Diary of trip to South Africa 1984 : Part 2 by Dorothy Carlton

Thursday – Through George – very old town

Autumn leaves

Went through pass to Oudtshorn – see track taken by voortreekers over mountains  

walked through some of Cango Caves went to crocodile farm – mainly for leather few put back in wild.

Lunch at Oudtshorn ostrich egg ostrich biltong.   Malay dish cooked by colored told all about ostriches several in party tried to ride ostriches – ostrich race. Most workers colored. Oudtshorn center of little Karoo – went through cutting could see how Karoo formed of conglomerate of stones

very poor soil

along river flats cultivated good for ostriches.

1000 acres under irrigation

1000 not irrigated

1000 birds – all for feathers other farms kill for meat.

Ostrich museum in town.

Slept night in Oudtshorn 

Friday – down to Mossell Bay 

Lunch at Stellenbosch old town

Down through apple orchards 

Italian farmers POW from 2^nd World War

Into Capetown

Saturday – Shopping in morning

afternoon walking in gardens & cultural museum from early English, Dutch, German settlers

stones – carved by early sailors

Sunday – went to church nearby – just like Footscray mostly old – not very well dressed – very cold and windy.

Went to walk through Malay section houses very old – mosque still much the same as always. Don’t see many Malays around.

South African museum bushmen & other native displays very good

Good display all about Karoo – printing museum too.

Monday – The Castel of Good Hope never fought a battle

exhibitions of seas discoveries & ships & also military museum

very good but guide all against war I think he was “born again” Christian thought God was only hope.

walked through “the Companies Garden” beautiful big old trees @ squirrels

went up Table Mountain in cable car.

bus trip up through narrow old streets

cold up top but view wonderful

everything closed by 5 o’clock & city soon deserted no night light.

A lot of people have friends or relatives in Australia a lot of tourists here from England – Germany.

Tuesday – Shopping  

Went on to Parliament

Couldn’t understand much in Afrikaans if asked question in English answered in English.

Some English members.

Beautiful building. 

Wednesday – Down to Cape of Good Hope through Simonstown – Naval depot 

saw some animals in reserve

place where two oceans meet.

Back through Constantia lovely old house. 

Thursday – Wine tour – two cellars wine tasting – didn’t like them much except Noble Rot one Moselle

Stellenbosch lovely town