Bontebok

Very hot today, but we decided to visit the Bontebok National Park, which is just down the road from Swellendam. We had been before, but years ago, and it has changed a lot. The Park is home to the once-threatened Bontebok, now numbering over 200 with a total world population of around 3,000. We were not confident we would find any in the heat, but we did. Many were far away, but we were pleased to find these two just as we were leaving.

We did try the Drostdy Museum in Swellendam (see extra) and found it fascinating. The original Drostdy was built by the Dutch East India Company in 1747 as the residence and offices of the Landdrost of Swellendam. In 1813 the building was enlarged to its present size and under British governorship the Drostdy was occupied by the Resident Magistrate. The house is furnished as it might have been in the late 18th century and houses many maps, pictures and other items, telling the story of Swellendam and its position in Cape Province.

The Drostdy is actually part of a museum complex, but we really couldn’t face the heat any more and returned to our shady and cool house and garden.

(Hastily getting this posted with a bit of Wi-fi, before our power goes off.)