Cederberg Astronomical Observatory
In a country with more angles on tourism than on a cut diamond, I was interested to discover the existence in the South African Cederberg of a private observatory that offers the opportunity for stargazer and astro-enthusiasts to indulge in some southern hemisphere observations. The Cederberg Astronomical Observatory was established in 1980 by British astronomer Peter Mack who was at that time employed by the Astronomical Society Of South Africa. Mack visited the Cederberg and recognised immediately the potential in the region for a local observatory.
Since then the site has been developed and is now run by a consortium of partners with headquarters based in Cape Town. Any of these good people can be contacted via the web page, and are available for consultation on matters of astronomy, or for advice on any phenomenon or particular events being held at the observatory.
1 comment
If South Africa had to name a national drink, it would certainly be klipdrift Rooibos tea. This golden-red brew discovered by the Khoisan and popularised by Benjamin Ginsberg is a flavour as indigenous as licking the sweat from a Kudu’s snout. It contains no Caffeine and is brimming with bio-flavenoids and antioxidants. It is also commonly given to infants to help them sleep and relieve colic.
5 comments
If South Africa has a national drink, it’s rooibos, or “red bush” tea. A caffeine-free beverage made from the fermented twigs of the the rooibos plant (Aspalathus linearis, a legume which only grows in limited areas in South Africa’s Cedarberg region), it has been used as a refreshing daily tonic for thousands of years, beginning with the Bushmen, who first identified its restorative properties. Rooibos is low in tannins, high in anti-oxidants, and utterly delicious.
The rest of the world is discovering rooibos tea, too: it has become a large export business over the last ten years. As an overseas consumer, you can support Fair Trade practice in South Africa’s rooibos industry - much as you can in the world-wide coffee industry - by buying the tea from companies that purchase their stock at fair prices from small-scale rooibos farmers.
Two Cederberg communities, in Wuppertal and Heiveld near the Western Cape / Northern Cape provincial border (click here for a reasonable map of the area around Wuppertal, which is too sparsely populated to show on most other maps), comprise the source of all of South Africa’s Fair Trade rooibos, supporting a total of about 175 families on their smallholdings. The communities’ rooibos is hand-harvested and 100% organically farmed. Several US and European companies do business with these farmers; SA Blog encourages you to catch the aroma of the extreme African southwest by sampling their wonderful tea.
Fair Trade overseas rooibos tea brands:
USA: Equal Exchange USA | Alter EcoUK: Equal Exchange UK | Serrv InternationalFrance: Alter Eco FR | Jardins de GaiaGermany: Gepa | DWPAustralia: Alter Eco AUS
Here’s a wonderful summertime rooibos tea recipe compliments of the Heiveld organic rooibos farming community:
1 comment
The Clanwilliam Living Landscape Project is an exemplary model of how to turn natural resources into a means of local development and empowerment. The project draws its inspiration from the rich archaeological resources in the Clanwilliam area (most importantly, rock paintings by South African hunters and gatherers which date back several thousand years), and uses this as material for learning programs and job development.
Key to the project is its concept of landscape - one that encompasses not only scenery and panorama, but also the people who produce, work, and live within it. The project hosts local and visiting school groups, teaching a set of courses inspired by the Clanwilliam surrounds.
No Comments
A friend from Germany was in town last week and desperately wanted to visit some natural hot springs. We have 4 of such that I am aware of, and there are all within 2 hours of Cape Town.
Goudini Spa: A large family resort with municipal charm and old world holiday camp appeal. This place has been a traditional family mainstay for many many years and is still going strong. The rooms are basic but cheap and the grounds are very lush and well landscaped. Not really ideal for young people, but great for families, wanting a quick getaway from Cape Town at little expense.
The Baths: It has been a while since I was here, but I remember enjoying the place greatly, the baths are steaming hot and the setting is quite remote and very much amongst nature.
No Comments
Disa Linderiana is the name given to the brand new orchid found near the summit of Sneeuberg (Snow Mountain) at 2000m above sea level. It has been named after orchid expert, Professor Peter Linder.
No Comments
Africa’s “Big Five” animals are so-named because they’re the most dangerous to bump into in the bush!
Leopard on Road (1/2)
The African leopard (Panthera pardus) has a long and not particularly congenial history with humankind. Its ancestors made snacks of ours for millennia, which is one of the reasons that Africa is so rich with hominid fossils. (Leopards drag their kills into trees before eating them, including trees which grow in ravines; the bones fall into the ravines; the ravines are filled during an earthquake or mudslide, and the bones - pockmarked by leopard fangs - survive for today’s archaeologists.)
The slinky, solitary animals are nocturnal and extremely shy - thank your lucky stars if you manage to see one on a game drive, day or night. They also haven’t lost their taste for human flesh: when Your Correspondent was last in the Kruger Park, the fireside chats revolved around an unfortunate game ranger who had been leading a night drive the week before.
Leopard on Road (2/2)
The poor fellow stopped his vehicle on a long bridge over the Sabie River, walked to the end of the bridge to relieve himself - rifle in hand - and was never heard from again. His mauled body was found the next day; he had been eaten by a leopard. What a fate!
Leopards still exist in the wild in South Africa (that is, outside of nature reserves), especially in the Cape’s Cederberg region, where their numbers have apparently stabilized. They are awesome animals to behold - definitely the cream of the Big Five crop.
Send your Big Five photos to ao1sa-bigfive@yahoo.com. Leopard photos will be posted here!
No Comments
Howzit! You’ve reached a section of SouthAfricaBlog.com that is, sadly, empty.
In time, however, it will be filled with all sorts of blog fodder, so if this particular subject is your bag, bookmark it and come back later.
Meanwhile, why not visit our Help Wanted section, where you can make yourself useful?
Thanks!
Ben, who am Editor
No Comments
