Easter - Gautengers escape to the country!

Andries, Lorette and Irma arrived Thursday evening to a blazing log fire in the Bakoni fire place taking the autumn chill from Machado House's elegant Victorian rooms. They stopped over on their way to the Kruger Park. As ever, the relaxing olde worlde charm of Machadodorp village waylayed them, and resulted in them setting off a good couple of hours later than planned on Friday morning. Andries and his wife have just moved from Johannesburg’s Wit University to Pretoria , Andries working as Associate Professor in Pretoria University’s Department of Sociology. They discussed the interesting cultural differences between the students of each University. The attractions they loved in Machadodorp include Milly’s trout pies, the distant chuffing of trains and the church clock’s bells drifting through the village night air. A soft mist surrounded us as we chatted in the morning.

Later on Friday morning we welcomed Aesha and Mahmood Nathoo just in time to get to Mosque. The Machadodorp Mosque is also in Taute Street, so they didn’t have far to go. The wind had built up a little and this reminded Aesha of Port Elizabeth where they both grew up. Geluk unit was their base for exploring the beautiful Emakhazeni Highlands of Mpumalanga. They took a tour to Badplaas through the beautiful Skurweberg pass, and enjoyed the fresh garden herbs in the Absolute Leisure gardens. Mahmood is a vegetable gardener of note in between his work in finance, so we exchanged a few vege growing tips!

Around lunch time the Grobler family arrived – Daniel and Muriel plus 3 year old Gené & 1 year old Louis. Gené just loved her room in Bakoni. After the long drive from Midrand the kids were brimming over with energy, and garden gates had to be closed rapidly to keep them from disappearing off down the street. Muriel was keen to browse the local junk and antique shops, so I recommended Flippy Taljard’s and the Highveld Emporium, as well as the Windmill Bargain Centre in Belfast. I also recommended they ask Flippy and Alta for a peek into their teddy bear room. Flippy, ever the eccentric Machadodorp artist, has covered the entire walls and ceiling of their bedroom with soft toys which he won from vending machines some years back. This room is a child’s dream come true!

Early afternoon saw the arrival of the Du Toit family from Jo’burg, Karen and Craig and their three boys. The boys, also full of energy and excitement, were straight up into the loft bedroom of Duckworth’s Dargle negotiating as to who would get to sleep there. Then, safely down the ladder again, the toy cupboard became the centre of attention. Pogo sticks and croquet set were tested in the garden while Mum and Dad unloaded the car. Dad Craig admitted to being a 1000 bounce pogo champ from when he was a kid, so their 5 day stay will see him and the kids honing their pogo skills along with some fishing and family bonding time. Happy holidays Du Toit Family! Please send some family pics for the blog.

The Back Road

On my way to Machadodorp and with a meeting in Middelburg, I made an economical route change decision and exitted the N4 highway at Emalahleni (Witbank) thus avoiding the Forty Rand toll fee at the Middelburg toll gate. A warm feeling stirred in my Scottish bones as I contemplated the Forty Rand I was saving. Along the way a few inconspicuous signs indicated that the road to Middelburg was closed, but this being South Africa I paid no attention and continued. Others were doing the same so no point in believing road signs. At around 15km of the 30km journey, where the road crosses the river, I saw ahead of me some mayor road works. I had heard that one of our friends at Middelburg Tourism Office was unable to get to work because during December’s heavy rains the bridge between Witbank and Middelburg had been washed away, and here I was at that very washed away bridge!

No sweat! As ever, an enterprising local farmer had made a plan, and a detour across a big grassy field (I missed a turn and found myself in a homestead surrounded by chickens) took me to a queue waiting to cross the river on a makeshift bridge. A farm worker stood at the front of the queue with a dented old bucket, and was handing each driver a 500ml bottle of orange juice, dropping the payments into the bucket. “Twenty Rand for a bottle of juice” he said as I arrived at the front. “I’m going to Middelburg, and I don’t need juice,” I said, a little indignant. “That’s Twenty Rand... ” he said, “...and you get a free orange juice.” I paid, got my free juice and laughed the rest of the way to my meeting. This is a must for foreign visitors and family outings! A real life “Boer maak ‘n plan” experience. And he’s half the price of the Middelburg tollgate!

Silvia & I had the juice with our Wacky Wednesday lunch!

Ghost Sightings of Machadodorp and the Mpumalanga Highlands

It has long been believed that ghosts abound in our Mpumalanga Highlands. Ghost enthusiasts and clairvoyants sense that the conflicts of bygone years result in wandering, unresolved spirits still locked in this world searching for answers. An old man has been seen repeatedly at the Machadodorp Police Station near the cells, sitting waiting. This used to be the village hospital, so it is believed he waits for a loved one in the hospital. In the main street of Machadodorp, now called Butana Jele St, a headless man is said to cruise at night. This ghost was reported in the newspapers in the 1940s. He was believed to be a wild red haired Scots soldier who was cheated out of some money during the South African wars. During the fight over the cash he was decapitated, and now wanders the streets with his head under his arm. Some red coat soldier ghosts are believed to appear close to Lydenburg, now Masheshing, from an even earlier era of history. Then there is the Afrikaans nurse who fell in love with a wounded British soldier. They meet nightly under a tree - now blown down - which was next to the military hospital in Waterval Onder. A ghost is reported at the Dalmanutha Station one night only annually, when the train goes by. This is the anniversary of the night that a stationmaster was murdered and his body buried in a shallow grave at the station. A poltergeist ghost catches out sleeping policemen at the Machadodorp police station, taking their guns from their holsters and placing them on the counter. And at one of the waterfalls close to Waterval Boven where a honeymoon couple's tragedy occurred, they are often see reunited. At Green Pastures Farmhouse an elderly lady watches over sleeping visitors.

And now I am rather excited to report that during March an Absolute Leisure guest reported that he sensed the presence of a ghost watching over him as he slept. Perhaps the old lady from Green Pastures has come to visit!? Now don't all rush over to check out this ghost sighting! It’s the first report of a ghost at Absolute Leisure since the cottages were started 7 years ago!

Girl Power building a New Power Station for Machadodorp....

These two beautiful young women are Sivu (right) and Sizi (left) staying at Cat's Whisker, Absolute Leisure Cottages, Machadodorp.  Sivu is busy building our new power station for us in Machadodorp, and Sizi, her sister, is visiting from the Cape where she is studying Ministry. It is so special to know that woman power is building our new power station.  Ok ..... so she does have some help from the guys, but this Mpumalanga Highlands Lass is proud to announce once more that South African women rock!

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....