing, sweeping, mopping. All in a day's work!

Ready and welcoming for the incoming guests

There is still snow on the mountains to the guests' delight

On our way home we stopped off at the lifestyle center where Mavis works...

...and posed for photos

Mavis indicated the staff at the restaurant and said they were REALLY dressed in true Zulu fashion. Thandi and I walked over to see for ourselves.

A local musician was preforming at the center and this young woman entertained the visitors with her energetic dancing

Thandi posing with a lady who works in the restaurant

Finally, Thandi and I dragged ourselves away from the festivities. I dropped her in the township and came home... to enjoy the rest of the public holiday!

HAPPY WEDNESDAY TO YOU ALL!

Snow in September

 Good morning, dear Blogger friends Thank you for the comments on my previous post. 

Although it's spring in the Southern Hemisphere and that we experienced very high temperatures mid-week, on Friday the weather changed. Heavy grey skies were the order of the day; it began to rain. And rain.

By 9pm Friday night, the snowflakes began to cover the ground.  On the high Berg and in several towns which lie higher than the Champagne Valley.

It was also the start of a long weekend (we celebrate Heritage Day on Tuesday), and the school holidays had also begun. 

So... guests were pouring into the Valley. 

Only problem is that anyone who was still on the roads that night, were caught in traffic jams on our passes and at the toll gates along the National N3. 

Which is scary. 

We are NOT equipped for snow and extreme conditions. 

An aerial view of one of the passes on the freeway between Johannesburg and Durban. Although not distinct in the photo, the vehicles were backed up for 30km and strainded on this pass for more than 24 hours

This image was posted on our WhatsApp group at 5am on Saturday morning

Emergency services worked tirelessly to succor people stranded by supplying warm blankets and flasks of hot drinks.

I had guests who were due in by Saturday midday. They wisely waited in Johannesburg and were kept abreast of the situation when I shared the messages with them.  They eventually left home for the Drakensberg early this morning. And arrived safely via a second pass (which only JUST opened by 9am today) at The Bunker. 

The pass on the National Freeway was closed to ordinary traffic while the emergency services and heavy-duty machines cleared the road and assisted the motorists down the hill, 

This message was blazoned on our social media warming all motorists not to attempt using this pass. The SA police and traffic was out in full force and turned private vehicles back as they approached the pass. Only emergency vehicles and machines were permitted on the pass

People from the cities on the East Coast swarmed up the Freeway wanting to see and experience the snow firsthand. This exacerbated the traffic congestion, and the public was urged via all platforms and over the radio NOT TO CHASE THE SNOW. There were so many images on the socials, you could experience it here. 

The sun is out again, and it will be another 28 years before we experience such heavy snow in South Africa again. 

Meanwhile, we admire the great mountain peaks in our Valley

Champagne Castle and Cathkin Peak 20 September 2024

POST SCRIPT:

I received a message late yesterday afternoon with this image below: 

This was the traffic situation on the N3 Freeway pass which has been closed to traffic since Friday night.  Received 16h13 on Sunday 

WISHING YOU A WONDERFUL MONDAY AND WEEK AHEAD