30 October

Maarten's scary joke!

Luanda after rain

Monte Belo's Spooktacular Halloween Party

Costume parade, games, arts and crafts

Face painting is almost impossible in 35 ºC!

 

Trick or treating (also for adults!)

Fall Break in Royal Natal NP (uKhahlamba Drakensberg, South Africa)

First day in the beautiful Drakensberg mountains.
Driving from Johannesburg it was really hot but up the Berg it was a completely different world.
Green, chilly and wet.

 

This was supposed to be a walking vacation but Maarten unfortunately sprained his ankle while wave boarding just two days before our trip.
Even though he was very enthusiastic to hit the trail convincing us he is really fine, after walking some 8 km, he returned home limping.

 

Hike to Tiger Falls and Lookout Rock; no water in the falls.

There were warning signs alerting us to baboon danger already in the camp. Close by the   Lookout Rock I suddenly noticed a troop of them.  I was a bit nervous as the path led right through the group.  But they didn't even look at us.

We didn't really mind the wet weather but I have to admit that the sun made everything look much better.

View from our porch.

Because of Maarten's condition we had to walk solo.  This was on my first hike to beautiful Vemvaan Valley and the Policeman's Helmet.
The temperature was rising.

  



The final summit to the peak involved circling back and up a wooden ladder after which a rocky path led to the rocky outcrop itself. The drop-off on both sides of the ridge were very steep.

The spectacular view of our camp from the Policeman's Helmet rock formation.

Our cottage for the week.

Enjoying the view and Dutch beer!

The Devil's hoek trail was quite surprising, I mean it was permanently scrambling up and down through a large patch of forest  and in the end the trail simply disappeared in thick grass. I got lost several times. 
This valley is said to have a forbidding air, and the local people never venture there.
In the shady forest I encountered a group of heavily armed rangers. Felt weird.

 

Duiker (?) visited in the evening.

Very early morning view from our bedroom.

A tiny pretty long snake jumped right in front of me while on the Thukela Gorge Walk.  I identified it as a Striped Grass Snake or Skaapsteker but correct me if I'm wrong.
And...I was really glad that he was only this "tiny" and harmless to human.

Natal bottlebrushes make a brilliant red splash on the mountain side in spring. And are very photogenic, I have them in most pictures!

The scenery along the way was really lovely  and the flat Amphitheatre was coming closer rapidly.



Ladder in the Gorge.

There was some water in the river but also the Thukela Falls were hopelessly dry.

Anyway, the long hot trek was worth all the effort.

Dry river bed.



Maarten seemed to enjoy himself, however, I felt quite sorry for him.
Only the last day he joined Rob on the short Forest Walk around the camp.
(kite made out of Shoprite plastic bag!)

Luckily you didn't even have to leave the cottage to enjoy the wildlife. (bushbuck)

 

 

A flock of helmeted guinea fowls visited every evening. They waited out the storm sheltered on our porch.

The next to last night a huge storm came to the mountains and brought a total change in the weather.
We woke up into a foggy morning. I set off on a short but steep hike to the Lion's Buttress but had to return before I reached the top. I couldn't see much and if was very slippery therefore it wasn't safe to continue onto the ridge.
(field ranger's house)

 

Time to leave this tranquil place.  
Via Johannesburg back to Luanda. Life is hard!

 

In the beginning of October

We are about to leave for the fall school break and there is so much going on. I have so many plans to realize and now I "have to" leave for a vacation! Tough life of an expat wife!
Anyway, I'd like to post at least some picture's to archive here before I lose everything like I did last year when my computer crashed.
I can't manage to write down all the details, that's too much time consuming. And also my wrists hurt so I'm quite afraid of RSI.
Therefore this post is gonna be more like "say it with pictures".


 

 

Since the beginning of September we're harvesting daily the most delicious passion fruit or maracuja, that's how the locals call it. About a year ago I planted this tiny seedling and today the passion fruit vine grows against beams of the patio and all over the bright yellow wall in front of the living room.



The fruit is not only delicious but also rich source of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and fiber! I wish I can preserve its aroma!

 

 

I know it seems far too early but with the fall break and many other (school) activities the time flies really fast here in Luanda. Therefore we started to solicit donations that we would like to distribute right before the Christmas in the poor neighborhood we try to support.

The slum kids proudly displaying their toy cars made from sardine tins!

Last time the chiefs wife told me that if we will clean up all the garbage the kids will have a really nice place to play! Funny lady!

 



 There is a new "Dutch" family in town with kids M's age! (picture courtesy of Annette and Jac)



M's last year teacher choose this picture for his online portfolio. Maarten couldn't be any happier! (pic courtesy of Mr. Reid) 

Trip to the Mussulo beach.



We took a walk  through the fishing village to the Atlantic side of the peninsula.

This is the best time to spot whales and here they come so close you can watch them from the shore. But we weren't that lucky.

 

 

(Pic courtesy of Annete and Jac)

Fishing Dutchmen.

Canoeing.

Beach volleyball! after some 20 years and more! I hurt all over my body for at least a week but it was fun. Maybe I'll start to play again.

3rd annual Jog-a-thon at Luanda International School. The kids ran to raise money for a local orphanage.

19 laps

Sweaty, tired but happy together.

I finally made it to the São Paulo market to shop for some colorful African fabrics.
It was so overwhelming!

 

Impossible to choose!

Well, I bought some and I've already sewn the most simplest bag! Maarten thought it would be a great library bag. It's little bit too big for him but hey!

I'm starting to get obsessed by sewing. That doesn't mean that I actually can sew! Sometimes I see a lady in the city all covered in sewing supplies; zippers on her head,  ribbons in one hand and a bag with threads in the other. I wonder why I never noticed her before?

Maarten had to make a poster and prepare a presentation about his dream profession.

My "little Czech" knows how to make me laugh!

 

While Rob was in Prague for business (and I was extremely jealous I couldn't join him!) we had some special candlelight evening when the power went down for more than two hours.

Candlelight cooking is not as romantic as it might look.



 

Recently someone told me that Maarten should already know the truth about Santa, Easter Bunny and Sinterklaas....But however, our big boy is still very little and I would hate to destroy his fantastic fantasy world.



All and all I enjoy again my life in Angola as I did before the summer break. I got used to the loud gun shots during the nights and having naked work men in front of my window every late afternoon.   
The only thing I will probably never get used to is to live with all the garbage and pollution, especially the pervasive smell of burning trash and the smoke entering our house!