The Tropic of Capricorn

En route to the Tropic of Capricorn the road took us off the beaten track and made a stop at a viewpoint.

The terrain was arid with slate visible in the area.

The Tropic of Capricorn is one of the five major circles of latitude that contains the subsolar point on the southern solstice. Its northern equivalent is the Tropic of Cancer. The position of the Tropic of Capricorn is not fixed and varies over time. It is presently 23°26’ S  14°27’ E in Erongo Namibia.

A forgone sign in the middle of nowhere is the marker and an invisible line that defines the circle.

Not far from there was an oasis of greenery and palms.

The promise of cold drinks and ice cream close by.

TOKOLOSHE

As a child growing up in Africa I was introduced to the myth of Tokoloshe. A small gremlin-like creature who was created by a witchdoctor to harm its enemies.

We were warned by our nannies that Tokoloshe will get us if we misbehave. Tokoloshe stories are plentiful and woven into the folklore of Africa. 

The only way to keep Tokoloshe away is to place bricks under each leg of the bed, raising it of the ground, the higher the safer.  My father was a house painter and we had many empty paint cans  These cans became the favourite of the nannies in the area, as they were stable and high. 

These days they are still doing this, raising the bed of the floor. When asked about their belief in Tokoloshe they: replied “ Heck no, we just raise the bed to make room under it for our suitcases.”

Breakdown in the Desert

In the isolation of the desert, there are times that we are the only vehicle on the road. That can be welcoming as a passing truck can leave clouds of dust in its wake.  The vehicle is equipped with plenty of food and water, along with spare parts in case of need.

We drove through a dry river bed with a sign post marked Löwen. The name came with an umlaut and underlined with a pair of waves, indicating a river. Löwen means “Lions” in German and it seems that the water along with the Lions left some time ago.

The truck came to an abrupt halt and there was an indication that we might have some mechanical difficulties.

A closer inspection revealed that it was the shock absorbers and needed to be repaired or replaced.

While waiting for the mechanics to unpack the tool box,  we took the opportunity looking for a washroom. 

We were in luck and did not have far to go. As usual,  ladies to the left gentlemen to the right and with the hope that there were no stray Löwens around.

Despite the desert heat, the repairs were done quite quickly and it seems like a good sign when the tools returned to the toolbox and ready to be stowed.

With a little bit of help and plenty of advice, the truck was pushed to motion, out of the loose sand and back on solid ground. 

      Once cleared it waited for us to board again.

     Even in the driest of deserts there is a flower that blooms.

Diamonds of Namibia

Lüderitz became one of the former German South West Africa, most famous diamond sites. In 1907 railroad worker August Stauch became aware that there might be diamonds in the area as rumoured.
He advised other local labourers to keep an eye open for sparkling stones. One of the workers who had worked in the Kimberley diamond mine in South Africa was familiar with them. He found a sparkling stone and Stauch resigned his railway job in search for more. In 1908 several more diamonds were found and the beginning of a major rush.

The Sperrgebiet, the Prohibited Area was established with limited entry to the region. This mining area, located in the Namib Desert, stretches from the Atlantic coast to about 100km inland. From the Orange River, on the border of South Africa and north to Lüderitz covering 26,000 square km.

                     

   

Unlike the Kimberley mines, these diamond are found near the surface, which might have once been river beds, now dried up exposing what once laid at the bottom.   

WW1 disrupted the diamond mining which produced until then seven million carats. South Africa conquered the region and in 1920 Ernest Oppenheimer consolidated the mines known as CDM and which became part of De Beers.  

                         

                   

In 1940 the emphasis was moved to the sea and the shoreline.  Transferring the CDM headquarters to the newly formed town of Oranjemund which was closer to the coast.

 Lüderitz had become a ghost town, left behind in the desert and a now a tourist attraction. Currently,  the majority of diamond mining has moved to marine mining.

 In 1994 CDM and the Government of Namibia agreed to form a new company. De Beers helped with the setup of local manufacturing operations.

                                                        It was worth all the efforts.

The town of Swakopmund

It has been a relaxing few day in the sunny warm town and beaches of Swakopmund. The seaside inviting and a perfect spot for a beach stroll and to try out the local beer.

                     

The shops were unique and exciting with tasteful local art. There is plenty of parking close to shops and restaurants. It seems a perfect place to own a car.

Along the beach, the mass produced Zimbabwean art is making their appearance again. Display after display, showing the same wares, with the hope of finding a buyer.

The Woermann House dominate the horizon with its Damara tower, serving as a water tower. The building was erected in 1894 and was a navigation point for the ships of the Woermann Line. The converted Woermann House became a  school hostel.  Today this beautiful building is used as a library and art centre.

There was an art exhibition on display at the art floor and we decided to have a look. Reaching the top floor we found it barred by an iron gate with a buzzer. The caretaker came out briefly to invite us in and to chase the school kids of the bottom steps of the stairwell; as they might be blocking the way to this exhibit.

The dried flower display on the window sill was the only redeeming art I could see. The iron gate opened once more, to let us out and to keep the dried flowers along with the rest of the exhibit, safe from the children below.

It was our last day in Swakopmund and with a lovely dinner and the sun disappearing into the ocean, we wish it farewell as our journey continues.

The Roads of Swakopmund

The Chalet in Swakopmund, which I shared with two other women, was a heaven of comfort. Along with a comfortable bed and endless hot showers it came with cooking facilities. We decided that it would be more fun to eat out. 

We were only a short walk from the centre of town filled with gift shops and a wide selection of restaurants. One particular menu caught our eye.

We were amazed at the width of the roads, with so few cars using it. There was an explanation given that in the towns earlier days there were no cars, but ox wagons. The span of oxen required a wide berth to make its turn and the wide roads still remain today.

Amused by the signage painted on the pavement; was it supposed to be bilingual, or just a repeat of words?

My roommate was concentrating on the letters on the road and walked straight into the signpost. The large post indicates a bump in the road and stood firmly on the sidewalk. Luckily there was only a minor bruise on her scalp.

The following day she accidentally walked into it again. We stopped for a photo shoot and reenacted the scene with laughter.

Along with our walk into town , we found a crack in the garden wall, and the owner had adhered some fun, giant iron ants, too it. 

                   After a delightful dinner, we walked home and watched a quiet sunset.

The Medicine woman

The White Lady Of Brandberg indicated that there has been a place for Medicine Woman in the African culture for thousands of years. They were in a sense a herbalist and who had knowledge of healing plants. They played the role of counsellor, elder or wise one and she had “magic powers” and could cast or remove an evil spell.

Stories of magic power and spells are told through folklore and also makes headlines on the front page of the local rag magazine or newspaper.  Although the Europeans’ background is mainly Christian and does not believe in Black Magic, they do not entirely discard it either.

In the townships of Swakopmund, in the poorer squatters section, lives the Medicine Woman. Her practice is amongst  the shacks of the area and the locals know where to find her.

With a small waiting room among impressive displays of jar and pots, we met her in person. She told us that you have to be born into a lineage of shamans and there is a sign at birth whether you carry the magic or not. The chosen ones continue the traditional role.

We left unconvinced of her powers and didn’t purchase any of her medicine. On our way back to town passing a coffin factory offering transportation from the hospital, convinced us even more.

The townships of Swakopmund

I was raised in South Africa and spoke Afrikaans, along my native tongue Dutch, by the age of five. I was delighted and surprised at the same time, to find out that the official language of Namibia is Afrikaans.  As I never had the opportunity, as a child to visit Namibia, then South West Africa and was looking forward to this visit.

There was a tour offered into the townships and I was curious to see its living conditions.  There were several different ones in the vicinity, and we took a guided tour through it.

Our first stop was to the more prosperous part and closest to town and introduced us to a traditionally clad lady. Auntie was a Herero and her dress design from the Victorian era. Layering the dress with several dresses, and it appeared as if she was wearing her entire wardrobe. The inside of the horn-shaped hat keep its shape and stiffness with the help of a rolled up newspaper. Cattle play a major part in their traditional Herero life, and the hat is to honour and respect the animal.

To supplement her income she sews traditionally clad dolls and containers made from the calabash, which is bottle gourd, which she, in turn, sells to the tourists. After saying goodbye to Auntie, we went to the local market to see what was for dinner.

                               

Browsing through the colourful market, I was content to look for a nice restaurant in the heart of Swakopmund.

We were guided to a shebeen, the local pub in the area and we were over the moon with the presence of our guide and we felt safe.

I was surprised at the last township,  mainly squatter quarters with very few facilities around. The water tap had a meter and pay as you use. There were make-shift public toilets scattered about the area.

According to the guide, these are a mix of locals and illegal immigrants, most without work. 

           The government tried to rectify the shortage of housing by building better homes.

 It turns out that the rent was too high and none could afford it, so the houses remain empty.

         Most locals still live in the townships and few reside in the town of Swakopmund.

                                                    Eish!  it was time to leave.