The Karoo is known as blue sky country. That means when the thunder clouds start to pack together after a hot day there is lots of sky to watch the approaching storm in. Like this one I witnessed just after leaving Cradock on my way back to Port Elizabeth. I can just smell the drops splashing down on the hot tar road again. Its one of my five favorite smells along with the smell of cut grass, fresh bread, the ocean and a…
I often wonder how many people who have visited Cradock would never have stayed over in the town if it wasn't for the Tuishuise. The Tuishuise on Market Square was built between 1840 and 1870 and housed artisans like harness makers, wheelwrights, smithies and carpenters who made a living from the horses, oxen and wagons passing through on their way north. Unfortunately by the early 1900's oxen and wagons where replaced by trains and cars and the artisans started to loose their livelihood. …
The Dutch Reformed Church at the top of Church Street in Cradock is probably this Karoo town's most imposing landmark. The first Dutch Reformed congregation in the town was established in 1824 and the church was the town's first. Paul Kruger, who went on to become the President of the Transvaal Republic, who was born on a farm near Bulhoek south of Queenstown in 1826 was christened (by a Welsh pastor) in the original church and his name appears in the register. The present building,…
The Karoo is a hauntingly beautiful place. A lot of people may find it boring but most see a beauty that is often described differently by every person. Wide open spaces with blue skies above, a couple of sheep grazing on the sparse green grass around a wind pump filled cement dam, late winter aloes in bloom with a Karoo koppie in the background, farm workers' children playing in the dust close to a flat roof worker's house, somebody walking down…
Aaaahhhh, a sunset. But not just any sunset. A Karoo sunset. A proper African sunset.
The Karoo is big sky country so when the sun sets its something to behold. In the foreground of this sunset is the branch of an Acacia Karroo (Sweet Thorn tree)
During the hot dry summer the Karoo veld can be somewhat of a bleak affair, but during the winter it's a different matter. Aloes bloom in all their fiery glory decorating the landscape like Christmas lights. Aloes, like proteas, are often found in the most unlikely and inhospitable places, growing in hot temperature and low rainfall areas and not needing the delicate hands of somebody with green fingers to nurture it. One of natures natural wonders.The post is part of the…
After the posting Quintessential Karoo and Karoo Icons - Farm Gate I decided to string together a series of posts showing off some of the Karoo icons I photographed on my last visit to the Karoo. To me the Karoo is big sky country and the sky makes for a big part of any photograph taken in the area. The night skies are the most impressive you will see anywhere with the Milky Way stretching from horizon to horizon in all…
After posting "Quintessential Karoo" of the people walking on the dirt road in the Karoo the other day I started thinking. What do people associate with the Karoo? I came up with the following. Big skies, dusty roads, wind mills (windpompe), flowering aloes, sheep and Angora goats, Karoo koppies, inspiring silence, beautiful sunsets, farm gates, Karoo bush and historic towns and landmarks. The Karoo has so much to offer, you just need to know where to look and what to look for.
Dusty roads with flowering aloes alongside and farm workers walking along seemingly in the middle of nowhere - Quintessential Karoo