Boston, Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa

 

The view from the house over Dave's land.

When Jane went to the Drakensberg on a girly weekend with her friends, I went to Boston to stay with Dave and Bärbel on their farm. They are both keen photographers, and are especially interested in the wild flowers of South Africa. They now have an extensive collection of images, all identified and classified. I persuaded Dave to set up some Power Point Presentations so he can give talks on their many walks through the beautiful, and often wild, South African countryside. We spent a happy day selecting images and setting up some slides.

We picked fresh rhubarb from Bärbel's vegie garden 

for her delicious rhubarb crumble.

Approaching the maize field, along a muddy farm-track.

 

On our walk, we came across these strange beetles.

Later in the day we walked the dogs across some of Dave's land, and around a maize field. We spent some time looking for Crowned Cranes, which Dave assures me can be frequently seen in that area. I took my camera, hoping to get in some good shots. Unfortunately, the only cranes we saw were too far away for any useful images. However, Dave kindly let me have a couple of his photos so I could see what I was missing!!

This was the closest I got to a Crowned Crane all weekend!

This was the shot I was hoping for, unfortunately this is not mine.

The weekend passed far too quickly and all too soon Dave and Bärbel were taking me to meet Jane and her friends at the Howick Falls. This 300ft (98m) waterfall is amazing. The Zulus call it KwaNogqaza, "place of the tall one", and they believe the area is inhabited by the spirits of their ancestors. Local legend also claims that a giant serpent-like creature, called the Inkanyamba, lives in the pool below the waterfall. For this reason, only Sangomas, or Witchdoctors, are allowed to approach it, as they believe anyone else is in terrible danger. Sacrifices of chickens and goats are offered here to appease the creature, and to honour Inkulunkulu, the Great God, as well as Amathongo, the ancestral spirits. It certainly is an awe-inspiring sight!

The Howick Falls