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I have just returned from a wonderful trip from George, Port
Elizabeth, Graaff Reinet, Nieu-Bethesda, De Rust, Meiringspoort,
Oudtshoorn, Montagu and on the West Coast, Langebaan with
four Dutch Tourists visiting us for the second and third time. So
for you that think, the tourists only come once, that is not true.
So remember when you get visitors always give them your best and you might
see them again. Our country is so amazing and so
beautiful that it will take many return visits to see everything, I am sure
many South Africans have not even seen everything we have
to offer.
For
me it was wonderful to see some of the places where I stayed before, others
I had not seen for a long time and it was like visiting
old friends again. I must say a big thank you for some of the
lovely roads we now have in the Western Cape where it was a pleasure to
drive with our visitors. We also travelled through Bains Kloof,
which cannot really change, it only becomes more beautiful every time
you drive through and the road was not bad at all.
One of the
places I had not been in for years was Willowmore, and we had a
visit to Choice Sophies , what an amazing experience.
Antiques
to see and Tea/ Coffee and eats enjoy. Outside them the tourism
office has a Donkey Cart available for town tours.
 
Willowmore
“Uber Taxi”
or
otherwise
‘Willowmore Limo’
Nieu-Bethesda was also a special place to
visit, as it took one back to the old cowboy movies. People walking
on the gravel roads, with
water furrows passing
by, we could sit on the veranda’s of any of the places available for teas
or lunches. . It was so quiet and peaceful,
an odd horse passing by
and it is of course very well-known for its Owl House. Our visit took us there
on a Tuesday and the town was
quite
busy. The drive from Graaff Reinet to Nieu-Bethesda was also
lovely especially once you hit the gravel road. We also
visited
Ganora which requires at least a night over in their
delightful cottages, which is located 7Km outside Nieu-Bethesda plus
seeing the
fossel Museum and
visit their little Meerkats. For more information contact
CTC Markeitng.
.
 
Ganora
Self-catering accommodation
Baby Meerkats at Ganora – Nieu Bethesda
Another lovely
place always to visit is of course Meiringspoort which has the most
amazing rock formations and mountain stream
with 25 Concrete causeway crossings (Drift) over one
river. Each drift (cause way) has a name which has a meaning,
as something
happened there years ago : e.g. ALOE DRIFT –
against the north face of the cliff overhanging this ford, there are
beautiful mountain aloes
(Aloe giganticus), which bloom from July to September. In the days of
itinerant traders these aloes grew so densely that a man stopped
here to tap and boil the sap, which they then sold as a much sought- after
medicine
Another is: WADRIFT:
A number of wagons were washed away at this point. To the west of the ford
is a smoke-blackened rocky over
hang where Gerolm Marinkowitz set up his smithy to
maintain the tools used in the building of the “Boer Road” (1858).
Probably because of this association this site was later known as The
Bellows. It is a popular cool place to picnic.
The first
concrete causeway was built in1948 – well-known as “Herrieklip”
(Herrie’s Stone). This is a reminder of the bizarre exploit of
Herrie the
elephant pulling an old tramcar from Oudtshoorn to
Meiringspoort. Herrie is commemorated at both the start and the
finish
of his immortal
journey – In Oudtshoorn by a stature of him.
 
.
Meiringspoort
Pass - De Rust
Oud tshoorn - Ostriches at Cango
Safaris
Another interesting place was a visit to the Meerkats on the
Calitzdorp/Oudtshoorn road R62. We had to be there by 5.30am to
meet
Devey Glinister who would do the tour for us. It was a chilly morning but
we were given hot coffee and rusks and a chair and told to
follow my leader to meet with our friends, the Meerkats.
We were put in a semi-circle and waited for about a half an hour or more
before one appeared to greet the morning.
So one after the other appeared and so on until the whole family were
warming their tummies in the sun, looking straight at us, as if
they were in a
choir ready to sing!! They played and chased one another, others just
walked around or just stood looking at the sun.
During this
time everybody had their camera’s and videos going and Devey was giving us
as much information as we needed.
This went on till just before 8.00am when they all ran off to find food,
tails up straight in the air. What an experience, if you wish to know
more please give Devey a call:- Cell: +27 84 772 9678 and book
your visit.
We can always recommend accommodation for you.
 
Meerkat
viewing
Oudtshoorn accommodation
Enough about my tour, I apologize for the delay of our October newsletter,
but now you know why I just could not fit it in earlier.
We wish all our members a wonderful season ahead and will be hoping that
you all have a great summer season.
Warm Regards and God Bless,
CAPE TOWN NEWS:
THE DIAMOND WORKS
Cape Town • 7 Coen Steytler Avenue •
021 425 1970
Stellenbosch • 11 – 13 Church Street
• 021 883 8400
Franschhoek • 58 Huguenot Street •
021 876 3319
Windhoek • Old Breweries Building •
061 230 430
THE DIAMOND WORKS SHOWCASES AN
INTERACTIVE SHOWROOM
THIS SUPPLEMENTARY INSTORE FEATURE;
INTERACTIVE SCREEN EDUCATES VISITORS ON THE
PROCESS A DIAMOND UNDERGOES FROM THE
MINE TO THE SHOWCASE.
CURRENT DIAMOND, JEWELLERY AND
INVESTMENT NEWS ARE JUST A TOUCH-AWAY.
A HANDS ON EXPERIENCE –
VISUALLY TRANSPORTING THE VISITOR INTO THE WORLD OF
DIAMONDS.
ON ARRIVAL, VISITORS WILL BE TREATED
TO OUR DISTINCTIVE SPARKLING TOUR, OFFERING
A COMPLIMENTARY GLASS OF SPARKLING
WINE OR ORANGE JUICE WHILE THE DETAIL OF DIAMOND
AND TANZANITE CUTTING, JEWELLERY
MANUFACTURING AND HISTORY ARE SHARED WITH THEM.
NOT ONLY CAN VISITORS EXPERIENCE A
DIAMOND CUTTING DEMONSTRATION, BUT ALSO NOW CAN
EXPERIENCE THE ART OF TANZANITE
CUTTING – A UNIQUE DIAMOND WORKS FEATURE NOW
OFFERED IN CAPE TOWN.
OUR CONSULTANTS, TRAINED THROUGH THE
EUROPEAN GEOLOGICAL LABOTORY AND
COLLEGE OF GEMOLOGY, GUIDE OUR
VISITORS THROUGH OUR INSTITUTION.
OUR SHOWROOM ALSO OFFERS ADDITIONAL
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WELL AS, A COMPLIMENTARY
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SHOULD YOU REQUIRE MORE INFORMATION
ON THE DIAMOND WORKS,
CONTACT AIMEE LENTZ, dwpr@tjd.co.za, ALTERNATIVELY 021 425 1970.
 
Tanzanite
Diamonds
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