A Travelers Tale, Cape Town (2026)

08/06/2020

Karoonavirus, Day 8, Phase 3, 8 June 2020, Monday.

I used to walk often, down the aisle of a bus or a plane, and that my friends, are becoming a distant memory. I believe it will still be a while before international travel will recover, and the travel industry will resume, after this endless covid pause. How I long for those moments of adventure and exploration. I so miss my travels, both for work and leisure. I had so many work related trips cancelled, but also 2 holidays, one to Kenya in June and Jordan in December. The face of travel has changed, and I wonder how long it will take for me, personally, to visit these countries again. I have lived such a privileged life, indeed. I savour all the amazing places, that I have visited, my house is filled with travel memories.

I am a true Gypsy, my family says, I was born with a steering wheel in my hands, I am always going somewhere.

I have been in lockdown in the Karoo for 3 months now. And this is my aisle, that Is finally completed. I love this aisle! I am busy with a painting that will go into the gilded frame, and I bought 2 handpainted chairs, with vervet monkeys, from my gifted friend and designer Heidi Alexandria Steck, to occupy my entrance hall, bringing exciting Africa into my home. Please explore Heidi’s website www.orgaribyheidisteck.com for her beautiful scarves, hats, jewelry and ceramics. She ships her products, all over the world.

Heidi calls my house, the Italian Palazzo in the Karoo. I think more of it as the only African Palazzo in Fraserburg.

07/06/2020

Karoonavirus, Day 7, Phase 3, 7 June 2020, Sunday

I needed to get out and hit the open road, and today I drove off into the sunset. The Karoo is dressed in a winter coat. I find such solace and beauty in the bleakness.

“So brief a time
to love all living things

O
Karoo
your veld
has a moonless sound.”

by Charl JF Cilliers

There’s just something so profound about this place. My father asked me once, why did you choose this area, to buy a house? My immediate response was, “this vast, open veld and sky, gives me space to think”.

The Karoo’s capacity to hold a big in and out breath is monumental.
I feel totally free here, it’s a space where you can just be, I find this space, to be sacred and spiritual.

The semi desert is filled with treasures. I used to walk the veld with an old uncle, oom Fanie Kersop. On our meanderings he would show me amazing plants and interesting locations, rock formations and sandy rivers. He would share crazy stories about the misfits, criminals and drunks of our little town, whilst sharing the medicinal uses of the plants. I would publish these interesting stories, but will have to use a pseudonym, as most of these characters, are still in town. Today was oom Fanie’s day, as we walked the veld, he was guiding me from spirit.

07/06/2020

Karoonavirus, Week 1, Phase 3, 1-7 June 2020.

We have to contend with another 40 days in the desert, luckily time, in the Karoo, flies. The endless lockdown creates more and more opportunities to be innovative and creative. I have been incredibly busy with so many things, installing a solar panel geyser, designing a permaculture garden and creating a chicken coop. I created a slanted chicken ladder and tomorrow we will assemble the chicken coop. I have also been busy consulting over the internet, even though our WiFi is a challenge in the Karoo. Life has taken on a new rhythm, and I like it. I still do all my rituals, and I cannot believe how quick my days go. The weather in the Karoo, is spectacular, we have lovely, sunny, warm days and cold nights.
In the mornings I drink coffee on the stoep, I am basking in the delicious sunlight.

My insect hotel is finally complete and I love it. There’s nothing better than leftover wood. Reuse and recycle is most definitely something I strive towards.

I adopted a ginger kitty and my new addition to my family, is so playful and active. I haven’t had much time to explore the internet. Lion is a demanding kitten, catching and biting my hands the minute I start typing. My other cat, Tiger, is not impressed, they are slowly but surely, getting closer and personal.

My gratitude for all this time, to potter in and around my house, is overflowing. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

30/05/2020

Karoonavirus Day 30, Phase 3.9, 30 June 2020, Saturday

Huge gratitude to you Bruce Campbell Smith for sharing this with me. Brilliant reminders...

23/05/2020

Karoonavirus Day 23, Phase 3.9, 23 May 2020, Saturday.

The tiling in my entrance hall is coming along. I added the border and will fill in the centre with my doodle medallion, but right now I am playing with the design.

My old Victorian house is definitely not square. The walls are totally scew. I just love the imperfection of the perfection. It looks perfect but when you tile you realize how very wonky the whole house is.

It’s like my life right now, I am slowly getting rid of my addiction to security. These walls remind me to take things as they are, it’s teaching me acceptance; nothing is going to change my current state of affairs, but time, and huge patience, with myself and with my efforts to reinvent myself. Tour guiding is definitely over for now, and forging a new path into the unknown is exciting. Loads of ideas are falling out of my morning pages and I have started to develop some authentic Karoo products.

Time is on my side, and so much gratitude I have too, for this precious moments given, I can dedicate, to my Marigold house. I have done so much in the last two months, and being here, just inspires me to do more.

I have made so many artist books of colours, years ago. Today, my black and white book was found, filled with inspiration. My art teacher always said, “Anni, your paintings look like curtains, full of patterns...” I newer knew if it was a compliment or not.

Nothing is ever wasted. I see everything I have done, as compost, for new growth and new beginnings.

23/05/2020

Karoonavirus Day 22, Phase 3.9, 22 May 2020, Friday.

The WiFi in the Karoo is virtually non-existent. We are governed by SKA, the square kilometer array telescope, and very little outside interference is allowed.

https://www.skatelescope.org/

Telecommunications are limited and satalite signals are blocked, that to me is the biggest drawback of this place, now and then I can post interesting stuff, but to download videos etc, is tedious. It takes 10 minutes to open an attachment. The last two weeks have been challenging. We have all the time in the world...isn’t it, and like I would say to my tourists, the complaints department is now closed. I am delighted when I get a download of exiting articles. It’s also a good thing, I don’t spend days on the internet, right.

My fruit and nut trees have been dressed in their winter warmers. It looks like a land art project, a site specific installation of pyramids. I think it’s totally cool. I bought the frost cover from the coop, it’s not expensive at all, for meters and meters of the fabric.

Once, a friend cut down alien trees on Table Mountain. He gifted me an alien. This pyramid has moved with me to the Karoo, and gets dressed up on occasion. Today my tree from Table Mountain, is guarding my quinces.

I love this solitary pyramid alien!

21/05/2020

Karoonavirus Day 21, Phase 3.9, 21 May 2020, Thursday

A friend of mine had to go to Cape Town to see an optometrist! She got her papers stamped at the Police, and off she went, with her traveling permit.

Our relationship is based on exchange. If she needs something that the coop doesn’t have, she asks me. So far I delivered on all her requests. Cement, tiling grout etc. etc. I have in my storeroom, I also have a vast array of tools. Grinders, sanders, pliers, hammers, etc. etc. When people in town look for something they cannot find, they all come past me first. Thinking of it, I can start a tool hire business...hahaha!

I then asked her to please bring some groceries back from Cape Town. Herewith the list:-

“Good morning!!! sustertjie!
Ok hier is my lysie.
3 x celery
5 x fresh ginger
2 x fresh chillies
2 x fresh coriander
1 bag lemons
1 bag limes
1 bag naartjies
2 pounds butter
1 big round Camembert cheese
3 pakke bacon
6 x long life cream
1 bottle oyster sauce
1 bottle soya sauce
1 bottle extra virgin olive oil
1 bottle rose water
1 bottle sweet chili sauce
1 bottle sesame oil
1 packet sesame seed
1 packet sunflower seed
1 packet cashew nuts
2 bottles coffee Nescafé espresso
2 x 18 rolls double ply toilet paper.

Yoh ek weet dis n lang lys maar Sal super grateful wees as jy dit kry.
Kan ek vir jou geld in jou rekening sit? Asseblief
Be blessed en soveel Dankie!
Karoo liefde!
Anni ❤️🌈❤️

Checkers, Woolies en Pick n Pay hou die long life cream aan, dis gewoonlik nie by die melk nie maar by die baking goods.”

I am so over bland cooking! I cannot wait to make a stir fry with Karoo lamb, coconut milk, some ginger, sesame and lime, with a touch of coriander.

This little longing all started around Koffiehuis coffee. Oh my holy macaroni...this coffee is beyond awful. I ran out of coffee and bought a tin of Koffiehuis from the Tannie at Saamstaan. My tastebuds went on strike. Enough is enough. I am stuck because of the Karoonavirus but at least I can feast my senses...that’s all that keeps me going, is making decent food every day, my daily meditations, my creativity and acts of service.

I am such a foodie...you know when you can taste that lime, ginger and coriander and chili! Salivating...blandness just doesn’t not work for me. I used all my ginger for my marmalade!!!

My friend obliged, she said she will attach all my shopping behind her trailer, hahaha, I am so excited, a child in a candy store, I cannot wait.

My winter greens are growing like crazy. Chinese cabbage, spring onions, radishes, etc, have sprung up and soon I will transplant it.

Perhaps I should start a deli in Fraserburg with exotic herbs, spices, and deliciousness from the big city.

Thank you, thank you, thank you Estelle.

18/05/2020

Karoonavirus Day 18. Phase 3.9, 18 May 2020, Monday

Winter time in South Africa, embodies the smell of citrus, for me. I grew up on a farm near Zebediela. It was then, one of the biggest citrus production farms in the Southern Hemisphere. Sadly, today the farm has been looted and destroyed by corrupt officials, mismanaged, and trees were harvested for firewood. I read on the internet that a Russian company has injected 100 million Rand to save this once prestigious farm.

https://citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/1671455/russian-investors-inject-r100m-to-save-the-failed-zebediela-farm/

The smell of orange blossoms remains my favourite, and marmalade is my best. My granny used to overwinter in Tshipise (hot springs) for 3 months, she would cook marmalade, bake rusks and biscuits for the summer, my grandfather would make biltong.

I have only cooked marmalade twice, I decided to try my hand at it again and to bake an orange marmalade cake, that my granny used to make. I could not find the recipe anywhere, and devised my own.

I added ginger and blueberries to my three citrus marmalade, I used oranges, naartjies and lemons, it’s potent. The ginger gives it a real kick...

The cake turned out delicious but my granny’s was double the height, much lighter and super moist. Anybody out there that has an orange cake recipe from their grandmother...please! I would so appreciate you sharing the recipe. Thinking about it, her cake reminds me of a huge Madeira cake with a little bit of syrup.

18/05/2020

Karoonavirus Day 17: Phase 3.9, 17 May 2020, Sunday

Boredom has set in. I have time, endless time, as our South African lockdown has no end in sight.

I am a doodler; my diaries, books, papers are full of patterned mandalas, animals, angels etc. I especially doodle when I speak on the phone. I have kept no school books, and I wonder if I doodled then? What did the bored and dreamy child drew then?

For years I thought I must do something with my doodles. Maybe turn them into 3D sculptures.

I wake up Sunday morning and look at the box of off cut tiles...my doodles jump out at me. I can turn them into my mandalas, I have enough little tiles to create 3 mandalas for my entrance hall.

I take scraps of tiles and start to doodle away. This is so exciting, I page through my journals, oh my goodness, I find so many doodles, I choose a few.

I find lions and cats and there and then I think, I am going to build an outside bread oven like my granny had, inspired by a lion. My next 2 projects have been born. An ode to a doodle...

16/05/2020

Karoonavirus Day 16: Phase 3.9, 16 May 2020, Saturday.

The biggest job was to unpack and repack every single kitchen cupboard, yes, I finally tiled the kitchen in the typical Victorian black and white squares, layed at 45 degrees. Three bathrooms and a scullery have been completed too, it’s looking fantastic.

The coop had the tiles on sale, and I decided that this is a perfect opportunity, during lockdown to take on this tiling task, with expert help.

I am so grateful to the people that was supposed to build the magistrates court, in Fraserburg, for their amazing support and help during my renovation. They’re working for the a guy called Silver, that got this government contract. Many a times they were never paid by Silver, going for months without a salary. It angered me so much, workers in the building industry truly gets abused, and on several occasions I would phone Silver and threaten him, and then he would pay his workers.

In the meantime, they came to ask me for odd jobs. They would work for me on weekends and sometimes evenings to finish my project. I paid them generously before Covid, and now we’re all on rations. Whatever monies I get in we share. I cook for them sometimes, their gratitude towards me is astounding. Simple pleasures and respect, small gestures that goes a long way. I am their Karoo ma, and they’re my beautiful children. I often tell them, we must start a company called “honest builders”.

I sometimes wish for a magic wand, to drastically improve the lives of disadvantaged people. I know my little drop in their buckets was a start to a more abundant future.

Sometimes when they go back home after months and months of being in Fraserburg, they come back with photos of a stove, a TV, or a kitchen unit etc. that they bought with the extra monies. They are so proud, and so am I. They have taught me a lot about savings. All the monies that I paid them over the last year, they have kept for their own home improvements.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

15/05/2020

Karoonavirus Day 15: Phase 3.9 (except for Cape Town), 15 May 2020, Friday

My cat has exceptional taste. She will not occupy any chair in my house, except for this very special velvet chair. My darling Jade loves the settee too. Her picture on the settee is going to become a painting soon.

I bought this settee and chairs with a marble coffee table, from my Aunt Miemie, and sent it to an upholsterer for restoration. The settee comprises of a shell shaped sofa, stuffed with coir, with the original coil springs; and two armchairs, male and female, that can rock.

The restoration was done to perfection and the chairs, are my favourite chairs in my house, and also my cat’s. They’re so comfortable to sit on. I chose the colour of the velvet fabric online, it was supposed to be old gold. When I fetched the the settee and chairs I was surprised by the “old green gold”, the internet can be truly deceptive...but today I just love the colour, bringing my garden into my house.

15/05/2020

Karoonavirus Day 10: Phase 4, 10 May 2020, Sunday

A slow cold Karoo morning awakes us. It’s Mother’s Day. In Fraserburg, there is no flowers to be bought. The only flowers avaiable, is growing in my garden.

I am a mother to all. Dennis my expert tiler, from Mpumalanga, has a wife and a baby. He is busy transforming my bathrooms, kitchen and scullery into a Victorian, chequered black and white, tile haven.

He insists to come and grout my kitchen on Mother’s Day. I protest, but no, at 10 am he arrives to finish his task.

I decide to surprise him by picking a big bunch of flowers for his lovely wife on Mother’s Day.

She is the only person in this town that is getting flowers today. I sent my mother a virtual rose from my garden.

A Travelers Tale

08/06/2020

07/06/2020

07/06/2020

30/05/2020

23/05/2020

23/05/2020

21/05/2020

18/05/2020

18/05/2020

16/05/2020

15/05/2020

15/05/2020

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Featured

Share

Category