Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre

Today I visited the Ann van Dyk Cheetah Centre in Brits, near Hartbeespoort (a town that I've passed many times before on the way to things like the monkey sanctuary).  This morning, as the road turned revealing the cute little town of Hartbeespoort behind a mountain, it also revealed a beautiful hot air balloon with four people parachuting around it.  I'm not sure if it was a special day or if I had just never come at the right time to see that kind of thing before.  Anyway, it was stunning.

I arrived at the cheetah centre and started walking towards reception.  I got a little nervous because I saw many cheetahs (in enclosures) around me and I didn't know if I was supposed to be there alone.  It was ok though, and that was the way to reception.  We started off the morning watching a cheetah run.  It was pretty awesome.  Basically, they chase a lure for about 100m or so and then turn around and chase it back.  They were quite tame and followed their handlers in and out of the truck easily (with horse meat as a reinforcer). 

After the run and walking by some of the cheetah enclosures, we watched a quick video about the history of the centre.  It was pretty interesting but may have gone on a little too long.  It wasn't something I was expecting I guess.  After that, we were offered the option of petting a cheetah for an extra R45.  Now, since this is only about $5, doesn't seem like a huge deal, and you get to pet a cheetah!  I just thought it was kind of rude to not mention it on the website, when you book, or when you pay.  Kind of weird.  They could also just include it in the price, especially since they already charge an extra R110 for the cheetah run.  Anyway, I pet the cheetah.  The back and stomach were quite soft but the tail was kind of rough.  I guess that is what happens if it's dragging on the ground all day.

Petting the cheetah

Then we went to see some honey badgers and meerkats before getting on our safari vehicle to see some more cheetahs, a wild cat, caracals, vultures, brown hyena, and wild dogs.  The vultures were huge!  I've never seen one that close before I guess.  Well probably the only time I saw some were in Kruger and they were quite far away.  The wild dogs were also very cool.  They were very excitable and we got to see them all being fed, including 10 puppies.  When we went to see the cheetahs in their enclosure, they started getting a bit restless when the handler wasn't feeding them and meowed a bit.  They meow so high pitched and softly!  They sound like little cats.  Overall it was an excellent visit and I learned a lot about cheetahs and wild dogs. 

Monster, the vulture

Wild dogs eating their breakfast (well only meal of the day)

Five cheetahs in an enclosure, including one King cheetah (can be seen in the darker coat)

Lesotho: The Highest Country in the World

This weekend I went to the Northern Drakensberg and stayed in a backpackers (hostel) that does day trips to Lesotho (pronounced le [like French]-soo-too).  Lesotho is an independent country completely surrounded by South Africa.  Even though it doesn't have the highest point in the world, it is still known as the highest country in the world (altitude-wise) because it has the highest low point (the lowest point in Lesotho is 1400 metres).  Apparently they do also get high, or at least grow marijuana, however our guide said it wasn't very good.

Lesotho mountains

Anyway, Saturday morning, we left for Lesotho via the Monantsa Pass.  As we arrived at the border post, the whole area was covered in mist.  Fortunately, as we drove down the pass the mist disappeared and we got beautiful views of the mountainous Kingdom of Lesotho (seriously, it's a kingdom, they have a king).  We made our way to the Mafika/Lisiu (pronounced Mafeeka-Deesee-eeloo) Primary School.  The Amphitheatre Backpackers donates a portion of the money charged for the day trips to the school there.  They also collect clothes at the hostel to donate to the children as well.  Our guide told us that Lesotho is the third poorest country in the world but also not to feel bad though, and instead to appreciate how they live comfortably with what they have. 

The school field with the clouds just disappearing over the mountains

The kids gathered around a camera, checking out their pictures

 Even though it was a Saturday, all the kids were at school because it was a special day.  We didn't really get a lot of information on the festival or holiday or whatever it was.  We were told that there would be dancing and singing at the school but all we saw was a play with kids acting like old people.  It was really cute, but they were speaking Sesotho (rhymes with Lesotho) so we didn't really understand.  We got to interact with the kids a bit which was fun.  They loved getting pictures taken, looking at them, and taking pictures themselves.  We also gave a lot of high fives.  We couldn't understand each other though (beyond "hello" and "photo") so there was just a lot of awkward  giggling on both sides.

The play

We left the school to go on a walk to see some San ("bushmen") rock art paintings.   Unfortunately, the paintings have not been protected like other rock art sites so people have been chipping pieces off the rock as souvenirs.  I was really glad we got to see what was left of the paintings though.  I had been trying to find rock art sites that I could visit near Joburg but I wasn't sure if what I was looking up online was legit.  In this painting we could only see an eland (a really big antelope and a very spiritual animal for the San) and a few people. 

Rondavel and mountains

Ntate Gabriel, the sangoma

After the walk, we went down to the village and headed to a shebeen (basically a little pub).  It was just in one of the rondavels, marked by a white flag.  In there we got to try some traditional beer, passed around in large containers.  It wasn't actually bad, very yeast-y though.  We also got to see some of the women dancing (the men weren't so into it).  After the shebeen, we went to visit a sangoma, a traditional healer.  He explained how he became a sangoma after receiving premonitions and helps heal people through herbs and speaking to their ancestors.  I asked him if he can heal himself if he gets sick or if he goes to another sangoma.  He said he would either visit another sangoma or go straight to Western medicine.  So the two are not mutually exclusive and they recognize that some things are better healed through medical doctors than sangomas.  Next, we went to get some food.  We had pap (ground maize porridge... but not soupy, sticky) and a really salty spinach thing that was amazing!  Best pap meal I've had. 

We headed back to the backpackers after that and we had some awesome chicken curry for dinner and malva pudding for dessert.  I sat with some very nice people I had met on the tour.  I was kind of nervous going to a hostel on my own because of the social dinners and communal areas but I had forgotten that people who stay in hostels are usually super nice and like meeting new people, so it all worked out.

The next day I went to the Royal Natal National Park, home of the geological feature the Amphitheatre (hence the name of the backpackers lodge).  I went there though to see another rock art site.  I had to go with a guide, as a protection measure for the paintings.  His name was Mathiba and he was very friendly and knowledgeable.  He also had excellent eye sight and pointed out antelope on a hill opposite us that took me like 2 minutes to see while he was describing where to look the whole time.  These rock art paintings were more extensive, depicting a giraffe, a water buffalo, a leopard, a snake, multiple eland and other antelope, and the San dancing around a campfire.  I was very glad I went there.  After that, I left the park and headed home.  It was an excellent weekend!

Rock art painting of elands in the Royal Natal National Park

Parys and the Vredefort Dome

Yesterday I took a drive to Parys and the Vredefort Dome.  I had read about it in one of my guide books.  They described it as South Africa's "most abstract World Heritage Site" and it certainly was.  Basically, the Vredefort Dome is a 300 km wide crater formed by a meteorite impact about 2023 million years ago.  I went to the information centre in Parys where a lady gave me a lot of information about the dome, Parys, and nearby attractions.  I wasn't really in the mood for antiquing or visiting more white lions so I just went on a little drive to the town of Vredefort and back to Parys.  The only indication of the dome was the range of small mountains in an otherwise flat area.  However, since the landscape in South Africa is so variable this happens fairly often.  I didn't take any pictures since it was a grey day.  It's best though to Google maps Parys in satellite view to get a real picture of the dome.  Otherwise, it's just hills.

Northcliff Hill and Kromdraai Gold Mine

On Friday night, Eliza, Catherine, and I went to Northcliff Hill after work to watch the sun set.  Thankfully we got there just in time!  The sun is setting pretty early now that it's almost winter.  It was a really great view and we got to see some beautiful houses in the area as well. 

Sunset at Northcliff Hill

Water tower on the hill

On Saturday I went to the Kromdraai Gold Mine in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.  It was actually just on a family's property.  When they bought the property about twenty years ago, the people they bought it from told them about the mine, but they didn't know anything about it.  Gavin, the owner, has been finding out information over the last twenty years, gathering maps, articles, and artifacts.  It has resulted in a nice little museum and a wonderful tour. 

When I arrived Saturday morning, there were a few guys just sitting in the field which served as a parking lot, drinking by their cars.  I got out of my car very confused.  I had seen many signs for the gold mine there but I was a little worried as I got out of my car.  I headed towards the building and it was clear that the mine tours start there but I was still a little concerned about what I was getting myself into.  I looked around the office that also served as a little museum and waited.  Just as I was about to give up, Gavin came down.  He explained that his son's 20th birthday was the day before and there were still a couple guys finishing up the party (which explained the guys drinking by their cars).  Gavin was an extremely nice man and very welcoming.  Since I was the only one there, I got a personal tour.  The mine was very interesting, especially seeing the tiny spaces the men worked in with no shoes, no shirts, no helmet, and just a candle to light the way.  It was also really cool to look down a "winze" and see the different levels of the mine.  The third level underground was actually flooded from an underground lake that is connected to the same underground lake in the Sterkfontein Caves (see my post about the Cradle of Humankind).  I find that lake so interesting, I guess because they have no idea how big it is.  Anyway, I learned a lot and it was great to have my own tour without worrying about anyone else's schedule.

Entrance to the mine

Mine shaft