Week 13

Dag 1

Francois Marais, ou Voetsporeman wat reeds sedert 2003 aan en af saam met ons reis, sluit by ons aan.

Die week begin bo aan die Gantouwpas. Vandag reis mens oor die Hottentots Holland berge met Sir Lowry’s pas. Maar in die tyd van die ossewaens was dit nog die Gantouwpas.

Die vellings van die ossewa wiele het diep spore getrap in die klippe van die pas. Daar is ook ysters waaraan die rieme vasgemaak is om die waens te stabiliseer. Blykbaar is die wawiele verwyder met die afgaan slag. Waarskynlik daarom dat die kepe uit die klip gekerf is.

Ons sien ook die kanonne wat gebruik is vir kommunikasie. Kanonskote is gebruik om produsente van gewasse op die plato te laat weet as ‘n skip in die hawe aangekom het. Ook wanneer ‘n wa op pad op of op pad af was met die pas. Sir Lowry’s pas ry mens vandag in minder as tien minute. Destyds het dit ‘n dag geduur vir ‘n wa op of af.

Willie Landman van die Grabouw Country Club is ons gids. Hy het uitstekende 4×4 roetes in die gebied.

Na ons besoek aan Willie reis ons na Dr. Paul Cluver en sy skoonseun Andries Burger. Andries is die wynmaker by Paul Cluver. Dis ‘n pragtige plaas van 2 500 ha. Dr. Cluver vertel ons ook hoe die streek ontwikkel het, en hoe daar eers later vasgestel is dat dit uitstekende terroir is vir die verbouing van wyn, veral Pinot Noir en Sauvignon Blanc. Vroeër was dit net koring en ander gewasse.

Andries gaan wys ons waar die ossewa roete geloop het, en waar die ossewaens afgesak het tot by die Rûens van die Overberg.

Ons groet en reis af met die Katpas na Botrivier. Dis die alternatief tot die Houhoekpas.

Ons ry tussen die pragtige canola en koring lande in. Die Overberg is prentjie mooi. Ons geniet ‘n heerlike Pinot Noir tussen die canola terwyl die son sak in die weste.

Dag 2

Vandag besoek ons Genadendal. Dit is die oudste sendingstasie op die vasteland van Afrika. Die Morawiese sending het met George Schmidt in 1783 hier onder die Khoi mense kom sendingwerk doen.

Dr. Isaac Balie is ons gids vir die dag. Hy het bykans 50 jaar gewerk aan die museum en die versameling van artefakte.

Ons begin by die weefwerk en skilder. Die mense maak kunswerke.

Net so vernuftig is die manne wat die grasdakke dek.

Ons gaan na die watermeul en kyk hoe daar graan gemaal word.

Die drukpers is ook van die heel oudste is Suid Afrika.

Ons word genooi vir middagete, en soos verwag, is dit bobotie en rys. Dit is heerlik.

Genadendal se museum word gehuisves in die gebou wat voorheen gegeld het as ‘n onderwyserskollege. (natuurlik – die oudste onderwyserskollege in Suid Afrika!) In die museum speel Isaac Balie vir ons klavier in die vertrek waar daar sommer heelwat klaviere en traporrels staan. Ook die oudste pyporrel in Suid Afrika.

Die res van die museum bevat ongelooflike detail oor landbou, kombuisware, sport en ontspanning, huisvlyt… mens kan dae in die plek deurbring.

Ons besoek aan Genadendal word afgesluit met die blaasorkes wat vir ons in die pragtige kerk optree. Dis die eerste keer in vyf maande dat hulle saamspeel. Mens sou dit nooit sê nie… die samespel is wonderlik.

Genadendal is die naam wat Nelson Mandela gekies het om sy ampswoning in Kaapstad te noem. Met goeie rede ook. Dis ‘n baie belangrike deel van ons Suid Afrikaanse geskiedenis.

Ons groet en reis na die Eikebos waar ons by Riëtte Neethling se pragtige kampplek oornag.

Dag 3

Dis ‘n koel dag met die son wat so elke nou en dan deurskemer. Weer eens is die canola en koring landerye prentjie mooi. Dit lyk soos ‘n legkaart. So ook die talle plaasopstalle waar verby ons ry soos ons vorder deur die Rûens na Baardskeerdersbos.

Niël Jonker is ‘n kunstenaar. Hy is veral bekwaam as beeldhouer en skilder. Talle van sy kunswerke is te sien in en om sy huis by Baardskeerdersbos. Maar dan is Niël ook ‘n bobaas broodbakker.

Niël het reeds die vorige dag vuur gemaak in sy massiewe oond. In die oond kan tot 50 brode gebak word. Niël het ook die vorige dag reeds sy deeg vir ciabatta en ‘n volgraan suurdeeg brood begin voorberei.

Die oond word skoon gemaak. Al die kole word uitgekrap. So ook die as. Die buite temperatuur van die oond is amper 90 grade. Die binne temperatuur hoër as 180. Dis net die hitte van die oond wat die brode gaan bak. Nie die direkte hitte van die vuur nie.

Nou wys Niël hoe die brode gebak word. Eers word die deeg van tyd tot tyd gevou. Nadat dit genoegsaam gerys het, word dit afgeweeg as 1 kg brode. Die brood word dan gevou en gelos om nog individueel te rys.

Terwyl die suurdeeg brode rys wys Niël hoe om ‘n behoorlike roosterkoek te maak. Mens maak vroegoggend ‘n voordeeg met een derde van die meel en die gis. Nou, sowat 8 ure later, word die voordeeg ‘n slap deeg met water, dan word die res van die meel bygevoeg. Die deeg word nou toegelaat om te rys. Nadat dit behoorlik gerys het, word die sout bygevoeg, en weer ingewerk. Nou eers is die roosterkoeke gereed om vuur toe te gaan.

Intussen is die ciabatta en volgraan brode ook reg, en dié gaan in die oond in. Dis ‘n vernuf om met die lang spane die brood op die regte plekke geplaas te kry.

Dis ‘n lekker kuier by Niël. Hy is nie net ‘n kunstenaar en bakker nie, maar ook so ‘n bietjie van ‘n filosoof. Hy vertel dat die basies aksie van brood bak hom die vryheid gegee het om homself as kunstenaar uit te leef. Dis ‘n heerlike kuier, wat nog lekkerder word toe hy die roosterkoeke afhaal van die vuur en bedien met botter, konfyt, tamatie en uie smoor en wors – alles in een.

Ek het nie geweet dit is moontlik om op Norbert se roosterkoeke te verbeter nie. Maar dit is.

Laat middag, terwyl dit al hoe meer reën, ry ons na Die Dam waar ons ontvang word deur Dawid Swart en sy gesin. Hulle het ons genooi vir ‘n snoek braai. Terwyl die damme van die Kaap net voller loop, en terwyl dit sneeu op die Kaapse berge, kuier ons heerlik saam met nuwe vriende.

Dag 4

Vroegoggend vertrek ons vanaf Die Dam. Dis die voorlaaste dag van ons reis.

Ons reis verby die Morawies sending dorpie Elim. Dis nog mooier as Genadendal. By die Black Oystercatcher ontmoet ons vir Ross Kettles en Heather D’alton. Hulle werk op die Nuwejaars Vleiland Spesiale Bestuursgebied.

Die Nuwejaars Vleiland het ten doel om landbou en die natuur naas mekaar te laat funksioneer. Die boere boer met graan en vee. Tussendeur is daar vleiland. In die vleiland was vroeër heelwat wild. Dié word nou hervestig. Selfs seekoeie, wat 200 jaar gelede hier uitgeskiet is, is teruggebring. So ook elande, bontebokke, swart wildebeeste, kwaggas en heelwat ander vlakte wild.

Ross en Heather neem ons ook na die buffels. Dié is tans in ‘n kwarantyn kamp.

Baie rehabilitasie word ook gedoen. Dit is om ontslae te raak van die indringer spesies soos wattel en bloekom. Die bome word afgekamp en uitgeroei, maar dit is ‘n voortdurende proses, aangesien klein plantjies weer opkom. Elke jaar moet die klein boompies weer uitgetrek word.

Die werk wat by Nuwejaars gedoen word verdien ondersteuning.

Ons word by die Black Oystercather onthaal vir middagete. Dis skilpadjies en gekruide wors, saam met heerlike slaai en brood. Dit word afgesluk met die uitsonderlike en interessante bier van Fraser ’s Folly. Fraser maak interessante bier, met selfs fynbos om dit te geur. Wat ons die meeste geniet is die bier wat in brandewyn vate gebrou word. Bier wat soos brandewyn proe? Dit moet ‘n wenner wees.

Laat middag reis ons na Waenhuiskrans. By die Arniston Seaside Cottages ontmoet ons familie en vriende wat die laaste aand saam met ons kom kuier. Alma het van Kleinmond af gekom. Voetspore spanmaat, Andre Bester, van Victoria Wes en sy seun, Joos, van die Paarl. Elizna en Sebastian, Stefan se vrou en seun, van Wellington. Niva, Gideon se dogtertjie en haar ma, Helle, van Knysna. En dan is Francois ook steeds by ons.

Dit is ‘n wonderlike kuier. Dit is ‘n laat aand kuier.

Dag 5

Die laaste dag het aangebreek. Dis ook André se verjaarsdag. Ons vier dit met ‘n uitspattige ontbyt. Al die vriende en familie is nog saam.

Die hele konvooi vertrek na die grot by Waenhuiskrans. Dis reeds hoogwater, en ons kan nie na die grot toe stap nie. Maar die uitsig oor die suidelike Indiese Oseaan is pragtig, al reën dit so dan en wan.

Ons ry almal oor Struisbaai na Agulhas. Die roete loop verby die pragtige vuurtoring na die mees suidelike punt van die Afrika vasteland. In die onlangse verlede is daar heelwat plankies paaie aangebring na die mees suidelike punt. Ook die pragtige reliëf van Afrika.

Die plek maak mens trots Suid Afrikaans. Soos inderdaad die hele reis van die afgelope drie maande. Suid Afrika is ‘n uitsonderlike land. ‘n Veel fasettigge land. ‘n Land met mooi plekke en vriendelike, gasvrye mense. ‘n Land waardeur ons weer en weer kan reis.

Daarmee maak ons klaar.

Mooi loop.

Johan

Week 13

Day 1

Francois Marais, a Voetspore member since 2003, joins the group for a short visit.

The week starts off at Gantouw pass. One crosses the Hottentots Holland mountains via Sir Lowry’s pass, but in days gone by the ox-wagons had to use the Gantouw pass.

The ox wagon rims have made deep marking on the rocks en route.  One also finds pieces of iron to which thongs were fastened to stabilise the ox-wagons.  Apparently, the wheels were removed on descent and that explains the indentations in the rocks.

We also see canons that were used for communication.  Canon shots were fired to inform the crop producers on the plateau when the ship has arrived in the dock. Also, if a wagon was going up or down the pass.  It takes less than 10 minutes to drive Sir Lowry’s pass today, but in those days it took a whole day.

Willie Landman from the Grabouw Country Club is our guide.  He offers excellent 4×4 routes in this area.

After visiting Willie, we travel to Dr. Paul Cluver and his son-in-law Andries Burger. Andries is the winemaker at Paul Cluver. It is a beautiful farm comprising 2 500 ha. Dr. Cluver narrates the development of this area, and how it was later discovered that the land is ideal to cultivate wine, especially Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. Earlier they only farmed with corn and other crops.

Andries shows us where the ox-wagon routes ran, and where it descended at the Rûens of the Overberg.

We say our goodbyes and travel via the Kat pass to Botrivier. It is an alternative to the Houwhoek pass.

We drive through beautiful canola and corn farmlands.  The Overberg is most picturesque.  We enjoy a delicious Pinot Noir amongst the canola, while the sun sets in the west.

Day 2

Today we shall visit Genadendal. It is the oldest mission station on the African continent.  George Schmidt and the Moravian mission did missionary work amongst the Khoi people in 1783.

Dr. Isaac Balie is our guide for the day.  He has worked on the creation of the museum and the collection of artefacts for almost 50 years.

We start off with paintings and weaving.  These are pieces of art.

The men that lay thatch is just as competent.

We go to the watermill where corn is ground.

The printing press is one of the oldest in South Africa.

We are invited for lunch, and as expected –delicious bobotie and rice.

The Genadendal museum is located in the former teachers college building – evidently the oldest teachers college in South Africa.  Isaac Balie plays the piano in the museum which has several other pianos, traporrels and one of the oldest pipe organs in South Africa.

The rest of the museum contains amazing detail of agriculture, household wares, sports and recreation, home craft … one can spend the rest of the day here.

We end our visit to Genadendal with a performance of the brass band in the beautiful church.  It is the first time in five months that they perform together.   A very impressive ensemble.

Genadendal is the name that Nelson Mandela chose for his official residence in Cape Town.  It stands to reason … an important part of our South African history.

We say goodbye and travel to Eikebos where we overnight in the beautiful camping site of Riëtte Neethling.

Day 3

It is a chilly day with the sun filtering through every so often.  The canola and corn fields are once again beautiful.  It looks like a puzzle.  We pass lovely farmsteads on our way via Rûens to Baardskeerdersbos.

Niël Jonker is an artist.  He is a competent sculptor and painter.  Several of his works are displayed in his home in Baardskeerdersbos. But Niël is also an artisan bread baker.

Niël started a fire in his massive oven the day before.  This oven can take 50 breads.  He also prepared his ciabatta and whole grain sourbread dough the previous day.

The oven is cleaned, and all the embers and ash are removed.  The external temperature of the oven is almost 90 degrees.  The inside temperature exceeds 180. The bread is not baked in direct heat, but only through the heat of the oven.

Niël demonstrates the baking process. The dough is folded from time to time.   After sufficient proofing, the dough is divided into 1 kg breads.  It is now allowed to rest and rise a final time before baking.

While the sourdough breads are busy resting, Niël shows us how to prepare proper roosterkoek.  You start with an initial dough mixture of one third flour and yeast. After eight hours, add water to form a running consistency, then add the rest of the flour.  Allow the dough to proof properly, add salt and knead again.  Finally, the roosterkoek can be put on the fire.

Meantime the ciabatta and whole grain breads are also ready for the oven.  It is quite tricky to place the bread in the correct places with the wooden peel.

We enjoy our visit with Niël. Apart from being an artist and baker, he is also a bit of a philosopher.  He explains how bread baking gave him the freedom to express himself as an artist.  The visit even gets better when the roosterkoeke are ready and served as a combo with butter, jam, tomato and onion relish and sausage.

I thought nobody can improve on Norbert’s roosterkoek, but this is delicious.

Late afternoon, in the pouring rain, we go to Die Dam where we are met by Dawid Swart and his family.  They invited us for a snoek braai.  While visiting with newfound friends the Cape dams are reaching capacity, and the Cape mountains getting whiter with snow.

Day 4

We rise early and leave Die Dam. It is the penultimate day of our journey.

We travel past the Moravian mission town, Elim.  Even more beautiful than Genadendal. At the Black Oystercatcher we meet Ross Kettles and Heather D’alton. They are both involved in the Nuwejaars Wetlands Special Managament Area.

The Nuwejaars Wetlands facilitates the collaboration of conservation and sustainable farming.  Farmers cultivate crops and raise cattle in wetlands that were formerly inhabited by an abundance of wildlife.  These are now reintroduced to their natural habitat.  Eland, bontebok, black wildebeest, quagga, other plains game and even hippo, that was wiped out 200 years ago are brought back.

Ross and Heather take us to see the buffalo.  They are currently in a quarantine camp.

Rehabilitation is at the order of the day.  Alien species like wattle and blue gum are removed.  It is a constant process of chopping down trees, and annually removing young and small invasive plants.

The work done by Nuwejaars definitely needs support.

We are entertained at the Black Oystercather for lunch.  On the menu is skilpadjies and spiced sausage, with a delicious salad and bread on the side.  It is paired with an interesting and unique beer from Fraser’s Folly. Fraser brews interesting beers even flavoured with fynbos.  We prefer the beer brewed in brandy casks. Beer that tastes like brandy? Surely a winner!

Late afternoon we travel to Waenhuiskrans. At the Arniston Seaside Cottages we meet friends and family who join us for our last evening of our journey.  Alma drove through from Kleinmond, Voetspore team member, Andre Bester, all the way from Victoria West, and his son Joos, from Paarl. Elizna and Sebastian, Stefan’s wife and son, from Wellington, and Niva, Gideon’s daughter and her mother, Helle, from Knysna. Francois is also still in our company.

A wonderful, late night evening.

Day 5

It is the last day of our journey.  It is also André’s birthday and we, friends and family, celebrate with a breakfast splash.

Hereafter, the convoy leaves for the caves at Waenhuiskrans.   It is high tide, and we cannot enter the cave.  In spite of intermittent rain, the view over the southern Indian Ocean is beautiful.

We travel as a group to Agulhas via Struisbaai.  The route takes us past a beautiful light house at the southernmost point of the African continent.  Recently several boardwalks were built here as well as a large relief of Africa.

This place makes you feel proudly South African.  Also, the journey of the past three months. South Africa is truly an exceptional country.  A multi-faceted country.  A country with beautiful destinations and friendly, hospitable people. A country one can visit time and time again.

Herewith, we finish.

Mooi loop.

Johan