Back again...

Hello again... all! We are back home after a very intense week in the Eastern and Western Cape, South Africa! Saw dad, dealt with the problem builder in Aberdeen and spent two days in Mossel Bay. I mentioned in my last post before we left for the Cape, that we wanted to get away from it all and spend some quiet time together taking photographs and doing some sight-seeing; which we did....in Mossel Bay! Was lovely but too short. How long should it have been? Will we ever be satisfied with our 'time out?' I doubt it. Maybe one day we will be able to spend more time together over longer periods of time. We still count our blessings and thank God for what we have.

A typical Karoo scene as you drive down any road there.

Just outside Middleburg along the road through the Karoo. Young people wave you down to stop and buy their handmade windmills of different sizes.

A sheep's skull lying on the side of the road when we stopped to take photos of the iron bed  grave - between Aberdeen & Graaff Reinette.

 The story goes like this... A young Voortrekker woman got sick and died of smallpox before they could get her to a doctor. Her husband buried her here and placed their cast iron bed on top of her to mark the grave. It stands as a solemn reminder of how hard life was during the Voortrekker times.The Voortrekkers were emigrant farmers who came mainly from the Eastern and Western Cape in the 1830's and 1840's on The Great Trek. These families moved or 'trekked' together to find a better and easier life in Natal, but met with hardship, trials, warring natives and death.  You will find it so interesting to read up on the Voortrekkers and The Great Trek. Do yourself the favour.

 This sad grave is quite close to the side of the main road and we pass it every time we go to Graaff Reinette.

This sign in front of the grave, is written in Afrikaans and means... 'that's all'.

The Camdeboo Mountain range. You see these beautiful mountains for miles and miles! They are never the same colour or shape, day after day!  I just revel in their beauty!

I trust that you have enjoyed my story and pics so far. I have so many more for you and cannot wait to share them all!