Exploring with my camera
Graaff Reinet used to have a railway station, opened in 1879, and the slow but steady disintegration of the railway network is told in this excellent blogsite with wonderfully evocative photographs. I can remember the excitement of taking on a second engine … Continued
Hidden away behind the main street is one of the most amazing plant nurseries I have ever seen! The Obesa Nursery is Johan Bouwer – an extraordinary man in the real sense of the word. And here I was, in photography … Continued
If you visit Graaff Reinet you absolutely must drive up to the lookout points over the Valley of Desolation at the end of the day. This is another section of the Camdebo National Park and from the lookout point you … Continued
St James Anglican Church is tucked away in Graaff Reinet and the only church which was open, so in we went! St James the Great dates to 1850 and is the oldest church still in use in Graaff Reinet. The Church … Continued
The museums in Graaff Reinet are in significant Cape Dutch buildings and so I urge you to spend time exploring them and understanding the town’s history. There are several museums: Reinet House, Urquhart House (including the Military Museum), the Old … Continued
Last year I wandered the streets of Graaff Reinet picturing the houses – do visit the site, but here is a small reminder because this year I did exactly the same. I just walked and photographed, enjoying the quiet and … Continued
A Jean Lurçat exhibition in Graaff Reinet? Jean Lurçat (1892-1966) was a French artist almost solely responsible for the revival of tapestry weaving. I first came across his work when I attended an evening class in tapestry making in London … Continued
I had serious lower back problems as a result of long days in the car and hours on bumpy dirt roads. A wonderfully skilled physiotherapist in Graaff Reinet helped me, but walking was essential in addition to the exercices. Going for … Continued
We had stayed in Graaff Reinet the previous year when I posted on some of the historic houses so this time we visited family, walked in the Camdebo National Park, visited an art exhibition (!), and found the most extraordinary cactus … Continued
It was going to be another very hot day and so we set off early to drive the 329 kms from Graaff Reinet to Oudtshoorn.