So, I'll take a break from gushing about the incredible Obama effect for a moment, and tell you about our trip to the most unusual town in South Africa, or perhaps the most unusual townin all of Africa: Matjiesfontein (pronounced "Mikey's Fontain.")
But first just another moment of gushing about the election. It is amazing how the impact of the election is having a trickle down effect on young people here in Cape Town. I was wearing my OBAMA button the other day, and a young clerk in a store said, "I wasn't going to vote before, but now I see how it can make a difference. So I'm going to register this weekend." (South Africa had a huge voter registration drive this past weekend, with 17,900 registration places set up across the country.) Amazing how the election in the US can have an impact on the choices of a young kid in Cape Town. Another dimension of globalization.
A Bit of History about "Mikey's Spring"
"Fontein" in Afrikaans means "spring," and "Mikey's Spring" is a town on the railroad line half-way between Cape Town and the diamond mines in Kimberly. Back in the 1870s, a beautiful Victorian hotel was built there, and it quickly became a favorite getaway spot for the well-healed --the height of British colonial elegance. Mikey's is in the middle of the "Little Karoo," a very dry high desert region, which reminded us a lot of New Mexico. The air is dry and clean, and so Mikey's became known as a spa retreat, where you could come and heal from the stresses of the city. (The Little Karoo is now known for its lamb, which is said to have a special flavor, the result of the sheep grazing on the Karoo vegetation!)Anyway, this hotel was the state of the art, 100 years ago. The first cricket match between England and South Africa was played there. Cecil Rhodes liked to spend weekends there, soaking in the good air. During the Anglo-Boer war, it became a hospital for British soldiers. In fact, this was such a well-known place, that there is an old Afrikaner folk song called: "Take the train to Matjiesfontein," and here are the lyrics so you can practice up on your Afrikaans:
Daar’s ‘n trein toe toe toe toe toe toe
Daar’s ‘n trein toe toe toe toe toe toe
Daar’s ‘n trein toe toe toe toe toe toe
Die trein na Matjiesfontein
Well, all good things come to an end; even British colonial elegance in the heart of South Africa. And over the years, the place fell into dis-repair, and was abandoned. Then, in the 1970s, the entire town (hotel, bar, coffee shop, museum, and post office) was bought by a famous local hotel owner, and Mikey's experienced a re-birth. You can get all the scoop at their web-site: http://www.matjiesfontein.com/
A Birthday Weekend in Mikey's
We were invited by our friends Ross and Veronica Grant to join 8 other couples in celebrating Veronica's 40th birthday in Mikey's. The plan was as follows: meet downtown at the train station in Cape Town on Saturday morning; take the train 5 1/2 hours to Mikey's; tour the town, have fun, eat a scrumptious dinner featuring "little Karoo lamb"; spend the night at the once-luxurious Lord Milner Hotel; wake up to a leisurely breakfast; and then take the train back, arriving in Cape Town Sunday afternoon.
Well, all good things come to an end; even British colonial elegance in the heart of South Africa. And over the years, the place fell into dis-repair, and was abandoned. Then, in the 1970s, the entire town (hotel, bar, coffee shop, museum, and post office) was bought by a famous local hotel owner, and Mikey's experienced a re-birth. You can get all the scoop at their web-site: http://www.matjiesfontein.com/
A Birthday Weekend in Mikey's
We were invited by our friends Ross and Veronica Grant to join 8 other couples in celebrating Veronica's 40th birthday in Mikey's. The plan was as follows: meet downtown at the train station in Cape Town on Saturday morning; take the train 5 1/2 hours to Mikey's; tour the town, have fun, eat a scrumptious dinner featuring "little Karoo lamb"; spend the night at the once-luxurious Lord Milner Hotel; wake up to a leisurely breakfast; and then take the train back, arriving in Cape Town Sunday afternoon. What could be better: no driving, no designated drivers, and no kids! This was going to be especially exciting for Naomi and I. Not only had we never been to Mikey's, but this would be our first weekend without the kids. (Alex and Maya stayed with Veronica's kids, and didn't miss us a bit!)
Needless to say, we had a blast. Mikey's is like a ghost town, just waiting to come alive with the good energy of its weekend visitors. Everything is a little dusty and mildewy, but nothing a gin & tonic and some line dancing can't cure! We virtually had the entire town to ourselves. There were two other couples there at dinner, so they got to participate in our boisterous happy birthday singing. And while we were celebrating with song and good cheer in the bar, we were visited by a train-load of high-end German tourists who had gotten off the luxury "Rovos Rail" train, came into the bar, and found us all gathered around the piano, singing folks songs (both Afrikaner and American) and dancing. They got out their cameras, and must have surely thought that this was what the locals do every weekend! (We took the regular train, which is an overnighter that runs from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Our tickets cost around $8 for the 5 1/2 hour trip. The luxury "Rovos Rail" costs $1,000/day!) Oh yes, a few local families did come to the restaurant for breakfast, but otherwise, it was just us for the night at Mikey's.
I've posted just a few pictures to wet your imagination. Let's just say, South Africans truly know how to have fun! Maybe Naomi and I will bring a little of the spirit back to our own chavurah gatherings. And as they say, what happens in Mikey's, stays in Mikey's.
Enjoy the photos. Blog ya later.
Seth./.
Needless to say, we had a blast. Mikey's is like a ghost town, just waiting to come alive with the good energy of its weekend visitors. Everything is a little dusty and mildewy, but nothing a gin & tonic and some line dancing can't cure! We virtually had the entire town to ourselves. There were two other couples there at dinner, so they got to participate in our boisterous happy birthday singing. And while we were celebrating with song and good cheer in the bar, we were visited by a train-load of high-end German tourists who had gotten off the luxury "Rovos Rail" train, came into the bar, and found us all gathered around the piano, singing folks songs (both Afrikaner and American) and dancing. They got out their cameras, and must have surely thought that this was what the locals do every weekend! (We took the regular train, which is an overnighter that runs from Cape Town to Johannesburg. Our tickets cost around $8 for the 5 1/2 hour trip. The luxury "Rovos Rail" costs $1,000/day!) Oh yes, a few local families did come to the restaurant for breakfast, but otherwise, it was just us for the night at Mikey's.
I've posted just a few pictures to wet your imagination. Let's just say, South Africans truly know how to have fun! Maybe Naomi and I will bring a little of the spirit back to our own chavurah gatherings. And as they say, what happens in Mikey's, stays in Mikey's.
Enjoy the photos. Blog ya later.
Seth./.
