Supporting the Ekujabuleni Bakery

Machadodorp has its very own local bakery, Ekujabuleni Bakery.  Set up as an upliftment project by Nkomati Mine it bakes top quality bread, rolls, scones and "mosballetjies" (don't ask.....I will have to order one to find out what this is!!") The project got started in April 2010 and has created full time jobs for 10 people so far.  I went to arrange with the bakery to supply bread etc to my staff and guests, as they deliver daily around the village.  Recently there have been threats from local thugs, and deliveries to the creches and elderly in the township have been hampered.  So supporting them is particularly important at this awkward time. 

And what a surprise was in store as I chatted with Elijah, the bakery manager.  From 1995 to 1999 Elijah Lechela lived and worked in Switzerland as the chef to the South African Ambassador to Switzerland.  There he taught South African cuisine to the Swiss, and learned to cook all types of European cuisine and baking at various tea parties and events at the Swiss Consulate.  The following 3 years found him cruising around the Carribbean on the "Monarch of the Sea" as cruise liner chef.  He found his way to Mpumalanga when Aventura Resorts asked him to help standardise all their 9 resorts' menus.  So we are privileged to have such a celebrity in our Machadodorp community.  Elijah also runs his own catering business E&P Butchery and Caterers.   Through his expertise and business skills, 10 new jobs have been created, and by purchasing their products we, the tourism industry and visitors to Machadodorp can create more.  To order from the bakery call +27 76 638 5499 between 0700hr and 1800hr South African time, and order from Ellah or Sophie.  Alternatively go buy your bread from the Ekujabuleni Bakery.  It is a couple of km up the Carolina Road from Machadodorp village, on the right hand side, just opposite Emthonjeni township.

     

The Bezuidenhouts from Botswana

The evening of 17th March saw the arrival of the Bezuidenhout family from Gaberone, Botswana in their rather substantial home-rebuilt double cab bakkie with stainless steel canopy.  The kids told me in the morning that there is a couch in the back for comfy travel.  Cool!  A 5 hour drive brought them to Machadodorp for a sleepover at Duckworths Dargle Delight en route to a family get together in Nelspruit.  Kids Emile and Jessica were up with the dawn chorus, and bouncing around the gardens on the cottage pogo sticks, till they ran out of jump and popped over to join me for coffee and rusks in the sun outside my little coachhouse.  Both had a lot to tell about their tree climbing jack russels, and the birthday cake Emile's friend was keeping for him from his birthday party that weekend.  I was even priveleged to get to view the portion of Emile's car collection which he had brought with him.  Happy birthday Jessica for the 21st March - a good month to be born, (my birthday being just 4 days later!)  After much chatter I put the two to work on harvesting a few carrots from the vegetable and herb garden.  Then Jessica found the teeniest weeniest lizard just before they set off.  Thier comments on Duckworths Dargle - Emile and Jessica - yes they did have a lot to say - pronounced it to be a bit like Dr Who's tardis; it looks so small from the outside but its huge inside!  Happy family weekend Bezuidehouts!

Awaiting Monsieur Ginoux!

There was a light rain falling and we had been enjoying those exciting powerful lightening flashes and rumbles of our highland thunder storms - fabulous evening weather to be driving in; from time to time the surrounding countryside is lit up revealing far more treasures than just the road ahead as revealed by the headlights.  But it was not I driving tthat night.  I awaited the arrival of Monsieurs Genoux et Garcia who unfortunately took a wrong turning and were expected around 11pm instead of the original eta of 8.30pm - what additional exploring had they done on their way that evening?  A restful night in Machado House awaited.

Finally they arrived at 11pm as estimated - no African time errors....people from Europe are amazing at really knowing what time they will arrive.  Perhaps it is all this rushing around catching trains that leave on time in Europe that does it.....just not easy to understand here in Africa.  Sadly they have experienced some of our most spectacular pot-holed roads in the coal mining regions of Mpumalanga mislead by a very confused car navigation system...but on a brighter note it was a hire car they were driving, and all four tyres were still inflated, so presumably no harm done.  Visiting South Africa on a 4 month secondment with Aerosud in Pretoria, these engineers are taking the opportunity to explore our beautiful South African countryside.  Bon nuit Lionel and Loic and happy travelling tomorrow.....I think I can hear them sleeping....

Facebook Romance

Dumisani and Carol arrived quite by surprise very early one morning in March.  I had had Dumisani's enquiry the evening before, but while I slept he had paid his deposit, packed, driven from Midrand to Mpumalanga and arrived bright and early with Carol.  We had a lovely filter coffee together and thats when it all came out.  Dumisani from Joburg, South Africa met Carol from London, England on Facebook! Sweet! Rushing off to a business conference close-by, Dumisani left Carol with me.  As their room was not quite ready at 8am, Carol joined me for a sight seeing tour of Belfast - Yes, even quaint old Belfast makes an interesting jaunt for visiting tourists.  Carol works in midwifery research in London, and was remarking how heathly it is for babies to be carried on their Mum's backs, as is so natural here in South Africa.  Its just the best for bonding. Well done Africa's Mums.....we can show the world!  On the subject of great African women, I took a short detour to Mum Ngwenya's vegetable garden between Belfast and Syathuthuka.  No one was at work that day but we could see that the fields had been harvested.  When's the next crop due Mum Ngwenya?  Tourism businesses are ready to come buy your fresh vegetables!

Michael Crichton Visits Machadodorp

Michael Crichton is famous for a number of best selling book and movie titles: Jurassic Park, Rising Sun, Twister included. Well that Michael Crichton is not the one who came to Machadodorp this February.  Sadly that Michael Crichton passed away in 2008 after a courageous fight with cancer.  I'm glad to say this Michael Crichton, who is my brother, is still alive and kicking, and came with my sister-in-law Marise all the way from Cold Lake in Canada, to find out what I find so special about the Emakhazeni Highlands.  Here they are looking fresh as daisies after a night in Geluk unit of Machado House.  They loved the warm Machadodorp temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees centigrade having come from temperatures of around minus 20 to 25 degrees centigrade!

Austrian Architects visit Machadodorp

Back to South Africa and all ready to introduce you to the interesting people who visit Machadodorp.  A phone call on 15th Feb requests accommodation for 6 on their way to the Kruger Park.  Our lovely thatched Duckworths Dargle Delight was prepared, and Gregor Pils and friends arrive early evening.  They told me they have been touring around South Africa, drove from PE to Cape Town, flew to Jo'burg and are now off to the Kruger.  I had just left the Kruger myself so I assured them of great viewing.  What they did not mention is the wonderful work they have been doing to uplift the people of South Africa!  Gregor and Schnetzer Andreas Claus are amazing young award winning architects, based in Vienna.  Their web site: http://www.palettenhaus.com/ tells all.  The Pallet House and Slum Tube designs have been used to build inexpensive college buildings for Ithuba Skills College close to Johannesburg.http://www.ithuba.org   And what a small world this is - just last week my son visitted the Ithuba project as part of his Wits University 2nd year Architecture course.   Thanks Gregor, Schnetzer and friends for helping to build South Africa.

Utrecht beckons and a blog is born.

Not two weeks later I was cycling in slush and snow around Utrecht, the Netherlands, with my two student sons, exploring the shops around the Oude Gracht (the Old Canal) region of the mediæval town centre.   Being a Highlands lass with a love of the historical, accompanied by two similar offspring, we soon found ourselves warming up by pouring over ancient books in Hinderickx & Winderickx Antiquariaat sinds 1982. It was then that their "winkelsdagboek" caught my eye, and then my imagination.  For some years now the shop's historians have been fielding questions and enquiries from an eclectic range of browsers, and began some years ago to record their encounters and experiences.  Though it is mostly in Dutch I recommend a visit to their web site http://www.hinderickxenwinderickx.nl/ .  I owe the publicity to them for giving me the idea.  Perhaps there is a mention in  the winkelsdagboek in Dec 2010 of a South African Highlands Lass and her two student sons' visit....

How this blog began

It all began on a hot December 2010 day in Machadodorp, Mpumalanga.  Absolute Leisure Cottages extracted herself from some years of anonimity as her signage went up in the sleepy village of Machadodorp. Considerable whisperings of approval were heard around the village.  Professional signs, quality accommodation. This Emakhazeni Highlands Lass is proud of our quaint olde worlde country village with its amazing history, and excellent position half way to the Kruger Park, Maputo and Swaziland.  An ideal stop over, en route along the N4 Maputo Corridor.