Jo'Blog: Zoo Lake and Klipriversberg Nature Reserve

Yesterday I went to the Zoo Lake park to check out the Artists Under the Sun, a free art exhibit in the park the first weekend of every month. Even though the website said they started at 8:30, they were still setting up when I arrived after 9. Some artists were set up though, and one was kind enough to show me all his work and tell me about it as well. Unfortunately, I can't afford any art right now, so I was just looking, but there was some very nice stuff there.

Since I parked at the wrong end of the park, I walked all the way around the lake while I was there. Definitely not the cleanest lake, but there was a big sign explaining that that was because of all the birds that roost on the small island in the middle of the lake, safe from humans and predators. There were some super cute ducklings that I took a few pictures of, but I really pissed off Mama Duck. She was hissing at me like crazy. I ran away for fear of embarrassment of being attacked by a duck.

Today, I returned to the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve to try to find the excellent views of the city promised by my guidebook. When I first went to this nature reserve, I chose the wrong path and didn't get any views of the city, but did get to see some hartebeest and a bontebok (I think). This time, I studied the map a bit more carefully (and figured out where north was) and decided on the Beacon Trail.

As I was hiking, I came to a fork in the trail. I decided to go left. After about 200 meters in that direction, the trail came to another fork, but the trail marker only pointed back down. I didn't know what was going on, so I decided to go back down the way I came, and choose the original right fork instead. I am very, very glad I decided to do this. As I was climbing up the hill in that direction, I saw some sort of small, quick antelope jumping through the grass. It was too fast for me to get my camera out, but as it disappeared, I noticed some zebras in the same field. I got some pictures of them, but didn't want to get too close in case I scared them. I kept climbing, feeling pretty good about my decision to choose this path, even though I was pretty sure I wouldn't get my city views. Just as I had given up, I climbed my last hill up to what I can only suppose was the "beacon" (a small cement pole) and bam! there was Joburg! After taking some pictures, I continued on my way back down the hill. I saw a bontebok, maybe the same one I saw last time, and eventually joined up with the path I didn't take. I'm glad though that I turned around because this way, the view of the city was sudden. If I had gone the other way, it would have been gradual: possible, then probable, then definite, but definitely not as exciting.