15 oktober 2018

Dysselsdorp, the birthplace of Lisa, is a small town in the Klein Karoo with approximately 12.000 inhabitants. There is a large monastic community which has Germany as its origin, hence the name (Düsseldorf = Dysselsdorp). During the apartheid, only “kleurlingen” lived here who used Afrikaans as their mother tongue. That is still the case now. You can see very recognizable Dutch names here. My parents in-laws are called Anna and Piet.

Where nearby Oudtshoorn benefits from tourism and large farms (amongst others ostriches), Dysselsdorp has large difficulties. There are few resources of existence here.

Although Lisa’s parents still live here her brother and sisters all scattered over the world. Nieces and cousins can also be found all over South Africa.

This weekend we celebrated Lisa’s birthday (April 24) at her cousin Virginia’s house in the village of De Rust at about 15 km from Dysselsdorp. An Afrikaanse braai with over 50 people who attacked as predators on the sheep bought by the family. These people can eat meat. For the record, the sheep was a “losbandig schaap”. So much more biologically as the Dutch bio-chicken.

We simply put our tent on the garden at cousin Virginia; the rest fell asleep after the braai somewhere in the house.

On Sunday, part of the family went back to Cape Town (500 km far) to start working on Monday. Another part has gone home today so there is now a great rest here.

Lisa and I went to property of her ancestors. Like many colored Southafricans, her grandpa’s and grandmothers were expelled from their farms and forced to go live in places like Dysselsdorp. A process has been underway for years to compensate them for this. We have in any case put our tent on this country. Possession is nine-tenth of the law.

The past few days Lisa has been able to get all of our clothes in two suitcases so we have room in the RV. The plan is now to leave Thursday and then follow a somewhat more northerly route towards Johannesburg. We plan to visit cousin Brumilda in Rustenburg this weekend and then go along at Bushlore in Midrand for some minor repairs. Then via Nelspruit to Maputo.