Blogs from South Africa, Africa - page 11

This is a nature walk along the rugged West Coast of South Africa. A short drive north of Cape Town, close and far enough to the city. This is where coastal lifestyle meets rural hospitality and where diversity in the tidal zone is a given. The cold Atlantic currents transports rich southern waters along this spectacular coastline, and the ocean always has something to offer. Birds, waves and natures masterpieces of eroded rocks on the crust of the ancient continent. Join me in the search for Dassies, African Oystercatchers and dramatic coastal views. http://www.heygo.com... read more

“Medicine is a science of uncertainty and an art of probability.” Covid-19 has mutated into a relentless daily bombardment of information and intrigue and I suspect most humans are now “immune” to the massive impact it continues to have on our daily lives. Much like cabin fever, there is undoubtedly a new variant called Covid fever which causes a myriad of niggling issues, one of them being lethargy. The last blog written in this series was published on 21st January 2021 and despite really good intentions to do so, the simple act of sitting down and writing some more stuff about this pesky little virus has proved to be elusive. Covid-19 has definitely not disappeared so that does not present a logical reason for not tapping away at the keyboard. If truth be told, this virus ... read more

22nd March - Kirstenbosch Cape Town National Botanical Garden #heygo http://www.heygo.com Regarded as one of the great botanic gardens of the world, Kirstenbosch—or rather, the land on which it sits—was bequeathed to the government by Cecil John Rhodes. At the time, it was nothing more than ramshackle farmland overrun with pigs. In 1913 a botanist called Harold Pearson set about transforming the land into a botanic garden devoted to the country’s indigenous flora. It now contains over 7000 species of plants from southern Africa. The origin of the name Kirstenbosch is uncertain, a number of families with the name Kirsten lived in the vicinity and some how the area became known as Kirstenbosch (Kirsten's Forest). We saw life-size sculptures of prehistoric creatures. Through the exhibition of anatomically accurate dinosaur sculpture... read more

Sea Point Promenade Stroll http://www.heygo.com One of the many pleasures of Cape Town life is a stroll, jog, or cycle along Sea Point’s most famous landmark, the Promenade, one of Cape Town’s most lively attractions, bringing together cyclists, dog-walkers, joggers, skaters, amblers, and everyone in between. The Prom, as locals call it, starts at Mouille Point near the Waterfront, and runs along the water’s edge through Sea Point. Once a white-only area, it’s now a great place to observe the city's multiculturalism. The coastline has varied characteristics. Some parts are rocky and difficult to access, while other parts have broad beaches. Sea Point beach adjoins an Olympic-sized seawater swimming pool, which had served generations of Capetonians since at least the early fifties. The underwater enchanted Kelp Forests in Cape T... read more

http://www.heygo.com Cape Town - Arrival of Europeans The first European to anchor at Table Bay and climb Table Mountain was the Portuguese navigator António de Saldanha. He encountered a few hundred indigenous inhabitants, After Saldanha’s visit, European ships continued to put in at Table Bay to take on fresh water, meat, and other provisions. Survivors of the Dutch vessel Haerlem, wrecked in Table Bay in 1647, brought back such glowing reports of the region that the directors of the Dutch East Indian Company ordered that a station to supply ships rounding the Cape be established there. In 1652, the company’s representative stepped ashore to select sites for a fort and a vegetable garden. In 1657 the company began to release men from its employ so that they could become free citizens and farmers, and in 1658 ... read more