The little town of Montagu in the Western Cape truly is a gem of a town with beautiful old buildings, lots of history, fruit, mountains and nature all around. Montagu was founded in 1851 on the farm Uitvlucht. The town was named after John Montagu, the British Secretary of the Cape, who was responsible for the … Continue reading Montagu NG Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church)
Tag: Klein Karoo
Ronnie’s Sex Shop
Let's fall right in the door and explain before there are *gasps* and threats of blog boycotts because I'm posting about a sex shop (sic). If you are a South African you may be familiar with Ronnie's Sex Shop on Route 62 near the town of Barrydale in the Klein Karoo. If you are from elsewhere … Continue reading Ronnie’s Sex Shop
Klein Karoo landscape
The Klein Karoo is a narrow strip of land wedged between the Outeniqua Mountains to the south and the Swartberg Mountains to the north. Although its only about 70 kilometers wide, it stretched from the Langkloof in the direction of Cape Town as far as Montagu over a distance of a couple of hundred kilometers. … Continue reading Klein Karoo landscape
Herold
As you cross over the Montagu Pass from George into the Klein Karoo you enter a small village called Herold. Herold is tucked away in the mountains at the end of the beautiful historic pass. The town developed as a result of the the pass that was constructed in 1847. The town grew quite rapidly … Continue reading Herold
CJ Langenhoven
When we visited Oudtshoorn in December I got to go to the museum in the home of the former Afrikaans writer CJ Langenhoven for the first time since I was in primary school. His house, Arbeidsgenot ("the pleasure of work") was left to "all people with a love for Afrikaans" by his widow after her … Continue reading CJ Langenhoven
Schoemanshoek
Schoemanshoek is a fertile valley just outside Oudtshoorn on the way to the Cango Caves. The area is mainly a farming area with ostriches and tobacco being farmed here historically. Even though most of the farmers in the valley still farm with ostriches and some crops, most have developed guest houses and restaurants on their … Continue reading Schoemanshoek
Swartberg Pass toll house
The ruin of the old toll house on the Swartberg Pass (here and here) can be found at the start of the pass on the Oudtshoorn side of the mountain. I would have wanted to spend some more time at the ruin getting photographs, but it was hot (around 40 degrees Celsius) and the family … Continue reading Swartberg Pass toll house
Country Churches
Today is another Random ... theme day and the theme is Random Country Churches. Some of the smallest towns in the middle of nowhere will have magnificent old Dutch Reformed Churches dating back from the early days. In most cases these churches were built in the late 1800's and early 1900's not to only service … Continue reading Country Churches
Farm gate
A farm gate with the Swartberg mountains in the background
Old grave yard
I was driving around the Klein Karoo town of Oudtshoorn looking for something interesting to photograph when I came across this old cemetery. It was surrounded by businesses and a couple of houses with a stone wall and old steel gate in the front. Cemeteries, especially old historic ones, fascinate me, so this was a … Continue reading Old grave yard
Firefly the Travel Guy 