Kameel Stoepstorie: Dinge, tye en die dae op Kameel

Dit was 'n kort week, maar elke ding op sy tyd.

Ons loop rond op ons "wistle stop" en geniet die stadige pas waarteen dinge om ons beweeg.
Vandag het die paptrein verby gekom en dit was omtrent 'n gekreun en gesteun met die vrag mielies na die buurstate.

Die skoorsteen en die maan speel helder oor dag wegkruipertjie.

Die laning bome langs die plaaspad laat ons altyd tuis voel.

Die volstruismannetjie se bene en bek raak rooi. Dis glo amper paar tyd. So by myself wonder ek of dit is waar die gesegde van rooi hakstene vandaan kom.

Oral steel die alwyne my hart. Ons weet dot is alwyntyd want die alwyne stoot knop.

Die ou waterkrip bring sommer nostalgie terug van Sondae ry om beeste te gaan kyk en sout en beenmeel in die bakke te gooi en dan die "check" of die ball-valve by die krip nie vasgesteek het nie.

Seëninge vir elkeen van julle

Sandra  

Our route from Northern Cape to Wilderness in the Western Cape 2

We have made time to explore the back roads during our trip to Wilderness. 

With no "padkos" but only cold water we started our journey.

We visited 25 small towns on our route 

And zig-zag through 3 provinces and traveled more than 2000 km 

We traveled for many kilometers next to the railroad 

The old steam engines made way for diesel locomotives 

We entered the Northern Cape and the Vaalharts Irrigation Scheme

Hartswater was laid out in 1948. 

There is a monument built in the shape of a miniature church dedicated to the women of Vaalharts for their contribution towards building and developing the Vaalharts irrigation scheme located in the town of Hartswater.

You will find Olives South Africa just outside the town an a must stop on route 

The women monument built a s miniature church
The Vaalharts Irrigation water canals
The Olives at Olives South Africa
And old mobile at the wine cellar
Lots of donkeys along the route 

Our next visit Jan Kempdorp which was the site of a concentration camp for German men. The first plots was wold in 1938 and was named after Genl. Jan Kemp the Minister of Lands.
It is also known for the location of an Ammunition depot.
The most important reason for our visit was that our son Gerald-Cecil and his very special wife, Lesinda,  live in this small town.

A good reason to visit Jan Kempdorp is to go and have a look at stored steam locomotives at
93 Ammo Depot.

You have to get permission to visit this site as it forms part of the Military Base 

We had to say goodbye to our children and move on to Kimberley. 

As you enter the city you pass Kamfers Dam and the Lesser Flamingos breeding site  

Kimberley is known as the Diamond City. It is known for the Big Hole. A hand-dug hole the size of eight football fields. The labour that went into this is unthinkable. 

Next to the Hole is the Mine Museum and you can imagine the frenetic days of the diamond rush. 

Thanks to the photo's that we could use 

The Big Hole from the sky and the Star of the West that opened in 1870

Kimberley is known for the monuments and old buildings

Left: The Honoured Dead Memorial is situated at the meeting point of five roads, and commemorates and the tomb of 27 soldiers who died defending the city during the Siege of Kimberley during the Anglo Boer War. It was designed by Sir Herbert Baker as commissioned by Cecil John Rhodes. It is built of sandstone quarried in the Matopo Hills in Zimbabwe. It features an inscription as commissioned to Rudyard Kiplin:
This for a charge to our children in sign of the price we paid. The price that we paid for freedom that comes unsoiled to your hand. Read, revere and uncover, here are the victors laid. They that died for their city being son's of the land."
Top Right: This bronze work by Hamo Thornycroft depicts Rhodes mounted on his horse with a map of Africa in his hands. Facing north it symbolise Rhodes vision to extend the British Empire into Africa. Rhodes is depicted in the clothes he wore at the memorable Indaba with the Matabele leaders in Matopos in the 1880s.
Middle Right: St Cyprian's Cathedral
Bottom: The Town Hall is a beautiful building was constructed in 1899. Fergus Carstairs Rogers was the architect responsible for this outstanding workmanship.The old tram that stops right outside the town hall

Our next roadstop the Diamond Fields N12 Battlefields. We stopped at the Riet River which commemorates The Battle of Modder River. 

A wall that depict the Anglo Boer War 

The magnificent bridges - on for vehicles and one for trains catches your eye. The old picture of of the reconnaissance soldiers on their bicycles on the train tracks 

The block house that was built during the Anglo Boer War to protect the railway line 

Our next stop was Hopetown and the Oranje Rivier but before we get to Hopetown you have to read about my great grand father's brother and The Grange here.

The wind pumps at The Grange
Alfred Ernest - my great grandfather and Allister Thornton was brothers. Allister Thornton FINCHAM was born in 1871 inherited "The Grange" from his father they were ruined by the ostrich slump and become diamond diggers on the Vaal River, mined manganese at Black Rock and dug salt at Britstown. He was always looking for oil without success. Allister FINCHAM, the diamond millionaire, is his son.
The sign along the N12
Allister snr and Allister jnr with a selection of diamonds
Allister jnr 

Hopetown was founded in 1850 a farming area where several large diamonds, most notable the Eureka and the Star of South Africa were discovered between 1867 and 1869. 

This could be a beauty once restored.  Seeing some potential 

Kambro Farm stall was the stop for something to eat. They offer more than just food we left with some of the wonderful canning and jamming that is on offer. 

You have to try the pears in red wine.

Thanks for traveling with us 

Till next time 

Sandra

Kameel Stoepstorie: Our route from Kameel in the North-West to Wilderness in the Western Cape 1

We have made time to explore the back roads during our trip to Wilderness. 

With no "padkos" but only cold water we started our journey.

We visited 25 small towns on our route 

And zig-zag through 3 provinces and traveled more than 2000 km 
Part 1

 Kameel - a farming community in a very dry part or our country. Many years ago my Dad bought 5 houses next to the railroad. 

My mom, Florence - 84 - her house next to the railroad and her pride and joy the garden 

The Railroad was built in 1894. The average elevation is 1336 meter above sea level. In the words of Cecil John Rhodes

" the railway will form the main trunk line connecting the markets of the Cape Colony with the British South Africa Company’s territory and, ultimately, on joining with the Beira Railway Company’s line to Salisbury, will afford through means of transport from Cape Town to Beira."

For accommodation you can stay over at Rust and Vrede.
It is hard to imagine the cool, green oasis that awaits you when your arrive after a 
journey through the hot, dry and beautiful North West
My mom and Hennie in the main picture
Grain Silos at sun set
A ride on a quad bike ride
Some interesting implements under an old blue gum tree
A ride on a donkey cart 

We took a dirt road to visit Devondale. 
There used to be an old Convent and we thought that we will be able to take some pictures but unfortunately it was all very much left to ruines 

Devondale in the not so good days 

Then we took the tarred road to the town Stella. The country town is known for the large salt pan on the outskirts of the town. It is know for the number of early European travelers including David Livingston and Robert Moffat. The area was proclaimed as the Republic of Stellaland and named after a comet which was visible.  

A stamp dated to the era of Stellaland
The church in the middle of the town
Granny Barlow's house in Brand Street
Granny and Grandfather
Salt pans 

My Great-grandfather Fincham and the family had a farm
called Lonely Hill just outside the town. 

Our next stop Vryburg and still remember the milkshakes and the Waldorf Cafe in the main street. 

It is renowned for it's cattle ranching and are often referred to as the "Texas of South Africa". The history dates back to 1882. when it was established and called themselves Vryburgers (Free citizens). The plots were apportioned to the volunteers by means of a lottery and by 1883 400 plots had been established. 

You can also read about Ofelia and Vryburg here 

A monument to commemorate the era of the Anglo Boer War.
One of the beautiful old buildings
A monument in honor of the Great Trek
A cattle loading ramp
The National Hotel in the main street
Farmers at an cattle auction taken by David Goldbatt in 1965
The old gentlemans club
The old Goal that is now part of a nature reserveThanks to Yolandi De Vries for sharing her photo's

We again paid a visit to Tierkloof (Tiger Kloof) Missionary Station. The stone church was established in 1904 by the London Missionary Station. It is now a national monument and restored as an educational institute 

Read about Tiger kloof here

My mom told us about Buxton and the Blue Pools that she visited as a youngster. 

It was worth the visit.

It was very dry so we could not visit the Blue Pools must be splendor due to the water flowing from the limestone cliffs could be a site to remember. 

We visited the Taung World Heritage site and it is known due to the evidence of early hominids that was found. It is the only site at which hominid fossils have been discovered in tufa caves. 

The caves were formed in an enormous tufa flow that came off the dolomite bedrock of the Kalahari escarpment and is situated just west of the village of Taung at the Buxton Quarry, were the Taung Child skull was found in 1924 in an old mine tunnel by a quarry worker. The little skull is to be from a approximately three year old child and is housed at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. This finding proved that Africa truly is the cradle of humankind 

 The Buxton Quarry is no longer mined.  

Buxton 

A beautiful tarred road leads to the Taung Skull Site.
A short hike takes you to the monument.
The remaining abondant buildings at the quarry
The Taung Child
The World Heritage plaque of the monument 

We then enter the Northern Cape Province via the N12 next to the longest lane op poplar trees

The 38 kilometre poplar lane along the road to Hartswater, was planted in 1937 and has often been considered the longest lane of its kind in the world.

Next time we will tell you about the next leg of our travel 
Till next time see you soon 

Sandra 

De Oude Huize and trains

De Oude Huize and the love for trains started a long time ago.  

Life is a train of moods like a string of beads; and as we pass through them they prove to be many colored lenses, which paint the world their own hue, and each shows us only what lies in its own focus

My father, Gerald Fincham, was, as a youngster, working for the South African railways.  The route he used to work on was known as the Great North Route.  That was the track running from South Africa to Zimbabwe.  He had some good and bad experiences while being and employee of the South African Railways.  

Locomotives nr. 243 and 102 in Mafeking station.
The White Train as it was known with the then Princess Elizabeth and family touring South Africa 

The old bridge built during the Anglo Boer War in South Africa situated about 30km from De Oude Huize Yard.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

 A beautiful bridge just outside our town, Harrismith South Africa 
There is the headlight, shining far down the track, glinting off the steel rails that, like all parallel lines, will meet in infinity, which is after all where this train is going.

Today large sections of the rail tracks in South Africa is in disarray.
Thanks to MarkVee Photographs for this beautiful picture telling it's own story.  

Nobody has a perfect past, but everyone has a clear future. It is up to us to take control and become pioneers of tomorrow. Its never too late to jump off your train and head down a different track.

Hope that all of you will have a wonderful day. 

Love from us to you 

Sandra