Buffelsdrift Safari Lodge!

Buffelsdrift ("buffalo pass" in Afrikaans) is located outside of Oudtshoorn, a picturesque Afrikaans town in the Klein Karoo ("little desert") region of South Africa, and which lies between two mountain ranges.

The Buffelsdrift Safari Lodge is built next to a dam and is a relatively new enterprise, at about 5000 acres of fenced in land and boasting 22 different wild animal species, including one white rhino, a herd of Cape Buffalo, giraffe, zebra, several kinds of antelope, six hippos, jackals and three orphaned elephants.

 Safari tents across the water.

Two late-afternoon shots of the water and sky.

Lots of aloe around.  In fact much of the terrain reminded me of Arizona.

 Weaverbirds' nests in a tree outside Reception.

The front yard of the safari guides' barracks and where I had a private room and bath.  Mountain views in every direction!  One evening I was invited to sit around the bonfire with the guides who often enjoy their own 'braai' (bar-b-que) if the fire is burning right.  We didn't get our braai that evening but it was an amazing night under the stars, sharing stories and making connections with people I'd just met and who conversed mostly in Afrikaans, translating occasionally for my benefit.  I realized the earth is a huge place and that while the distance between countries is vast, the distance between people is almost nil.

 One of the safari vehicles on an early morning trip.

 On top of a mountain, looking down on the valley below.

Male nyala.  Lots of these around and they are very comfortable around humans, even venturing close to graze on the lawns.

Female nyala.

 "Nossie", the lone white rhino.  She had a mate and they produced a baby, but sadly the baby was killed by the male.  This happens quite a lot. While I was there one of the old male buffalos -- "Dagga boy" -- was suspected in killing one of the two baby buffalo.  Life is hard in the wild and the safari lodge owners/managers have to play a delicate game of letting nature play out, but also protecting their investment...

 Stopping for a drink at the dam.  Elephants can store water in 'pouches' and sometimes use it to feed other animals in the group who are sick or lame and unable to get to water themselves.

Hippos keep a wary eye when the elephants are near. Jubari, the youngest in the group and the most playful, sometimes goes into the water and hits it with his trunk just to have a bit of fun and stir up some excitement among the hippos.

 Time for the 'elies' to return home for the evening.  I was told you could almost set your watch by them showing up at the gate to be led home after their long day which begins with early morning exercises,  foraging and interacting with guests of the lodge and other tourists who come especially for an encounter --- including feeding, photo shoots, long rides through the preserve and watching the 'elies' show off their soccer skills.  Their soccer balls are purposely kept deflated and they go through many.  Malaika, (which means "Angel" in Swahili) is the best at kicking and her handlers joked that she'll soon be ready to join Bafana Bafana, South Africa's national team!   

(Again: a reminder to click on any photo and enjoy a close-up slideshow.)

Before leaving Cape Town for other parts ...

... Here are a few more (random) scenes of the city.*

 Two brightly painted buildings downtown on Long Street.

House of Parliament

The fort built by the colonizing Dutch in the late 1600's, now affectionately called The Castle of Good Hope.

Stained-glass window in the District 6 Museum, which used to be a Methodist Church.  District 6 was an area of Cape Town that was known for its vibrant and successfully mixed racial population which was bulldozed in 1966 by the apartheid government and its residents forcefully relocated to outlying townships.  The area was built up on the lower slopes of Table Mountain with beautiful views of both city and ocean.  It lies in ruins still, even though the current ANC government is trying to bring residents back to the region.

Newspaper clippings at the Museum with telling headlines.

  

 Protea -- a variety of fynbos and South Africa's national flower.

Fires on the mountain. (A controlled burn above Bokaap -- Cape Malay district.)

 Sun conures at a wildlife sanctuary.  (Thanks for the correction, Elizabeth!)

Downtown at the Greenmarket Square:  a good place to shop for curios: African masks, drums, T-shirts, ostrich eggs, shawls, beads, wooden carvings, etc.

An old Methodist Church which stands next to the Greenmarket Square.

 Camps Bay -- one of the pricier regions of the city, famous for its restaurants, bars and beach.

  Lighthouse near the V & A Waterfront.

At Tasca, a Portuguese-Turkish restaurant down at the Waterfront.   I was with an English AVIVA volunteer who is a Turk-Cypriot and wants to relocate to Portugal so it seemed the logical place to eat!

Painted walls in a small coffee shop where we enjoyed a sandwich and coffee.  Oh, they have such good coffee in South Africa! Nice and strong and always served with foaming hot milk.

Dolls in a funky shop on Long Street.

Atop Table Mountain.

*And with apologies to all the photographers I know -- both family and friends.  Wish my photos were better.  I know I can't always blame the cloudy skies and/or the moving bus.