LMG
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2008
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- BMW R1200GS Adventure
My sister “demanded” that I go with them to the Oanob Dam for the weekend. They have a nice little place at the dam and, of course, a boat. I organised my classes at UNNAM in such a way that I was ready to go by around 12h. Thus, I jump on the ADV for a wide reconnaissance towards the south and the general direction of the dam – just following my GPS for about seven hours. The weather was outstanding and I was basically riding on the reënspoor the whole time. I’m just posting the pictures since trying to explain the route will be an impossible task.
I stopped to chat with these guys since they are responsible for the condition of the gravel roads in Namibia. And they are obviously very proud of their work: “Meneer ka ma kyk, da issie klippe innie pad ie!” They are only going into town for two days of the month: “Die mense is te onbeskof, meneer, hie doe ons ma ons eie ding”.
Arriving at the Oanob Dam towards sunset. And Africa does not disappoint.
Saterday at the Oanob Dam was outstanding and gave me a lot of insight into the (white) Namibian mindset and way of doing. Weather-wise it
was absolute perfect.
Swaer Cor and Bella. He is the driver and if he turns the key, Bella is on board.
And these two youngsters are absolutely outstanding. My bek het letterlik by tye oopgehang!
My family’s nice little camping spot at the dam.
And if you are really into booze cruises this is the boat to have.
Sunday on my way back to Windhoek. It is a small city that has succeeded in maintaining its small town feeling and atmosphere.
During the week I took a couple of phodies of well-known landmarks in the city.
Curt von Francis, Major in the German Imperial Army and founder of Windhoek.
The Reiterdenkmal or Südwester Reiter. It was inaugurated on 27 January 1912 on the birthday of Wilhelm II, the German emperor. The monument honours the soldiers and civilians that died on the German side of the Herero and Nama War of 1904–1907. Needless to say, it is somewhat controversial in a democratic, post-colonial Namibia.
The Tintenpalast which houses both chambers of the Namibian parliament.
The Christuskirche housing the Windhoek congregation of the Lutheran church. The three bronze bells were cast by Franz Schilling and bear the inscriptions "Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe" (Glory to God in the highest), "Friede auf Erden" (Peace on earth), and "Den Menschen ein Wohlgefallen" (Goodwill towards men).
The Kudu Statue, designed, sculpted and cast in Munich, Germany, is supposed to symbolize a shared passion by the country’s people for the beautiful abundance of the country´s wildlife.
The new Independence Museum is paying tribute to Namibia’s struggle for independence. Enough said!
The rainbow over my sister’s house on Wednesday night.
I left Windhoek on Friday afternoon at around three.
Slept over in Keetmanshoop and left at around seven on Saturday morning. With the exception of these two phodies of the road through the Karasberge, I didn’t have too much time on the road back home for photos. It was tar, it was long, and it was hot. I arrived back home in Saldanha at around five on Saturday afternoon.
I have been to Namibia on a number of occasions, officially and unofficially, invited and uninvited. But let me make some general comments about Namibia, Windhoek and its people in general that I have observed during this particular visit.
Like most African states that I have been to, the Namibian people seem to be very friendly. It is in stark contrast with what I experience on a daily basis in my own country where I am more and more treated, not as a citizen, but as a foreigner. The students at UNNAM are the best dressed, well-behaved and friendly students that I have worked with in my life – and that include the students of many US and European campuses. It is the first time that I experience students who actually offer excuses if they haven’t read the material that they were supposed to have read. They are serious about getting an education – not just a degree certificate.
Windhoek is probably the cleanest city in Africa. There are no beggars on the streets or people trying to cell Afro-crap at the stops/ robots. It is also the biggest Afrikaans speaking city in the world - sorry Pretoria. Everybody are speaking Afrikaans on the streets. Wambo and Nama students ask you in class to explain things in Afrikaans since they "do not understand the English words" you are using! My sister's Herero garden engineer and Nama household assistant are talking to each other in Afrikaans!
The police and government officials seem to be respected. Everybody tell you to drive slowly and not to mess with the police.
SA has a lot to learn from Namibia ito national reconciliation and having people from different cultures, religions, genders and races peacefully co-existing in one country. Some would argue that it is what the bloody experience of war tend to do to a society - with the post-military and post-religious nature of modern day Europe as the prime example.
I think Paul Moorcraft was absolutely spot-on in his observation that Namibia succeeds in combining African humbleness with German efficiency and Afrikaner hospitality. And their gravel roads are exceptional.
Amen
I stopped to chat with these guys since they are responsible for the condition of the gravel roads in Namibia. And they are obviously very proud of their work: “Meneer ka ma kyk, da issie klippe innie pad ie!” They are only going into town for two days of the month: “Die mense is te onbeskof, meneer, hie doe ons ma ons eie ding”.
Arriving at the Oanob Dam towards sunset. And Africa does not disappoint.
Saterday at the Oanob Dam was outstanding and gave me a lot of insight into the (white) Namibian mindset and way of doing. Weather-wise it
was absolute perfect.
Swaer Cor and Bella. He is the driver and if he turns the key, Bella is on board.
And these two youngsters are absolutely outstanding. My bek het letterlik by tye oopgehang!
My family’s nice little camping spot at the dam.
And if you are really into booze cruises this is the boat to have.
Sunday on my way back to Windhoek. It is a small city that has succeeded in maintaining its small town feeling and atmosphere.
During the week I took a couple of phodies of well-known landmarks in the city.
Curt von Francis, Major in the German Imperial Army and founder of Windhoek.
The Reiterdenkmal or Südwester Reiter. It was inaugurated on 27 January 1912 on the birthday of Wilhelm II, the German emperor. The monument honours the soldiers and civilians that died on the German side of the Herero and Nama War of 1904–1907. Needless to say, it is somewhat controversial in a democratic, post-colonial Namibia.
The Tintenpalast which houses both chambers of the Namibian parliament.
The Christuskirche housing the Windhoek congregation of the Lutheran church. The three bronze bells were cast by Franz Schilling and bear the inscriptions "Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe" (Glory to God in the highest), "Friede auf Erden" (Peace on earth), and "Den Menschen ein Wohlgefallen" (Goodwill towards men).
The Kudu Statue, designed, sculpted and cast in Munich, Germany, is supposed to symbolize a shared passion by the country’s people for the beautiful abundance of the country´s wildlife.
The new Independence Museum is paying tribute to Namibia’s struggle for independence. Enough said!
The rainbow over my sister’s house on Wednesday night.
I left Windhoek on Friday afternoon at around three.
Slept over in Keetmanshoop and left at around seven on Saturday morning. With the exception of these two phodies of the road through the Karasberge, I didn’t have too much time on the road back home for photos. It was tar, it was long, and it was hot. I arrived back home in Saldanha at around five on Saturday afternoon.
I have been to Namibia on a number of occasions, officially and unofficially, invited and uninvited. But let me make some general comments about Namibia, Windhoek and its people in general that I have observed during this particular visit.
Like most African states that I have been to, the Namibian people seem to be very friendly. It is in stark contrast with what I experience on a daily basis in my own country where I am more and more treated, not as a citizen, but as a foreigner. The students at UNNAM are the best dressed, well-behaved and friendly students that I have worked with in my life – and that include the students of many US and European campuses. It is the first time that I experience students who actually offer excuses if they haven’t read the material that they were supposed to have read. They are serious about getting an education – not just a degree certificate.
Windhoek is probably the cleanest city in Africa. There are no beggars on the streets or people trying to cell Afro-crap at the stops/ robots. It is also the biggest Afrikaans speaking city in the world - sorry Pretoria. Everybody are speaking Afrikaans on the streets. Wambo and Nama students ask you in class to explain things in Afrikaans since they "do not understand the English words" you are using! My sister's Herero garden engineer and Nama household assistant are talking to each other in Afrikaans!
The police and government officials seem to be respected. Everybody tell you to drive slowly and not to mess with the police.
SA has a lot to learn from Namibia ito national reconciliation and having people from different cultures, religions, genders and races peacefully co-existing in one country. Some would argue that it is what the bloody experience of war tend to do to a society - with the post-military and post-religious nature of modern day Europe as the prime example.
I think Paul Moorcraft was absolutely spot-on in his observation that Namibia succeeds in combining African humbleness with German efficiency and Afrikaner hospitality. And their gravel roads are exceptional.
Amen
