6 3rde Laan

Wel ons het gisteraand uiteindlik ingeterek in ons splinternuwe huis. Ons het die huis (met behulp van ‘n argitek) self ontwerp en gebou.

Fire in Riversbend

On Tuesday several major fires occurred in the Eastern Cape (partly because of a serious drought). One of these fires burned right through our neighborhood.

Somebody (Rudi Beukes) had to literally run through the flames to grab Elke and her nanny from the house. The smoke and the flames were so bad that people told us our house had burnt down!!! Fortunately it was only the fence that actually burnt down.

It doesn’t like so bad now, but just imagine 8 feet tall flames and smoke so thick you can’t see 10 meters in front of you and your eyes burning. People were really freaked out.

Oscar: Die nuutste lid van die familie

Hier is die 1ste foto van Oscar (amptelike naam Oz of Aquador). Hy is ‘n opregte (met pampiere) Duitse Herdershond. Hy is geteel in Port Elizabeth en is gebore op die 4de April 2008 (dit maak hom amper 4 maande oud). Sovêr is ek baie bëindruk met sy ge-aardheid; ek dink hy gaan ‘n goeie waghond wees. En hy is baie oulik met Elke (ons 22 maande oue dogter). Hy is mal oor ons nuwe grasperk en die is al ingewei!

Nog fotos van Oscar.

Nazi lessons for Raymond Ackerman

Last week I heard a story that enraged me: a successful Pick & Pay owner wanted to open a secondary Pick & Pay somewhere in the Southern Cape. According to my source Raymond Ackerman told this person that the only way in which he will ever be allowed to open that Pick & Pay was if he gave up 51% of the new shop to a black person.

If this is true then I think Raymond Ackerman should be utterly ashamed of himself and even more so because he is Jewish. Because this is exactly the kind of thing that you would expect to see in Germany in the late 30s. Jews in Germany were forced to undermine their business principles just like whites in South-Africa are being forced to do now. Soon Jews couldn’t own businesses anymore and we all know what happened next. Is this the road for South-Africa as well? I sure as hell hope not, but I do know that it is a slippery slope from where we are now to where the Jews ended up.

After the Holocaust everybody asked how it could’ve happened. Well Edmund Burke said: “All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing”. I can’t help but wonder if one day people won’t accuse the Raymond Ackermans of this world of doing nothing.

For the record: I am not some right-wing nut job. At school I campaigned for the end of apartheid and I support the principles of democracy 100%, but one of the most important parts of a democracy is minority rights. And currently the rights of the white minority are being eroded at a concerning rate.

Tim Russert is oorlede

Tim Russert is gistermiddag (laat gisteraand vir ons in Suid-Afrika) oorlede. Hy het vir 17 jaar lank die uitstekende program Meet the Press aangebied. Die program het met die Amerikaanse top politici onderhoude gevoer. Dit was myns insiens die beste program van sy aard wat ek nog gesien het.

Met Russert was die program was altyd in goeie gees en hy het altyd sy gaste met respek behandel, maar hy het verseker die moeilike vrae gevra. Sy manier was om nie konfrontasioneel te wees nie. As ‘n politiekus gejok het of onsin gepraat het het Russert gewoonlik die stuk, of dit nou geskryf of gesê is, verbatim gekwoteer en dan die gas die geleentheid gegee om te reageer. So het jy ‘n uitstekende idiee gekry van die politiekus.

Ek smyt geensins konfrontasie weg nie - in Suid-Afrika byvoorbeeld dink ek dit is wat ons vreeslik nodig het - maar in Amerika waar die kiesers meer opgevoed is (behalwe in 2000 en 2004!) het Russert se manier uitstekend gewerk. Op ‘n manier het hy die gas genoeg tou gegee om hom self op te hang. Hy het gesê: “The one thing I’m determined to do on the show is not to let the powerbrokers leave without giving an answer” en “I have the sense when I’m out there on ‘Meet the Press’ that I’m a surrogate for people who get up, go to work, raise a family and don’t have the time to read six newspapers a day, read all the books and know all the questions to ask. I want to cut through the fog.” Vyf maande terug het McCain sleg 2de gekom in ‘n onderhoud.

Soos ek gesê het die program was in goeie gees gedoen. Omtrent elke Sondag het ou Tim of een van sy gaste ‘n lekker grappie gemaak.

Russert is dood aan ‘n hartaanval terwyl hy voorbereiding gedoen het vir die program. Soos een van sy kollegas gesê het: “he was one of the finest newsmen in the world”. Ek moet saamstem en ek gaan hom verseker mis.

Lees hier vir ‘n great tribute.

Afrikaners vs Suid-Afrika

Hierdie post is kommentaar op Of generations, arseholes, Isreal and volkstate, ’n uitmindende weldeurdagte post deur Mhambi en die post se kommentaar.

Marthinus, jy moet nie jou kop breek oor die woord liberalisme nie. Dis semantics. In sekere gevalle is liberalisme nie ‘n slegte ding nie. Maar ek stem 100% saam met jou dat “unquestioning tolerance” ook nie gesond is nie. Op die oomblik is almal gefokus op “tolerance” dit en “tolerance” dat. Maar ek wil nie ‘n kultuur wat moor en roof en verkrag tolerate nie. Ek gee nie om hoe polities inkorrek dit is nie. Dis onaanvaarbaar dat Suid-Afrikaners (wit & swart) daagliks moet vrees vir hulle lewens. En net swartmense, dmv demokrasie, kan dit uitsort. Dit maak my bekommerd want in die res Afrika kon hulle dit nog nie uitsorteer nie.

Mhambi jy skryf rerig goed. Die een ding waarmee ek nie saamstem nie is oor die gesondheid van die Afrikaner. Ek dink ons is in ‘n beter toestand as wat mense besef. Kyk ‘n bietjie na besigheid, sport (selfs krieket) & kultuur (oukei behalwe vir ou Steve). Die Afrikaner laat hom weer geld.

Ek stry ook nie dat ons moerse struikelblokke in die land het nie. Maar ons het nie rêrig iewers anders om heen te gaan nie (ek was 8 jaar in Londen en ek belowe jou daar is maar een land vir ons Boere en dis SA). Dit gaan nie maklik wees nie, maar juis die feit dat ons nêrens heen het om die gaan nie het ‘n huge bearing op die Afrikaner se toekoms. Ons moet dit maak werk. Ek dink baie Afrikaners sien dit - soos ek - as ‘n positiewe uitdaging.

Ek is ‘n moerse trotse Afrikaner. Delarey, Paul Kruger, FW de Klerk en selfs Charlize Theron is my heroes. Maar ek is ook ‘n trotse Suid-Afrikaner. Bryan Habana, Nelson Mandela & Aggrey Klaaste is ook my heroes. Myns insiens kan jy altwee wees: Afrikaner en Suid-Afrikaner. Maar dit beteken nie ‘n mens moet die k@k wat die ANC (of wie ookal) praat aanvaar nie.

iPhone kom Suid Afrika toe

Ek is ‘n groot aanhanger van Apple se goed. In Engeland het ek ‘n Nano gekoop en dit was fantasties - ek gebruik hom nou nog; by die werk gebruik ons iTunes as ons musiekspeler en ek het onlangs oorgeskakel na Safari as my amptelike browser. Apple se ontwerp is net eenvoudig die beste , selfs beter as Microsoft (wat ook uitstekend is).

So ek is baie opgewonde oor die nuus dat Apple saam met Vodafone die iPhone in Suid-Afrika gaan versprei. Ek is juis besig om te kyk na ‘n nuwe selfoon. My Samsung D500 is ‘n lekker klein foontjie maar hy is al oud en sy Internet funksionaliteit is beperk. Uit die aard gaan ek nou maar wag om my selfoon te vervang tot die iPhone uit is.

Kyk ook na Apple se iPhone site.

Wat ook nice is is hierdie Golf Scorecard programmetjie. Ek sal dit beslis kan gebruik.

Our Knysna holiday

Last week Lené and I had our first decent holiday in 18 months. We took a four-day trip to Knysna. We asked Lené’s parents to look after Elke and predictably they were more than happy to oblige.

We stayed at the 4-star Knysna Quays hotel. I would say the Hotel is OK. The ground staff were friendly, but the receptionist wasn’t. I don’t know if it was because we spoke Afrikaans or because we’re South-African (maybe they’re more used to foreign tourists). The rooms are nice, but other 4-star hotels I stayed in had much bigger rooms. The best thing about the hotel was its proximity to the Knysna Waterfront. It really is a 2-minute walk.

Places we visited were:

The famous Knysna Heads. It is really beautiful area, but I find it depressing that the whole Eastern side is so built up. There are these ugly jutting mansions all over the stunning rocks. I wouldn’t want to live there and I probably won’t go there again. I think this demonstrates pretty well where we are going wrong with residential developments.

Leisure Island. A very pleasant place. Large properties with really classy houses and big lawns. Also very close to the water. And a nice art gallery as well.

Knysna Waterfront. Nice vibe, but surprisingly quiet. The eateries were good. The shopping was very touristy. Not the way I like to shop. I don’t think the area works as well out of season as anticipated. In season I’m sure it goes nuts.

Knysna Town Centre & Information Office. Very impressive. The centre feels alive even in the middle of week. There is much to do and to see. The shopping is excellent and the well-looked after displays make you feel as if people care about the environment. The Knysna tourism office is the benchmark. The location is excellent and the office itself has strong branding and a good layout. It works! People meander in and out as if its another shop. It makes me green with envy.

Thesen Island. I wouldn’t live here in a million years! Not a blade of grass to be seen and no swimming access to the water (even if you did want to swim in the dirty water). The flats are one on top of the other with no character. The mind boggles as to why someone would want to live there. The only good thing is the shopping and the eating. They have some impressive but expensive shops. The restaurants are the same. We ate at the famous Ile de Pain (means Bread Island). Food was awesome, but outrageously expensive.

Knysna Meuseum. Not that much to see, but still worth a visit. It used to be the old gaol and they have restored one of the cells. This and the plan of the original goal gives you a real sense of what it used to be like. There is also some interesting stuff about Knysna, George Rex & The Thesens. The old photographs are also worth a look.

Belvidere. Beautiful place next to the lagoon on the Western side. Not much to do, but I expect that is what the locals want. There are some stunning houses on huge properties.

Lake Brenton. A very nice campsite on the shores of the Knysna Lagoon. We might visit this again with the kids and family in future.

Brenton-on-Sea. Reminds me of Cape St. Francis, one of my favourite places. Also the signage is Afrikaans; which warms my heart right up. Only negative is how far away from the beach you are. Because of this Cape St. Francis still wins hands down.

Sedgefield & Lake Pleasant. A nice place with a fantastic beach. Quiet when we were there. The Lake Pleasant Bistro was recommended to us by a friend. It turned out to be a winner. The food was outstanding; the staff was friendly and the view was unbeatable. I can definitely recommend it.

George Pro Shop. A strange place for a holiday I know! But I needed some gear and well… we were in the vicinity. The staff were great - much better than Port Elizabeth’s Pro Shop - and they allowed me to test out some equipment on their driving range before I bought. I ended up buying a whole lot.

Millwood. I did the Outeniqua Hiking Trail 15 years ago so I was really keen to see if it was still the same. To me the Knysna Bush, as written about by Dalene Mathee, is one of the most beautiful parts of the world so I love it here. Millwood now has a charming coffee shop combined with a museum that is definitely worth a visit.

All in all it was a very rewarding trip. I will visit the area again, but next time I’ll give Thesen Island and the Waterfront a skip. The one disappointment was that the Knysna Choo-Choo (a scenic train troute) was out of action. Hopefully next time that will work again.

My drome kort ‘n uitleg

Gisteraand het ‘n weird en lang droom gehad. Hy’t so gegaan:

1ste scene: Daar is ‘n klomp mense wat saam in ‘n kamer slaap. Ek, ‘n dokter en ‘n swart man lê op een bed. Niks gebeur nie, maar die volgende oggend toe ek wakker word word daar op my skouer geopereer deur die dokter.

Volgende scene: Dieslefde groep mense loop rond in Riversbend se lang gras op soek na iets. Skielik bars Sven (my swaer) uit en sê “Weet julle wat? Ek het gisteraand 3-uur wakker geword en dit was baie interresant om te sien wie pomp en wie nie.”. Almal bars uit van die lag. Toe sê ek “Sven, you have just spoken the unspeakable.”. Toe lag almal nou eers.

Volgende scene: Selfde groep mense eet by ‘n restaurant in Grahamstad. Daar kom ‘n ouer ordentlike vrou in en gryp ‘n bottel tamatie sous. Sy maak asof sy opgooi en gooi die tamatie sous uit op ‘n tafel. Toe sit sy by die tafel en eet saam met die mense, wat toe haar vriende is. Maar niemand lag nie; dis doodernstig. Toe kom die vrou na ons tafel. Sy maak reg om dieselfde ding te doen. Ek gryp haar aan haar hare en pen haar vas. Die eienaar neem haar weg. Toe ons loop sien ek die vrou het my aan my vinger gebyt. Ek gaan soek die dokter.

Volgende scene: Nadat ek by die dokter was soek ek my groep, maar nou skielik is ons Londen in Shaftesbury Ave (daar waar Tiger Tiger is). My groep maats is nêrens te sien nie. Ek loop verby iemand wat Cockney praat, maar ek weet sy is Afrikaans. Ek vra haar toe of sy my vriende gesien het. Sy sê toe - sonder dat ek enige name noem - dat sy Mike Tours se groepie gesien het en hulle was oppad Piccadilly Circus toe.

Volgende (ergste) scene: Ek lê op ‘n bed op grasperk op ‘n hoëerige gebou. Skielik sien ek ‘n moerse kern-missiel verby ons vlieg. Ek weet dis ‘n kern-missiel want ek sien baie duidelik sy plofkop. Ek sien hoe hy ontplof net bo ‘n gebou aan die ander kant van die stad en ek sien Die Sampioen. Ek voel hierdie oorweldigende gevoel van magteloogsheid - dis so erg dit druk my plat. Ek weet dis verby. Ek weet dit help nie eers om te probeer ontsnap nie. Ek maak my oë toe en dink aan die mense wat ek ken en wag vir die inevitable.

Volgende scene: Ek vlieg, maar al wat ek sien is 1000e van daai 2^de Wêreldoorlog bommers. Toe is dit weer 1000e vegvliegtuie. Toe net een groot gewapende helikopter in die verte. Die helikopter kom al hoe nader, maar hy word niks groter nie. Op die ou end is die vreesjaande helikopter ‘n speelding. Ek pluk die helikopter uit die lig uit. Toe pyl ek af - teen ‘n helse spoed - op ‘n groot vuilerige geel muur. Met die trefslag word ek wakker.

Weird hê! Toe ek wakker word was ek papnat gesweet. Maar ek moet sê ek was ongelooflik bly om wakker te wees!! Nou wens ek ek kon weet wat dit alles kan beteken.

PE Oceanarium

On Sunday morning we took the kids to the PE Oceanarium. The kids loved it. I can recommend it if you have kids, but otherwise its a bit thin. I don’t know who runs it, but one definitely gets an “African feeling”; to the place. It just isn’t as tidy and well maintained as it can be.

The show is pretty much the same as it has been for years and even decades (I remember going there as a kid). And then there is the “Animals in a zoo” issue that also dampens the experience.