Lu-Gerda's Travels

After stopping in Tarkastad we arrived at my uncle’s farm, Groenfontein (meaning green fountain). We were very glad to get out of the car after about 8 hours of driving.   The mountains around the farm still had some snow on them and with the wind blowing is was very cold outside.   We quickly unloaded the car and went into the house. I am not sure for how long my mother’s family has owned the farm.   I know my great grandfather used to farm there, then my grandparents, then my uncle and now my cousin runs the farm.   We had a nice weekend spending our inside and outside the house -          Walking around on the farm -          Searching for a spot in the sun to sit and read -          Catching up on all the news -          Playing board games or table tennis -     ...

9 August is Women’s Day in South Africa and it is a public holiday.   This year it was on a Thursday.   We decided to take Friday off and make a nice long weekend.   Together with my parents and sister we were on our way to my uncle’s farm near Tarkastad in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. My last visit to the farm was in December 2006 and I was very excited to show my husband the farm.   We used to visit the farm each year in June and December when I was growing up.   It is about 650km to drive and we started very early Thursday morning.   After quick stops in Willowmore and Graaff-Reinet we reach the small Karoo town of Tarkastad at about 11:30am.   When I was a lot younger my grandparents used to live here.   It was very cold and windy outside.   There was still some snow on the mountains from the cold weather earlier in the week. Tarkastad was established in 1862.   The town has the most beautiful Dutch Reformed C...